MORNING MEDITATION

“Joshua Immanuel!”

Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn

“Joshua Immanuel!”(Ez.37:24-28).
The next book of the Old Testament after the Pentateuch is Joshua. Joshua was God’s chosen servant to bring to completion the work which Moses begun, and to establish Israel in the promised land. Joshua was faithful to his divine appointment “as the leader of God’s army, as the administrator of God’s division of the land and as God’s spokesman for promoting Israel’s covenant faithfulness.” Somehow Joshua was an OT foreshadowing of Christ.
We are however not focused on Joshua the man. Our focus is on Joshua the name. When an angel of the LORD appeared to Joseph in a dream, he told Joseph not to divorce Mary as he had intended to do. The angel told him, “She will give birth to a son, and you will give him the name ‘Jesus’ because he will save his people from their sins”(Mt.1:20-21). The name Jesus is a Greek version of the Hebrew name Joshua which means “God saves.” The last part of Mt.1:21 above explains the name. “He will save his people from their sins.”
Jesus was born at a time when “many Jews were looking for a political leader who will deliver them from Roman rule, while others were hoping for a Saviour to deliver them from sickness and physical hardship.”
But God’s plan was far from their expectations. God gave to all humanity a Saviour, Christ the Lord.(Lk.2:11). Matthew also tells us that Mary’s conception by the Holy Spirit was “to fulfil what the Lord had said through his prophet, ‘The virgin is with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel – which means, “God with us.”‘”(Mt. 1:22-23).
Joshua – God saves and Immanuel – God with us means God who expelled humans from his presence because of their sins sins, has shown us compassion, love and mercy and has taken a seat in our midst through his Son. The Son who assures us, “I am with you always, to the very end of the age(Mt. 28:20b).
Joshua Immanuel is in fulfilment of what the LORD said through prophet Ezekiel: “…I will put my sanctuary among them forever. My dwelling place will be with them; I will be their God, and they will be my people…”
Dear friend, in the presence of an ordinary human king we comport ourselves and act humbly, how much more when we know we are in God’s presence! God is with us and has come to save us, let us rejoice and be glad, but let us also live lives worthy of his presence.
Prayer: Thank you LORD for our Saviour, Christ the Lord. Amen!
Have a blessed day! Peace be with you!
Rev. Babila Fochang.

Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn

JOIN OUR NEWS LETTER

“Fair Weather Friends!”

“Fair Weather Friends!”(Mk.14:27-52).The Passion story continues with Jesus predicting his death and saying how the apostles will all fall away in fulfilment of the scriptures,

Read More »