O Immanuel

Dec-23-o-emmanuel

The seventh great “O” is: O Emmanuel, Rex et legifer noster, exspectatio gentium, et Salvator earum: veni ad salvandum nos Domine Deus noster.

English: O Emmanuel, God with us, our King and lawgiver, the expected of the nations and their Savior: come to save us, O Lord our God.

It reflects the following prophecies and Scripture:

O Emmanuel, God with us, our King and lawgiver, the expected of the nations and their Saviour:

  • immanuel03Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel. Isaiah 7:14 [also Isaiah 8:8; Isaiah 8:10] The Hebrew word ‘virgin’ occurs seven times in the Old Testament. It means a young woman of marriageable age, normally a virgin (Gen. 24:43). The Septuagint (the Greek translation of the Old Testament made about 150 b.c.) translated with a word more specifically meaning “virgin.” The New Testament understands Isaiah to be designating the Virgin Mary (Matt. 1:23). See “The Virgin Birth of Jesus” at Luke 1:27. Immanuel means “God with us.” The name conveys God’s promise to save, bless, and protect His children. Tradition identifies the child as the Messiah, a divine personage whose birth is above nature. It equates the Child named “Immanuel” with the Child possessing God’s titles in 9:6, and with the “Branch” of ch. 11.
  • Isaiah7.14Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us. Matthew 1:23 Jesus’ conception by a virgin is miraculous, announcing that God will soon redeem His people and is present with them. This quotation is the first of a number of Old Testament references Matthew uses to show that Jesus fulfills the Old Testament. A parallel thought is found in  John 1:14 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth. Highlighting the fulfilment of the Messianic prophecies in Christ (see O Adonai)
  • And I will shake all nations, and the desire of all nations shall come: and I will fill this house with glory, saith the LORD of hosts. Haggai 2:7 (see O Rex gentium)

come to save us, O Lord our God.

  • Again the Church expresses the prayer of the redeemed who recognise Christ as the “Word” i.e. the “logos”, the “Ruach Elohim” the Creator with God of the world, see O Sapientia.

Leave a Reply