Who Was Immanuel?

       There is an apparent discrepancy in the Scriptures concerning the name of the Messiah.  In Isaiah 7:14, the prophet said that his name was to be Immanuel (Emmanuel in the Greek text).  But in the birth announcements of Matthew and Luke, the name given was Jesus.  Jesus we know, but who was this Immanuel? 

     To understand, you must be aware of what the names mean and what the original audience understood about each one.  The name Immanuel means “God with us.”  Since the time of the Exodus, God was revealing Himself to His people as a God that wanted a close relationship with His people.  He wanted to be with them and to fellowship with them, to protect them from harm, to bless them with material and spiritual blessings, to be their guide and their loving parent.  He taught His people that if they continued with Him, He would never leave, forsake, or fail them.  The name Immanuel in Isaiah 7:14 is the code name that God used to remind them of His constant presence and ultimate deliverance from sin which would bring them back into fellowship with Him.

     Jesus was the fulfillment of this code name Immanuel.  Jesus is the Greek form of the Hebrew name Joshua which means “Yahweh (God) saves.”  John begins his gospel by identifying Jesus as God in the flesh - with His people.  Jesus’ death on the cross was designed to show God’s commitment in creating for Himself a nation of holy people to fellowship with and care for.  He was the final fulfillment of every promise God made  (see 2 Cor. 1:20). 

     Who, then, is Immanuel? 

     He is God living with His people (Ephesians 1:13, 14). 

     And who is Jesus?  He is the God who came to earth to save His people from their sins. The same One who is now waiting for the proper time to come again and escort redeemed souls home to heaven. 

     They’re both the same loving God; just two different roles, thus two different names.

     Thank you Lord God, Immanuel, Jesus, for such an “indescribable gift” (2 Cor. 9:15).

Doug

Full Protection Gear

A major blessing of being in Christ is knowing that we are never alone. God has promised to be with us every moment of every day. When problems arise (and they always do/will) it may seem like we’ve been abandoned; like He’s too busy with other things; like He doesn’t care. It’s especially trying when the reality of our unseen, spiritual war with Satan and his cohorts rears its ugly head – civil unrest within our cities, terrible diseases, increasing crime, mad gunmen killing children, fanatics filming themselves butchering people, etc. These are the times when we must deafen our ears to and turn our eyes away from the enemy’s propaganda and rally every ounce of faith to feel the presence of the One who has never failed on a promise.

What helps me at these times is to be reminded of the pieces of protecting “armor” that He provides in ample supply. Just as in physical life our military and police forces require armament and ammunition to protect themselves from harm, to aid their comrades who are also under fire, and to be able to successfully complete their mission(s), so Christian soldiers and peacemakers are given full protection gear in order to fight and win their spiritual battles.

These pieces are listed by the Apostle Paul in Ephesians 6:13-18:

1. Truth – Character & Integrity will embolden our courage when all else fails.

2. Righteousness – Doing what is right will win every battle.

3. Readiness – Practice prepares us to fight and defeat the enemy.

4. Faith – Trust God (your leader) to fight with you to the very end.

5. Salvation – There’s no fear of death to hold us back.

6. Holy Spirit – The One Satan fears the most fights the battle for us.

7. Prayer – Keep communication supply lines open.

There is one catch though: in order to survive your battles with Satan, you must “put on” and learn to use every single piece – all of the time. You will surely die if you only use a couple, a few, or almost all of them. Practicing using each of these spiritual pieces of armor is God’s way of surrounding you with His continuous presence – it’s the most effective way there is to preserve your life. The more you mature in your faith, the easier the task of fighting Satan will become and the enemy’s propaganda will be less and less of a distraction.

So, when life seems dark and dreary, employ the full protection gear that God provides by counting your blessings and naming them one by one. And because of His promise to be with you always, all you really need to do is to stand against the devil and you will soon watch him fleeing from you (James 4:7).

Now I don’t know about you, but I consider that to be a major blessing indeed.

Doug

The Known God

            Can humans really answer the tough questions about God?  Does He exist?  What is He like?  Will He really punish sinners?  Can He forgive me?  Does He know what I’m going through?  Does He care? 

            Comprehending God and His existence is not difficult.  Through His Creation and in many Scriptures He has provided unlimited proofs about Himself.  Paul says that it is built into us to search Him out and find Him (to know Him - Romans 1:19-20).  So, we “see” the results of His presence by looking at His creation and noticing His work within and around us.  The questions above, then, are only “tough” because (1) we don’t know Him as we should, and (2) we do our best to make knowing Him “tough.”

            Paul’s sermon in Acts 17:22-31 is an excellent discussion on God’s constant desire to be known and to be loved by His creatures.  His address was in response to an idol he saw while wandering around the city of Athens; the one inscribed “TO AN UNKNOWN GOD.”  So, when asked to answer for his weird beliefs, he chose to make known this seemingly unknown God.  He provides a wealth of information, still available to us today so that we too may know Him:

            He is the creator of everything – that includes you (17:24);

            He is all-sufficient – doesn’t need anything from us (17:25);

            He provides all of our needs – not the other way around (17:25);

            He has established all of the rules – we are to live in step with Him (17:26);

            He made us with the desire to search Him out (17:27);

            Our total existence is all wrapped up in Him (17:28);

            Repentance allows us to return to Him for healing (17:29-30).

            All we need to know about God, He has revealed to us.  The Scriptures are full of accounts from God Himself and the testimony of faithful eyewitnesses.  And Jesus Himself was the visible information of God’s true nature lived out in human form (John 14:9; Colossians 1:15; Hebrews 1:3; 1 John 4:9-10).  Jesus proved God’s desire to make Himself known to you.

            God has also done everything possible to bring you forgiveness and to restore the loving relationship He desires to have with you.  All that’s needed is to recognize the damage your sins have caused, and return to God so He can restore you to your original created purpose. 

            Now, honestly, what more do you need to know in order to make this choice?

Doug

The Most Basic Ingredient

     I remember trying to make cookies or cake when I was younger.  My mom made it look so easy.  Why shouldn’t I be able to do it too?  Yet, my abilities produced things that looked and tasted like bricks or charcoal.  Somehow I forgot a needed ingredient - or maybe I added too much of something.

     Could this be the reason for so much turmoil in many relationships?  One or both partners forgetting (or neglecting) to provide a necessary ingredient to their marriage such as patience, or forgiveness, or spending time together.  Or, worse, one or both being unwilling to bring in the attitudes that help people grow together.

     And there is one ingredient that will help make all relationships successful.  The Bible is full of examples of this all-powerful element.  If it is added daily and not taken for granted, people bond and grow and mature.  The most basic ingredient that all relationships need is God.

     The spiritual outlook of each person involved in a relationship cannot be discounted.  As an individual grows in his/her relationship with the Father, all of the other relationships they are blessed with grow also.  But the opposite is true too.  If someone drifts farther away from God, most, if not all of his/her relationships will suffer.

     Is there someone in your life that you’re having a truly difficult time with?  Take a look at where you are spiritually in your walk with God.  Or try to see where the other person is in their spiritual life.  Chances are good that one or both of you needs to return to Him and resolve some inner troubles first.  Then you will have the strength to handle the other conflicts that crop up in this life. 

     Jesus actually said it better: “Seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well” (Matthew 6:33).

Doug