Emmanuel (Speak the Names of God)

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

There are many religious traditions in the world today, each with a different view of deity and their own path to enlightenment. People spend their lives trying to reach their “god” with no assurance they ever will. But we do not need to strain and strive to reach the God of heaven. He came down to us.

Isaiah 7:1-14 ESV
In the days of Ahaz the son of Jotham, son of Uzziah, king of Judah, Rezin the king of Syria and Pekah the son of Remaliah the king of Israel came up to Jerusalem to wage war against it, but could not yet mount an attack against it. When the house of David was told, “Syria is in league with Ephraim,” the heart of Ahaz and the heart of his people shook as the trees of the forest shake before the wind. And the Lord said to Isaiah, “Go out to meet Ahaz, you and Shear-jashub your son, at the end of the conduit of the upper pool on the highway to the Washer’s Field. And say to him, ‘Be careful, be quiet, do not fear, and do not let your heart be faint because of these two smoldering stumps of firebrands, at the fierce anger of Rezin and Syria and the son of Remaliah. Because Syria, with Ephraim and the son of Remaliah, has devised evil against you, saying, “Let us go up against Judah and terrify it, and let us conquer it for ourselves, and set up the son of Tabeel as king in the midst of it,” thus says the Lord God: “‘It shall not stand, and it shall not come to pass. For the head of Syria is Damascus, and the head of Damascus is Rezin. And within sixty-five years Ephraim will be shattered from being a people. And the head of Ephraim is Samaria, and the head of Samaria is the son of Remaliah. If you are not firm in faith, you will not be firm at all.’” Again the Lord spoke to Ahaz: “Ask a sign of the Lord your God; let it be deep as Sheol or high as heaven.” But Ahaz said, “I will not ask, and I will not put the Lord to the test.” And he said, “Hear then, O house of David! Is it too little for you to weary men, that you weary my God also? Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.

When Ahaz, king of Judah, heard that his kinsmen to the north had made an alliance with the enemy and were threatening to invade, he feared for the future of his nation. So, God sent the prophet Isaiah with a reassuring message of future salvation. One day, an immaculate conception would bring forth a miraculous birth, and Immanuel, “God with Us,” would arrive.

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

God’s presence was a big deal to the Israelites, and it was manifested in many ways throughout their history. When they traveled through the wilderness, He was there as a cloud by day and a fire by night. (See Exodus 13:21–22.) When they worshipped at the temple, He rested in a cloud over the mercy seat in the Holy of Holies. (See Exodus 40:34–35.) When people of faith faced obstacles, the Angel of the Lord appeared to minister to them. But they never could have fathomed that the One True God would come to earth and dwell with them in human form.

Luke 2:1-7 ESV
In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. This was the first registration when Quirinius was governor of Syria. And all went to be registered, each to his own town. And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the town of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, to be registered with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child. And while they were there, the time came for her to give birth. And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.

Centuries after Isaiah delivered the prophetic promise of a glorious birth, Jesus of Nazareth was born. The tiny baby wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger was no ordinary human. God Himself had come to dwell with His creation. He came to reveal Himself to us and to become acquainted with our human struggles. To walk alongside us, healing, forgiving, and proclaiming the kingdom of God. To live a perfect life and offer the perfect sacrifice. Immanuel came to show us the extent of His love, a love that led Him to the cross for our redemption.

In the days of Isaiah and Ahaz, God’s presence would come and go. Today, the presence of God is always with those of us who have surrendered our lives to Jesus. There is no place we can go where Immanuel is not there.

DECLARE

God is with me, and His presence changes everything.

PRAY

Immanuel, thank You for coming to earth to reveal Your love. Help me always to be aware of Your presence.

PONDER

If you ever wonder if God is with you, stop and pay attention. See Him in the beauty of creation. Hear the whisper of His voice when you read the Bible and pray. Sense His intervention, when you have unexpected strength or peace. Ask God to reveal Himself to you. He is always there.