Our Immanuel

Matthew 1:23 says, "The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel" (which means "God with us")(NIV).

Notice it says "they" will call Him Immanuel. The people of God ascribe a name that speaks of the comfort and strength that comes with the nearness of His presence.

The name Immanuel was significant for the nation of Israel. Israel felt abandoned with no true spiritual leadership for a very long time. It was like days of Samuel where the word of the Lord was rare. Israel was 14 generations removed from captivity with a long history of being plundered, dominated and cruelly oppressed (Matthew 1:17). There was some 400 years of silence between Malachi who was the last recorded prophet to when John the Baptist declares the kingdom of God has come.

At the birth of Christ, Israel was under the iron fist of the Romans and corrupt religious rulers made for spiritual oppression. Then there was an immoral king who thought little of his own people and more for his approval ratings with the powers of the day. He was undone by the threat of another ruler reported by the wise men that he murdered innocent children.

With the name Immanuel God was saying to Israel and His church today, "I'm with you. I've not forsaken you or left you on your own. I'm faithful to my promises to send a Redeemer, a righteous ruler who will break all spiritual oppression and darkness."

Beloved, God is with us. He is for us. Our Immanuel.

Long after the Christmas holiday has passed, when the gifts have been used or returned, when the dinner plates are cleared and the last of the guests have departed. God is still with us and through all the seasons of our life.

He is not with us because we pick and chose when He is welcomed (or not welcomed in the times we sin). He is with us because He promised to never leave or forsake us (Hebrews 13:5). He is not with us because we want Him to stick around and take our sides when things go wrong. And He is not with us because we are good or we put on a good performance. God is with us because He is faithful and merciful.

Beloved, let us draw near to Immanuel and know the comfort of His presence in these trying and dangerous times. If God (our Immanuel) is for us, who can be against us?

Merry Christmas,
Andrew Mark Scott
Psalms 86:5