Christian Writers Circle

Immanuel-God with Us
by Judy Hitson

Matt.1:23 NKJV “Behold the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel,” which is translated, “God with us.”

Immanuel is found in the Old and New Testament as in our key verse above Matt.1:23 NKJV from the New Testament, and from the Old Testament in Isaiah 7:14 NKJV Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel.

As the Lord blesses us with revelation and understanding we can see Immanuel-God with us from Genesis through Revelation. This is one of the twelve names of God I wrote about this year. Yet I see Immanuel as an all inclusive name of God subcategorized to specific perspectives of God starting with Creator in Genesis 1:1  to King of kings in Revelation 17:14.

Most profound for us is to see Jesus is Immanuel. The following verse says it best in the Amplified version, Phil.2:7 AMP but emptied Himself [without renouncing or diminishing His deity, but only temporarily giving up the outward expression of divine equality and His rightful dignity] by assuming the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men [He became completely human but was without sin, being fully God and fully man.]

 As children of God, we call on His name which is above all names, Phil.2:9.

As I consider God with us, I think of the hymn, “Wonderful, Merciful Savior” by Selah. That is who He is to us. My heart is deeply impacted this year taking time to focus on the names of God in the Bible. As we see this year coming to a close, Immanuel-God with us seems a perfect summation looking at different perspectives of our God according to His names, attributes and character in Scripture.

In my life, I have learned to call on the name of the Lord day by day. He is Immanuel-God with us. These words from the refrain in the hymn, “In The Garden” (He Walks With Me) come to mind:
And He walks with me and He talks with me
And He tells me I am His own………
     
This intimate love relationship with the Lord, to know Him and call on His name in times of sorrow or joy, in times of need or celebration, God hears and answers us.  

Closing Prayer: Thank You Lord as Immanuel-God with us. Praise Your holy name. Amen.