Isaías 7
Ray Stedman · Citado em PreceptAustin
Isaías 7
Stedman says "That is a play on words in the Hebrew. We could capture it in English if we put it this way: If there is no belief, you will find no relief." 🙏 THOUGHT - Beloved, can you see the clear application in each of our lives? Circumstances arise that give birth to fear in our heart. God's promises (His living and active Word of Truth) remind us of His constant companionship and watchcare even (especially) during the storm, the trial, the adverse circumstances, truths about Him which are calculated to counter the fear and cause us to stand firm in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. And yet we must each make a volitional choice to trust His trustworthy Word of promise, something Ahaz refused to do to his great loss! The writer of Hebrews reiterates this vital, timeless spiritual principle... And without faith it is impossible to please Him, (Why?) for (term of explanation) he who comes to God must (dei = an obligation out of intrinsic necessity; present tense = this is an unchanging "obligation/need/necessity") believe (pisteuo) that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him. (Heb 11:6+) And what are we saying to (and about) God when we refuse to believe His trustworthy Word about His Son? John addresses the danger of a deficient faith regarding Jesus Christ explaining that... The one who believes in the Son of God has the witness in himself; the one who does not believe God has made Him a liar, because he has not believed in the witness that God has borne concerning His Son. (1Jn 5:10, cp 1Jn 1:10) Vine paraphrases this warning “If ye are not firm in faith, ye shall not be made firm in fact.” (BORROW isaiah prophecies) This is a clear warning to Ahaz to trust in God's promises, not in the arm of men (making alliance with Assyria). It is notable that Ahaz's failure to believe is not said to affect the outcome of the attack against Jerusalem. God had already decreed that the Syriac-Israeli alliance would not succeed. However, Ahaz's unbelief would affect the course of his life and reign as king. Ahaz's reaction reminds me of the words in Ps 20:7 "Some boast in chariots and some in horses, but we will boast in the name of the LORD, our God." It should be noted that the Hebrew verb believe and shall not last are both in the plural (as is the corresponding Greek verb pisteuo) which indicates that God is not just calling for King Ahaz to believe but for the people of Judah (certainly all who heard Isaiah's prophecy, which would likely include other government leaders.) Ray Ortlund comments that God is saying "In other words, “You’ll live by faith, or you won’t live at all. But if you do want my support, all you have to do is lean on me.” God is attracted to weakness and need and honesty. He is repelled by our self-assured pride." (Isaiah: God Saves Sinners) W E Vine comments on the vital role of faith in laying hold of God's promises "This warning serves to remind us, positively, of the power of faith. Faith is encouraged and strengthened by difficulties. Faith faces what to the natural mind are impossibilities, and, resting on the promises of God, relies upon Him to fulfill His counsel concerning them and to turn the obstacles to account for His glory. (BORROW isaiah prophecies promises warning) Skinner remarks on the singular importance of this passage... The words mark an epoch ( a memorable event or date) in the history of revelation; never before probably had the distinctively religious principle of faith been so plainly exhibited as the touchstone of character and of destiny (cf. Ge 15:6; Hab 2:4). Here as throughout Scripture faith means trust in the positive revelation of God, the faith required of Ahaz being whole-hearted acceptance of God's word through Isaiah. The doctrine is one of the foundation truths of this prophet's ministry (cf. Isaiah 28:16, 30:15). (See The book of prophet Isaiah) Believe (0539) (aman) means to confirm, support, uphold and at the heart of the meaning