MARANATHA: COME, O LORD

Praying Maranatha: Introduction: 1Cor 16:22, Rev 22:7, 12,

Hymn- 
O Come, O Come, Emmanuel

(1) O come, O come, Emmanuel,
And ransom captive Israel,
That mourns in lonely exile here
Until the Son of God appear.
Refrain: Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to thee, O Israel.

(2) O come, O come, Thou Lord of Might,
Who to thy tribes on Sinai's height,
In ancient times didst give the Law,
In cloud, and majesty, and awe.
Refrain: Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to thee, O Israel.

(3) O come, Thou Rod of Jesse, free,
Thine own from Satan's tyranny;
From depths of hell thy people save,
And give them victory o'er the grave.
Refrain: Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to thee, O Israel.

(4) 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.
Refrain: Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to thee, O Israel.

(5) 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.
Refrain: Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to thee, O Israel.

(6) O come, Thou Wisdom from on high,
And order all things far and nigh;
To us the path of knowledge show,
And cause us in her ways to go..
Refrain: Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to thee, O Israel.

(7) O come, Desire of Nations, bind
All people in one heart and mind;
Bid envy, strife, and quarrels cease;
Fill the whole world with heaven's peace.
Refrain: Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to thee, O Israel.

 

The word Maranatha is an Aramaic word that means “the Lord is coming” or “come, O Lord.”

The early church faced much persecution, and life for Christians under the Roman rule was not easy. The Romans required everyone to declare that Caesar was god. The early Christians knew that there is only one God and one Lord—Jesus Christ—and in all good conscience they could not call Caesar “Lord,” so the Romans looked upon them as traitors, persecuted them, and put them to death. Living under those adverse conditions, the believers’ morale was lifted by the hope of the coming of the Lord. Therefore the word “Maranatha!” became the common greeting of the oppressed, persecuted and wearied believers, they replaced the Jewish greeting shalom which means “peace”. These believers knew there would be no peace because Jesus had told them prior to His death that He came not to send or give peace but sword and division, and also that in this world they would have tribulation; see Matthew 10:34; Luke 12:51, John 16:33.

More so, they knew the Lord would be returning to set up His kingdom, and from that truth

they drew great comfort and encouragement, and were constantly reminded that the Lord is coming(Maranatha). Therefore for the believers of old (The church triumphant, and even for us of today (the church militant), the word Maranatha is a word of hope, it is a reassuring to the believers and also a sincere inviting of the Lord Jesus to come as He, and the angel said when He left (Rev 22:7, John 14:3,Acts 1:11).

Prayer focus

1. For yet a little while, and he that shall come will come, and will not tarry. Heb 10:37

-Grant your church of today the heart to know that you who will come will come.

2. For the vision is yet for an appointed time, but at the end it shall speak, and not lie: though it tarry, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not tarry. Hab 2:3

- Grant us your church the heart to know that your vision is for an appointed time.

- Give us the grace to wait for you the Lord of your harvest.

3. Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, until he receive the early and latter rain. James 5:7

- Grant your church across the nation a patient heart for you to come to us again in Revival.

4. Although the fig tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines; the labour of the olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield no meat; the flock shall be cut off from the fold, and there shall be no herd in the stalls: Yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will joy in the God of my salvation. Habakkuk 3:17-18

- That missionaries across the nations, particularly those who are having challenges, or those who are seeing no fruit in their labour will yet joy in the Lord for He who will come will come.