God With Us: Immanuel
Month 1: The Word Became Flesh · Why We Believe
Today's Scripture
Read together: Matthew 1:23 & Isaiah 9:6
23 “Behold, the virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call Him Immanuel” (which means, “God with us”). — Matthew 1:23
6 For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given, and the government will be upon His shoulders. And He will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. — Isaiah 9:6
Memory Verse
“She will give birth to a Son, and you are to give Him the name Jesus, because He will save His people from their sins.””— Matthew 1:21 (BSB)
📖 Bible-in-a-Year (optional)
Today's reading: Exodus 3–6
Reading the whole Bible in a year — do this when you have extra time. (Around Day 17 of 365 — at the burning bush God reveals His name, "I AM," and promises to be *with* Moses.)The Heart of It
Matthew tells us the angel's words to Joseph came true after waiting seven hundred years. The prophet Isaiah had said a virgin would have a Son called "Immanuel." That Hebrew name means "God with us" (; ). And Isaiah said even more. This child would be called "Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace" (). Stop and feel the weight of that. The baby in the manger is not merely sent by God. He is God, come to be with us. The mighty Maker of the stars wrapped Himself in the skin of a newborn.
This is one big reason we believe the gospel is true and not just a nice story. It was promised long before it happened. Centuries before Bethlehem, prophets wrote down details no one could fake or set up. They wrote of a virgin birth, and of a child who is also "Mighty God." When Jesus arrived exactly as promised, it was God signing His own work. And the name tells us why it's such good news. God didn't stay far off, frowning at us. In Jesus, He came near. He came to be with us, to save us, and to never leave. The whole story of the Bible has been moving toward this moment: God living among His people.
Around the Table
"Immanuel" means "God with us." Jesus came to be right here with us. He is closer than a best friend!
Let's do it: Whisper to one another, "God is with us." Then say it loud and happy!
A prophet named Isaiah wrote about Jesus hundreds of years before He was born. And it came true!
Let's talk: If a baby was promised to be "Mighty God," what does that tell us about who Jesus really is?
Isaiah wrote these words about seven hundred years before Christ was born. Matthew points back to them on purpose. Prophecy that comes true is real evidence.
Let's go deeper: If you didn't believe Jesus is who He claimed to be, why would fulfilled prophecy be so hard to explain away?
💬 Conversation Starter
If you could have anyone in the world with you all day tomorrow, who would it be, and why? Jesus is called "God with us." He's with His people always.
🛡️ Defending the Faith
When someone says… "The 'prophecies' were just written after the fact to make Jesus look special." You can answer kindly. Isaiah was written centuries before Christ. We even have old copies, like the Dead Sea Scrolls found in 1947, that date from well before His birth. So the text wasn't invented later. And the details are too exact and too unlikely to set up on purpose. There's a virgin birth, a child who is "Mighty God," and a baby born in Bethlehem (). Together they point to a God who announced His plan ahead of time and then kept it. We don't have to be loud to be confident. We "always be ready to give a defense… with gentleness and respect" ().
For Dad · Go Deeper
The doctrine packed into the name "Immanuel" is the incarnation. It means fully God and fully man in one Person, and it is the hinge of the Christian faith. A merely human Jesus could be a fine teacher but no Savior. A God who only seemed human couldn't truly stand in our place. Matthew anchors this in fulfilled prophecy, not to win an argument, but to ground his readers' faith in history. God said it, God did it, on the record. For your own heart, dwell on the tenderness of it. The mighty "I AM" of the burning bush, in today's Exodus reading, became a nursing infant who needed Mary to feed Him. That is the God you're introducing to your children. He is not distant and demanding. He is near and saving. Let the wonder of "God with us" thaw any cold professionalism in your faith.
Draws on: J. I. Packer, Knowing God (chapter on the Incarnation).
Let's Pray Together
"Father, thank You that Jesus is Immanuel — God with us. You did not stay far away. You came near to save us. Thank You for keeping every promise. Help us trust You. You are always with us. In Jesus' name, amen."
Jesus is Immanuel. God did not stay distant. He came to be with us.