The name Immanuel occurs only three times in Scripture. Isaiah 7:14, 8:8 and Matthew 1:23. But it is a name with great significance. As with most names in Bible times, they were given to convey meaning. The name Issac for example means “laughter”. Jacob means “supplanter” and so on. But this name Immanuel we are told was interpreted, “God with us.” What a great meaning!
In Isaiah, this name was connected with a sign. ”A sign shall be given unto you.” The searching and waiting for the fulfillment of this sign made it a MESSAGE OF HOPE! For seven hundred years they waited, hoping for the virgin born son who would be “Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.” He would be “God with us” to fulfill prophecy. This is still the message of hope for a lost world.
In Matthew 1 we learn he was Immanuel, God with us, our MESSAGE OF GOOD NEWS. ”He shall save his people from their sins.” This reveals to us His mission, to seek and save the lost and our mission – “as the Father hath sent me, even so send I you.” It is good news because we were lost, separated from God because of our sins (Isaiah 59:1-2) and without hope in this world. (Ephesians 2:12) And in this lost condition we could not find any other to save us. (Acts 4:12) Christ our Immanuel is the message of Good News that needs to be headlined around our globe.
We know also that by His birth he came to be with us to give us a MESSAGE OF RECONCILIATION. ”God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.” We live in a hopeless world, full of bad news and His disciples have been given a message to carry to ALL in this world. The Gospel of Matthew begins by telling us that God is with us in Matthew 1:23 and it ends reminding us that as we obey Christ and bear His message of hope, Good News, and reconciliation He will be with us to the end in Matthew 28:20.
John tells us that when he came to his own his own received him not. Imagine! Years of waiting, looking and hoping and they rejected him. Thankfully that wasn’t the end of the story. He didn’t give up on us, he didn’t leave us comfortless. The Scripture goes on to say, “But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name.” Have you received him? God with us! HOPE, GOOD NEWS and SALVATION! And through all this message God wants to make known to us this rich mystery, Christ in us THE HOPE OF GLORY! (Colossians 1:27)
MERRY CHRISTMAS! GOD WITH US!
