O Come O Come Emmanuel

It was the dark ages.  The year was 700 something AD.  Civilization was failing.  War, disease and chaos dominated the day.  But somewhere there was a monk.  A monk who wrote a song that expressed the Old Testament prophecies that a Messiah, the Christ would come and be the Savior of the world.  Most people could not read. Therefore, they would have to listen.  What better way to teach theology than through song.

Now fast forward to the 19th century.  An Anglican priest named John Mason Neale was reading through an ancient book of hymns and ran across this song.  Of course, it was written in Latin.  But he easily translated it into English.  The music came from a 15th-century convent of nuns in Portugal.    It wasn't long that his song caught on and made it all the way around the world.

You probably don't know that there are 7 verses to this song.  (Yes, that's long.) But each verse is rich with truth.

Verse 3
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

Isaiah 7:14 Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.

Matthew 1:23 “Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel” (which means, God with us).

Isaiah wrote this words 700 years before Jesus was born.  A monk wrote his words 700 years after Jesus was born.  John Mason Neale create this Christmas hymn 1200 years after that.  

Emmanuel means,  God with us!  More specifically, God is with you today  

PRAY:  Dear Jesus, I am so grateful that You are with me today.  AMEN