Twelve Names of Christ for ChristmasНамуна

EMMANUEL: GOD WITH US

In the first book of the New Testament, the book of Matthew, we find the historically iconic and powerful words,

“Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us” (Matthew 1:23).

The eternal, all-powerful, Creator God coming to dwell with us—so much meaning is packed in this one powerful word: Emmanuel. God came down to be with man, and He continues to reach out to man, imploring him to come to his Creator.

The prophet Isaiah proclaimed this future event, which was fulfilled in that baby born in Bethlehem:

“Therefore, the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel” (Isaiah 7:14).

His name was given: Jesus, who embodied the title Emmanuel, God with us. God was truly among us in this little child. This baby was, and is, the living God made manifest in human flesh as He came and dwelt among us:

“And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth” (John 1:14).

The popular Christmas song, “Hark the Herald Angels Sing,” written by Charles Wesley in 1739, talks of Jesus our Emmanuel in the following stanza, which proclaims these incredible truths:

Christ by highest heaven adored;
Christ the everlasting Lord!
Late in time behold Him come,
Offspring of the virgin’s womb:
Veiled in flesh the Godhead see;
Hail th’ Incarnate Deity!
Pleased as man with men to dwell,
Jesus, our Emmanuel.

Jesus is God with us! Truly, He is our Emmanuel.

Kids’ Corner

Find all the songs you know with the word Emmanuel in the lyrics and copy them to make a mini songbook for everyone. Your songbook could include these: O Come, O Come Emmanuel; His Name is Called Emmanuel; Hark the Herald Angels Sing and O Little Town of Bethlehem. Include pages that list the Scripture passages above, one on each page. Have children make a cover for their own books, with their original artwork “illuminating” the word Emmanuel. (Look up the history and how-to’s for the art of illuminating text.) Then hold an “Emmanuel Night” in which the family sings all the Emmanuel songs and reads the Scriptures by candlelight.