He Shall ReignSample

There was a time in the Bible called the “400 years of silence”. This was a time when there were no prophets raised up, meaning there were no new prophetic words to be spoken or revealed by God. This time frame is what we know separates the Old Testament from the New Testament. So while God’s people, the Israelites, were waiting for their “promise fulfilled”, they were really waiting. 

In Isaiah 9:2, it says “The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of deep darkness a light has dawned.” The light they’re describing is ultimately the arrival of Jesus, or Emmanuel, “God with us”. Imagine the generations that waited and waited, and now, hope has finally arrived.

So when we sing the lyrics to the old Christmas song, 

O come, O come, Emmanuel,

And ransom captive Israel,

That mourns in lonely exile here,

Until the Son of God appears.

Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel

Shall come to thee, O Israel… 

you can catch a small glimpse of the relief and joy that must have been felt when you read these lyrics. Until Jesus, Israel mourned in lonely exile, awaiting their coming Messiah. Then, a thrill of hope, and a once weary world rejoiced at the arrival of their coming King Jesus. He’s not just a man, a good teacher, or a prophet; He’s the long-awaited Messiah, a God who put on flesh and dwelt among us. He is the “Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” He is the promise fulfilled to God’s people. 

APPLICATION: 

Google the lyrics of O Come, O Come Emmanuel and read through them. Many of the songs we sing this time of year can become commonplace to us, especially if we grew up attending church and Christmas services. But try to imagine this as the first time you’re hearing this good news. Imagine a weary world (not hard to imagine, right?), and then finally, a promise fulfilled. Everything you’ve ever hoped, prayed and believed for, all of God’s purposes and Biblical prophecies accomplished in Jesus - fully man, yet fully God, the Holy One who reigns above all. As we walk through this Advent plan over the next 14 days, pray that God would help you see the Christmas story with new eyes, that scripture would come alive for you, and that Jesus’s reign would become personal to you. Let’s pray it wouldn’t be just a story, but instead, Jesus would become the Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, and Prince of Peace who reigns in every area of your life.