of the root is the idea of certainty. Faith in this present passage represents a basic trust that leans wholly on the Lord and His Word of promise that Judah's enemies will not succeed with their evil plans. This is similar to the definition of faith in Hebrews 11:1+. The basic root idea is firmness or certainty. The derivatives reflect the concept of certainty and dependability. In short, belief or faith is not a blind leap into the dark but a confident commitment to the One about Whom abundant evidence bears ample testimony of His eternal, immutable trustworthiness. In the NT the corresponding verb pisteuo signifies an intellectual apprehension of the truth, a surrender the truth and a behavior consistent with that surrender. Aman is the verb by which Abram lays hold of the promise of God and by which he is given righteousness - "Then he believed in the LORD; and He reckoned it to him as righteousness." (Ge 15:6+). Compare similar usages in Isaiah 28:16 "Therefore thus says the Lord GOD, “Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone, a tested stone, A costly cornerstone for the foundation, firmly placed. He who believes in it will not be disturbed." Trust God > Be Established Trust His Word > Succeed We see this trust principle reiterated by good King Jehoshaphat ("Jehovah Judges") to the people of Judah "And they rose early in the morning and went out to the wilderness of Tekoa (means "trumpet blast") and when they went out, Jehoshaphat stood and said, "Listen to me, O Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem, put your trust (aman) in the LORD your God, and you will be established. Put your trust (aman) in His prophets and succeed. (2Chr 20:20+) Comment: Jehoshaphat gives us the key to a stable, successful Christian life in his OT charge to the people of Judah. Apply this truths in your life and reap the bountiful fruit thereof. You can stake your life on these promises, because they are backed by the promise keeping God, the God Who never breaks His covenant! When all else in your life is in disarray and discord, you can always trust His divine declarations. AMAN - 102V - believe(26), believed(11), believes(2), bringing(1), carried(1), chronic(1), confirmed(5), doorposts(1), endure(1), enduring(3), established(3), faithful(21), firm(2), fulfilled(1), guardians(3), has assurance(1), have faith(1), have...assurance(1), last(1), lasting(1), nurse(3), put your trust(2), puts...trust(2), reared(1), reliable(1), stand still(1), sure(4), trust(4), trusted(1), trustworthy*(1), unreliable*(1), verified(1). Gen. 15:6; Gen. 42:20; Gen. 45:26; Exod. 4:1; Exod. 4:5; Exod. 4:8; Exod. 4:9; Exod. 4:31; Exod. 14:31; Exod. 19:9; Num. 11:12; Num. 12:7; Num. 14:11; Num. 20:12; Deut. 1:32; Deut. 7:9; Deut. 9:23; Deut. 28:59; Deut. 28:66; Jdg. 11:20; Ruth 4:16; 1 Sam. 2:35; 1 Sam. 3:20; 1 Sam. 22:14; 1 Sam. 25:28; 1 Sam. 27:12; 2 Sam. 4:4; 2 Sam. 7:16; 2 Sam. 20:19; 1 Ki. 8:26; 1 Ki. 10:7; 1 Ki. 11:38; 2 Ki. 10:1; 2 Ki. 10:5; 2 Ki. 17:14; 2 Ki. 18:16; 1 Chr. 17:23; 1 Chr. 17:24; 2 Chr. 1:9; 2 Chr. 6:17; 2 Chr. 9:6; 2 Chr. 20:20; 2 Chr. 32:15; Neh. 9:8; Neh. 13:13; Est. 2:7; Job 4:18; Job 9:16; Job 12:20; Job 15:15; Job 15:22; Job 15:31; Job 24:22; Job 29:24; Job 39:11; Job 39:12; Job 39:24; Ps. 12:1; Ps. 19:7; Ps. 27:13; Ps. 31:23; Ps. 78:8; Ps. 78:22; Ps. 78:32; Ps. 78:37; Ps. 89:28; Ps. 89:37; Ps. 93:5; Ps. 101:6; Ps. 106:12; Ps. 106:24; Ps. 111:7; Ps. 116:10; Ps. 119:66; Prov. 11:13; Prov. 14:15; Prov. 25:13; Prov. 26:25; Prov. 27:6; Isa. 1:21; Isa. 1:26; Isa. 7:9; Isa. 8:2; Isa. 22:23; Isa. 22:25; Isa. 28:16; Isa. 33:16; Isa. 43:10; Isa. 49:7; Isa. 49:23; Isa. 53:1; Isa. 55:3; Isa. 60:4; Jer. 12:6; Jer. 15:18; Jer. 40:14; Jer. 42:5; Lam. 4:5; Lam. 4:12; Hos. 5:9; Hos. 11:12; Jon. 3:5; Hab. 1:5 Isaiah 7:10 Then the LORD spoke again to Ahaz, saying: Then: Isa 1:5,13 8:5 10:20 Hos 13:2 Isaiah 7 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries Related Passage: Isaiah 55:11 So will My word be which goes forth from My mouth; It will not return to Me