Immanuel—God with Us (Isaiah 7:1-14, Matthew 1:8-25)

What is it, Christmas? Why is it the birth of Christ a big thing all time in human history? Every December is the time of light with all kinds of decorated, colorful, bright lights. Music, plays, stories, feasts, family gatherings, gifts, sound of laughter, generations together are celebrating the man who was to come and has come and will come again. He is Christ Jesus the Lord who is called Immanuel. Israel’s situations were ups and downs just like any other nations. Her history is specially peculiar because when they served the Lord they were strong and formidable to the neighboring enemy countries. But when they deserted the Lord, going after the idols, they were flimsy and indefensible from the hostility of the nations. Serving and deserting the Lord have been repeatedly observed in the history of this nation Israel. It is the exact reflection of what is really going on in each individual’s life, especially those who are in Christ. What does Christ mean to us? How does Christ affect our daily lives? Is it gradually changing to increase our awareness of his presence in the midst than last year, month, or week? Is it no change at all? Does life go as usual, same old same, boring, always looking for excitements but failing to grasp the fulfillment? How is it going to break through the wall of humdrumness and boredom in our lives? These two remarkable stories tell how—one for King Ahaz and his people by Prophet Isaiah and the other to Joseph of Nazareth by an angel of the Lord.

“When Ahaz son of Jotham, the son of Uzziah, was king of Judah, King Rezin of Aram and Pekah son of Remaliah king of Israel marched up to fight against Jerusalem, but they could not overpower it. Now the house of David was told, ‘Aram has allied itself with Ephraim’; so the hearts of Ahaz and his people were shaken, as the trees of the forest are shaken by the wind.” (Isaiah 7:1-2)

This is the situation of Judah, facing the imminent national crisis. The enemies including a brother nation Israel are forcefully invading the city of Jerusalem and Judah. So, the hearts of King and his people are shaken to the core. The brutal and cruel wartime is looming to the nation, making all people including King fear and tremble. What is God’s answer for them? “Then the Lord  said to Isaiah, ‘Go out, you and your son Shear-Jashub, to meet Ahaz at the end of the aqueduct of the Upper Pool, on the road to the Launderer’s Field. Say to him, “Be careful, keep calm and don’t be afraid. Do not lose heart because of these two smoldering stubs of firewood—because of the fierce anger of Rezin and Aram and of the son of Remaliah. Aram, Ephraim and Remaliah’s son have plotted your ruin, saying, ‘Let us invade Judah; let us tear it apart and divide it among ourselves, and make the son of Tabeel king over it.’” (Isaiah 7:3-6) The Lord says King and his people, “Be careful, keep calm and don’t be afraid. Do not lose heart because of these two smoldering stubs of firewood.” The Lord God says them not to afraid of the fierce anger of the enemies. Jesus says the same thing to his disciples, “Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell.” (Matthew 10:28) The myriad of the angles of the Lord are watching over them, constraining and resisting the enemies. Of course, the angels are invisible. But it is true. What King and his people need is to put their trust in the Lord. “And Elisha prayed, ‘Open his eyes, LORD, so that he may see.’ Then the LORD opened the servant's eyes, and he looked and saw the hills full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.” (2 King 6:17) The reason they should not be afraid of the kings of enemy nations is that they are merely human beings under the sovereign rule of God.

Now, the Lord God is giving a great sign for the nation Israel and all humanity through Prophet Isaiah. “Again the Lord  spoke to Ahaz,  ‘Ask the Lord your God for a sign, whether in the deepest depths or in the highest heights.’ But Ahaz said, ‘I will not ask; I will not put the  Lord  to the test.’ Then Isaiah said, ‘Hear now, you house of David! Is it not enough to try the patience of humans? Will you try the patience of my God also? Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel.’” (Isaiah 7:10-14) The Lord says Ahaz to ask for a great sign, whether in the deepest depths or in the highest heights. But he condescendingly refuses to ask a sign, which has invited Prophet’s rebuke. Nevertheless, the Lord God gives a great sign that the virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel, meaning ‘God with us.’ Some seven hundred years later, the sign of God has been told to a man named Joseph and fulfilled in an obscure town of Nazareth in Galilee.

“This is how the birth of Jesus the Messiah came about : His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be pregnant through the Holy Spirit. Because Joseph her husband was faithful to the law, and yet did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly. But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, ‘Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.’ All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: ‘The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel’ (which means ‘God with us’). When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took Mary home as his wife. But he did not consummate their marriage until she gave birth to a son. And he gave him the name Jesus.” (Matthew 1:18-25)

Joseph was engaged with Mary. In the meantime, a terrible and shocking news was delivered to the ears of Joseph that Mary was expecting a child through the Holy Spirit. He was a righteous person, being faithful to the law, so he wanted to divorce her quietly. It must have been a difficult and humiliating moment of his life. However, he didn’t want to expose her to public disgrace, meaning stone to death, and considered this a while. Then, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and revealed the mystery of truth, “Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.” We are not told that Joseph remembered the prophecy of Isaiah. But when he woke up, he obeyed the word of the Lord and took Mary home as his wife. Who is Joseph? He is an ordinary man, a Jew known as carpenter in the town of Nazareth. Mostly likely, as a young Jew, he must have been taught the laws of Moses. Obviously, like any other Jews, he must have been hoping for the consolation of Israel, eagerly waiting for the coming of the Messiah. “Now there was a man in Jerusalem called Simeon, who was righteous and devout. He was waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was on him.” (Luke 2:25) Definitely not he was expecting the promise of the Messiah of Israel would be fulfilled through him, a lowly and unknown man in a tiny town of Galilee. That is what has exactly happened. We are not told that Joseph was rejoicing or surprised at all. One thing sure is that he obeyed the word of the Lord quietly and unfailingly.

