'and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us' (Matthew 1.23).

The birth of Christ—the wonder of all wonders—is of rich significance. Nothing in the history of mankind can be compared with this glorious occurrence. The name Emmanuel points to the very heart of this important message of the birth of Christ. This name was first used in the prophecies concerning the Saviour's coming. Isaiah foretold, 'Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel' (Isaiah 7.14). Moreover, when Christ was about to be born, the angel spoke to Joseph, 'They shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us' (Matthew 1.23). God is present with His people.

The Joy and Peace of Believers

God's presence has been, and will always be, the secret of the joy and peace of the true believer. Both the Old and the New Testaments frequently express this blessed truth. When God's people travelled through the desert to the promised land, they were assured of God's presence by day and by night. During the day, the pillar of cloud was the emblem of God's presence. Throughout the night, the people of Israel could comfort themselves by looking at the pillar of fire and again they were assured that the LORD was with them to bless and to uphold (Exodus 13.21-22).

In the land of promise the Tabernacle was the symbol of God's gracious presence with His people.

God's throne was in heaven, but the Tabernacle was His earthly seat. In Solomon's Temple, the Shekinah glory expressed the visible majesty of the LORD's presence. 'The cloud filled the house of the LORD ... the glory of the LORD had filled the house of the LORD' (1 Kings 8.10-11). So the Old Testament church enjoyed rich manifestations of the Lord's nearness and presence with His people.

God With Us

However, the New Testament church has far richer manifestations of God's condescending presence. For the pillar of cloud and fire in the desert, the Shekinah glory in the Temple and all other evidences of God's presence, significant as they were, were only pointing forward to the most blessed of all manifestations of God's nearness. When the Son of God became man, when the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, God was present with His people in a way thus far unsurpassed. In Bethlehem's manger we may see this wonder so mysterious, exalted and holy: Emmanuel—God with us—in our own form. While God remained what He was, He became one of 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).

How the disciples of Christ must have treasured the enjoyment of His blessed nearness and communion! All throughout Christ's ministry here on earth they learned more about the invaluable riches and significance of the name Emmanuel.

The Cross

The depth and secret of this blessed grace and mystery is revealed, as nowhere else, at the Cross. There the matchless price was paid for the mercies that God's children enjoy in Emmanuel—God with us. The Son of God, in human flesh, was forsaken by the Father. Only on the foundation of this incomprehensible wonder can it be Emmanuel—God with us. The Son of God, our Emmanuel, was forsaken so that sinners estranged from God may again be restored into God's fellowship and favour. How transcending are the riches of this grace!

Conclusion

Matthew's gospel begins with Emmanuel—God with us. It also ends with Emmanuel. The last words are, 'lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world' (Matthew 28.20). In His human body Christ ascended and returned to heaven. However, He did not forsake His precious flock. By His Holy Spirit, Christ is always with His own. That is the comfort of the church: loved from all eternity, bought by the precious blood of Christ and in dwelt by the Holy Spirit.

If we are truly to enjoy this unsurpassed mystery and salvation, this indispensable mercy of the Lord's nearness in Christ, we must know in our own experience the Holy Spirit's special grace. The redemption accomplished by Christ can only be applied to the heart by the Spirit of Christ. The Holy Spirit, in His everlasting love, is so qualified to humble sinners. He makes them own their lost and undone condition. He opens their eyes to the unsearchable riches in Christ. He is their Guide to Christ. Thus and thus alone can Emmanuel be a living reality to us. God with us and in us: in His favour, in Christ and by His Holy Spirit.

First published in Quarterly Record 525. Last updated for online publication on 14 February 2024.