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18 Now the birth of Jesus the Messiah took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been engaged to Joseph, but before they lived together, she was found to be pregnant from the Holy Spirit. 19 Her husband Joseph, being a righteous man and unwilling to expose her to public disgrace, planned to divorce her quietly. 20 But just when he had resolved to do this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife, for the child conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. 21 She will bear a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” 22 All this took place to fulfill what had been spoken by the Lord through the prophet:

23 “Look, the virgin shall become pregnant and give birth to a son, and they shall name him Emmanuel,”

which means, “God is with us.” 24 When Joseph awoke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him; he took her as his wife.

 

The Israelites truly understood the nature of God. If you spend any time in the Old Testament, you witness the plethora of names that they used for God:

Adonai – Lord

Elohim – Creator God

El Elyon – Most High God

El Olam – The Everlasting God

Jehovah–Raah - The Lord my Shepherd

El Shaddai – God Almighty

Jehovah Jireh – The Lord our Provider

Each eloquently describes who God is and what He does.

 

We find this continued as Jesus takes of his divinity and becomes man. When Joseph is unsure of what is to come and decides to depart the scene, a messenger comes to comfort him. This messenger shares that this child is not a mere child but something more. He will be called Jesus or Yeshua – literally translated as “He saves” or salvation. We hear from Matthew that this links to another prophecy of Jesus’ birth where a virgin will give birth to one called Emmanuel or God is with us.

 

Names are important. But in the case of God, they tell us truly of the nature of God. As you go forth this week, be reminded in your prayers and thoughts of the names of God and the story they tell. Our God is more than a three-letter word. He is everything, the “all in all”.

 

“When all things are subjected to him, then the Son himself will also be subjected to the one who put all things in subjection under him, so that God may be all in all.” 1 Corinthians 15:28

Lord Almighty, we praise you as the first and the last, the Alpha and the Omega, ruler of all. Amen.

 

Chad Ryberg Cryberg@livinglord.org

 

Prayer Concern: Perseverance.