27
Nov '21
Seize the Moment – Day 620
27
Nov '21
Today’s Advent hymn focus will be
“O Come, O Come Emmanuel”
Isaiah 7:14 (ESV)
“Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel .”
Anglican Priest and hymn writer John Mason Neale enjoyed finding early and medieval Greek and Latin hymns to help people focus on the feasts and fasts of the Christian year. He is credited for translating this late 8th or 9th century Benedictine Gregorian chant into English in the mid 19th century. History tells us that in the weeks prior to Christmas, the monks would sing a verse a day to prepare their hearts and minds.
O Come, o come Emmanuel, and ransom captive Israel
That mourns in lonely exile here, until the Son of God appear
If you look at each of these verses, they have a double purpose. Not only what His coming as a babe in a manger means, but also preparing our hearts and growing excitement for Jesus’ return to take us home.
Friends, Jesus is God with us. He has not only come in history, but He is coming again…and this gives us a huge reason to rejoice this season!
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel has come to thee, O Israel!
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YOUTUBE:
If you prefer a video, Pastor Ken reads his devotion on YouTube as well. Click HERE to visit the page.
Videos are posted about a week after the devotion appears in the blog.
If you would like to hear this song, click on the link below:
O come, O come, Immanuel
1
O come, O come, Immanuel,
and ransom captive Israel
that mourns in lonely exile here
until the Son of God appear.
O come, O come, Immanuel,
and ransom captive Israel
that mourns in lonely exile here
until the Son of God appear.
Refrain:
Rejoice! Rejoice! Immanuel
shall come to you, O Israel.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Immanuel
shall come to you, O Israel.
2
O come, O Wisdom from on high,
who ordered all things mightily;
to us the path of knowledge show
and teach us in its ways to go. Refrain
O come, O Wisdom from on high,
who ordered all things mightily;
to us the path of knowledge show
and teach us in its ways to go. Refrain
3
O come, O come, great Lord of might,
who to your tribes on Sinai’s height
in ancient times did give the law
in cloud and majesty and awe. Refrain
O come, O come, great Lord of might,
who to your tribes on Sinai’s height
in ancient times did give the law
in cloud and majesty and awe. Refrain
4
O come, O Branch of Jesse’s stem,
unto your own and rescue them!
From depths of hell your people save,
and give them victory o’er the grave. Refrain
O come, O Branch of Jesse’s stem,
unto your own and rescue them!
From depths of hell your people save,
and give them victory o’er the grave. Refrain
5
O come, O Key of David, come
and open wide our heavenly home.
Make safe for us the heavenward road
and bar the way to death’s abode. Refrain
O come, O Key of David, come
and open wide our heavenly home.
Make safe for us the heavenward road
and bar the way to death’s abode. Refrain
6
O come, O Bright and Morning Star,
and bring us comfort from afar!
Dispel the shadows of the night
and turn our darkness into light. Refrain
O come, O Bright and Morning Star,
and bring us comfort from afar!
Dispel the shadows of the night
and turn our darkness into light. Refrain
7
O come, O King of nations, bind
in one the hearts of all mankind.
Bid all our sad divisions cease
and be yourself our King of Peace. Refrain
O come, O King of nations, bind
in one the hearts of all mankind.
Bid all our sad divisions cease
and be yourself our King of Peace. Refrain