Advent 2011 - Day 1 - O Come Emmanuel

Isaiah 1:2-4

² Hear, O heavens, and give ear, O earth;
   for the LORD has spoken:
"Children have I reared and brought up,
   but they have rebelled against me.
³The ox knows its owner,
   and the donkey its master’s manger,
but Israel does not know,
   my people do not understand."

 ⁴Alas, sinful nation,
   a people laden with iniquity,
offspring of evildoers,
   children who deal corruptly!
They have forsaken the LORD,
   they have despised the Holy One of Israel,
   they are utterly estranged.

Why do we celebrate Advent and the anticipation of Christ's arrival? Because Israel needed a Messiah. Badly. They recognized this on their better days. And in his promises to send one, God revealed himself. He promised to send One who would be Emmanuel, "God with us." Even though Israel had chosen to abandon God, God graciously chose to seek them out.

I can't wait for the Christmas season to come just so I can sing this hymn! Okay, maybe not "just" so I can sing this hymn, but it's probably in my top five reasons to look forward to Christmas :) Love. It. So, of course, I'm not going to wait any longer than I have to to bring it into my advent preparation :)

O Come O Come Emmanuel

" 'Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel' (which means, God with us)."

This hymn comes from a poem that dates back to the 8th century. A metrical version of five of the verses appeared in the 13th century.

Each of the five verses expounds upon one of the names for the Messiah:

v.1: "Emmanuel" (Isaiah 7:14, Mt 1:23) means "God with us"

v. 2: "Branch of Jesse" (Isaiah 11:1) refers to Jesus' lineage

v. 3: "Oriens" (Malachi 4:2, Luke 1:78-79) is the morning star or daystar

v. 4: "Key of David" (Isaiah 22:22) again refers to Jesus' lineage

v. 5: "Adonai" (Exodus 19:16) is a name for God as Lord, giver of the law

O come, O come, Emmanuel, and ransom captive Israel,

That mourns in lonely exile here until the Son of God appear.

Rejoice! Rejoice!

Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel.

O come, Thou Rod of Jesse, free thine own from Satan’s tyranny;

From depths of hell Thy people save, and give them victory over the grave.

Rejoice! Rejoice!

Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel.

O come, Thou Day-spring, come and cheer our spirits by Thine advent here;

Disperse the gloomy clouds of night, and death’s dark shadows put to flight.

Rejoice! Rejoice!

Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel.  

O come, Thou Key of David, come, and open wide our heavenly home;

Make safe the way that leads on high, and close the path to misery.

Rejoice! Rejoice!

Emmanuel shall come to Thee, O Israel!

O come, O come, Thou Lord of might! Who to thy tribes, on Sinai's height,

In ancient times didst give the law, in cloud, and majesty, and awe.

Rejoice! Rejoice!

Emmanuel shall come to Thee, O Israel!