O Come, O Come Emmanuel

We recently sang this song at my church. It is rich with biblical truth and draws attention to the hope believers have in Christ. I would encourage you to read the lyrics as well as listen to the song.

Verse 1
O come, O come, Emmanuel,
and ransom captive Israel
that mourns in lonely exile here,
until the Son of God appear.

Refrain:
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
shall come to you, O Israel.

Verse 2
O come, O Wisdom from on high,
who ordered all things mightily;
to us the path of knowledge show
and teach us in its ways to go.

Refrain:
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
shall come to you. O Israel

Verse 3
O come, O come, great Lord of might,
who to your tribes on Sinai’s height
in ancient times did give the law
in cloud and majesty and awe.

Refrain:
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
shall come to you, O Israel

Verse 4
O come, O Branch of Jesse’s stem,
unto your own and rescue them!
From depths of hell your people save,
and give them victory o’er the grave.

Refrain:
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
shall come to you, O Israel

Verse 5
O come, O Key of David, come
and open wide our heavenly home.
Make safe for us the heavenward road
and bar the way to death’s abode.

Refrain:
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
shall come to you, O Israel

Verse 6
O come, O Bright and Morning Star,
and bring us comfort from afar!
Dispel the shadows of the night
and turn our darkness into light.

Refrain:
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
shall come to you, O Israel

Verse 7
O come, O King of nations, bind
in one the hearts of all mankind.
Bid all our sad divisions cease
and be yourself our King of Peace.

Refrain:
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
shall come to you, O Israel

Emmanuel has come and will come again.  He has set the captives free from slavery to sin and has made them slaves to righteousness. Believers live this life as exiles in a land not our home but we rejoice knowing that Emmanuel will come to us. So, as exiles we live this life to please God by keeping his commands as he teaches us the ways to go.  Christ came down to us and demonstrated the Wisdom of God as he fulfilled all the requirements of God’s holy law and in so doing the Branch of Jesse’s stem rescued God’s children from the depths of hell and gave us victory over the grave. Emmanuel opened heaven’s gates to those who believe.  He took the darkness of our sin and dispelled it with his light and now we beseech the King of Kings to do away with all our division and he, himself, be our peace.

This Christmas season may we be mindful that Emmanuel has come and is coming again. The babe with whom we are all comfortable is also the conquering King who demands allegiance and obedience.

Merry Christmas!

By His Grace Alone,

Josh