As Christians, Christmas is a time
to ponder and imagine more deeply how scripture expresses the message of Christmas, and the concepts of ‘Bemanuel’[1] and ‘Immanuel’ seem interesting. The word ‘Immanuel’ is mentioned in Matthew 1:23, “Look, the
virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall name him Immanuel,” which
means, “God is with us.” This Immanuel, who is Jesus Christ, was first
prophesied in Isaiah 7:14. In both Matthew and Isaiah, it was written during a
time of turmoil for the people of Israel due to war and foreign domination. In
both instances, it offers hope to the people of God, assuring them that God
is with them through thick and thin. Still, he is with us even today
through our trials and hardships.
However, along with the promise of
Immanuel, there is also the promise of ‘Bemanuel,’ which means “God in us”.
The promise of Bemanuel is an idea that comes from Galatians 2:20, which says,
“And it is no longer I who live, but it is Christ who lives in me...” This
promise broadens our understanding of why Jesus came to this earth, not only to
be with or beside us but also to be ‘in’ us. Bemanuel means that when
Christ is in us, he empowers us through his grace “to instruct us to deny
ungodliness and worldly desires...” (Titus 2:12).
This dual understanding enriches our celebration of Christmas, making it a time of joy and a period of deep reflection on the profound impact of Christ’s coming. It encourages us to live out our faith, knowing that God is with us and within us, guiding and strengthening us every step of the way.
[1] The word is coined by the author by
removing the preposition עִמ (with)
and replacing it with the preposition
בְּ (in), in
the word ‘Immanuel’, so the word ‘Bemanuel’.
Photo by Jessica Lewis 🦋 thepaintedsquare: https://www.pexels.com/photo/nativity-scene-table-decor-1652405/
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