A Name Given by Angels
Before Jesus Christ was born, his father, Joseph, was visited by an angel who promised him that a miraculous future. His fiancée, Mary, although still a virgin, would soon conceive and give birth to a son who would grow up to be the Messiah. The boy’s name would be Jesus, but in accordance with prophecy, he would bear a second name: Emmanuel. The name Emmanuel first appears in the words of the prophet Isaiah who lived seven centuries before Jesus. He predicted that the future Messiah would be born to a virgin. His name would be Imanu-El עִמָּנוּ אֵל, which in Hebrew means “God is with us” (Isaiah 7:14).
Shed Light on the Secrets of the Bible
Emmanuel is a sacrosanct name that Jesus carried his whole life, but never revealed to anyone. He knew well that the Jewish authorities did not tolerate those who claimed they were the Messiah, and for that reason he referred to himself as “Christ” only on very select occasions. But to claim that he was literally God in the flesh who resides among us would have been pure blasphemy. So, Jesus simply kept this sacred name to himself. Only when you know Hebrew can you understand why Jesus kept “Emmanuel” hidden. Enroll in our live, online Biblical Hebrew course and bring the secrets of the Bible out into the light of day.