Immanuel

The Bible connects us with persons; place names, personal names- hundreds of them. What we often consider to be the subjects of religion- ideas, truths, prayers, promises, beliefs- are never permitted to have a life of their own apart from particular persons and actual places. Biblical religion has a low tolerance for 'great ideas' or 'sublime truths' or 'inspirational thoughts' apart from the people and places in which they occur. God's great love and purposes for us are worked out in the messes, storms and sins, blue skies, daily work, and dreams of our common lives, working with us as we are and not as we should be.

 In our downsittings and in our uprisings, God is with us. Emmanuel/Immanuel, God with us: (Isaiah 9:6, Matthew 1:22-23) . God's real presence with us. The Immanuel created us, redeemed us, is in love with us... and He is with us right now, to help us, to guide us, to fill us with the love and joy and peace that the world can't give, right now!... and, what is even better, nothing and no one can take it away from us, not even death! (Rom.8:28-39).

That explains how Almighty God could use men such as Brant Baker or Lonnie Frisbee, even though they struggled with their flesh man. Or how God could use such as you or I. One of the magnificent things about the ministry of Brant Baker is that he had a way of communicating to his listeners God's love for them. He was able to share the Father's love with and for us just as we are, warts and all. Brant taught us about Immanuel in such a way that we got it, we understood that God was with us and involved in all of our lives always and forever.

This is the Immanuel, the Word, the Messiah, in the New Testament:- In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made... And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (Jn.1:1-3, 14).

 For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him...and in him all things hold together. And he is the head of the body, the church... For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him... making peace through his blood, shed on the cross. (Col.1:16-20).

For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. (Is.9:6).

For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given:This is the Immanuel prophesied in Isaiah 7, born of a virgin, of Virgin Mary (Is.7:14, Mat.1:22-23)... He is the seed of the woman of Gen.3:15...He is the same one proclaimed by Paul, when the fullness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman (Gal.4:4).

And now Isaiah speaks of, in the prophetic style, as a thing already done: the child is born, unto us a son is given... As he was the Lamb slain, from the foundation of the world, so he was the child born (Rev.13:8)... the redemption of the Cross has a retroactive value up to Adam himself, and that's why all the prophets were saved by the Blood of Jesus Christ (Lk.13:28, Mat.8:11)."Unto us" a son is given: Not to the fallen angels but "unto us", to humankind, to every man and woman since Adam.

1- Wonderful: Miraculous, fantastic, magnificent, spectacular... fully God and fully man, the wonder of wonders in the universe and of humankind... for you and for me!.

2- Counsellor:. Lawyer, advocate, defender, adviser, instructor, teacher, trainer, tutor... unto us!... Christ Jesus, who died--more than that, who was raised to life--is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. (Rom.8:34).

3- Mighty God: He is God!, the mighty One, the Only One God: Spirit, who creates, maintains, controls and substances all things (Jn.1:1-3, Col.1.15-17)...

4- The everlasting Father: The eternal Father, because He is the Creator of every human being... and the second creator, because He redeemed every human being since Adam. (Jn.1:1-3, Col.1.15-17). Indeed 'our Father' all the way. Our parents don't know how to make eyes not hearts nor even a hair!... it is God who created you and me, it is the Immanuel, Jesus, your real Father and mine.

5- Prince of Peace: Heir to throne, ruler, the establisher and overseer of peace. He will establish His throne in peace.Jesus' death and resurrection made Him not only The Prince of Peace but actually the One who is our peace. The chastisement of our peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed. (Is.53:5)... 5 He will be their peace. (Mic.5:5)

.As a King, he creates peace, in his kingdom, he preserves the peace, commands peace. He is our peace, and it is his peace that both keeps the hearts of his people and rules in them. He is not only a peaceable prince, and his reign peaceable, but he is the author and giver of all good, all that peace which is the present and future bliss of his subjects.

Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this. (Is.9:7).

Lift up your eyes to the heavens, and look upon the earth beneath: for the heavens shall vanish away like smoke, and the earth shall wax old like a garment, and they that dwell therein shall die in like manner: but my salvation shall be for ever, and my righteousness shall not be abolished. (Is.51:6...Is.66:15-16, 2Pet.3:10-13).

Praise the Lord Immanuel!

David