His Name Shall Be Called…’Immanuel’

“Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.” — Isaiah 7:14

This is the amazing and incomprehensible aspect of Jesus.  He was a man, yet He was God.  He was a physical being, yet He was divine. He was of heaven yet He was born on earth. He was the Son of God yet He was the Son of Man. He was the God man. I can’t explain it, I can’t comprehend it; I can’t convince you to believe it, accept it, or understand it. I can only accept and believe it for myself as you must accept and believe for yourself. That is what faith is.

Immanuel

The scripture tells us exactly what Immanuel means.  In both the Isaiah passage and in Matthew 1:23 we are told “Immanuel” is interpreted as “God with us.” Jesus was God in the flesh.  He dwelt among the people of His day.  He lived, and dined with them. Jesus is Immanuel, God with us.  But what does that mean for us today?

What does it mean to have “God with us?”

For the believer today, God is with you through His Spirit.  God’s Spirit fills our lives and satisfies our soul. Jesus dwells in us through the Holy Spirit, the Comforter He promised to send. “God with us” means that the deity lives and dwells in the spirit and soul of mankind. God isn’t some far off distant deity that can’t be touched. Hebrews 4:14-16 informs us that “Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast [our] profession.  For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as [we are, yet] without sin.  Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.”

“God with us” means there is nothing more you need.  God is with you in all your hopes, and dreams.  God is with you in your troubles and your triumphs. “God with us” will meet your every need. “God with us” means His love will never fail and nothing can separate you from His love.

Romans 8:31, 35, 37-39 “What shall we then say to these things? If God [be] for us, who [can be] against us? … 35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? [shall] tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? … 37 Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. 38 For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, 39 Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

He shall be called Immanuel, “God with us.”

How do you know that “God is with you?”

— Keith Fife

Other posts in this series:

His Name Shall Be Called…Wonderful Counselor

His Name Shall Be Called…Mighty God

His Name Shall Be Called…Everlasting Father

His Name Shall Be Called…Prince of Peace

His Name Shall Be Called…Jesus

Podcast: His Name Shall Be Called… (Length 30 min.)