Christmas marks God coming to us as a man. This is the message that Immanuel gives. God’s characteristic of wanting to be with man is seen throughout the Bible. Before man sinned he had fellowship with God. They walked together. But this fellowship was lost when he sinned and was put out of the Garden of Eden. Then God chose a few men- Enoch walked with God (Genesis 5: 21-24), Noah walked with God (Genesis 6:9). The very thought of tabernacle is a sign that God desires to dwell with man (Exodus 25: 8). Moses built it. Later Solomon built the temple. God with man. In the New Testament when God came as man he revealed himself as ‘God with us’ that is Immanuel (Matt. 1: 23). He later promised his presence by saying that “For where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them.” (Matt. 18: 20). He also said that he will not leave us as orphans and that his presence will be with us till the end of the world (John 14: 18; Matt. 28: 20). God sent the Holy Spirit after Jesus. Holy Spirit who is one among the Trinity came to the world as one who stays with man (John.14: 16, 26; 16: 8 – 13; 2 Cor. 13: 14). Thus the idea of God with man is evident throughout the Bible. Bible ends with the promise of God with us in the book of Revelation- “Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God” (Revelation 21: 3).

1. Immanuel- a Sign (Isaiah 7: 10 – 17)

As a sign for King Ahaz, the prophet prophesized that “The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel”. The name Immanuel is seen only three times in the Bible- Isaiah 7: 14; 8:8; Matthew 1: 23. The hint of the name is seen in Isaiah 8: 10. In BC 735 the army of the Armenians and the Israelites threatened Judah. The Assyrian king Tiglath- pileser tried to conquer the western part of Asia. The prophet asked Ahaz to stand firm in his faith and not to seek the help of Assyria. For Ahaz to have faith the prophet asked him to request for a sign whether in the deepest depths or in the highest heights. But the king denied it. After blaming the king the prophet himself gave a sign. That sign is Immanuel. The birth of Immanuel is a sign. Messiah is whom prophet Isaiah had in mind. When he realized the cowardice of the king, the prophet revealed about the right King. This King will eradicate the tribulation and poverty of his nation. He will be revealed as the Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father and the Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9: 6). He is the redeemer of Israel. The government will be on his shoulders. That child is the Immanuel (Micah 5: 3). But King Ahaz rejected the sign that Isaiah gave and depended on king of Assyria (Isaiah 7: 15, 16). With that the prophecy related to king Ahaz became futile. But later Immanuel who is to be the joy of all nation and a sign is revealed in Jesus.

2. Immanuel- Savior of the World (Matt. 1: 18- 25)
The virgin conceiving is a supernatural experience. This is the divinity of the prophet’s words. Matthew records this as the prophecy of Jesus’ birth (Matt. 1: 22, 23). Immanuel is not the Savior of just Israel but the whole world. The blood of Jesus has the power to purify us from all sin (1 John 1: 7). He does not just guide us but he became the only way for redemption from sin (Acts 4: 12).