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Immanuel: God With Us

Kenneth W. HaginBy Kenneth W. Hagin

Our Lord and Savior was born in a stable in Bethlehem. The Christ child lying in a manger was a picture of God and man united once again. God was separated from His creation at the Fall of man in the Garden of Eden. The baby lying in the manger was Immanuel, which means “God with us”! And at Jesus’ birth, God became like one of us.

After Adam and Eve fell, a great chasm—as wide as the distance between sin and righteousness—separated God and man. Mankind was lost, with no way to cross this chasm to obtain the righteousness of God. And because He is holy, God could not cross the chasm to join Himself with mankind.

There had to be a mediator—a gobetween. So, over 2,000 years ago, God had His Son born in Bethlehem. Jesus came to the earth and joined himself to humanity. And through His birth, life, death, burial, and resurrection, He made it possible for humanity to be joined to God. The real reason for the season, and the only reason for the season, is the salvation of God’s creation, mankind!

In the Garden of Eden, God and Adam walked side-by-side. But Adam messed up and could no longer commune with his Creator. However, at the right time Jesus Christ, Immanuel, came to this earth so that once again God’s creation could walk and talk with Him.

Now we can again share God’s nature. His Spirit can dwell in us, and we can have fellowship with God.

God and man living together. This is the quest of every religion—to be united with their God. Christianity is the only religion that can say, “God dwells with us.”

Many people become sentimental when they think about the Christ child lying in a manger. Yes, He came as a baby, but He was also the Savior of the world Who came to save sinners (1 Tim. 1:15).

On that dark night many centuries ago, the angels rejoiced and sang, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men” (Luke 2:14). God had made a way of escape for every person who would ever live. What we could not do for ourselves, God did for us through Jesus, our Immanuel.