Immanuel
“God with us”
Summary
A prophetic name meaning 'God with us,' given by Isaiah as a sign to King Ahaz and fulfilled in Jesus Christ.
☩The Historical Context
During the reign of Ahaz, Syria and Israel allied to attack Judah, intending to depose Ahaz and install a puppet king. Isaiah confronted the terrified king with a message of divine assurance, inviting him to ask for any sign to confirm God's promise of deliverance. When Ahaz refused under pretense of piety, Isaiah declared that God Himself would give a sign: a virgin would conceive and bear a son called Immanuel.
☩The Sign Explained
The sign involved both immediate and distant fulfillment. In the near term, before a child could know right from wrong, the threatening kings would be destroyed—fulfilled within a few years. The fuller meaning points to the virgin birth of Christ, as Matthew explicitly states. The Hebrew word 'almah' denotes a young woman of marriageable age, with virginity implied; the Septuagint translated it with the explicit Greek word 'parthenos' (virgin).
☩The Name's Meaning
Immanuel means 'God with us,' expressing the most profound truth of the incarnation. In Jesus Christ, God has not merely sent a messenger but has Himself come to dwell among His people. The name captures what John expresses as 'the Word became flesh and dwelt among us.' It is the essence of salvation: God present with His people to deliver, save, and reign.
☩New Testament Fulfillment
Matthew identifies the birth of Jesus to the virgin Mary as the fulfillment of Isaiah's prophecy. The angel told Joseph that Mary's child was conceived by the Holy Spirit and that he should call Him Jesus because He would save His people from their sins. Matthew adds that all this happened to fulfill what the Lord had spoken through Isaiah: 'The virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel.'
See Also
References
- 1.John McClintock and James Strong, "Immanuel," in Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature, vol. IV (Harper & Brothers, 1867–1887).
- 2.James Orr (ed.), "Immanuel," in International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, vol. III (Howard-Severance Company, 1915).