empty, Without accomplishing what I desire, And without succeeding in the matter for which I sent it. THE SIGN: IMMANUEL Then...again (Literally = "the Lord added to speak", ESV = "Again", KJV = "Moreover") - In inductive Bible study the word "then" is often an "expression of time" and as such it marks sequence (defining an order of succession) and can provide important insights, especially in the context of prophetic passages. Expressions of time generally answer the 5W/H question "When?" The LORD spoke - Remember that in context the prophet Isaiah is speaking to Ahaz. This statement (the LORD spoke) emphasizes that the prophet was not speaking of his own accord but was God's mouthpiece transmitting Jehovah's Words... ISAIAH SPEAKS JEHOVAH SPEAKS 🙏 THOUGHT - Beloved this pattern ought to be the constant goal of every modern day prophet (used in the sense of "speaking forth" NOT foretelling [The canon is closed at Revelation 22:21+!]) every time he steps into the pulpit or teaches the saints in any capacity. When he speaks, he should speak for Jehovah, which emphasizes why it is so critical that the modern "prophet" is diligent to rightly divide the Word of Truth (2Ti 2:15+) without adding to it or taking away from it (Pr 30:6)! Oswalt has an excellent comment on the dynamic of God speaking through His prophet Isaiah explaining... that the Transcendent (God) can relate to the finite (Isaiah) in such a way that neither the Transcendent is contained nor the finite violated (ED: In other words, Isaiah was not a "puppet" with no will of his own). Neither God nor Isaiah has become other than himself in the process, yet there has been such a community of thought and desire between the two personalities that Isaiah's words are God's words (ED: O Father, that this same degree of covenant oneness and communion might be wrought in this writer's and each reader's heart in Christ. Amen!). If Isaiah was deluded in his astonishing claim, why study his book at all? If he was correct, then the world dare not dismiss as easily as it is wont to Isaiah's and Israel's religion as merely one more of humanity's quests for the Divine. Isaiah did not claim to speak about God, he claimed to speak for God. (The Book of Isaiah, Chapters 1–39) Paul emphasizes the importance of this pattern of preaching explaining... We do not preach ourselves but Christ Jesus as Lord, and ourselves as your bond-servants for Jesus' sake. (2Cor 4:5+) Saying - The context is still God's prophet Isaiah challenging Ahaz to believe God regarding the certainty of the failure of the Syrian-Israeli threats against Judah. Isaiah 7:11 "Ask a sign for yourself from the LORD your God; make it deep as Sheol or high as heaven.": Sign: Isa 37:30 Isa 38:7,8,22 Jdg 6:36-40 2Ki 20:8-11 Jer 19:1,10 Jer 51:63,64 Mt 12:38-40, 16:1-4 Isaiah 7 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries Related Passages: Isaiah 37:30 “Then this shall be the sign for you: you will eat this year what grows of itself, in the second year what springs from the same, and in the third year sow, reap, plant vineyards and eat their fruit. Isaiah 38:7-8 “This shall be the sign to you from the LORD, that the LORD will do this thing that He has spoken: 38:8 “Behold, I will cause the shadow on the stairway, which has gone down with the sun on the stairway of Ahaz, to go back ten steps.” So the sun’s shadow went back ten steps on the stairway on which it had gone down. AHAZ PUT TO THE TEST Ask a sign ('oth; LXX - semeion) for yourself from the LORD your God; make it deep as Sheol (she'ol) or high as heaven - NET paraphrases it "You can even ask for something miraculous." This is a remarkable moment of divine condescension! God does not merely command faith but He offers to strengthen it with a sign! The initiative comes from the LORD Himself, revealing His patience toward an evil, unfaithful king. The phrase for yourself underscores that the assurance was personal AND meant to steady Ahaz’s own faithless heart and to confirm that Judah’s future rested in God’s