The festival of Chanukah commemorates a period in Jewish history over 2,500 years ago when the Jewish holy temple was taken over by Syrian-Greek forces whose king, Antiochus, ordered the people to renounce Judaism or face death.. A small bunch of rebels known as the Maccabees, led by Jewish priest Matisyahu and later on his son Judah, fought back and eventually recaptured the temple, only to discover when they did that there was only enough oil left inside to keep its holy light – which must never be extinguished – lit for one more day. Except by some miracle it remained burning for eight days till new oil could be made.
Christ's coming was first prophesied in the 6th century BC when the Jews were in captivity in Babylon. For many centuries afterwards, the Jews looked longingly for the birth of the Messiah. They foreshadowed the prayer in this hymn text "and ransom captive Israel."
The hymn this week, "O Come O Come Emmanuel", is an interesting combination of text and musical style. Originally, the song, eight stanzas long was meant to be sung one verse per day beginning on December 17. The stanzas may be used as antiphons with "The Song of Mary." Antiphons are short statements sung at the beginning of the Psalm or of the Magnificat (Mary's song of praise when she learned that she was had been chosen as Jesus's mother), at Vespers (services held at night). The text was originally developed without the chorus ("Rejoice, Rejoice, Emmanuel"), and each verse concentrates on a different biblical name for Christ. The word Emmanuel means "God With Us" Other names of Christ in this song include, Lord of Might, Wisdom, Rod of Jesse,. Day-spring,Key of David, and Desire of Nations.
The text, originally in Latin, dates to sometime between the 9th and 12th centuries. In any event, there is no doubt that this hymn had its origins in the medieval Roman church. This song is included in virtually all hymnals and contain various numbers of stanzas. Stanzas 1 and 4 were translated by John Mason Neale ("Good King Wenceslas" "Of the Father's Love Begotten" among others). The tune that we use now is called Veni, veni, Emmanuel, and is a plainsong in Mode 1, Processionale from the 15th century. The version we use now, hautingly beautiful in its minor key, was adapted by Thomas Helmore in the 19th century.
Here are the words as they appear in the Lutheran Hymnal:
Oh, Come, Oh, Come Emmanuel
Translated: John Neal, 1818-66
1. Oh, come, oh, come, Emmanuel,
And ransom captive Israel,
That mourns in lonely exile here
Until the Son of God appear.
Chorus: Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to you, O Israel!
2. Oh, come, our Wisdom from on high,
Who ordered all things mightily;
To us the path of knowledge show,
and teach us in her ways to go.
Chorus
3. Oh, come, oh, come, our Lord of might,
Who to your tribes on Sinai's height
In ancient times gave holy law,
In cloud and majesty and awe.
Chorus
4. Oh, come O Rod of Jesse's stem,
From ev'ry foe deliver them
That trust your mighty pow'r to save;
Bring them in vict'ry through the grave.
Chorus
5. Oh, come, O Key of David, come,
And open wide our heav'nly home;
Make safe the way that leads on high,
And close the path to misery.
Chorus
6. Oh, come, our Dayspring from on high,
And cheer us by your drawing nigh,
Disperse the gloomy clouds of night,
And death's dark shadows put to flight.
Chorus
7. Oh, come, Desire of nations, bind
In one the hearts of all mankind;
Oh, bid our sad divisions cease,
And be yourself our King of Peace.
Chorus
8. Repeat verse 1
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