The word picked for today only occurs three times in the Bible, but it is a vital word that gives comfort and a sense of presence to millions of people. The word is IMMANUEL.
The first occurrence seems to refer to an OT person yet the verse is considered Messianic in that it points to Jesus Christ. These are familiar words from Isaiah 7:14. “Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.”
Before going to the NT fulfillment of this prophetic announcement, the other OT reference is also in Isaiah and since Immanuel means ‘God with us” he seems to be speaking to the people of God by calling them the people He is with:
Isaiah 8:7–8. therefore, behold, the Lord is bringing up against them the waters of the River, mighty and many, the king of Assyria and all his glory. And it will rise over all its channels and go over all its banks, and it will sweep on into Judah, it will overflow and pass on, reaching even to the neck, and its outspread wings will fill the breadth of your land, O Immanuel.”
The other occurrence is far more familiar. We hear it at Christmas and it is included in greeting cards, carols and hymns:
Matthew 1:23. “Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel” (which means, God with us).
This NT verse appears in the context of a dream where an angel spoke to Joseph. He and Mary were not yet married and she was pregnant. He was unwilling to put her to shame yet unsure what to do . . .
Matthew 1:20–25. But as he considered these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” 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). When Joseph woke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him: he took his wife, but knew her not until she had given birth to a son. And he called his name Jesus.
Many scoff at the idea of Mary’s child being fathered by the Spirit of God, but could their idea of God simply be too small? God can create by simply saying a word. Should creating a human body be so impossible? Should inhabiting a human body so we could be saved from sin be beyond His abilities?
Creation, redemption, forgiveness of sin are all within God’s power, why not incarnation? Could it be that the first three are all desired but having God ‘with us’ makes many folks feel very uncomfortable? He is not like a motorcycle parked in our garage nor like a pet who sits on our lap. This is the powerful, justice-loving, pure and holy God. Imagine God with us in that He walks into my living room, kitchen, bedroom and all my life and never goes away. He sees all, knows all, even demands all. Immanuel is a word with huge implications!
GAZE INTO HIS GLORY. Looking at who God is and what He does is extremely personal in the sense that I don’t need to travel at all to find Him. He is with me, 24/7. He stands with me in life’s ups and downs, listens to my cries and complaints, yet also smiles as He supplies all my needs. I can depend on Him to be here, always, when I need Him, when I worship Him, even when I ignore Him. He came, not just to keep me company but to save me from my sins. This is the love shown by the God of all creation, a love that is right here, right now, with me.
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