God With Us

Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel.

Isaiah 7:14

“Immanuel” consists of two Hebrew words: im (the preposition with coupled with the plural us, yielding immanu), and 'el (God). Immanu + 'el = “God with us.” Perhaps more than any other word in the Bible, Immanuel represents the essence of both the Christian and the Christmas message: God has invaded the domain of man and dwelt among us.

Immanuel was prophesied by Isaiah, and the Gospel writer Matthew declares Jesus of Nazareth to be the fulfillment of that prophecy (Matthew 1:22-23). The apostle John best captures the meaning of Immanuel in John 1:14: “The Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory.” Sadly, many who celebrate Christmas today have never understood the central point of the season: God with us. God entered the human race in the person of a baby who was the God-Man, Jesus Christ, Savior of the world. To fail to recognize Immanuel at Christmas is to miss the reason for the season.

Many who acknowledge “God with us” have never said, “God with me.” Don’t let this Christmas pass without making sure God is with you in the person of Jesus Christ in your heart.

There is a fountain filled with blood drawn from Emmanuel’s veins; and sinners plunged beneath that flood lose all their guilty stains.

WILLIAM COWPER