And His Name shall be called Emmanuel (Mt 1:23)

Have you ever thought of the origin of the name Emmanuel? Of course, we easily remember that it is the name the angel revealed to Joseph when Mary was found to be with child (Mt 1:23). Joseph was wondering whether to take Mary, his betrothed, as a wife, or to divorce her. When the angel revealed to him God’s plan in a dream, he, being a just man, accepted God’s will and took Mary as his wife.

But there is another account in the Isa 7:14. In this account, Ahaz the king of Judah was faced with an attack by his northern neighbors. He considered making an alliance with the Assyrians when the prophet Isaiah brought him a message from the Lord. The alliance was not necessary. God promised deliverance from his northern neighbors. The sign for this divine intervention would be that a virgin would conceive and bear a son and name him Emmanuel. Unfortunately, Ahaz did not heed the advice of the prophet.

There is however, a third “Emmanuel story”, in the bible which people speak less often about. In some ways, it is rather the first story. After the people of Israel had left Egypt, with all the signs and wonders performed by Moses, they were in the desert, and they began to be thirsty. They cried out to God and asked “is God with us”? In fact, what they asked was “Emmanuel?” That is exactly how to say “God with us” in Hebrew.

That really is what we are led to think about this week. It is easy to perceive God’s presence among us when things go well with us. When God was parting the Sea of Reeds, no one doubted that God was with them. Not so when they faced thirst in the desert. It is this same message which Ahaz is reminded of in time of adversity. Joseph is reminded of the same name in his time of doubt. And in fact, Jesus, in sending his disciples out at the end of Matthew’s Gospel says to them “I am with you” (Emmanuel) until the end of the age. That is the message we need to hear once again this week. No matter what happens, God is with you!