Names of the Son of God: Immanuel

"All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: 'The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel'--which means, 'God with us'" (Matt. 1:22-23, NIV).

What does it mean to be "with" someone? Even today we use the term with to express different things. There is a sense in which it express to be in the presence of it. It also means that to show support. Matthew wanted his readers to know that Jesus was "God with us."

To get a better picture of what God meant by saying the virgin's child would be called Immanuel, we have to understand the context from which the promise originated. Isaiah's prophecy comes out of the greater redemption story that is woven into the fabric of the Bible.

The hope of God with us started with broken fellowship. Adam and Eve were created to be image bearers for the glory of God. Adam's disobedience brought judgment and separation, and now all have sinned and fall short of God's glory. We don't bear the glory of God in the manner in which we were intended. In the fall, God is against us. We are by nature objects of wrath. Were it not for the grace of God, we wouldn't be able to approach him. In Christ, God is with us, for us.

What does it mean for us today? Paul says, "To them God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory" (Col. 1:27). How is it that Christ is in us? John sheds some light on it. He states, "Those who obey his commands live in him, and he in them. And this is how we know that he lives in us: We know it by the Spirit he gave us" (1 John 3:24). Again he said, "We know that we live in him and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit" (1 John 4:13). Christ is with us by the presence of the Spirit.

Jesus as Immanuel also means we have a future hope. The broken fellowship between man and God has been restored in Christ. John paints a beautiful picture:

And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, "Now the dwelling of God is with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe every teat from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for old order of things has passed away" (Rev. 21:3-4).

 There is coming a day when Immanuel, God with us, will be with us face to face. We will know as we are known. That is a glorious truth.

Immanuel

"All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet: 'Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name, Immanuel' (which means, God with us)" (Matt. 1:22-23).

It is easy to be overwhelmed by the events of a day.  We often approach a day as if we know what will happen, and that most of what happens will be pleasing to our sensibilities.  However, it rarely works out that things go exactly the way the hoped they would.  Sometimes, things we could not have foreseen catch us off guard.  When that happens we need to remind ourselves of the truth contained Matthew 1:22-23.

With the words, "All this took place," Matthew sums up everything that is said in Matthew 1:1-21.  God's purpose had slowly been unfolding throughout history, slowly leading up to the birth of Christ.  Because God desired mankind to know his plan, he revealed parts of it through the prophets.  Therefore, when the words of the prophets came to pass, God was demonstrating his knowledge and power.  Such displays of his might and power, create and sustain faith in God's people.

Matthew is simply reminding the people that what God has promised, he will do.  Thus, a virgin, Mary, was with child (Jesus).  This child was to be called Immanuel.  He bares it more as a title, than a name, but it tells so much about this child. Matthew tells us that Immanuel means God with us.

Mary's child, Jesus, was God.  He wasn't simply a representative for God.  He wasn't just a man who could help point us to God.  Know he was God with us.  John 1:1 tells us that the Word (Jesus) was with God, and was God.  Although I am speaking in past tense, I don't mean to imply that Jesus isn't still God.  Jesus, the eternal Son of God, has always existed as God along side of the Father and the Spirit.  They are not three gods, but one God in three persons.  Jesus is spoken of as Creator, Redeemer, Savior, King, God, etc. throughout the New Testament.

Jesus is God, and he is With us.  The yearning on the heart of God's people is to be with and know their God.  However, this is not possible as long as there is sin within God's people.  No one can look upon God's glory and live.  Yet, God is present with us.  God, who is holy and dwells in the high and holy places, can also be found among the humble and brokenhearted (Isa. 57:15).  During Jesus' first appearing, God was showing his people that he would soon dwell with them forever (John 1:14).  Jesus said he would always be with us (Matt. 28:20). Finally, we see the glorious appear of Christ in the book of Revelation.  In Revelation 21:3-4, we are told that a day is coming when God dwells with his people forever, and they shall see him face to face. No death. No fear. No more tears.

He is God with Us.  In Christ, though we were fallen, yet are we redeemed.  In him we are saints, even though we still struggle with sin.  In him, we are becoming the righteousness of God.  We were helpless, but he has made us hopeful.

God with us, is God for us.  To paraphrase Paul, "Since God is on our side, who can stand in our way?"  And he is for us, or else he wouldn't be with us.  The next time you are overwhelmed by your circumstances, I hope you will take time to reflect on Immanuel. 

Immanuel--God with Us

"All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet, 'Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel' (which means God with us)" (Matt. 1:22-23, ESV).  

This promise holds great comfort for the followers of Jesus.  He is Immanuel-God with us.  Not only is he with us, he is for us.  He became one of us, to rescue us from sin and death.  It is right that we meditate on the incarnation during this season.  As John stated, "The Word became flesh and dwelt among us" (John 1:14).  Jesus is God in the flesh.  He is the God-man--100% God, 100% man, two natures, one person.  This is the mystery we celebrate every Christmas. 

Thus, we celebrate the coming of the one mediator between God and man, Jesus Christ our Lord.  He is both high priest and sacrifice.  He is King of kings, and yet a servant who yielded his life as a ransom.  He is the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world, and the Lion of the Tribe of Judah, who is worthy to take the scroll and open it.

It is right that our Christmas celebrations are filled with anticipation, because we await his return.  As we rejoice in his first coming to rescue us from the penalty of sin, we wait for his second coming to restore all things.  As his coming in the flesh was heralded by the angels, so to his coming in the clouds will be attended by angels.  Even as he is in his Father's house preparing a place for us, he is dwelling with us through the Holy Spirit.

Christmas presents us with an opportunity to meditate on the reality of the Word made flesh.  We should pause and remember that Jesus is God with us.  With us. Hear those words.  Roll them around in your mind.  Speak them until they take root in your heart.  He is always with us, preparing us to be with him.  Christmas means God is with us, because he is for us.  And it means through Christ, we can be with him.