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Advent 2024

Advent 2024

“O Come, O Come, Emmanuel”

For centuries, Christian communities have given voice to our faith through song. And especially when the songs we sing are rich with biblical allusions and robust theology, they carry the power to both shape and strengthen our faith. The beloved Advent carol “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel” is one of these songs.

Originally written in Latin, this hymn has roots as early as the eighth century, when it was developed as a monastic chant during the week leading up to Christmas. What we now recognize as “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel” was first translated into English by John Mason Neale in the 19th century.

Each week of this devotional contains one verse from “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel” along with two accompanying passages of scripture—one from the Old Testament and one from the New Testament—that provide a theological context for the lyrics. The final reading for Christmas day highlights the carol’s first verse and chorus, which remind us of the central message of Christmas: Emmanuel, or “God with us,” has come, and we long for him to come again.

Verse

O come, Thou Wisdom from on high,
Who orderest all things mightily;
To us the path of knowledge show;
And teach us in her ways to go.

Scripture

Proverbs 8
John 1:1-14

Jesus is the incarnate Word of God, and his earthly life serves as a perfection demonstration of wisdom and righteousness.

Where are you longing for God’s wisdom to direct your life?

Verse

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.

Scripture 

Isaiah 11:1-9
1 Corinthians 15:51-57

Jesus arrives as a king in the line of Jesse, but the kind of victory he wins and kingdom he builds are unlike any earthly kingdom we’ve ever seen.

Where are you longing for God’s power to be revealed in your life?

Verse

O come, Thou Dayspring, come and cheer,
Our spirits by Thine advent here;
Disperse the gloomy clouds of night,
And death's dark shadows put to flight.

Scripture

Isaiah 60:1-3
Luke 1:67-79

The archaic word “dayspring” refers to the dawn—the first light of morning arriving after a long, dark night.

Where are you longing for the light of Christ to illumine dark places in the world?

Verse

O Come, Desire of nations, bind
All peoples in one heart and mind;
Bid envy, strife, and discord cease;
Fill the whole world with heaven’s peace.

Scripture

Haggai 2:6-7
Philippians 2:1-11

In a world full of conflict and chaos, Jesus shows us another way, offering rest for our souls and promising that one day his peace will reign over all the earth.

Where are you longing for the peace of Christ to reign?

Verse

O come, O come, Emmanuel,
And ransom captive Israel,
That mourns in lonely exile here,
Until the Son of God appear.

Refrain

Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
shall come to you, O Israel.

Scripture

Isaiah 7:14
Matthew 1:22-23

Emmanuel means “God with us,” and this name causes us both to remember and to anticipate. We remember that God has come to us in the person of Jesus, and we wait with eager anticipation for that day when he will come again and set all things right, establishing his kingdom in its fullness.

Where do you see evidence of God’s presence in your life? Rejoice!

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Information on Advent