Why was Jesus not called Immanuel?

I must confess that this is a very good question, it is a question which has made me to dig deep into the scriptures. Some people genuinely ask this question, because they really want to know the truth. Others ask this same question, just because they want to attack the bible, as being a book full of contradictions. But one thing is clear, the bible is not a self contradictory book, it is a book which is consistent with itself. The fact that we cannot reconcile seeming contradictory passages does not in any way mean, there are errors and contradictions in the bible. I will employ my powers to provide an answer to this important question in simple words so you can understand.

Immanuel was one of his titles

Every title of Jesus reveals an aspect of his character and work. Immanuel was a title which reveals Jesus divine nature. The prophet Isaiah prophesied saying: Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, a virgin will be with child and bear a son, and she will call His name Immanuel (Isaiah 7; 14). Matthew by the Spirit saw the fulfillment of the prophecy of Isaiah in the birth of Jesus and he wrote: She will bear a Son; and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins." Now all this took place to fulfill what was spoken by the Lord through the prophet: "Behold, the virgin shall be with child and shall bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel," which translated means, "God with us  (Matthew 1:21-23).

The prophet by the influence of the Spirit says that the Messiah will be called Immanuel, but Jesus during his earthly life, he was not for once referred as Immanuel, so the question is why? This is because, "Immanuel" was not meant to be his personal name on earth, by which he would be called. The prophet wrote else where: For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us; And the government will rest on His shoulders; And His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9; 6). In another place, it written: "In His days Judah will be saved, And Israel will dwell securely; And this is His name by which He will be called, 'The Lord our righteousness" (Jeremiah 23:6). Jesus was not called by any of these names whiles on earth, but nevertheless, these names reveals an important information about him.

It is important to know that, "Immanuel" means ''God with us". ''Immanuel'' is descriptive of Jesus divine nature, it reveals his nature as God with us. Jesus in his incarnation was God clothed in human flesh, our Immanuel. Apostle John wrote: In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth (John 1:1,14). This passage of scripture emphasizes the truth, that Jesus was God incarnate, was God manifested in human flesh who dwelt among us. Jesus was not called Immanuel because, it was not his official earthly name by which he would be known and called, yet it highlights the fact that he was God with us, thereby fulfilling the words of the prophet.

Jesus is his personal Name 

Matthew wrote: But when he had considered this, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, "Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife; for the Child who has been conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. She will bear a Son; and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins" (Matthew 1; 20-21). The angel gave the name by which he would be called, and the name was ''Jesus'', translated in Hebrew as, "Yeshua" meaning "God saves". The angel revealed the name by which he would be called and that official name was Jesus. This was the reason why he was referred wherever he went as Jesus, because that was his name, and not Immanuel.

Jesus is our Immanuel in the sense that he is God with us, and his name Jesus stresses on his divine mission to save sinners through the sacrifice of himself. If God had not condescended to dwell among us, how could he have saved us eternally unto himself? He is both our Immanuel (God with us) and our Yeshua (God saves or our salvation). God bless you 

A thought to ponder 🤔 

If God had not condescended to dwell among us, how could he have saved us eternally unto himself?

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