On a hot and humid day one August, my wife gave birth to our second son. But he remained nameless as we struggled to settle on a given name. After spending many hours in ice cream shops and taking long car rides, we still couldn’t decide. He was simply “Baby Williams” for three days before finally being named Micah.
Choosing the right name can be a little frustrating. Well, unless you’re God, who came up with the perfect name for the One who would change things forever. Through the prophet Isaiah, God directed King Ahaz to ask Him “for a sign” to strengthen his faith (Isaiah 7:10–11). Though the king refused to ask for a sign, God gave him one anyway: “The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel” (v. 14). God named the child, and He would be a sign of hope to people going through despair. The name stuck and Matthew breathed new meaning into it when he wrote the narrative of Jesus’ birth (Matthew 1:23). Jesus would be “Immanuel.” He wouldn’t just be a representative of God, but He would be God in the flesh, coming to rescue His people from the despair of sin.
God gave us a sign. The sign is a Son. The Son’s name is Immanuel—God with us. It’s a name that reflects His presence and love. Today, He invites us to embrace Immanuel and know that He’s with us.
By Marvin Williams
REFLECT & PRAY
What keeps you from believing that God can breathe new life into your dark times and desperate circumstances? How will you embrace Jesus as Immanuel this week?
Heavenly Father, thank You for Immanuel—Jesus, Your Son. May I rejoice in His presence and love today.
SCRIPTURE INSIGHT
The “Immanuel” prophecy of Isaiah 7 has long challenged scholars. In its immediate context, Isaiah 7 spoke to the Southern Kingdom of Judah as they were being threatened by an alliance of neighboring nations. In response to that danger, God sent Isaiah to remind Ahaz (Judah’s king) that God Himself was their safety and security (vv. 5–9). In that declaration, however, Isaiah presented the prophecy that has been seen for centuries as an anticipation of the coming of Jesus—the true and ultimate manifestation of Immanuel (“God with us”). This seems to be an example of an Old Testament figure (like David in Psalm 22) who is speaking into the story of his own day and time, but whose words are used by God to speak of a greater story—the story of Christ. It’s a small part of what makes the inspired Scriptures such a marvel.
Bill Crowder
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