The Child of Bethlehem. The Only Saviour Part-4  Biblical Meditation:  to read Matthew 1:18-25

Matthew 1:21 And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins.

The prophet Isaiah prophesied to Israel the Name of the Only Saviour by the Name of Immanuel, “God with us”. In this prophecy, a mystery is hidden in the Name giving. 

Isaiah 7:14 Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.

Matthew 1:23 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.” 

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The mystery of the Only Saviour is yet invisible behind the garment of His mother. The mystery of the Child of Bethlehem is revealed to Israel through the heavenly Name giving of Jesus by the angel Gabriel. “and thou shalt call him JESUS for he shall save his people from their sins”

With the Name, Jesus – given Him by the Father – Miriam’s Child, came into this world. The Name Jesus was known before He was born. Not only was the Birth proclaimed, but also drawn. For the Life will be begotten by God’s Holy Spirit and must be declared by the LORD. How would Joseph otherwise have understood the mystery of the motherhood of Miriam?  

 A glad tiding for his guardian father who was under the law. But that does not only apply to the guardian and the mother of the Lord Jesus. That applies to all of Israel who transgressed against the law. Israel, how will they know,  and love the Name of Miriam’s Mary’s Child. The wonderful Name of Jesus.

Matthew 18:11 For the Son of man is come to save that which was lost. 

Luke 19:10“For the Son of man Who is come to seek and to save that which was lost”. 

The Child in the manger full of grace. The Man of Sorrow nailed all our transgressions to the cross. The Saviour paid it all by His redemptive Blood.

The wonderful Name of Jesus brings the glad tidings of redemption is proclaimed to Israel.  Forceful and appealing. Comforting and hopeful. The Name Jesus comes from- and is given by YAHWEH alone. The Name is not given after, but before deliverance. The Name was given ahead of time to ensure the divine Guarantee for deliverance. The Only Saviour came, and He is the Guarantee for salvation. The Guarantee is eternally anchored in the Name appointed and praised by the Father.

Joseph had to give the Holy Child, the Name Jesus because the Child is the only Redeemer. He will surely bring redemption to His people and deliver them from sin.

• Like the great Prophet, He proclaims the Name of the Father.
• As the only High Priest, He shall atone the transgessions of His people with the Father.
• And as the Everlasting King, He shall bring His people under the scepter of His grace.

The Law shall be fulfilled. All His Life from the manger to the cross His Name was Jesus and brought forth from the tribe of Judah. The Only Saviour is a Judahite of the Royal Tribe of Judah.

The cross is visible to the eyes of those, where Yahweh God inscribed the Name. Here it is, where Yahweh reveals the Heavenly Name. And while doing so He crosses off all our Names! Glory to God,  Yahweh only.

The Name of Miriam’s Child has become heavy under the weight of transgression. But the Name also brings joy that banishes all grief and a blessedness beyond measure. Because the Name brings an abundance of grace. The Name is full of power; the power to believe, the power to endure, but also the power to hope, for now, and the time to come.

In life and death Yahweh, the God of Israel, is graceful.