When near doesn’t mean with
Picture a couple at their home on a typical weekend.
Jim sits on one end of the couch, reading a book. At the other end, his wife Lisa has her eyes closed listening to her favorite song as it’s streamed from her phone to her wireless earbuds. At first glance, they seem to be a portrait of a lovely couple lounging at home, peacefully doing what they like to do on a quiet afternoon.
But look a little bit closer. You’ll notice that Jim hasn’t turned a page in the last 10 minutes.
Lisa has been sighing and looking everywhere except in Jim’s direction.
They’re within an arm’s reach of each other, but the invisible wall between them sets them emotionally and spiritually nowhere near each other where it matters. The warmth you first thought was there isn’t. Instead, the coldness circulating in their home isn’t from air conditioning but from their hearts.
We’re all familiar with situations like these. Moments where being near doesn’t mean being with. After all, proximity doesn’t equate to intimacy, presence does. This tension is part of why the name Immanuel matters so deeply, because it declares that God is not merely near but truly with us.
Joseph and Immanuel
This may have been how Joseph felt when he found out that Mary, his betrothed, was bearing a child (Matthew 1:18) that’s not his. Joseph is recorded as being a righteous man. He knew the Law and did his best to abide by it. Therefore he knew the consequences of the situation to Mary and him. Still caring for her despite her apparent betrayal, he decided to protect her as much as he could by divorcing her (Matthew 1:19)
It was then that God sent an angelic messenger with a revelation that he never expected or imagined (Matthew 1:20-21). And with that message came a special name that would change everything. A name tied to a promise spoken centuries ago by the prophet Isaiah (Isaiah 7:14)…
Immanuel. God with us.
In that moment, Joseph discovered that he was part of God’s unfolding plan (Matthew 1:22–23). And with that realization, fear gave way to peace, and uncertainty was met with faith.
The Name Promised
The Sign of Immanuel in the Days of Ahaz
Centuries earlier, long before Joseph had his dream, the name Immanuel first appeared in the days of King Ahaz. Judah was facing two hostile kings who were determined to attack Jerusalem and replace Ahaz with someone they can control. Terrified and uncertain, and with the Davidic line threatened, Ahaz turned to the prophet Isaiah for a word from the Lord.
It was then that God revealed a sign: a virgin would give birth to a child who would be called “Immanuel,” which means “God with us.”
The Meaning of the Name
This promise was more than comfort for a frightened king. The name Immanuel carries what scholars describe as both a minimum and a maximum meaning1.
- Minimum meaning: The birth and naming of this special child would indicate that “the good hand of God is upon us,” reassuring Judah that God had not abandoned His people even when enemies pressed in on every side.
- Maximum meaning: The prophecy also points forward to something greater, a fulfillment beyond Ahaz’ time in which “God’s presence with us is to be found in the child.” This suggests that the ultimate Immanuel would not simply symbolize God’s help, but embody God’s very presence with His people.
Here, we learn that God doesn’t wait for us to come to Him. He takes the initiative to come to us.
God’s Initiative to Come Near
When we are fearful, struggling and embattled on every front, God approaches and remains with us. You see, Immanuel is not merely a name intended to comfort; rather, it’s a divine declaration of God’s faithfulness.
And God’s promise of His presence isn’t confined to Ahaz’s and Joseph’s time. God draws near to brokenhearted people today. He changes their lives. He enters homes, even cold air-conditioned living rooms like that of Jim’s and Lisa’s. When God is with us, we learn how to be with each other, not just physically near but truly present. We begin to rebuild what our angry, hurt, and alienating silence has undone.
God’s message to Ahaz was a reassurance of His faithfulness. It declared that He would not be absent in times of fear but would remain near. And if the child named Immanuel served as a sign for Ahaz, it became a signal of fulfilled promise for Joseph and for every generation after him. Through these moments, we see God moving across human history, steadily revealing and accomplishing His plan.
From the days of Ahaz to the time of Joseph, God’s people waited and hoped for the arrival of Immanuel. That promise found its fullness in the person of Jesus Christ, God with us.
As you consider the promise of Immanuel, ask yourself: What does it mean that God draws near even before we seek Him?
Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin will conceive and bear a son, and shall call His name Immanuel.
Isaiah 7:14
Footnotes
1. See Moisés Silva, ed., New International Dictionary of New Testament Theology and Exegesis, s.v. “᾽Εμμανουήλ (Immanuel),” which explains the minimum and maximum meaning of the name. ↩︎