by By David Jeremiah
“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
When a loving father hugs his daughter good-bye as she leaves for her first year of college, he might assure her, “Don’t worry about anything; I’ll be with you every step of the way.” Obviously, the father isn’t going to be with his daughter in the dormitory, in her classes, or in the cafeteria. Instead, she knows what he means: “I’m here for whatever you need. I’m supporting you, praying for you, believing in you. I am always with you.”
That’s what the word “Immanuel” meant in the Bible. Translated literally, it can mean “God is with us” (Isaiah 8:10) or it can be a name, “Immanuel” (Isaiah 7:14; 8:8). By it, Israel understood that God would guide, protect, and provide for His people as promised on so many occasions (Exodus 3:12; Deuteronomy 2:7; Joshua 1:5). In short, Immanuel meant, “I will never leave you nor forsake you” (Joshua 1:5; Hebrews 13:5). No wonder God’s Messiah was given the name Immanuel.
God is with you today. Whatever you need, He can provide. He will never leave you or forsake you. He is there to guide, protect, and provide.