hands, not in Ahaz's political alliances. God places no limits on the request. Notice also that the scope of the invitation is breathtaking make it deep as Sheol or high as heaven. In other words, God places no limits on the request. Ahaz may ask for a sign from the lowest depths to the highest heights, in effect anything within the created order! Such language of course shows Yahweh's absolute sovereignty over everything visible and invisible. No wonder-working boundary is beyond His power. The offer shows that faith in God is never irrational. In other words. Yahweh is willing to supply tangible confirmation of His word. Yet God's generosity exposes the condition of Ahaz’s hard heart. God stands ready to authenticate His promise, but the king must be willing to trust the Giver rather than his own schemes, something he is unwilling to do! Ask (07592)(shaal) means to inquire and is in the imperative mood. Jehovah is not making a suggestion but giving a command to Ahaz! The LXX translates with aiteo which means to ask for with a claim on receipt of an answer and is in the aorist imperative a command calling for an immediate response! While we should never base our faith in signs, Ahaz is being given another opportunity to prove and believe that God's Word is trustworthy. Contrary to popular opinion, God does not call for us to make a "leap of faith" but a leap into the light of His Word of Truth. The irony is that while Ahaz thinks (or at least wants Isaiah to think) he is putting God to the test, it is actually Ahaz himself who is being tested! The test to Ahaz (and the leaders and people of Judah) is will he (they) receive (by faith) or reject (by unbelief) God's prophetic promise in Isaiah 7:8, 9 that their adversaries will be destroyed? Your God - This might imply that Ahaz genuinely knows Him personally. Some commentators (including yours truly) however are less sure of whether Ahaz was a genuine believer in Messiah. Some conclusions will have to wait until heaven! But see the comment below on MY GOD. Make it deep...or high - While this could point to the call for a miraculous sign, it could just as easily point to the fact that there is no limit on what sign Ahaz could ask of God. NET NOTE - These words suggest that Ahaz can feel free to go beyond the bounds of ordinary human experience. Ray Stedman comments "notice, first of all, the wide scope from which Ahaz was invited to choose a sign. God said to him, "Ask of me and I will give you a sign (that what I say is going to happen), and you can choose from as deep as Sheol (hell itself) or as high as heaven." In other words, this sign was intended to be of world-shaking importance, something that all the peoples of the earth for all time would know about, a sign that would strengthen the faith of millions." (O Come Emmanuel) H C Leupold comments that Jehovah's "demand on Ahaz was virtually exorbitant. Considering the weakness of Ahaz’ faith, none recognized that more clearly than Yahweh himself. Therefore, not to ask more than Ahaz could bear, the Lord very graciously allows the king to ask for a sign to provide for himself some ground on which to build. This sign should be asked from Yahweh himself. By calling him “your God” it is admitted that the king still stands in some sort of special relation to God. Ahaz had not as yet openly or virtually denied the God of his father David. The sign to be asked for could appear in one of two areas: either down on earth or up in the skies. The king is even granted the liberty of penetrating as deeply as he wished in either of these two areas. Down on earth he may, if he so desires, penetrate into the area of Sheol, the underworld, or the hereafter. Under this head one might think of the sign granted to King Saul when Samuel reappeared from the realm of the dead (1Sa 28:11ff.). On the other hand a striking sign way up in the skies would be allowed. In that area there might be signs in the sun, moon, or stars, eclipses, and the like. We have sought especially to catch the wide