Advent - "I" - "Immanuel"

“I” – “Immanuel”December 8, 2011

“Therefore the Lord Himself shall give you a sign: Behold, the young woman who is unmarried and a virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel (God with us).” (Isaiah 7:14)

Immanuel – God with us! Do you realize how supremely wonderful is this name that was given prophetically by Isaiah over 700 years before Jesus Christ of Nazareth was born. Jesus’ coming to earth was planned before the universe was created. We were in God’s heart back in those eons ago and Jesus Christ, the Son of God, was to be the central figure in this “working salvation in the midst of the earth”. The plan was that the fullness of God would come to earth as a baby, be born of a virgin by the power of the Holy Spirit (Matthew 1:18-21). His name would be called, Jesus (which is the Greek form of the Hebrew, Joshua, which means Savior), for He will save His people from their sins (that is to prevent them from failing and missing the true end and scope of life, which is God).

This baby born to be the Savior of the world was Immanuel, the God of heaven that has bowed so low to become one of us and be with us. How can this be? – The answer is God’s agape love. Our finite minds cannot comprehend such love and workings of the Lord, we must just accept it, believe it and trust in this kind of love, (Agape – unconditional, forgiving, merciful, patient and eternal) - all for us.

In Immanuel coming to live with us, He came in His fullness with all His attributes. Immanuel is still with us, not in the flesh of Jesus, but in the Holy Spirit, and manifests His attributes toward us and on our behalf constantly. If you are one of His children you will recognize His attributes daily: His love, mercy, power, presence, wisdom and etc.

Immanuel, in the form of the Holy Spirit, lives within every believer. He walks with us through every situation of our lives. He communes with us in prayer. He comforts us in our sorrows. He empowers us in our weaknesses. He convicts us of our sins. He guides us in our confusion. He gifts us for service. Immanuel, through His divine power, enables us to be over-comers in life’s every tangle and testing.

Immanuel is God with us, not just standing near but living in us. It "blows your mind" to think that the God of the universe has chosen to live within each of us who accept Him. “For in Him the whole fullness of Deity (the Godhead) continues to dwell in bodily form (giving complete expression of the divine nature). And you are in Him, made full and having come to fullness of life (in Christ you too are filled with the Godhead – Father, Son and Holy Spirit – and reach full spiritual stature). And He is the Head of all rule and authority of every principality and power” (Colossians 2:9-10) (Amp.). WOW!!




Immortal, Invisible
Walter Chalmers Smith
(I Timothy 1:17)

Immortal, invisible, God only wise, in light inaccessible hid from our eyes. Most blessed, most glorious, the Ancient of Days, Almighty, victorious – Thy great name we praise.

Unresting, unhasting, and silent as light, nor wanting, nor wasting, Thou rulest in might.
Thy justice, like mountains, high soaring above, Thy clouds which are fountains of goodness and love.

To all, life Thou givest, to both great and small. In all life Thou livest, the true life of all.
We blossom and flourish as leaves on the tree, and wither and perish, but naught changeth Thee.

Great Father of glory, pure Father of light, Thine angels adore Thee, all veiling their sight. All praise we would render, O help us to see ‘Tis only the splendor of light hideth Thee!