Messiah: Immanuel – God with Us

“Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel.” (Isaiah 7:14. NKJV). “Now all this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying: ‘Behold a virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel,’ which is translated, ‘God with us.’ “ (Matthew 1:22-23. NKJV).

Christmas Day! The birthday of a King! “Immanuel – God with us!” This was the name of the son born to the virgin prophesied by Isaiah and fulfilled in the birth of Jesus Christ to the virgin Mary in Bethlehem of Judea. In the Old Testament the term is used twice, in Isaiah 7:14 and again in 8:8. The sign of God was communicated through the birth of a son, born of a virgin—a miracle within itself. The name given to the child, both in Isaiah and Matthew, indicates the mission of the One born: In Him God dwells with us.

When Adam and Eve were created and placed in the Garden of Eden, they had communication with God—He was with them—until by wrong choice sin entered man’s domain. The relationship with Immanuel (God with us) changed in a twinkling of an eye. Man’s sin, or his fall from grace, was responsible for the break in fellowship. From then until the coming of Jesus into the world, God was available for fellowship by man, and we have many accounts of those who sought God and knew His presence. But because of man’s continuing wrong choices and rebellion (a shorter term is sin), mankind could not have the relationship with God that was intended. God’s “sign” and His plan was a holy child born of a virgin—Immanuel. In Jesus’ sinless life, His God-inspired teachings, His immaculate life and example, and His atoning death and victorious resurrection, Jesus demonstrated God-with-us, Immanuel. Through the promise and coming of the Holy Spirit, Immanuel is still continuing His work—God with us. The plaintive plainsong, translated from the Latin by John Mason Neale and Henry Sloane Coffin and set to the tune “Veni Emmanuel” is often sung at Christmas.

“O come, O come, Emmanuel, And ransom captive Israel,
That mourns in lonely exile here, Until the Son of God appear.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel Shall come to thee, O Israel!

But we don’t have to wait any longer. “Joy to the world, The Lord is come! “And she brought forth her firstborn Son, and wrapped Him in swaddling cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn…And they came with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the Babe lying in a manger.” (Luke 2:7, 14. NKJV). We have only to believe and invite Jesus into our heart. Immanuel is here!

c Ethelene Dyer Jones; Saturday, December 25, 2010

Messiah: Born in Bethlehem

“But thou, Bethlehem, Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall He come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting.” (Micah 5:2. KJV). “And thou Bethlehem, in the land of Juda, art not the least among the princes of Juda: for out of thee shall come a Governor, that shall rule my people Israel.” (Matthew 2:6. KJV). “And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judaea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem; (because he was of the house and lineage of David): To be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child. And so it was, that while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered. And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.” (Luke 2:4-7. KJV).

I deliberately printed today’s Bible references on Bethlehem as the birthplace of the Messiah from the King James Version of the Bible. You, as I, may have memorized these very verses when a child, reciting them in the church’s Christmas pageant, or at least in Sunday School. I love the poetic quality of this version for this announcement by the prophet, and its fulfillment noted by Matthew and Luke. But more than the poetic expression, I love the truth. Bethlehem. Birthplace of our Lord!

I had the privilege of going to the Holy Land in July, 1978 with my husband. We visited for a month with his sister, Estelle, who was a missionary to the Holy Land. We went to a store near the Church of the Nativity at Bethlehem Square where the proprietor, an elderly Christian Jewish gentleman, Mr. Tabish, became our personal tour guide to the Church of the Nativity and then to Shepherd’s Fields outside Bethlehem. I treasure seeing this church dating back to the time of Emperor Constantine in the third century, a monument to his Christian faith and that of his mother, Helena. The church Constantine built was destroyed, but Emperor Justinian in the sixth century rebuilt the church and today it is a landmark, one of the most authentic sites in all of the Holy Land. As we went to the shrine set up deep within the lower regions of the church, Mr. Tabish invited: “Come with me. It was not an elaborate place like this where my Lord was born. I want to show you a cave that more nearly represents the stable where the Lord of glory came to earth.” And so we followed Mr. Tabish through what seemed like mazes, but which he knew, the grottoes deep within the recesses of the Church of the Nativity. There, before a rather dark and plain opening, near where Saint Jerome had hidden to translate portions of the Scripture, was a cave. “A place like this is where Jesus was born!”