latitude given by the divine permission by translating: “Go as low as you please; go as high as you please.” (BORROW Exposition of Isaiah) Sign (0226)('oth) means a signal, a mark a miracle and is used to describe amazing events such as God bringing Israel out of Egypt (Ex 4:8, 9, Nu 14:22) or a sign serving to authenticate the message as from God (1Sa 2:34, 10:7, 9) in contrast to the signs from false prophets (Dt 13:1, 2). King Hezekiah received a sign from Jehovah that the He would add fifteen years to his life (Isa 38:1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8; Gideon - Jdg 6:17+) As an aside, while the Bible does record individuals asking for signs of divine approval or affirmation, this process is not to be the norm. In other words, it is usually not best to test God by asking Him for signs! Perhaps better is the prayer of the sick boy's father in Mark (Mk 9:24)! R Alden - This is the general word for "sign," and it covers the entire range of the English term and the Greek word sēmeion. On the pedestrian end of the scale it includes what amounts to a "signboard" or "standard" (Numbers 2:2). It also includes such important concepts as the rainbow "sign" to Noah (Genesis 9:12-13, 17). 1. ʾôt first occurs in Genesis 1:14, where it refers to the luminaries serving as "signs" to distinguish the seasons. In Jeremiah 10:2 it has a similar meaning. 2. According to Genesis 4:15, the Lord set a "mark" on Cain. The meaning of this word is uncertain. 3. A third use of the word is illustrated by Genesis 9:12-13, 17, according to which the rainbow is a "sign" of the covenant. Circumcision is the "sign" in Genesis 17:11. Also, the Sabbath is to be a "sign," according to Exodus 31:13, 17 and Ezekiel 20:12. It is this use of "sign" that is meant when Christians refer to the ordinances as outward "signs" of inward grace. 4. Most of the eighty occurrences of ʾôt refer to "miraculous signs." All the plagues on the Egyptians are called "signs." In these contexts the complementary word mopes (q.v.) meaning "wonders" often occurs (Exodus 7:3; Deut. 4:34; Deut. 6:22; Deut. 7:19; Deut. 26:8; Neh. 9:10; Isaiah 20:3; et al.). This word ʾôt is used in Isaiah's famous prophecy to Ahaz (Isaiah 7:11, 14). The shadow's advance on the palace steps was a "sign" for the ailing king Hezekiah (2 Kings 20:9, Isaiah 38:7). Likewise God showed Gideon a "sign" by igniting the offered food (Judges 6:17). 5. The word ʾôt sometimes means "token." For example, Aaron's rod was to be a "warning to the rebellious" (Numbers 17:25 NAB and Heb, Numbers 17:10 in other English versions). In the same category are the stones in the Jordan (Joshua 4:6), the hammered plates on the altar (Numbers 16:38 [H 17:3]), and the witness pillar in Egypt (Isaiah 19:20). 6. A dreamer or a prophet, true or false, could produce "signs" according to Deut. 13:1ff. The fulfillment of Jeremiah's threat of punishment was a true "sign" (Jeremiah 44:29), while Isaiah speaks of "signs" of liars (Isaiah 44:25). Naturally, these categories are artificial and overlap. The simple fact that one Hebrew word covers them all is proof of that. The word "sign" either signifies the unusual event itself or in someway points to that unusual event. Or it may point backward to a historical event such as the stones in the Jordan (Joshua 4:6), or even forward to such a promise as a thornless future world (Isaiah 55:13).(See TWOT ONLINE = Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament) NET NOTE - The Hebrew term אוֹת (’ot, “sign”) can refer to a miraculous event (see v. 11), but it does not carry this sense inherently. Elsewhere in Isaiah the word usually refers to a natural occurrence or an object/person vested with special significance (see 8:18; 19:20; 20:3; 37:30; 55:13; 66:19). Only in 38:7–8, 22 does it refer to a miraculous deed that involves suspending or overriding natural laws. The sign outlined in vv. 14–17 involves God’s providential control over events and their timing, but not necessarily miraculous intervention. Skinner comments