Don't Give Up Hope - shaunlepage.com

O Come, O Come Immanuel is one of the oldest hymns we sing at Christmas time. No one knows who wrote the original Latin lyrics because they originated in the Medieval church about eight centuries ago. The hymn is also one of the most serious and somber hymns we sing at Christmas time because it looks back even further than the 12th century in which it was written.

It looks back to six or seven centuries before Christ was born—when the nation of Israel was in captivity. The time after God had judged His people for their wickedness and had allowed the Babylonians to drag them out of the Promised Land. Jerusalem had been destroyed. The temple had been destroyed. It was a time of great suffering and sorrow. The prophets—long before that time had warned God’s people repeatedly that if they did not turn from their sin, this judgment was coming. But the people ignored the prophets. They even beat them and killed them to shut them up. But judgment still came. And there they were—as the song says—”in lonely exile.”

But the prophets had another message as well. A message of hope. Yes, the people would be judged. Yes, they would go into exile. But, God was not done with His people. “Immanuel” would “ransom captive Israel” when “the Son of God (would) appear” in the future. The prophets promised that the “Lord of might” also called the “Rod of Jesse” would come and “free (God’s) own from Satan’s tyranny” and save them “from (the) depths of hell” and “give them victory over the grave.” The “Day-spring” who would come—they said—”from on high, and cheer us by (His) drawing nigh; (and) Disperse the gloomy clouds of night, And death’s dark shadows put to flight.”

With many other names, the prophets spoke of the Anointed One—Messiah—who was to come: “Key of David” and “Wisdom from on high” and “Desire of nations” and “King of Peace.” The prophet Isaiah wrote:

For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David’s throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever. The zeal of the LORD Almighty will accomplish this. (Isaiah 9:6-7)

The Prophet Jeremiah added:

“The days are coming,” declares the LORD,“ when I will raise up to David a righteous Branch, a King who will reign wisely and do what is just and right in the land. In his days Judah will be saved and Israel will live in safety. This is the name by which he will be called: The LORD Our Righteousness. (Jeremiah 23:5-6)

The people hadn’t believed the prophets before, but now that the judgment had come, they believed. They clung to the hope that Messiah would come any day and set them free and rule the world in justice and peace. But the years passed. The centuries passed. After the Babylonians, the Persians ruled over them. After that, the Romans. The exiles died. Their children lived and died. Their grandchildren lived and died. Their great grandchildren lived and died. And still no Messiah. The “gloomy clouds of night” still hung over God’s people. Some returned to Jerusalem, but they remained under the thumb of foreign rulers. And most quit hoping. Most quit believing Messiah would ever come.

That is the context of the Christmas stories. We are so far removed from those days of foreign invaders and “lonely exile” it is hard for us to appreciate what John wrote about the Light coming into the world. It’s difficult for us to understand how Mary and Joseph must have felt to hear Gabriel say that Immanuel was soon to be born. To read what the heavenly host of angels proclaimed 2000 years ago doesn’t deliver the same shock the shepherds received.

But, listen again.

Listen again to John and Matthew and Luke—first century Jews.

Listen with the ears of a homesick Jew in “lonely exile”.

Listen with the ears of one under Roman tyranny who prayed every day of his life that God would send Messiah to deliver His people.

Listen with the ears of one who had given up hope—who thought maybe the Old Testament prophecies were just old wives’ tales.

Listen as one of the eyewitnesses who was there. Like Mary. Like Joseph. Like the Magi. Like the shepherds.

Go get your Bible and listen again.

We are so far removed from those days it is hard for us to appreciate these stories. To us, they have become…stories. But the Light did come into the world. Immanuel did invade planet earth. Angels did proclaim that the long-awaited Messiah finally came. And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us—He tabernacled among us—for a short time. He died for our sins and rose again from the dead!

And then the waiting began again.

The same One who asked those exiles to wait and hope for the Messiah to come the first time—actually asked again. Amazingly, He told His disciples He was going away again and that they—that we—must wait a second time. Yes, He conquered death in His first coming, but His glorious reign on the throne of David would have to wait until His second coming. The complete justice and universal peace was yet future in God’s plan. In the same way the people of Judah waited long ago for the first coming of the Anointed One, Messiah, Immanuel, we wait for the second coming of the Anointed One, Messiah, Immanuel.

The first century Christ-followers believed He would return any day. But the years passed. The centuries passed. The Apostles died. The second century church fathers died. Their children died. Their grandchildren died. We celebrate Christmas 20 centuries after the events described in the New Testament…waiting. In many ways the “gloomy clouds of night” hang over us.

Many of God’s people are under the thumb of tyrannical rulers.

Many suffer persecution at the hands of those who hate them simply because they believe in Christ.

Many of us cringe at the injustice all around us. The never-ending spiral into new depths of sexual perversion. The hatred of all that is good. The senseless wars. The hunger. The abuse. The slavery. The complete disregard for human life. The mockery of Jesus and the Scriptures and the Church.

Many of us pray every day that Jesus would return and receive the glory He deserves by delivering us and our children from “death’s dark shadows.”

Many have given up hope.

Many consider the promises of His second coming to be nothing more than old wives’ tales. And really…can’t we understand? Twenty centuries!

But, then again, the ones who never quit hoping for the first coming of Messiah were not disappointed. Their wildest hopes were fulfilled. They prayed, “O Come, O Come, Immanuel!” and He did!

Have you given up hope?

What if, as we celebrate His first coming, He suddenly catches up His church to prepare for His second coming? What if on New Year’s Day, a new era of history begins? Do you think the promises of His second coming are just a bunch of old wives’ tales or do you—along with the Apostle John—pray expectantly the final prayer of the Bible: “Come, Lord Jesus!” (Revelation 22:20)?

Celebrate His birth by praying for His return.

O come, O come, Emmanuel, And ransom captive Israel,

That mourns in lonely exile here Until the Son of God appear.