The Fourth Hope, The Hope for Rescue

O come, O Branch of Jesse's stem,

unto your own and rescue them!

From depths of hell your people save,

and give them victory o'er the grave.

My childhood memories are filled with stories of rescue. Farmers or pirates were racing off to save a princess, or guys with talking cars, fancy vans, and red capes were racing off to save the next person in distress. As humans, we are drawn into the rescue narrative because a hero is at the heart of any rescue. A few 80's references and the concept of the hero reprises Bonnie Tyler's infamous lyric, "I'm holding out for a hero 'til the morning light. He's gotta be sure, and it's gotta be soon, and he's gotta be larger than life" (Steinman and Pitchford, 1986). In the fourth stanza of O Come, O Come, Emmanuel, the seven hopes of Advent confront us with our need for a hero and the hope for rescue.

Why is Jesus coming as a rescuer? The biblical narrative is rich with God Himself as humanity's rescuer. God rescued Israel from slavery in Egypt, God rescued Israel from enemy nations, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were rescued from a furnace execution, Daniel was rescued from a den of lions, and Peter was rescued from prison. God is the hero of history, and at Christmas, we celebrate the birth of Jesus, God putting on human flesh to become our ultimate rescuer, the Savior. "For today in Bethlehem a rescuer was born for you. He is the Lord Yahweh, the Messiah" (Luke 2:11, TPT).

The Passion Translation presents Luke 2:11 as one of the most magnificent passages in the gospels describing Jesus' deity. First, the term often translated as "savior" is revealed as "rescuer." Second, instead of focusing on translating each word, the phrase commonly translated as "Christ the Lord" is revealed as the Lord Yahweh, Messiah. Jesus is the hero of God's ultimate rescue story.

God's ultimate rescue story begins in Genesis as humanity continues in rebellion against God. The tower of Babel is destroyed, and the people are scattered and divided into nations. God chose one man, family, and people for His nation—Israel. The story continues with cycles of God's loving pursuit as His people draw near, then rebel, draw near, then rebel. A promise is made: "I see him, but not now; I perceive him, but not near. A star will come from Jacob, and a scepter will arise from Israel" (Numbers 27:17, CSB). The Bible records more promises from prophets, priests, and kings about the coming Savior, the rescuer who will be the prophet of truth, a priest forever, and the king of kings. "The God of our ancestors raised up Jesus, whom you had murdered by hanging him on a tree. God exalted this man to his right hand as ruler and Savior, to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins" (Acts 5:30-31, CSB).

In Bethlehem, the one true hero is born—the rescuer! Jesus' mission: "The Son of Man has come to seek out and to give life to those who are lost" (Luke 19:10, TPT). Everyone who surrenders to Jesus and places their faith and trust in Jesus alone for salvation is rescued! "He has rescued us from the domain of darkness and transferred us into the kingdom of the Son he loves. In him we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins" (Colossians 1:13-14, CSB). God's rescue is complete. God rescues us from our past, from our sins, and from the grave itself. Our hope for rescue at Advent is not simply a hope for rescue from sin and from the kingdom of darkness, but our hope of rescue looks forward. Through the finished work of Jesus, God rescues us into Jesus' kingdom. All those rescued by Jesus receive new life, new identity, a new community, and a new way of living—Kingdom life.

"My beloved friends, imitate my walk with God and follow all those who walk according to the way of life we modeled before you. For there are many who live by different standards. As I've warned you many times (I weep as I write these words), they are enemies of the cross of the Anointed One and doom awaits them. Their God has possessed them and made them mute. Their boast is in their shameful lifestyles and their minds are in the dirt.

But we are a colony of heaven on earth as we cling tightly to our life-giver, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our humble bodies and transfigure us into the identical likeness of his glorified body. And using his matchless power, he continually subdues everything to himself" (Philippians 3:17-21, TPT).

Refrain:

Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel

shall come to you, O Israel.