that sign ('oth)...plays a very large part in OT religion and with considerable latitude of meaning. The most important cases are those in which a divine revelation is attested by some striking event within the range of immediate perception through the senses. Such a sign may be a supernatural occurrence conveying an irresistible persuasion of the divine agency (Isa 38:7, 22; Ex 7:8ff.; Jdg 6:17, 36ff.; 1Ki 13:1 ff.). But it may also be an ordinary event, which acquires significance through its having been foretold, or asked for (Ge 24:14; 1Sa 10:2ff.; 14:10; Luke 2:12). Thus of two predicted events the nearer may be made a "sign" of the more remote (1Sa 2:34; Jer 44:29f.). Or, in a still more general sense, the "sign " may be merely an incident of the fulfilled prediction, which carries the mind back to the time of the prophecy, when the sign was appointed (Ex 3:12 ; Is 37:30). That for which a sign is here offered to Ahaz is the certainty of divine help or (what is the same thing) the truth that God speaks to him through the prophet. (See The book of prophet Isaiah) Delitzsch says that "signs authenticate divine causality retrospectively or divine certainty prospectively." Oth - 77v in the OT - Gen 1:14; 4:15; 9:12f, 17; 17:11; Ex 3:12; 4:8f, 17, 28, 30; 7:3; 8:23; 10:1f; 12:13; 13:9, 16; 31:13, 17; Num 2:2; 14:11, 22; 16:38; 17:10; Deut 4:34; 6:8, 22; 7:19; 11:3, 18; 13:1f; 26:8; 28:46; 29:3; 34:11; Josh 2:12; 4:6; 24:17; Judg 6:17; 1Sa 2:34; 10:7, 9; 14:10; 2 Kgs 19:29; 20:8f; Neh 9:10; Job 21:29; Ps 65:8; 74:4, 9; 78:43; 86:17; 105:27; 135:9; Isa 7:11, 14; 8:18; 19:20; 20:3; 37:30; 38:7, 22; 44:25; 55:13; 66:19; Jer 10:2; 32:20f; 44:29; Ezek 4:3; 14:8; 20:12, 20 - The NET Bible notes that... Elsewhere in Isaiah the word 'oth usually refers to a natural occurrence or an object/person vested with special significance (see Isa 8:18; 19:20; 20:3; 37:30; 55:13; 66:19). Only in Isa 38:7, 8, 22 does 'oth refer to a miraculous deed that involves suspending or overriding natural laws. BOB UTLEY'S SPECIAL TOPIC: SIGN The Semitic root, BDB 16, KB 26 The NOUN "sign" is used as a marker of time, Gen. 1:14 as a marker of person, Gen. 4:15 as a marker of covenant, Gen. 9:12,13,17; 17:11 as a marker of a faith promise, Exod. 3:12 as a miracle to affirm God's representative (i.e., Moses), Exod. 4:8 (twice),9,17,28,30; 7:3; 8:23, etc. tribal standard, Num. 2:2; Ps. 74:4 as a warning, Num. 16:38; 17:10 There are several "signs" (BDB 16) in the OT a sign (or mark) for Cain's protection ‒ Gen. 4:15 a rainbow for no more floods ‒ Gen. 9:12-17 the blood on the door ‒ Exod. 12:13 the Sabbath ‒ Exod. 31:12-17; Ezek. 20:12,20 plate made from the censers of Korah ‒ Num. 16:36-40 phylacteries and frontlets ‒ Deut. 6:8; 11:18 the stones taken from the midst of the Jordan ‒ Josh. 4:6 certain words spoken by Philistines to Jonathan ‒ 1 Sam. 14:10 agricultural crops over three seasons ‒ 2 Kgs. 19:29-34; Isa. 37:30 movement of shadow on the stairs ‒ 2 Kgs. 20:8-11; Isa. 38:5-8 birth of a son to Ahaz ‒ Isa. 7:11,14 an altar in Egypt ‒ Isa. 19:19-22 YHWH made known to the nations ‒ Isa. 66:18-19 (cf. Isa. 11:10,11-16; 19:22) mark on forehead of faithful followers in Jerusalem ‒ Ezek. 9:4 (cf. Rev. 7:3; 14:1) See NIDOTTE, vol. 4, pp. 1224-1228, "Sign and Symbol: Theology of." It is used often in Isaiah. special birth, Isa. 7:14 Isaiah's children, Isa. 8:18 altar and pillar in Egypt, Isa. 19:19-20 Isaiah's dress, Isa. 20:3 harvest, Isa. 37:30 sparing Jerusalem from Assyria, Isa. 38:7 Hezekiah's healing, Isa. 38:22 false signs, Isa. 44:25 agricultural blessings, Isa. 55:13 missionaries to the nations, Isa. 66:1 OT ‒ The terms "wonder," "sign," "portent" (BDB 68, KB 559) are synonymous (cf. Deut. 4:34; 7:19; 29:2) with "sign," "mark" (BDB 16, KB 26). It is used often in Exodus and Deuteronomy, but only twice in Isaiah (i.e., Isa. 8:18 and 20:3). BDB has two main usages. a special demonstration of God's power (i.e., the plagues of the Exodus) a token of future events or symbolic acts denoting future