Tag Archive | Charles Spurgeon

Immanuel: “God With Us”

“Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.” Isaiah‬ ‭7:14‬ (all verses in ‭ESV‬ unless otherwise noted)

“She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet: “Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel” (which means, God with us).” Matthew‬ ‭1:21-23‬

Both Immanuel and Emmanuel are found in the Bible. The Old Testament was originally recorded in Hebrew and Chaldean/Aramaic, using Immanuel. The New Testament was originally recorded in Greek, with Emmanuel used in the original text. Many newer versions, such as ESV quoted above, use the Hebrew word in both Scriptures. Both words have the same meaning, God with us.

Today’s name of God is one usually relocated to the Christmas story. True, it’s a name that specifically refers to Jesus’ conception and birth to a young virgin girl named Mary. But “God with us” is so much more. The following quote from Charles Spurgeon makes it clear that Immanuel is not just a name to reflect on when we celebrate Christmas.

This is his name, “God with us,”—God with us, by his incarnation, for the august Creator of the world did walk upon this globe; he who made ten thousand orbs, each of them more mighty and more vast than this earth, became the inhabitant of this tiny atom. He, who was from everlasting to everlasting, came to this world of time, and stood upon the narrow neck of land betwixt the two unbounded seas. “God with us”: he has not lost that name – Jesus had that name on earth, and he has it now in heaven. He is now “God with us.”

So how is God with us today? Here are a few of the ways.

God is with us as Christians through the indwelling Holy Spirit.

“And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you.” John‬ ‭14:16-17‬

“Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.” 1 Corinthians‬ ‭6:19-20‬

God is with us in our times of need.

“And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.” Philippians‬ ‭4:19‬ ‭

“Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” Hebrews‬ ‭4:16‬ ‭

God is with us when we face temptation.

“For because he himself has suffered when tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.” Hebrews‬ ‭2:18‬ ‭

“No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.” 1 Corinthians‬ ‭10:13‬ ‭

God is with us giving us wisdom when we don’t know what to do.

“If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him.” James‬ ‭1:5‬ ‭

“But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere.” James‬ ‭3:17‬ ‭

God is with us in trials and suffering, working all things together for our good.

“And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.” Romans‬ ‭8:28‬

“And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you. To him be the dominion forever and ever. Amen.” 1 Peter‬ ‭5:10-11‬

Jesus’ name Immanuel is so much more than a name to remember at Christmas. God is with us no matter what we may face. God goes before us, He walks beside us, and He lives within us through His Holy Spirit. No matter what we face as we walk through this troubled world, we are never alone.

“And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.” Romans‬ ‭8:28‬ ‭

Immanuel is an expression of God’s nearness to us as His followers.

Elohim, the All Powerful One, the Creator

Mar16

This English Bible begins with four simple words: In the beginning, God. God was before Creation. He is the Creator. The verse continues:

“In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.” Genesis 1:1 (All verses are in ESV unless otherwise noted)

The God of Genesis 1:1 is Elohim. Charles Spurgeon said of this verse,

“God, the living God, the Creator of the heavens and the earth, sets forth his own name and title, that there may be no mistake as to who he is.”

Most Bible scholars agree that “Elohim” is derived from “El” meaning “mighty (one), strong (strength).” The Hebrew ending “im” added to “El” indicates plurality, reminding us that the Godhead is in three persons, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

Dr. Matt Carter, pastor of Sagemont Church in Houston, said Elohim reveals God’s transcendence. Being transcendent means God is holy, powerful, and beyond our comprehension. We may have limited understanding of a specific aspect of His character or nature, but the whole of Who He is beyond our understanding.

The Trinity is one of the aspects of God’s nature that is beyond our understanding. Scripture makes it clear that all three persons of the Godhead were involved with Creation. But the specific “jobs” of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit aren’t clear. What follows is how I see the parts of all members of the Godhead in Creation.

