Day Six: Immanuel

The first chapter of Matthew quotes the seventh chapter of Isaiah declaring that a child will be born of a virgin and will be called "Immanuel", which means "God with us".

And while a prophecy that predates the event by 700 years is awesome and could be several topics on its own, here I want to focus on the implications of the fact that God truly came to be with us.

God.  With us.

In this word, we see that God did not simply come to be present with us (as an omnipresent being he already had that covered), but that he came to be with us and to be like us.  He came incarnate. He came as a human.

And further, in his incarnation, Jesus did not come as a super-man.  He did not come wielding power, by scepter or brute force.

The Bible tells us Jesus came in human weakness.  He came and experienced life, struggle, and temptation just like every other human being who has ever lived.  In fact, because he always turned from temptation he experienced it to a greater degree than any other human.

In his Immanuel incarnation, Christ came in weakness.  This means he understands us.  Not just in an omniscient, omnipotent way, but he understands us at a heart level, at an experiential level, at an emotional level, at a physical level.

He had a real family . . . and it probably had dysfunction.

He had a real childhood . . . and it taught him things (don't ask me to explain how that worked).

He had real choices . . . and always chose the Father's will.

He had real friends . . . and they betrayed him.

He had real skin and bones . . . and they were pierced and stretched in their joints on a cross.

And because Jesus was real, we're free to come to him with our own reality.  In fact, we are invited to approach God's throne with confidence! (Hebrews 4:16)  The very same throne that Isaiah came before and declared "Woe is me!" while calling down curses on himself (Isaiah 6).  So complete is his salvation and so empathizing is our Messiah that a once unapproachable God can be stood before with confidence.

Jesus is our true elder brother.  Fully human.  Fully divine.  He is God with us.