Immanuel – God With Us, not distant or far off

Comments On 2nd Quarter Lessons 2004: #2

In Daniel 2 we find Nebuchadnezzer troubled with a dream. Part of what’s troubling him is that he cannot remember it. He asks his ‘wise men’ to recall the dream and interpret it. His wise men answer that what he’s asking for only God can give and He does not dwell among men. Maybe their God did not dwell among men, but mine does. In fact that is His name: Immanuel – God With Us. God has always made it His business to dwell among men. Even when the children of Israel were in the wilderness He wanted to dwell among them. That was His reason for the earthly Sanctuary.

Exo 25:8 And let them make me a sanctuary; that I may dwell among them.

Furthermore, He was with them day and night, leading them -

Exo 13:21 And the LORD went before them by day in a pillar of a cloud, to lead them the way; and by night in a pillar of fire, to give them light; to go by day and night:
Exo 13:22 He took not away the pillar of the cloud by day, nor the pillar of fire by night, from before the people.

He also dwelt in the sanctuary itself. His Shekinah glory shone right above the mercy seat, which covered the 10 commandments in the most Holy Place.

Ellen White says, “In the holy of holies the great I AM took up His abode. . . . There, above the mercy seat, overshadowed by the wings of the cherubim, dwelt the Shekinah of His glory, the perpetual token of His presence,” That I May Know Him p. 95

From the above evidence we are able to discern that God was with the Hebrews as they wandered in the wilderness, but what about after they became a nation? A reading of 1st, 2nd Kings and 1st, 2nd Chronicles will answer that question in a mighty way. Furthermore, the book of Isaiah presents a precious prophecy:

Isa 7:14 Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.

We know that Christ fulfilled this prophecy. We read in the Gospel of Matthew:

Mat 1:20 But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the LORD appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost.
Mat 1:21 And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins.
Mat 1:22 Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying,
Mat 1:23 Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.

Jesus left the royal courts of heaven, and laid aside His own glory, and clothed His divinity with humanity, that He might come into close connection with humanity, and by precept and example uplift and ennoble humanity, and restore in the human soul the lost image of God. (Temperance p. 40) Immanuel is God manifested in the flesh, partaking of our nature for the sole purpose of our redemption and restoration.

Ellen White says: "Emmanuel, God with us," this means everything to us. What a broad foundation does it lay for our faith. What a hope big with immortality does it place before the believing soul. God with us in Christ Jesus to accompany us every step of the journey to heaven.” (ML 290.2)

This prophecy was fulfilled through the Holy Spirit. He was given to us from Jesus, Immanuel, himself.

Joh 14:16 And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever;

Ellen White says: “The Holy Spirit with us as a comforter, a guide in our perplexities, to soothe our sorrows, and shield us in temptation. "O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God!" (ML 290.2)

Through the Holy Spirit God is still with us. He is still Immanuel. But, now God is not only with us, He is in us. So he works His work of sanctification in us. He transforms our characters from bent towards evil to a character that glorifies God. He transforms our heart from enmity with God to a heart that loves God. He transforms us from men that are “lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof” (2 Tim. 2: 3-5) to men that bear the fruit of the Spirit:

Gal 5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,
Gal 5:23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.

He transforms us from men that live their lives with fear - placing their despair and distrust in a shaky foundation, which is anything that is not Godly, man’s way, or common sense - to men that live by Faith placing their hope and trust on a firm foundation, which is God’s way. Lastly,
God With Us means that God may not take the trial away, but He will go through it with us. David says in Psalm 23:4:

Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me.

God With Us means “that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Rom 8:38-39)

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