In his account of Jesus’ birth, Matthew wrote: “All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: “The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel—which means ‘God with us.’” (Matt. 1:22-23). Matthew was quoting from Isaiah 7:14, but I would like to highlight this idea from another chapter in Isaiah which has been an encouragement to me recently—Isaiah 43. In verse 3 God says through the prophet: “When you pass through the waters, I will be with you,” and in verse 5 he says, “Do not be afraid, for I am with you.” From Isaiah 43:1-7, we can see three reasons why this promise should be encouraging to us as we face various challenges.
First, because the God who is with us is the God who has redeemed us. In verse 1, God says, “Fear not, for I have redeemed you.” God redeemed Israel out of Egypt, and he did so on the night of the Passover Lamb, which foreshadows our redemption from sin through the blood of Christ. The God who redeemed us through the blood of his own Son is not now going to abandon us when we face challenges or trials. “When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you.”
Second, we should be encouraged by God’s promise because the God who is with us is the God who loves us. Just before stating in verse 5, “Fear not, for I am with you,” God said in verse 4, “Since you are precious and honored in my sight, and because I love you, I will give men in exchange for you, and people in exchange for your life.” God loved the Israelites, for they were the people he had chosen. They were precious and honored in his sight. The same is true of us, for John exclaims, “How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called the children of God” (1 John 3:1)!
Third, the God who is with us is the God who has great plans for us. In verse 5, after saying, “Do not be afraid, for I am with you,” God spoke of these plans: “I will bring your children from the east and gather you from the west … bring my sons from afar and my daughters from the ends of the earth—everyone who is called by my name” (43:5b-7a). God was speaking of his far future plans to gather the remnant of his people in the kingdom of Messiah. Yet in the nearer future there would be difficult times—the people of Judah would be taken away as captives into Babylon. That didn’t mean God was finished with them and no longer had great plans for them. He would cause their captors to be defeated (43:14) and he would use Cyrus to allow the Jews to return to their land (Isaiah 44:28; 45:13). Although difficult times lay ahead, God had great plans for them—both in the nearer future and in the far future. And the same is true for us as God’s children. We know he has great plans for us in the far future, in heaven (John 14:2-3; 1 Peter 1:3-4). But we also know God is our loving Father, and though his plans for us may take us through challenging times, in the end we know that he desires our good (Matthew 7:7-11) and he desires to use us to bear fruit (John 15:16).
As we celebrate this Christmas season that Jesus entered this world as Immanuel (God with us), let us be encouraged that the God who is with us is the God who has redeemed us, the God who is with us is the God who loves us, and the God who is with us is the God who has great plans for us.
First, because the God who is with us is the God who has redeemed us. In verse 1, God says, “Fear not, for I have redeemed you.” God redeemed Israel out of Egypt, and he did so on the night of the Passover Lamb, which foreshadows our redemption from sin through the blood of Christ. The God who redeemed us through the blood of his own Son is not now going to abandon us when we face challenges or trials. “When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you.”
Second, we should be encouraged by God’s promise because the God who is with us is the God who loves us. Just before stating in verse 5, “Fear not, for I am with you,” God said in verse 4, “Since you are precious and honored in my sight, and because I love you, I will give men in exchange for you, and people in exchange for your life.” God loved the Israelites, for they were the people he had chosen. They were precious and honored in his sight. The same is true of us, for John exclaims, “How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called the children of God” (1 John 3:1)!
Third, the God who is with us is the God who has great plans for us. In verse 5, after saying, “Do not be afraid, for I am with you,” God spoke of these plans: “I will bring your children from the east and gather you from the west … bring my sons from afar and my daughters from the ends of the earth—everyone who is called by my name” (43:5b-7a). God was speaking of his far future plans to gather the remnant of his people in the kingdom of Messiah. Yet in the nearer future there would be difficult times—the people of Judah would be taken away as captives into Babylon. That didn’t mean God was finished with them and no longer had great plans for them. He would cause their captors to be defeated (43:14) and he would use Cyrus to allow the Jews to return to their land (Isaiah 44:28; 45:13). Although difficult times lay ahead, God had great plans for them—both in the nearer future and in the far future. And the same is true for us as God’s children. We know he has great plans for us in the far future, in heaven (John 14:2-3; 1 Peter 1:3-4). But we also know God is our loving Father, and though his plans for us may take us through challenging times, in the end we know that he desires our good (Matthew 7:7-11) and he desires to use us to bear fruit (John 15:16).
As we celebrate this Christmas season that Jesus entered this world as Immanuel (God with us), let us be encouraged that the God who is with us is the God who has redeemed us, the God who is with us is the God who loves us, and the God who is with us is the God who has great plans for us.