Immanuel, God With Us

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park, Washington, D. C. · Feb 8, 1915

Immanuel, God With Us

By coming to dwell with us, Jesus was to reveal God both to men and to angels. He was the Word of God,—God's thought made audible. . . .

The plan for our redemption was not an afterthought, a plan formulated after the fall of Adam. It was a revelation of "the mystery which hath been kept in silence through times eternal." It was an unfolding of the principles that from eternal ages have been the foundation of God's throne. From the beginning, God and Christ knew of the apostasy of Satan, and of the fall of man through the deceptive power of the apostate. God did not ordain that sin should exist, but he foresaw its existence, and made provision to meet the terrible emergency. So great was his love for the world, that he covenanted to give his only begotten Son, "that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life."

This was a voluntary sacrifice. Jesus might have remained at the Father's side. He might have retained the glory of heaven, and the homage of the angels. But he chose to give back the scepter into the Father's hands, and to step down from the throne of the universe, that he might bring light to the benighted, and life to the perishing. . . .

"Tabernacled Among Us"

God commanded Moses for Israel, "Let them make me a sanctuary, that I may dwell among them," and he abode in the sanctuary, in the midst of his people. Through all their weary wandering in the desert, the symbol of his presence was with them. So Christ set up his tabernacle in the midst of our human encampment. He pitched his tent by the side of the tents of men, that he might dwell among us, and make us familiar with his divine character and life. "The Word became flesh, and tabernacled among us, and we beheld his glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth."

Since Jesus came to dwell with us, we know that God is acquainted with our trials, and sympathizes with our grief. Every son and daughter of Adam may understand that our Creator is the friend of sinners. For in every doctrine of grace, every promise of joy, every deed of love, every divine attraction presented in the Saviour's life on earth, we see "God with us."

By his humanity, Christ touched humanity; by his divinity, he lays hold upon the throne of God. As the Son of man, he gave us an example of obedience; but as the Son of God, he gives us power to obey. It was Christ who from the bush on Mt. Horeb spoke to Moses, saying, "I AM THAT I AM. . . . Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you." This was the pledge of Israel's deliverance. So when he came "in the likeness of men," he declared himself the I AM. The Child of Bethlehem, the Saviour of the world, is God "manifest in the flesh." And to us he says, "I AM the Good Shepherd;" "I AM the Living Bread;" "I AM the Way, the Truth, and the Life." "All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth." "I AM the assurance of every promise." "I AM, be not afraid." "God with us" is the assurance of our deliverance from sin, the assurance of our power to obey the law of heaven. . . .

"Bound to Humanity"

Christ was treated as we deserve, that we might be treated as he deserves. He was condemned for our sins, in which he had no share, that we might be justified by his righteousness, in which we had no share. He suffered the death which was ours, that we might receive the life which was his. "With his stripes we are healed."

In taking our nature, the Saviour has bound himself to humanity by a tie that is never to be broken. Through the eternal ages he is linked with us. "God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son." He gave him not only to bear our sins, and to die as our sacrifice; he gave him to the fallen race. To assure us of his immutable counsel of peace, God gave his only begotten Son to become one of the human family, forever to retain his human nature. This is the pledge that God will fulfill his word. "Unto us a child is born; unto us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder." "God has adopted human nature in the person of his Son, and has carried the same into the highest heaven. It is the "Son of man," who shares the throne of the universe. It is the "Son of man" whose name shall be called "Wonderful, Counsellor,

the mighty God, the everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace." The I AM is the Daysman between God and humanity, laying his hand upon both. He who is "holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners," is not ashamed to call us brethren. In Christ the family of earth and the family of heaven are bound together. Christ glorified is our brother. Heaven is enshrined in humanity, and humanity is enfolded in the bosom of Infinite Love.—"The Desire of Ages."