Mighty Names of Jesus [2]

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IMMANUEL
 
“Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel,” which is translated, “God with us.” ( Matthew 1:23 NKJV).
         
        A beloved sister I know who had waited on the Lord for so long, finally got married. Again she waited long before having the fruit of the womb. When eventually the baby boy came, because his mother is so beloved by many, got perhaps the longest list of names on record, including Samuel, Emmanuel, etc. But happily, the sister finally settled to be known as and called Mummy Emmanuel. To her, that name is best for her boy.
         Immanuel is the original Hebrew name in the bible but has been transliterated in Greek to Emmanuelou and then in English to Emmanuel. But what makes Emmanuel the favourite among other names? The simpler answer would probably be because Emmanuel is the name of Jesus, but a more realistic answer would be beause of the actual meaning of the name Emmanuel - God with us! Better to dwell always with God, they believe!The angel came to announce that God was coming to dwell among men as had been prophesied (Is. 7:14), and indeed God now had come through the miraculous conception and birth of His Son. God had visited men severally in the past, (Gen. 18:1-5; Ezekiel 1:1-3), but now he would dwell with men. 
         The naming of Jesus had been foretold by the Prophet Isaiah. 'Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel' (Is.  7:14). Bible scholar Don Stewart explains, "This is not a personal name. In Isaiah's prophecy it is seen as [being] fulfilled, not in the naming of Jesus, but in the whole account of His origin and naming. It is not that Jesus ever bore the name Immanuel but that it indicates His role, bringing God's presence to man." According to Matthew's gospel, the angel came to announce the fulfillment of the prophecy, using the same words for emphasis. God had said He would dwell with men and now had come; age long prophecy fulfilled!
        Among the the things Jesus said when He came was, "I and the Father are one" (John 10:30), and "The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, because He has anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed; to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord.” (Luke 4:18-19). This would explain why many Christians choose the name Emmanuel for their sons, believing that the name in their homes would bring to them the presence, the power and providence of God through Jesus Christ their Lord.

©OO-I.  
Olusegun Ojosipe-Isaac
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olusegunisaac2018@gmail.com

MIRIAM (From Grass To Grace)










MIRIAM is a transformation account. It is the story of the refinement of a plain village girl from a raw to high quality, from crude to top grade purity.

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