The cry in O come O come Emmanuel
THE CRY
“O come, O come, Emmanuel.”
The carol does not cry out for something. It cries out for Someone. Israel was waiting for a Redeemer who would not remain distant, but who would draw near. Their ache was not for ideas, solutions, or systems. It was for a Deliverer who would step into their darkness and make His dwelling with them.
But that cry didn’t originate with them. It was formed by God. Left to ourselves, we would cry out for the wrong things. But God, in mercy, taught His people what to hope for. Through covenant, commandment, and promise, He formed a longing deep within them, a cry shaped by His Word, sustained by His Spirit, and anchored in His faithfulness. The cry for Emmanuel was not man’s idea. It was God’s mercy.
We sing these same words today, but from a different place. We know Emmanuel did come. Christ entered the ache, fulfilled the promise, and became the answer to every cry. Still, we sing, because we are waiting again. Not for His first coming, but for His return.
Advent draws these moments together. It teaches us to enter Israel’s longing while standing firmly on this side of the manger, the cross, and the empty tomb.
The fulfillment of Advent themes in Scripture
THE FULFILLMENT
Before the hymn names each title, it names the One who fulfills them. These are not vague descriptions or poetic hopes. They are the expectations of a Redeemer who must be more than a prophet, more than a king, and more than a symbol. Israel waited for Someone who could accomplish what no one else could: God with us.
Only Christ can stand under the weight of these names. Only Christ can fulfill such a list of hope. Only Christ can turn longing into life.
Each title in this carol is rooted in Scripture. Every one points to the Redeemer who came, the Redeemer who saves, and the Redeemer who will come again.
Emmanuel God with us
Emmanuel: God with Us
Isaiah 7:14, Matthew 1:23
God promised He would dwell with His people. Christ came, not to observe our exile, but to enter it. He took on flesh, moved toward sinners, and ransomed His people through His own presence and power.
Rod of Jesse in prophecy
Rod of Jesse: The Righteous King
Isaiah 11:1–2, Hebrews 2:14–15
Jesus grew from the line of Jesse, not from the height of a throne, but from the humility of a stump. He broke the grip of Satan, defeated death, and secured victory for all who belong to Him.
Dayspring and light in the darkness
Dayspring: Light in the Darkness
Luke 1:78–79, Isaiah 9:2
The Light dawned in the darkest place. Christ shines not only into the world, but into the hidden shadows of the heart, bringing peace where fear once ruled.
Key of David and the way to the Father
Key of David: The Way to the Father
Revelation 3:7, John 14:6
He alone holds the key that opens the way to life with God. In Christ, the door stands open. No enemy can shut what the Savior has unlocked.
Wisdom from on high
Wisdom from on High: The Path Made Clear
1 Corinthians 1:30, Proverbs 3:5–6
Christ is our wisdom. He leads, directs, corrects, and keeps our steps sure. He gives clarity where confusion once ruled and forms understanding where our own strength falls short.
Desire of Nations in Scripture
Desire of Nations: Peace for All Peoples
Haggai 2:7, Ephesians 2:14–16
Christ came for Israel and for the nations. In Him, hostility is put to death and a new people are formed. He brings peace, not by force, but by reconciliation through His cross.
The joy of Advent and Emmanuel
THE JOY
Every verse ends with the same refrain:
Rejoice, rejoice, Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel.
Rejoicing in the middle of longing may seem strange. Yet Israel rejoiced because God had spoken and His promise stood. Now, standing in the fullness of Christ’s first coming, we know where hope became the Gospel’s history. Christ did come. He did redeem. He did rise.
So we rejoice, not because all waiting has ended, but because the Redeemer has already stepped into history and promised to return.
The wait and hope of Advent
THE WAIT
Israel’s joy was found in the waiting, not after it. Advent teaches the Church to do the same.
We wait with worship.
We wait with confidence.
We wait with hope anchored in Christ.
We too would hope in lesser things if left on our own. But God, through His Word and Spirit, has given us the right cry. The Church does not grope in the dark. We wait with clarity, because we have been told who to wait for. Christ is not just the fulfillment of Israel’s hope. He is the center of ours.
The God who promised did not forget.
The Christ who came will come again.
And the cry that once rose from exile now rises from the Church with the same assurance.
Rejoice, rejoice. Emmanuel has come. Emmanuel will come again.
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