events (cf. Isa. 20:3; Ezek. 12:6-11; 24:24; Zech. 3:8) These usages show God's knowledge of the future and His ability to set its course. He reveals things to His people so they will trust and follow Him! Signs in the NT For the shepherds at Jesus' birth ‒ Luke 2:12 Prophecy of Simeon about Jesus ‒ Luke 2:34 Jesus performed signs and wonders to confirm His new message. John 20:30; 21:25 The Jewish leaders demand Jesus to do a sign before they would believe. Matt. 12:38-39; 10:1-4 Luke 11:16,29,30 (sign of Jonah) John 4:48; 6:30 1 Cor. 1:22 The Disciples' questions about the end (see SPECIAL TOPIC: THE DISCIPLES' QUESTIONS) Matt. 24:3 Luke 21:7,11,25 Satan and false teachers do signs to trick and confuse. Matt. 24:24 2 Thess. 2:9 Apostles do signs and wonders to confirm their message about Jesus Acts 2:43; 4:30; 5:12; 8:13; 14:3 2 Cor. 12:12 Heb. 2:4 tongues as a sign to believers (see SPECIAL TOPIC: TONGUES) ‒ 1 Cor. 14:22 Signs and predictive prophecy help humans trust God and His word. They are faith gifts to believers. But, they are not given to unbelievers, stubborn in their unbelief! Isaiah 7:12 But Ahaz said, "I will not ask, nor will I test the LORD!" I will not ask: 2Ki 16:15 2Ch 28:22 neither: Eze 33:31 test : Dt 6:16 Mal 3:15 Ac 5:9 1Co 10:9 Isaiah 7 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries Related Passages: Exodus 17:2+ Therefore the people quarreled with Moses and said, “Give us water that we may drink.” And Moses said to them, “Why do you quarrel with me? Why do you test (nasah; LXX = peirazo) the LORD?” 1 Corinthians 10:9+ Nor let us try (ekpeirazo) the Lord, as some of them did, and were destroyed by the serpents. Malachi 3:10+ Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, so that there may be food in My house, and test (bachan) Me now in this,” says the LORD of hosts, “if I will not open for you the windows of heaven and pour out for you a blessing until it overflows. Luke 11:29+ As the crowds were increasing, He began to say, “This generation is a wicked generation; it seeks for a sign, and yet no sign will be given to it but the sign of Jonah. AHAZ'S PRETENTIOUS PIETY PORTRAYED But - This word always marks a contrast and calls for the reader to stop and ask questions such as what is being contrasted? It is also worth noting the reactions of two men to the same LORD - Isaiah sees the LORD and his heart is broken by his sinfulness (Isa 6:1, 2, 3, 4, 5+) whereas Ahaz hears the LORD (cp Isa 7:10) and hardens his heart reflecting his pride! Ahaz's refusal to ask and trust God reminds me of Stephen's description in Acts 7:51+ in which he confronts the Jews declaring "“You men who are stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart (not a genuine believer - cf Col 2:11+) and ears are always resisting (antipipto - opposing, present tense and active voice = volitional choice, a willful choice!) the Holy Spirit; you are doing just as your fathers did (aka Men like King Ahaz!)." So I would submit that this is a "tailor-made" description of the heart of King Ahaz. He was clearly continually, willfully resisting the Holy Spirit speaking through Yahweh's prophet Isaiah! Ahaz's hardening of his heart also fits well with the LORD's words to Isaiah in Isaiah 6:9-10 - "He said, “Go, and tell this people: ‘Keep on listening, but do not perceive; Keep on looking, but do not understand.’ 10 “Render the hearts of this people insensitive, Their ears dull, And their eyes dim, Otherwise they might see with their eyes, Hear with their ears, Understand with their hearts, And return and be healed.” Ahaz "listened" to Isaiah but failed to perceive what he was saying, ultimately because he had serious heart disease (so to speak)! As Michael Rydelnik (page 1019) says "His (AHAZ) denial of the sign served as an example of those who cannot see past their current circumstances to imagine the reality that God would bring about if humankind would only trust Him." I will not ask nor will I test (nasah; LXX = peirazo) Jehovah - On the surface his answer