Oh come, Oh come, Emmanuel!

You are singing now, right?  Maybe not.  I cannot read a line from a song without singing, which often means I cannot read scripture without singing.

This familiar carol captures the essence of Advent.  It is expresses pain, longing, division and hopeful joy.  Try not to sing it, and just read the words.  "Oh come, Emmanuel, and ransom captive Israel, that mourns in lonely exile here, until the son of God appears.  Rejoice!  Emmanuel shall come to you, oh Israel!"

The singer addresses God first, in every verse, with supplication.  Then, confident that he is heard and will be answered, he addresses the captives.  Our savior is coming.  This is the plight of Christians.  We live in a broken world, and we are slaves to sin.  Yet we know God is with us, and we know He will come again.

Emmanuel means 'God with us.'  That line captures our condition rather beautifully.  Oh come, God with us.  We ask our ever-present and all-knowing Father to come save us.  We ask for help, when we need it, though we know that He knows already.  We invite Him into our lives, knowing He is already there.  This changes our relationship with him.  We are not his toys, created and watched.  We are his children.  He will love us and help us, but He will not force us to love him.  

The song makes many painful petitions.  Free the captives!  Deliver your people from their foes!  Disperse the gloomy clouds of night!  Make our divisions cease!  Each plea is followed with faithful confidence.  He will come, rejoice!  The faithful know that their pleas are heard by a loving and present God.

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

Rejoice! Rejoice!
Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel!

O come, Thou Wisdom, from on high,
and order all things far and nigh;
to us the path of knowledge show,
and teach us in her ways to go.

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 did give the law,
in cloud, and majesty, and awe.

Rejoice! Rejoice!
Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel!

O come, Thou Rod of Jesse's stem,
form ev'ry foe deliver them
that trust Thy mighty power to save,
and give them vict'ry o'er the grave.

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,
that we no more have cause to sigh.

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 shadow put to flight.

Rejoice! Rejoice!
Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel!

O come, Desire of the nations, bind
in one the hearts of all mankind;
bid every strife and quarrel cease
and fill the world with heaven's peace.

Rejoice! Rejoice!
Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel!