Call His Name Immanuel

-December 3, 2025-

Good morning beloved, happy Wednesday, Merry Christmas,

“Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel,” which is translated, ‘God with us.’”

(Matthew 1:23).

Yesterday we looked at the Messianic prophesy in Isaiah 7:14, specifically focusing on the miracle of the virgin birth and how this baby who was to be born would be called Immanuel.

Today’s verse gives us the meaning of the name Immanuel as, “God with us.” It is a beautiful, meaningful, and impactful name. It demonstrates to all the world that the mighty, eternal, loving God of the universe came down to be with us. We know that Jesus has many wonderful names and titles in Scripture.

He was fully God and fully man, hence we often refer to Him as the God-Man. He stepped out of eternity into time. John 1:14 says, “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.

There were several times in the OT when our Savior appeared to men, called the theophanies. He appeared as the Angel of the Lord and those who saw and heard Him knew that He was God. Think of it this way, in those instances He came for a brief time visit, but when Jesus was born He came to stay awhile.

It is one thing if someone comes to visit your house, but it is quite another if they come to live there. Jesus stayed with us on earth for some thirty-three years, but He lives on in our hearts and dwells with us wherever we are and in whatever we do.

As our Immanuel, He feels with us and knows what we are going through. While on earth, He experienced pain, hunger, thirst, deprivation, heartbreak, rejection, sorrow, anger (of course righteous not sinful anger), temptation, and so much more.

Hebrews 4:15 tells us, “For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin.”

Have a blessed day with the Lord dwelling with you and helping you face whatever is before you. Stay safe and healthy.

He left His glory for a manger, His throne for a cross, His crown of glory for a crown of thorns.

Dean