Immanuel = God With Us
In Matthew’s gospel, chapter 28, we read about the resurrection of Christ. The first few
verses depict how the event of the resurrection unfolded as recorded by St. Matthew.
In verse 6, he proclaims, “He is not here: He is risen.” In the final verses of this chapter
(18 – 20), Jesus states “All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye
therefore and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, Son and Holy
Ghost. Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you….and
lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world.”
In these verses of scripture, He empowers and commissions the disciples (church) to
continue the mission that He began. He concludes this discourse with the words “Lo, I
am with you always, even unto the end of the world.” In other words, “You are not
alone! I am with you!” Immanuel…God With Us!
Isaiah 7:14: “Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: behold the virgin shall
conceive and bear a son, and shall call His name Immanuel.”
Ahaz, King of Judah, was faced with enemies who desired to conquer Jerusalem.
(Isaiah 7:1) Isaiah prophesized to King Ahaz that God would give him a sign. A virgin
would bear a son, who would be named “Immanuel,” meaning “God with us.” This
prophecy assured Ahaz that God would be with him, and would save him from his
enemies.
Isaiah’s prophecy foreshadowed what happened with Mary, the mother of Jesus, when
an angel of the Lord appeared unto Joseph seven centuries later in a dream telling him
that Mary’s pregnancy was from God. (Matthew 1: 20 – 21)
Mary’s conception was in fulfillment of the prophecy given to King Ahaz, that a virgin
would be with child and bear a son, who would be called Immanuel, which is translated
“God with us” (Matthew 1:23). Matthew confirmed that it happened just as Isaiah had
prophesied.
God with us! Christmas celebrates the reality that God came to dwell among us (John
1:14) “And the Word was made flesh.”
In the words of the old song, “He abides, He abides, Hallelujah He abides with me!” You
are not alone! He abides! God is with us always!
A.W. Tozer stated, “Nothing in or of this world measures up to the simple pleasures of
experiencing the presence of God.”
Blessings,
Bishop George Mclaughlin
verses depict how the event of the resurrection unfolded as recorded by St. Matthew.
In verse 6, he proclaims, “He is not here: He is risen.” In the final verses of this chapter
(18 – 20), Jesus states “All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye
therefore and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, Son and Holy
Ghost. Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you….and
lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world.”
In these verses of scripture, He empowers and commissions the disciples (church) to
continue the mission that He began. He concludes this discourse with the words “Lo, I
am with you always, even unto the end of the world.” In other words, “You are not
alone! I am with you!” Immanuel…God With Us!
Isaiah 7:14: “Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: behold the virgin shall
conceive and bear a son, and shall call His name Immanuel.”
Ahaz, King of Judah, was faced with enemies who desired to conquer Jerusalem.
(Isaiah 7:1) Isaiah prophesized to King Ahaz that God would give him a sign. A virgin
would bear a son, who would be named “Immanuel,” meaning “God with us.” This
prophecy assured Ahaz that God would be with him, and would save him from his
enemies.
Isaiah’s prophecy foreshadowed what happened with Mary, the mother of Jesus, when
an angel of the Lord appeared unto Joseph seven centuries later in a dream telling him
that Mary’s pregnancy was from God. (Matthew 1: 20 – 21)
Mary’s conception was in fulfillment of the prophecy given to King Ahaz, that a virgin
would be with child and bear a son, who would be called Immanuel, which is translated
“God with us” (Matthew 1:23). Matthew confirmed that it happened just as Isaiah had
prophesied.
God with us! Christmas celebrates the reality that God came to dwell among us (John
1:14) “And the Word was made flesh.”
In the words of the old song, “He abides, He abides, Hallelujah He abides with me!” You
are not alone! He abides! God is with us always!
A.W. Tozer stated, “Nothing in or of this world measures up to the simple pleasures of
experiencing the presence of God.”
Blessings,
Bishop George Mclaughlin
Recent
Archive
2025
Categories
no categories
No Comments