The Names of Jesus - Elmer Towns

springs from the innermost seat of His self-existence. In that mercy the benefits of our individual
and corporate redemption are found. Zacharias is concerned both with the national deliverance of
Israel (Luke 1:68-75) and the personal salvation of those who come to Christ by faith (Luke
1:76-79). Both of these aspects of salvation will materialize by a visitation from the Dayspring.
The Scriptures view a visitation of God either positively or negatively. When God visits a
people in His wrath, it is a time of great and severe judgment. When God visits a people in His
mercy, it is a time of salvation. Like the psalmist, our prayer must be, “O visit me with thy
salvation” (Psalm 106:4).
How penetrating is the light of that brilliant heavenly sunrise! It reaches into the darkest
areas of our life, revealing our sin. When convicted of sin by that light, we begin to understand
its horror and the inevitable penalty--death itself. But that is also the light which revitalizes us in
our sorrow. If we were to respond to that light while we remain in. our darkness, we would no
doubt stumble and fall or miss the narrow way altogether, and so it is the same sunrise which
provides the light to redirect our steps. The ultimate effect of that light is the redemption of our
souls. Understanding and experiencing these few benefits of the Dayspring from on High will
cause our hearts to praise and worship the God who granted to us this merciful visitation.
IMMANUEL (EMMANUEL)
When God gave the faithless Ahaz an opportunity to ask Him for a sign to encourage his
faith, he was so apathetic to the things of God as to refuse to accept the gracious offer. But the
purpose of God would not be defeated. Ahaz was given a sign he would not behold because he
chose not to ask for a sign which God had offered to him. “Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and
bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel” (Isaiah 7:14). That unusual name for a son
captured the highest of ideals in the religious life of the pious Jew. It was an affirmation of the
highest of blessings, “God with us.”
Whenever God called a person or group to a seemingly impossible challenge, He
reminded them of His all-sufficient promise, “Certainly I will be with thee.” Moses was to
deliver Israel from Egypt, but God was with him (Exodus 3:12). Joshua was to conquer the
promised land, but God was with him (Joshua 1:5). Throughout Israel's history, every effective
judge and king owed his success to the fact that “the Lord was with him.” When
Nebuchadnezzar looked into the fire, expecting to see the flames consuming the physical remains
of three faithful Hebrews, he saw them surviving the flames, and the Lord was with them. When
the remnant returned to rebuild the temple, they were motivated to action by the prophet's
reminder, “I am with you, saith the Lord” (Haggai 1:13).
In contrast to the Old Testament promise of the presence of God, the absence or
withdrawal of this presence, when noted, is a foreboding warning of disasters to come. Cain went
out from the presence of the Lord to found a society so degenerate God had to destroy it with a
flood. Samson woke in the lap of Delilah, not knowing that the Spirit of the Lord had departed,
and he was captured by the Philistines. Because of his constant disobedience to the revealed will
of God, Saul lost his unique relationship with the Holy Spirit, and God replaced His Spirit with
an evil spirit.