Listening to the very popular "O Come O Come Emmanuel", my heart is saddened. I think about the nation of Israel and how they have missed the coming of their savior. He didn't come in the way/form that they were expecting and their eyes were blinded, they missed Him because he came in the form of a gentle, innocent, baby. Can you imagine thousands and thousands of years of waiting for a Messiah that has already come? I'm sure their faces will fall when Jesus returns for the second time to marry his bride! I pray for Israel, may her eyes see what she has not seen and may her heart be open to her Messiah. What is so sad, is as I am studying Judaism in class I have found that the orthodox Jews (the strictest) know the law forwards and backwards (literally). You can say on page 901 5 lines down what is the tenth letter and they can tell you. However currently there are no sacrifices in Israel for atonement. My question was immediately "Then how are their sins forgiven?" They believe through studying and knowing the law, how sad. We know that is never how God intended it. God gave the law to show us we could never save ourselves, we needed a blood sacrifice to atone for sins. As I think about Jesus coming in the form of a baby this season, I remember Israel and I intercede for her, for she has missed the coming of her savior and is blind by her legalism. Yet, God said salvation came first for her, then for the gentiles.
"O come, o come Emmanuel
And ransom captive Israel
That mourns in lonely exile here
Until the Son of God appear.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel."
Rejoice, Rejoice Emmanuel HAS come to thee, O Israel.
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