O Come, O Come, Emmanuel
Reflective Reading: Luke 2:1-20
The other day, a friend asked me to explain the meaning behind the Christmas hymn, O Come, O Come Emmanuel. I have always loved this beautiful song with its haunting melodies and deep sense of longing. May a look at the meaning behind the first verse of this hymn bless you this Christmas season:
“O come, O come, Emmanuel,
And ransom captive Israel,
That mourns in lonely exile here
Until the Son of God appear.”
The opening lines of this hymn plead for the coming of Emmanuel, meaning “God with us.” The Scriptural promise of Emmanuel’s coming is first recorded in Isaiah 7:14:
“Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.”
The prophecy is repeated in Matthew chapter 1, clearly stating that they shall call his name Emmanuel.
But there’s a problem with this prophecy. Mary and Joseph do not name their firstborn son Emmanuel! His name is called, Jesus. Why? In Luke chapter 2 an angel comes to Mary and Joseph and clearly tells them what his name shall be—Jesus.
If you read the text closely, you will notice that “they shall call his name Emmanuel,” is not in reference to his birth-name. No, Jesus (a name meaning Savior), was the proper name given to him, just as the angel had instructed. As Jesus, he demonstrated why he came into the world—to save us from our sins. As Emmanuel, Jesus came into the world to demonstrate that he, who was God, was indeed with us.
When we recognize who Jesus really is (Savior) and why He came (to be with us), then the song starts to make sense, as we see in the refrain:
“Rejoice! Rejoice!
Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel.”
If you are reading or listening to the news today, you know that Israel is not in a state of rejoicing. They are presently being threatened on every side. Israel has not seen this kind of antisemitism since the time of Hitler. And that’s why this first stanza has so much meaning:
“O come, O come, Emmanuel,
And ransom captive Israel,
That mourns in lonely exile here
Until the Son of God appear.”
Events that took place on October 7th, 2024, have plunged Israel into a protracted war. And though Israel is “winning” the war, they are still spiritual captives. They will not be free until they recognize Jesus as their Savior and realize that God really was with them 2000 years ago. Only then will Israel be ransomed from their spiritual captivity. While they refuse to turn to their Savior, they will mourn in lonely exile here—until the Son of God once again appears.
Thankfully, no one needs to wait. For anyone who calls upon the name of the LORD shall be saved. What a great reminder we have in this Christmas song. We are reminded of what we need most—God with us.
I believe Jesus is coming soon, friends. World news tells us that the Middle East is the focal point of the greatest human interest, drama, and concern today. When I read of places in the modern news such as Gaza, Samaria, Jerusalem, Galilee, Carmel, Megiddo, Syria, Mt. Hermon, Damascus, Tyre, Lebanon, Egypt, and Jordan, I sense that Biblical events are unfolding before my very eyes.
And this brings me to the repeated words of this song: O come, O come, Emmanuel. In the last chapter of the Bible, in the Revelation of Jesus Christ, we have these same words repeated:
“The Spirit and the Bride say, ‘Come.’ And let the one who hears say, ‘Come.’ And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who desires take the water of life without price. ”(22:17).
“He who testifies to these things says, ‘Surely I am coming soon.’ Amen. Come, Lord Jesus! The grace of the Lord Jesus be with all. Amen” (22:20).
The last few verses in the Bible use the word come five times. He is coming. He is coming to ransom the captive, dry the tears of those who mourn, and give sight to the blind and healing to the broken hearted. And so come Lord Jesus! O come, O come, Emmanuel.
“And ransom captive Israel
That mourns in lonely exile here
Until you (Jesus), the Son of God appear”
As we step into this Christmas season, may these truths cause us to pray for the spiritual captives that still need deliverance in Israel, in our families, in our communities, and in our government. No one needs to wait for the second coming of Jesus to have God with them. God intensely desires for mankind to be with him. His death on a cross is proof of this desire. Why would he do this? Because he wants us to be with him. Knowing that we would resist, he first came to be with us—Emmanuel. And how did he come? He came not as a king, nor a nobleman, nor a wise man, nor a mighty man; but as a lowly baby—a baby that would be welcomed by the rich, the wise, the noble, and the poor. God’s entrance upon mankind was an entrance of meakness not strength, of innocence not intellect, and of vulnerability not nobility. These are the characteristics of God with us. During this Christmas season, may the people around us see God with us—as we live out these same characteristics of meekness, innocence, and vulnerability.
“O come, O come, Emmanuel!"
Sincerely,
Mark Hamby
M.S., M. Div., Th. M., D. Min.
Recommended Reading (and Listening!):
What is Her Name? (If you have a Jewish friend or neighbor or co-worker you are trying to reach, this is a must-read! Written by the famous theologian Dr. Edersheim.)
The Old Worcester Jug (Another book on a Jewish antique dealer who is led to Christ by a child.)
You are There Christmas audio drama (This is a must-listen to for young children and families especially!)
Candle in the Window Christmas audio drama (best seller)
The Unlikely Wise Man Christmas audio drama
