Advent Hymns and the Prophetic Foretelling of Jesus

Since we are in the middle of Advent 2025, now is a great time to reflect on some of the biblical passages that we sing in our Advent hymns. The two hymns that I will focus on in this article are primarily about prophecies in the Old Testament that foretell Jesus’ coming. Part of the inspiration for this post comes from the Nine Lessons and Carols service, originally held in Truro, England, in 1890 and later established by King’s College, Cambridge, in 1918. These services use Scripture, hymns, and carols to tell the biblical story from creation through the birth of Jesus.

Isaiah 9:2, 6

The people who walked in darkness 

Have seen a great light;

Those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness,

On them has light shone.

For to us a child is born,

To us a son is given;

And the government shall be upon his shoulder,

And his name shall be called

Wonderful Counselor, Mighty Go

Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

Isaiah 11:1, 3, 4

There shall come forth a shoot from the stump of Jesse,

And a branch from his roots shall bear fruit.

And his delight shall be in the fear of the LORD.

But with righteousness he shall judge the poor,

And decide with equity for the meek of the earth.

One of the best hymns taken from the prophetic language in both the Old and New Testaments is “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel.” The first stanza explains Israel’s longing for a Savior that will put an end to their exile. The second stanza asks for deliverance from oppression as promised to come from the line of Jesse. When the third stanza asks for the cheer of the Dayspring, it is a reference to Zechariah’s prophecy in Luke 1:78-79 where Zechariah asks for the light of God’s presence in their dark world. Lastly, the final stanza refers to Jesus’ second coming in Revelation 3, where Jesus will put an end to all darkness and suffering and the new kingdom will be ushered in.

Although we live in the time after Jesus’ first coming, unlike the people in Isaiah’s time, we still resonate with the themes in these stanzas. Our world is dark and despair is all around us. People continue to long for a Savior, only now we are Christ’s ambassadors and can share the Good News with people who are lost. We still mourn the death and decay around us, but we have the hope of Christ and his salvation. This hymn still draws people with its artistic language and haunting melody, allowing for prayerful mediation.

O Come, O Come, Emmanuel

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.

O come, Thou Rod of Jesse, free

Thine own from Satan's tyranny;

from depths of hell Thy people save,

and give them vict'ry o'er the grave.

Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel

shall come to Thee, O Israel.

O come, Thou Dayspring, come and cheer

our spirits by Thine advent here;

disperse the gloomy clouds of night,

and death's dark shadows put to flight.

Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel

shall come to Thee, O Israel.

O come, Thou 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.

Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel

shall come to Thee, O Israel.

Another Advent hymn in similar style of “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel” is “Let All Mortal Flesh Keep Silence.” Keith and Kristyn Getty recently recorded this hymn, bringing it to popular attention. But the hymn has roots all the way back to the fourth century and has found performance in both the Eastern and Western Church.

The first stanza of “Let All Mortal Flesh Keep Silence” is taken from Habakkuk 2:20, which records God’s response to Habakkuk’s complaint of the sin and wickedness around him. God told Habakkuk to record the words, “But the Lord is in his holy temple; let all the earth keep silence before him.” Following this reminder in the first line of the hymn, the focus moves to reverence for Christ and his incarnation among us. His incarnation continues as the theme of the second stanza, and the reminder that he was with God in the beginning is in view. This stanza packs a robust theological punch by referencing Jesus from before time began, through his incarnation, and to his earthly death that allows redemption for his people. The final two stanzas reference the heavenly beings that are continuously worshiping God around his throne, as found in Isaiah 6 and Revelation Chapters 4 and 5.

Let All Mortal Flesh Keep Silence

Let all mortal flesh keep silence,

and with fear and trembling stand;

ponder nothing earthly minded,

for, with blessing in His hand,

Christ our God to earth descendeth,

our full homage to demand.

King of kings, yet born of Mary,

as of old on earth He stood,

Lord of lords, in human vesture,

in the body and the blood.

He will give to all the faithful

His own self for heav'nly food.

Rank on rank the host of heaven

spreads its vanguard on the way,

as the Light of light descendeth

from the realms of endless day,

that the pow'rs of hell may vanish

as the darkness clears away.

At His feet the six-winged seraph,

cherubim with sleepless eye,

veil their faces to the Presence,

as with ceaseless voice they cry,

“Alleluia, alleluia,

alleluia, Lord Most High!”

If you are unfamiliar with these hymns, I encourage you to spend time with the texts in your devotional time. Additionally, check out the recordings of these great hymns that I’ve included. I hope you find great benefit of digging into the biblical prophecies from which these timeless hymns reflect. Our God is so much bigger than the cultural moment in which we live, and these hymns remind us of this attribute.

Kim lives in Oklahoma with her husband Jason and they have one adult son. She is Visiting Professor of Music and Worship at Oklahoma Baptist University and enjoys teaching classes on various aspects of worship studies. Kim completed her Ph.D. in Church Music and Worship from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary and also holds degrees in Music History and Piano Performance from other universities. She enjoys spending time with her family in God’s creation, quilting, reading, and drinking good tea.