Amazing

Isn’t it just amazing how God would choose to dwell with us? For Him to come in the form of a human, to walk and talk with us, this is amazing?! Unfortunately not everyone sees this as amazing.

In Matthew 1.23 we read, “Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.” This is Emmanuel, God with us. The only reason this wouldn’t seem amazing to anyone is if they see him as something ordinary. Man has always done his best to either bring himself up to the position of a god; or bring God down to be like us. Movie after movie is designed around these thoughts. Satan is described in Ezekiel as one who thought he was as God, but he was short by an infinite scale. We are made a little lower than the angels in our design. So when God chose to be in the form of a man he was made in the same scale, “For thou hast made him a little lower than the angels, and hast crowned him with glory and honour” (Psalm 8.5). Even though he came as a man, He was not just like us was He. He was crowned with glory and honor. He was, and is, as He has always been… God! He did this for a purpose. Quoting Psalm 8.5, Hebrews 2.9 explains the purpose of His coming in this form, “But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man.” He came to die as a man, to go in our place, to taste death so we wouldn’t have to.

Let’s come back to Satan and his prideful self-exultation mentioned in Ezekiel. He decided in his prideful, arrogant heart, that he was as God. He was not. When cast to the Earth he then decided to tempt us (mankind) with the same temptation he had. He challenged the authority of God and God’s intentions in the garden with Adam and Eve. He also claimed that they would be… as gods. Genesis 3.5 says, “For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.” Sadly they fell for it, and subsequently fell from the presence of God as sin then entered in. This curse has affected and affected every living man, woman, and child ever since. So it would make sense that man would want to still elevate himself as a god, meanwhile bringing God down to his level in how he views Him.

Word of caution… no matter how much one thinks God can be brought down to our level of thinking and notation… He cannot. You cannot put God in a box, or He would cease to be God. He did not come down to our level and reason with us as equals. No. When Jesus came to be with man and walk as Emmanuel in this life, He did so still maintaining His authority and Sovereignty as pictured numerous times in the New Testament Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. He didn’t come to our level, instead he “took” on Himself “the form of a servant” (Philippians 2.7). In doing so He also, “…and was made in the likeness of men” (Philippians 2.7). Likeness, form, took. These words mean that He was fully human, but never ceased to be fully God as well. He is and always will be God. So it is amazing!

This is an encouragement note for believers, specifically those who want to be disciples. I am not making an attempt to prove the doctrines placed here, instead to reawaken a very simple point within these truths… Why would God want to be with us? He still does. He does so by way of His Spirit that dwells within us (Romans 8.9). He also meets with us when we are in prayer (Psalm 139; Isaiah 64.4). He wants intimate fellowship with you even right now. He paid an infinite price to accomplish this in your life and in mine. What price are you and I paying to spend some time with Him? To that point… in this season of Christmas, make time to reflect on why Emmanuel came, why He wanted to be with us. Those thoughts should permeate our every day, but so much more now as we are in the season of His birth. You can’t bring Him down to your level, but He willingly offers to be with you where you’re at.