We stood in awe with Mr. Tabish, Estelle’s Christian friend, a converted Jew. He, Estelle, Grover and I joined hands and thanked God that He broke through time and space to come to earth as our Redeemer Messiah. We experienced there a high and holy moment.

Following our tour through the church of the Nativity, Mr. Tabish went with us as we drove out to Shepherd’s Fields outside Jerusalem. There we could walk up on a hill and imagine the glory of the angel band, the awe of shepherds, and their haste to follow the angel’s bidding to go to Bethlehem to find the newborn King. We could see the outline of the buildings of Bethlehem in the distance, past Herodian (King Herod’s stronghold). We could easily imagine how the shepherds made their way with only stars and moon to give them light until they came to the place where Jesus lay. Then we thought about how the shepherds “went everywhere, telling what they had seen and heard.” Thus they became the first evangelicals!

Bethlehem means “House of Bread.” Jesus, who is the Bread of Life, was born in David’s hometown, the very name of which means bread. A fulfillment of prophecy was, indeed, an event in the fullness of time! How we love to sing Phillips Brooks’ lovely carol, “O Little Town of Bethlehem.” There on Bethlehem’s hill that hot day in July, 1978, I sang in my heart the words that so genuinely express the spirit and wonder of the Messiah’s birth in Bethlehem. Look at all the words to every stanza and absorb them in a new and meaningful way, paying special attention to stanza three:

“How silently, how silently The wondrous gift is giv’n!
So God imparts to human hearts The blessings of His heav’n.
No ear may hear His coming, But in this world of sin,
Where meek souls will receive Him still The dear Christ enters in.”

Thank you God, for Jesus, the Bread of Life, born in Bethlehem, “house of Bread.” He is my Bread of Life, my all, my Messiah, my Savior! Amen.

c Ethelene Dyer Jones; Wednesday, December 22, 2010

Growing into Love

“When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I gave up childish ways. For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known. So now faith, hope and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love.” I Corinthians 13:11-13 (ESV)

Childhood is an important nurturing time. We hear much about aberrations in behavior in school children, in social situations, in the work place, in family life and even in our churches that can be traced to some childhood trauma, mistreatment or abuse. Unless we can put away childish thoughts and behavior and act as responsible adults, we are likely to be maladjusted. Much time and energy are spent on trying to right wrongs experienced in a formative period of life. How fortunate the child with loving, Christian parents to emulate, who can grow in an environment of peace and concern. It even takes what we call “tough love” to accomplish this atmosphere, together with much dependence upon the Lord.

The Christian seeks to grow in maturity. It was said of Jesus that “He increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man.” (Luke 2:52). As a man, a mature individual, the Christian “puts away childish things.” He grows in agape
love.

Here as we struggle and evaluate our progress in the Christian life, it is sometimes like looking into a poorly made mirror such as the ones used in the days of Paul the Apostle. The reflection seen is distorted at best, dim. But when the Christian looks face-to-face upon the example Christ left for each to follow, we see a way made manifest, not as in an oblique or poorly-silvered mirror. The Bible is our guide for these Christ-like characteristics. It is a big order to emulate, to grow in the kind of love Christ always demonstrated. We begin this sanctification journey here in this life. It will be completed with glorification in the life to come when “we shall know, even as also we are known.” In the meantime, we are to seek to grow more Christlike in behavior and action.

We continue to need all three, faith, hope and love, as we pursue the Christian journey on earth. Faith is our trusting commitment to God. Hope is trustful expectation of the fulfillment of God’s promises. Love, agape love, is unselfish, loyal and benevolent concern for the well-being of others as well as our love for God. “Faith, hope and love abide, but the greatest of these is love.”

c Ethelene Dyer Jones; Friday, February 19, 2010