Day 1
On Saturdays and Sundays during Advent, we are focussing on playing some Christmas carols that we have recorded during our services in recent years and finding out what they’re actually all about.
Story behind the carol -
O Come, O Come Emmanuel
"O Come, O Come, Emmanuel" is a hymn that is typically sung during the Advent and Christmas season. It originated in the Middle Ages, around A.D. 800, as an anthem, that was restructured into verse form in the 1100's and was eventually published in Latin in 1710, called "Veni, Veni, Emmanuel." The hymn was later discovered, translated, and published in 1851 by John Mason Neale, an Anglican minister. (Neale also originated the words to ‘Good King Wenceslas’.) The melody of ‘O Come, O Come, Emmanuel’ has its roots as far back as 15th Century France, but it is not clear who wrote the tune but Neale put the translation of lyrics with the historic tune.
When you sing this Advent carol, you are singing about the birth of Jesus. The journey of this carol, is it moves from the shadows of the Old Testament into the light of the New Testament with the revelation of God in Jesus. This hymn traces the themes of Israel's exodus to the final exodus that was to begin with the birth of the Messiah. We can see this progressive unfolding of God's redemptive plan if we turn to the Old Testament and begin with Israel's exile in Babylon. The verses each referred to titles of the Messiah (Jesus), telling of His coming. The five titles mentioned in the song are: Emmanuel (God with us) - Isaiah 7:14, Lord of Might - Exodus 19:16, Rod (Branch) of Jesse - Isaiah 11:1, Dayspring (Morning Star) - Numbers 24:17, Key of David - Isaiah 22:22.
In the bible, the name "Emmanuel" first appears in Isaiah 7:14 in an Old Testament prophecy, which says, “Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign; The virgin will conceive, and give birth to a Son, and will call Him Emmanuel”. The original meaning of the name is: “with us is God,” or “God with us.” Then in the New Testament, in Matthew 1:23, the meaning of Emmanuel is “God with us.” The promised child was given the name of Jesus but was also Emmanuel, God in the flesh - God with us!
Lyrics
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 o'er the grave.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to thee, O Israel.
O come, Thou Dayspring, from on high,
And cheer us by Thy drawing nigh;
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 heav'nly 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, Adonai, 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.
