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| "Adoration of the Shepherds" by Gerard van Honthorst, 1622 |
A Desperate Longing: O Come, O Come Emmanuel
Written
in a minor key, perhaps this 12th Century Latin hymn is not at the
forefront of our playlist when we think of Christmas carols. It is however, at the forefront of
human existence, human need, and the historical narrative of redemption. It echoes the cry of every human heart
whether they know or understand what it is they long for. But in context, it resounds with the
cry of God-fearing people who hunger for the appearance of Messiah,
particularly the Old Testament people of Israel. It was to them that the promise of Emmanuel was given, that
is to say, that God would come near.
That is the meaning of Emmanuel in Isaiah 7:14, “God is near”. Under the oppression of captivity the
people of Israel yearned to be free, to see the Anointed One from God come to
set them free in fulfillment of God’s promises. The weight of their sin was now a palpable weight of human
misery at the hands of their oppressors.
In their misery they cry, “O Come, O Come Emmanuel”! Let the power of God come and end our
mourning!
The
year is now 2013, and we are not under the bondage of a conquering nation. Indeed, we are free, prosperous, and in
the thinking of most Americans/westerners devoid of the mournful groveling that
this song seems to represent…or are we?
You see for us this song may actually be more appropriate that for any
other people. For we are people
who in reading the Old Testament Law understand that we are in bondage, cruel
bondage, to something far more problematic than a foreign invasion. We are under the bondage of our
sin. A problem that is
ever-present, internationally pervasive, and for which there is no human hope. So we sing. And we do not sing this song for the sake of singing, but
for the sake of souls yearning for a salvation that is both informed as to our
sinful condition, and infused with the hope of the promises of God. Namely that God will come near to
us. This is where all good
Christmas must originate from, an awareness of our miserable plight and trust
in the promises of God.
As
we sing this song we are thankful that we have a broader perspective that will
make the singing of other Christmas hymns more meaningful, for Christ has come,
and in Him God has come near.
Emmanuel has happened! The
Savior has ransomed the once captive Israel of God, and He has done so one life
at a time. No longer are we in
lonely exile, but in the warm confines of the King’s family palace! The Dayspring has ignited the fire of
life, love and adoration in the freeing work of the Gospel. Indeed our Heavenly home is now open
through Jesus Christ, God’s faithful work of becoming our Emmanuel.
Yet
is appropriate to recall through this hymn the process and progress of our own
salvation. Recalling the misery of
life before and without Christ, so that the appearance of Christ might become
more precious to us.
Oh, come,
oh, come, Emmanuel,
And ransom captive Israel,
That mourns in lonely exile
here
Until the Son of God appear.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to
you, O Israel!
Oh, come,
our Wisdom from on high,
Who ordered all things mightily;
To us the path of
knowledge show,
and teach us in her ways to go.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to you, O Israel!
Oh, come,
oh, come, our Lord of might,
Who to your tribes on Sinai's height
In ancient
times gave holy law,
In cloud and majesty and awe.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to you, O Israel!
Oh, come
O Rod of Jesse's stem,
From ev'ry foe deliver them
That trust your mighty
pow'r to save;
Bring them in vict'ry through the grave.
Rejoice! Rejoice!
Emmanuel
Shall come to you, O Israel!
Oh, come,
O Key of David, come,
And open wide our heav'nly home;
Make safe the way that
leads on high,
And close the path to misery.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to you, O Israel!
Oh, come,
our Dayspring from on high,
And cheer us by your drawing nigh,
Disperse the
gloomy clouds of night,
And death's dark shadows put to flight.
Rejoice!
Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to you, O Israel!
Oh, come,
Desire of nations, bind
In one the hearts of all mankind;
Oh, bid our sad
divisions cease,
And be yourself our King of Peace.
Rejoice! Rejoice!
Emmanuel
Shall come to you, O Israel!