God the Father is the author, planner, and designer of Creation. Or in modern builder’s terms, He is the architect. Some believe He spoke the words of Creation, giving Christ the instructions on how to perform the work. This may or may not be exactly what happened, but various verses in Genesis 1 repeat the phrase “and God said.” One example is God’s ultimate creation, mankind, made is His image, after His likeness.

Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.”‭ Genesis 1:26

The Son, Jesus Christ, in pre-incarnate form, is the agent of Creation. All things were made by and through Him.

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made.” John 1:1-3

“He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together.” Colossians‬ ‭1:15-17‬ ‭

The part the Holy Spirit played in Creation is a little more difficult to explain. Genesis 1:2 makes it clear that He was present at Creation. In Genesis 1:2, we see the earth without form, void and covered with darkness. And the Spirit of God, the rûaḥ ĕlōhîm, the breath of Elohim, moved or hovered over the formless, void and dark earth. Some scholars believe the Spirit made order out of chaos, but Scripture doesn’t specifically say this.

“The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters.” Genesis 1:2

Elohim is one of the most frequently used names of God in the Old Testament. I want to close with a few verses that use this name. I encourage you to meditate on these verses, to see what God will reveal to you about His nature. The transcendent, unknowable God delights to reveal Himself to those who seek Him in His Word. Elohim is the Hebrew word for God in each of these verses.

“To you it was shown, that you might know that the Lord is God; there is no other besides him.” Deuteronomy 4:35

“Know therefore today, and take it to your heart, that the Lord, He is God in heaven above and on the earth below; there is no other.” Deuteronomy 4:39 NASB

“O Lord of hosts, God of Israel, enthroned above the cherubim, you are the God, you alone, of all the kingdoms of the earth; you have made heaven and earth.” Isaiah 37:16

“For thus says the Lord, who created the heavens (he is God!), who formed the earth and made it (he established it; he did not create it empty, he formed it to be inhabited!): “I am the Lord, and there is no other.” Isaiah 45:18

“And Ezra blessed the Lord, the great God, and all the people answered, “Amen, Amen,” lifting up their hands. And they bowed their heads and worshiped the Lord with their faces to the ground.” Nehemiah 8:6

When God Puts Life on “Pause”

Sep10

“I wait for the Lord, my soul waits, and in his word I hope;” Psalms‬ ‭130:5‬ ‭ESV‬‬

Recently, I’ve been in a time when my life almost seems as if someone hit the “pause” button. My days have been filled with waiting. Waiting for a referral to a doctor to come in. Waiting two months for an appointment I was able to schedule. Waiting for a call from the homecare agency my doctor recommended so my therapy can begin. Waiting for some relief from all the symptoms I’m currently dealing with. Waiting on people who seem to take an unreasonably long time to get routine matters taken care.

So what are we to do during such times? First, we are to remember that God is in control. Delays are a part of life, but they aren’t evidence that nothing is going on. Even when we see no outward changes, God is at work in the background. So see your times when life doesn’t seem to be moving forward as times of waiting on the Lord.

Times of waiting are meant to be times of seeking God, of drawing close and spending time in His presence and His Word. And they are to be times of faithfulness in the things the Lord has already told us to do.

The past is behind us, the future isn’t yet here, so our focus needs to be on living the best life we can during these times when nothing seems to be moving forward. It needs to be on what He is saying to us and putting in front of us … right now. And that means times of waiting need to be times of drawing near to God and His Word so we can hear what He’s saying.

Charles Spurgeon said of these times of waiting that are so much a part of our lives, “If the Lord Jehovah makes us wait, let us do so with our whole hearts; for blessed are all they that wait for Him. He is worth waiting for. The waiting itself is beneficial to us: it tries faith, exercises patience, trains submission, and endears the blessing when it comes. “

Are you currently in a time of waiting? If so, I encourage you to forget the past, don’t be anxious about what lies ahead, and focus on living in the present. Focus on what God has called you to do today, and be faithful. Spend time listening to His voice to receive instructions for today, and then walk them out in faith. He is at work in your life, even during times when it’s difficult to see what He’s doing.

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