Young Adults' Group

The Presence Of God

by Pastor Mark
November 05, 2020

The Immanuel idea

As we prepare for Christmas, let us deepen our understanding of the Lord Jesus, especially His name “Immanuel”. When God gave the prophecy concerning the virgin birth of the Messiah through the prophet Isaiah, Judah was threatened by two nations, Israel and Syria (Isa 7:1). The Lord assured King Ahaz of Judah that these enemies would not stand (Isa 7:7–9). The Lord also gave him an offer to ask for a sign of any kind, “Ask a sign for yourself from the Lord your God; ask it either in the depth or in the height above.” (Isa 7:11)

But King Ahaz declined to ask, “I will not ask, nor will I test the Lord!” (Isa 7:12) He was not interested, and his words reflected unbelief (Isa 7:9). Nevertheless, the Lord graciously gave him a sign, “Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel.” (Isa 7:14) The Lord promised that the Messiah would be born of a virgin. He would be the Son of God, and His name would be called Immanuel, meaning God with us.

Immanuel…A future to look forward to

For King Ahaz, this prophecy was lost on him. But for the prophet Isaiah and the people, this amazing prophecy would be fulfilled in their future when Christ would come to the earth (Matt 1:22,23). There would be hope in God’s presence. Christ would be the embodiment of God Himself. Through Immanuel, God would be with His people.

A present reality

At the same time, how did the concept of “Immanuel” have a present reality for Isaiah and the people? There are different ways in which the presence of the Lord may be understood.

1. God’s presence with His servant…prophet Isaiah

The prophet Isaiah represented God. The Lord had specially called him to be a prophet. The presence of God was with him…as His servant. The Lord revealed to him divine knowledge and prophecies. It was a clear indication that God was with Isaiah.

2. God’s presence through His promises

The promises that Isaiah prophesied about would also reflect the presence of God. The promise of the virgin birth of the Messiah was a special sign…an indication of the presence of the Lord. Let us be challenged to always appreciate the promises of the Word of God…that His presence may continue to be real to us.

3. God’s presence through His power

The two enemies, Israel and Syria, could have destroyed Judah. But God specially defended Israel from these enemies. His power was seen, which reflected the presence of God in their midst. Let us be challenged to see the presence of God as His power is manifested.

Faith to sense the presence of God

The presence of God is truly in our midst, the Immanuel idea. We need not in any way feel alone when facing our challenges. Let us have the faith to sense the presence of the Lord in our midst. We thank God for the ministry of Pastor Charles to us as a church for we see the presence of God with him and with us. As the promises of the Word of God are revealed to us, let us appreciate the Immanuel idea. As God’s power is seen working in our lives and the lives of others, we can sense the presence of God. Let us be challenged to sense and be encouraged by the presence of God in our life and ministry.

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