Meaning
Words have meaning. Names have meaning. Have you ever looked up the meaning of your name?
According to thenamemeaning.com my name, Corey, means: Dweller in or near a hollow; spear — OR — God’s peace.
I’m not so sure about that first definition, but I do like the second one!
Names have meanings. When God decided to send His Son from Heaven to Earth He already had His earthly name picked out.
When Gabriel came to Mary to tell her she would have a son, he didn’t just come bearing that news. He also came to tell her what her son would be called. He gave her his NAME.
Immanuel
Here’s how Matthew tells the story:
This is how Jesus the Messiah was born. His mother, Mary, was engaged to be married to Joseph. But before the marriage took place, while she was still a virgin, she became pregnant through the power of the Holy Spirit. Joseph, to whom she was engaged, was a righteous man and did not want to disgrace her publicly, so he decided to break the engagement quietly.
As he considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream. “Joseph, son of David,” the angel said, “do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife. For the child within her was conceived by the Holy Spirit. And she will have a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.”
All of this occurred to fulfill the Lord’s message through his prophet:
“Look! The virgin will conceive a child!
She will give birth to a son,
and they will call him Immanuel,
which means ‘God with us.’”
— Matthew 1.18-23
He would be called JESUS which MEANS – Yahweh Saves. AND, he would be called Immanuel which MEANS – God WITH Us.
Not His Name
His name doesn’t mean…
God will keep you from suffering.
God wants you to be happy.
God will be with you sometimes.
God will be with you as long as you don’t mess up.
God will be with those who work hard.
God will help those who help themselves.
That’s not his name.
His name is Emmanuel. God with us. Someone once said, Emmanuel has a middle name. “With.”
“With” is Emmanuel’s middle name.
– Teri Hyrkas, quoted in the book Jesus: A Theography by Leonard Sweet and Frank Viola
WITH
I don’t know about you, butI like Emmanuel’s middle name.
As we continue through this Advent season, a season of waiting… Immanuel’s name is a reminder that you are not alone.
Immanuel’s name is a reminder that, as crazy as this year has been, you have reason to hope.
Why?
Because there once was an angel named Gabriel (who’s name means God is my strength) who came to a woman named Mary (who’s name means bitter) and announced the Good News that she would conceive a child by the power of the Holy Spirit and she would give him the name, Emmanuel, which means, God with us.
Immanuel’s name reminds us that whatever disappointment you’re going through, whatever frustration you’re dealing with, whatever difficulty you’re up under, whatever it is you’re waiting on, God is WITH you.
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