Just three words.
You may have come across the app What3Words which gives a unique location, accurate to within three metres, for anywhere in the world by using just three words.
Very useful, especially in an emergency. It is used extensively by at least one recipient of this blog, as well as by the police here in Lancashire.
Well, according to pastor John MacArthur, it takes just three words to locate Christmas. He writes: “If we could condense all the truths of Christmas into only three words, these would be the words: ‘God with us.'"
Three words in English, just one word in Hebrew: Emmanuel.
Emmanuel, as used extensively in our Christmas carols, and yet it only appears in just three chapters of the entire Bible and only once in the New Testament, on page 1. Here Matthew typically gives context to the remarkable gift of Jesus by referring us to a prophecy from Isaiah centuries earlier, explaining to his Greek-speaking readers what Emmanuel means.
All this happened to fulfil what the Lord had said through the prophet—‘Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and bear a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel’. (“Emmanuel” means “God with us.”)
(Matthew 1:22f)
The setting is yet another crisis for the nation of Judah. Here King Ahaz with his kingdom is threatened by two powerful armies from the north.
He clearly is terrified and so Isaiah, aware of what is happening through his position in the royal court, goes to reassure the king. So he prophesises, speaking on behalf of God himself: “Listen, calm down. Don’t be afraid. And don’t panic over these two burnt-out cases.” (Isaiah 7:4).
Isaiah understands that Ahaz needs more than just reassuring words: he realises that the king needs hard evidence that it is God no less who is speaking. And so he adds: “Ask the Lord your God for a sign, whether in the deepest depths or in the highest heights.”
Or in the over-the-top Message translation: “Ask for a sign from your God. Ask anything. Be extravagant. Ask for the moon!”
Somewhat bizarrely Ahab does not take Isaiah up on his offer. “I’d never do that. I’d never make demands like that on God!”
What is it, Ahab? Here is God no less making you a remarkable proposal and you don’t take him up on it! Most of us would jump at the chance.
It could be his pride, even hubris – seeing himself above such nonsense. Or maybe just a determination to do it himself, his vanity. Either way the king doesn’t come out of the encounter very well.
So the prophet proposes his own sign, whether Ahab likes it or not. “Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Look, the young woman is with child and shall bear a son, and shall name him Emmanuel.” (Isaiah 7:14).
We can assume that Ahaz understands this sign, even though as readers we are excluded from its circumstance and impact.
And no thanks to Ahab, once again the LORD delivers his people – until the next crisis. Emmanuel: God is with his people, despite the arrogance of their king.
In contrast then, no wonder then that God chose to send his angels to the shepherds at Bethlehem, those at the other end of the social spectrum, those least likely to hold any hubris.
No one trusted shepherds, and you kept your distance should they make you ritually unclean and so be excluded from worshipping with God's people. They were the classic outsiders, the underclass. They may even have been, like David centuries earlier and in Near East today, older children.
And they too were given a sign to demonstrate that God is at work. As the angel explained: “This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.” (Luke 1:12)
This was good enough for them – and off they ran. No standing on dignity here, just to kneel alongside the manger even to look into the very eyes of God himself.
Fascinating, to know how God knows that there are times when we need more than just words. He understands what it is like, so-to-speak, to be on the receiving end of his guidance. Sometimes we need to actually see God at work before we act in obedience, even in response to a split infinitive.
Jesus is our Emmanuel. He is with us, in times of crisis or when nothing special appears to be happening, in every season of the spirit. And not just at arm’s length. He is down there at waist height, in a manger of all places.
As author Katherine J. Walden writes: “Christmas is the season of Emmanuel. We celebrate the good news that he is near, that he cares for us, and that he transforms lives. His presence was the greatest present God gave mankind. May we be present carriers of that presence!”
And finally another three words: A Merry Christmas!
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