If there ever was a hymn that connects Israel with the Church, this is the one. Although any chorale worth its salt can sing this beautifully, I liked the stripped down approach version of recording artist Sufjan Stevens.
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.
The language of "ransom" and "captive" and "exile" cut to the heart of the problem for humanity. We are held ransom by sin, death, and the devil. We are held captive by all the things which sin, death, and the devil employ. There is seemingly no escape. As Israel mourned in exile from the land, so too the Church as Israel mourns in exile from the land until the Son of God appears.
Yet even in the darkness and cold of the season, there is reason to rejoice. Emmanuel, God with us, is coming. Certainly the hymn brings to mind the image of the Christmas Story of when God became man in the form of the baby Jesus. Yet the true message and beauty of the hymn is in its anticipation for the Emmanuel, God with us, to return once and forevermore. And the Church stands as Israel eagerly awaiting not just the celebration of the Christ's first Advent, but ultimately his second Advent, when all things will be made new.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to thee, O Israel
We are not left in the dark alone. Look! Jesus is coming!
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