God With Us

God With Us

“Behold, the virgin shall be with child and shall bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel, which translated means “God With Us”” - Matthew 1:23.    Isaiah had prophesied in chapter 9:6 “For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us; And the government will rest on His shoulders;  And His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace.”

Various names concerning God are given in Scripture, each of which is descriptive of who He is or, we could say, reveal His Nature - more about that in a moment.    The 1st Adam was a manifestation of God on earth in human flesh - made in the image and likeness of God Himself.  The 2nd Adam - Christ- was / is the only begotten Son of God - a partaker of flesh and bone.  Christmas is the celebration of the birth of Christ - the Son of God / son of man.    Hebrews chapter one tells us that Christ was the express (exact) image of God.   John chapter one tells us Christ was the Word of God made flesh - He who was God, and was with God in the beginning.

From above, concerning God’s Name(s).   Elohiym (LORD) is the God of Majesty, and Jehovah-Shaamaah means “the Lord is there”.   Together, The Majestic God was always there for His people.  Now, in the New Testament, Immanuel - God WITH us.

Experience revealed to the Old Testament people of God that He was indeed there with them.  Psalm 46:7 “The LORD of hosts is with us;--”;  Isaiah 8:10 “---for God is with us”;  Isaiah 41:10 “Do not fear, for I am with you---”, and many more verses state the same truth.

New Testament Saints knew that truth;  Acts 7:9 “---Yet, God was with us”.    Paul wrote in Romans 15:33 “Now, the peace of God be with you all”    In Titus 2, he wrote, “for the Grace of God has appeared bringing salvation to all men, instructing us to deny ungodliness and worldly desires and to live sensibly, righteously and godly in the present age” - Verses 11 - 12, and in verse 14 “who gave Himself for us to redeem us from every lawless deed, and to  purify for Himself a people for His own possession, zealous for good deeds”.    1 Corinthians 1:9 “God ----called you into fellowship with His Son, Jesus Christ --”.   Colossians 3:3 “---your life is hidden with Christ in God”.

God, is still the Majestic God who is always there, but now, as we believe on Jesus Christ, He is with us, actually, Christ is in us according to the Word of God. He is with us to instruct us to live life to the fullest, with God.  Even our spirit bears witness with His Spirit that we are the children of God.  On both sides of the Cross, mankind experienced a presence of God, either as being there, or being with us. Have you ever sat with group and afterwards said of someone “he/she was there, but not really with us”?    If so, you get the drift of what I’m talking about.  God is all around, but He wants to be “with you”, and is through our faith.

Christmas is about remembering that God so loved the world that whomsoever would believe on Him would receive eternal life.  Christ Himself told us that He is the Way, the Truth, the Life, and that no man comes to the Father except by Him.  Make it a point in this season to remember the Love of God towards mankind in sending Christ to be our Redeemer and allow us to live our lives “With Him”.       Merry Christmas.