The price of being the human father of Jesus was not small. He and Mary had to travel multiple times from Galilee to Bethlehem, to Egypt, to Nazareth. His character of quietness and faithfulness and consideration should have influenced the boy Jesus in his young age. Tradition tells that he died before the Lord Jesus began his public ministry though nothing was known of the circumstances surrounding his death. Whereas Mary witnessed the whole story of Jesus from birth to death, even to the resurrection. Immanuel, God with us has come to fulfill the long-standing promise of God even the time began. Is there anything more encouraging and exciting name than Immanuel? The name ‘God with us’ has been prophesied and fulfilled by the Son of God Jesus Christ. Who can win the name of Immanuel? Nothing could stop the fulfillment of the name of God with us. Nothing could delay it. Nothing could resist it. It must be fulfilled and has been done in due time according God’s Calendar. The enemies try hard to discourage and dishearten us that God with us would not avail. They even go bold in telling a lie that God is not with us. As a matter of fact, we at times cry out where our God is. Injustice, unrighteousness, prejudice, oppression, tyranny are rampant and widespread in every corner of cities and countries even in the churches. Human misery and sorrow and loneliness are ever loudly being heard all over the places. Even the Psalmist cries out, saying “Will the Lord reject forever? Will he never show his favor again? Has his unfailing love vanished forever? Has his promise failed for all time? Has God forgotten to be merciful? Has he in anger withheld his compassion?” (Psalm 77:7-9) But it is not true. The devil is a liar and the father of lies and a murderer. No matter how hard and cunningly try to deceive the people of God, he never makes it at all. Rather, he is always in total fail and humiliation. Because God with us!

The most beautiful name in heaven and on earth is Immanuel, God with us. Who then can hear the voice of Immanuel? God spoke to King Ahaz and Joseph of Nazareth. From King to an ordinary man, God is speaking to all peoples on the earth whether they are reluctant to listen like Ahaz or even in a dream like Joseph. How about us? Do we listen to the voice of Immanuel God and believe in God with us? If not, what distracts and hinders not to listen to him? What makes us reluctant to listen to the Lord God who is willing to tell everything? Is it not because we don’t want to listen to him? Is it not because we think that we can handle our lives without him? James tells a pertinent story. “Now listen, you who say, ‘Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.’ Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes.  Instead, you ought to say, ‘If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that.’ As it is, you boast in your arrogant schemes. All such boasting is evil. If anyone, then, knows the good they ought to do and doesn’t do it, it is sin for them.” (James 4:13-17) Can we do it all without God? No, it is impossible even to breathe a single breath of air without him. We would not be here without him. We are living because God with us. We are in peace and rest because God with us. We are always in love and joy because God with us. We have imperishable hope in heaven because God with us. We have enduring shelter and refugee in God with us. Joseph could be faithful and sincerely obeying the Lord because God with us. He brought Mary as his wife because God with us. He made multiple hard travels for the safety of the boy Jesus because God with us. He endured and persevered the oppression of King and the world because God with us. He remained as a faithful man of God to the end because God with us. He was drawn nearer and neared to the Lord in the midst of all troubles and challenges because God with us.

Is there a greater news ever told than the announcement of the name of Immanuel? God is gracious and merciful that he demonstrated his love through the Son Jesus Christ while we were still enemies. He gives more grace even when we are blindly hurting ourselves by self-condemnation and guilt. “But he gives us more grace. That is why Scripture says: ‘God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble.’ Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Grieve, mourn and wail. Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.” (James 4:6-10) God is compassionate and kind and gives anyone whatever they ask. No matter how many times we failed. No matter how much we went far from him. No matter what kind of fail. “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:9) There is no sin which cannot be forgiven by the blood of Christ. Annie J Flint wrote:

He giveth more grace when the burdens grow greater,
He sendeth more strength when the labors increase;
To added afflictions He addeth His mercy,
To multiplied trials, His multiplied peace.

When we have exhausted our store of endurance,
When our strength has failed ere the day is half done,
When we reach the end of our hoarded resources
Our Father’s full giving is only begun.

Fear not that thy need shall exceed His provision,
Our God ever yearns His resources to share;
Lean hard on the arm everlasting, availing;
The Father both thee and thy load will upbear.

His love has no limits, His grace has no measure,
His power no boundary known unto men;
For out of His infinite riches in Jesus
He giveth, and giveth, and giveth again.

Do we really want to get out of boredom and loneliness and misery of our lives and enter into Immanuel’s land? James says, “You have not because you ask not.” (James 4:2b)

December 12, 2017

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