“For to us a child is born, to us a Son is given” ** — Isaiah 9:6.
“God sent forth his Son, born of a woman” *** — Galatians 4:4.
“Immanuel ”God is with us. God and man in one person. Jesus (“God is our salvation.”). As man He can represent us and stand in for us on the cross; as God He can conquer death and pass the victory to us! ** The obvious is often missed. The child is born in a woman, by the word of God, and the process of embryo and pregnancy. A human being starts. But the Son is given, because He was eternally alive and there in the beginning and before! He had no start, but could be given. Isaiah chose his words rather carefully. *** The obvious is often missed. The Son is sent forth, because He was already there from eternity. He never “started.” He is born of a woman, from scratch, by the miracle of the virgin birth. Paul chose his words rather carefully. The truth of “Immanuel” puts light years between the Bible’s Christmas message and all religions or theories or Starbuck’s conversations, whether tendered by individuals or committees. We should choose our Savior rather carefully. “