“Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel” (Isaiah 7:14, NKJV).
As we reflect in this season on the coming of the Christ child we encounter an array of names, prophecies and paradoxical events set in some contradictory places. If we just look at the name of this child who is promised both to Mary and Joseph by divine message carried by angels we start to see the some of the names that this favored child would be called. The angel Gabriel speaks to Mary and tells her that she will bear a son after the Holy Spirit comes on her, and he will be called “Jesus.” He will be great and shall be called the “Son of the Most High” reigning over the throne of David and house of Jacob and his kingdom shall have no end (Luke 1:28-35). An angel who is unnamed comes to Joseph in a dream as he struggles with a dilemma over what to do with Mary, the woman to whom he was engaged to, that was with child by the power of the Holy Spirit. He is told to fear not and to name this son “Jesus, for he shall save his people from their sins.” This is a fulfillment to prophecy as to child being born that shall be called “Immanuel which means ‘God is with us’ ” (Matthew 1:18-25).
Before this child is even born many names are upon him. In addition this child would certainly as soon as he was born be called “Jesus son of Joseph” or “Yeshua ben Yosef” which is the Jewish tradition as well. The name of Jesus is the Greek form of the name Yeshua which is better known as the English word Joshua which means “salvation or ‘the LORD saves’ ” which Matthew directly refers to (Mt. 1:21). He will later be acknowledged as “the Christ” which is the Messiah that all of Israel for has waited centuries to come and deliver them and become their Messiah King and the Messiah to the world because of God’s great love. As he is later crucified be mockingly labeled by the sign on the cross as the “King of the Jews” in three languages (John 19:20). In addition to these names, there are many other titles and descriptions given to Jesus Christ, from Wonderful Counselor, Shepherd and Saviour.
In the countless languages of the world, Jesus Christ is translated into many names and He alone is our salvation as God coming in the flesh, much more than a man because a man cannot save the world. Only God could save us by coming as one of us to save us. Jesus was eternal God (The Word) and now He came to save us, “The Word became flesh and dwelt among us” and this is the only way that salvation could come to a fallen world (John 1:14). His love and faithfulness allowed Jesus Christ to be the “Lamb of God” and only He can take away the sin of the world (John 1:29).
It wasn’t just His name that took away our sins. It was the person He was, and is and is to come. Our praise, thankfulness and worship begin at the manger but they must include our repentance at the cross and the living celebration of the same Spirit in us that raised Christ from the dead. We rejoice in the coming among us, of God in Jesus Christ during this Christmas season even as we await our living with the glorious King of Kings for eternity. It is really quite a gift to us that was first promised to Mary and Joseph and was born in a stable. Hallelujah, what a gift of “peace and favor.” Hallelujah, what a Savior!