appears humble, even spiritual, echoing the biblical warning against putting God to the test. Yet in this context the statement is not reverence—it is resistance. The Lord Himself had invited Ahaz to request a sign; to refuse was not obedience but unbelief disguised as devotion. The king’s reply reveals a heart that does not want divine confirmation because confirmation would require submission. The tragedy is that Ahaz rejects help freely offered. God stoops to strengthen a wavering ruler, yet the ruler will not be strengthened. His refusal exposes the deeper issue: he is more comfortable managing his own plans than resting in God’s promise. What sounds like respect for the Lord is actually a refusal to trust Him. A secret disaffection to God is often disguised with the specious colours of respect to Him. -- Matthew Henry Rydelnik (page 1019) Although the word sign in Hebrew can refer either to a miraculous or a natural sign, this offer indicates that it was to be viewed as a miraculous sign. Ahaz was not constrained from asking for a sign because of a limited amount of options, but by his lack of faith. By refusing, Ahaz revealed that he was not interested in entertaining the possibility that God could protect him from Rezin and Pekah. It represented his implicit choice to deny the Lord. Ahaz's pseudo piety and pretended humility (which were really just a "covert" expression of Ahaz's pride!) are shown by his rejection of God's gracious, merciful (remember Ahaz was an evil king!) offer to give him a sign. Ahaz is willfully disobeying a clear command from Jehovah (Ask a sign...)! Presumably Ahaz is basing his "pious" rejection on a misinterpretation of Deuteronomy 6 in which Moses warns Israel... You shall not put the LORD your God to the test, as you tested Him at Massah. (Dt 6:16+, cp Ex 17:7) Comment: Yes, it is true, we are not to "test" the Lord (Acts 5:9, 10+, 1Co 10:9, 10+), except when He clearly directs us to do so - see Malachi 3:10+. It is true that asking for a sign is often evidence of lack of faith (Mt 12:38, 39, 40, 41, 42+), but in the present context, Ahaz's failure to ask for a sign demonstrates his lack of faith! This is false piety, a smokescreen designed to cover up his lack of faith in the Lord! NET NOTE - Ahaz uses the verb נָסַה (nasah, “test”) in its negative sense of “challenge, provoke.” However, this is false piety, a smokescreen designed to cover up his lack of faith in the Lord. E. Strachey (paraphrased) - Ahaz did not regard Jehovah as his God but merely as the local deity of Judah—no different, in his mind, from the gods of the surrounding nations and inferior to the god of Assyria (WHOSE ALTAR HE PREFERRED!). Having already determined to seek help from the Assyrian king, whom he considered a more reliable ally than the LORD in his present crisis, he refused to ask for a sign. He masked his unbelief with pious language, paraphrasing Moses’ command, “You shall not tempt the LORD.” In truth, he rejected the sign because he knew it would strengthen the still-troubled voice of his conscience—a voice he had already resolved to silence, since it called him to abandon Assyria and place his trust in Jehovah alone. King Ahaz pretended to be very spiritual by refusing to ask a sign, but his rejection of the sign was actually a rejection of the Lord and His messenger. God’s Word goes to work when we believe it and act on it! King Ahaz only talked about it! Contrast the great faith of the widow of Zarephath who had no bread for Elijah and yet who by faith laid hold of God's promise of provision = 1Ki 17:10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15+! (C H
Isaías 7
Stedman - I have read passages of Scripture to people listing promises of God about what he would do if they would trust him, and they have responded, "Oh, I cannot believe that God would do anything like that for me." That may sound humble and pious, but actually it is a fearful utterance of pride. Isaiah answers the king rather bluntly, "Look, isn't it enough that you make me tired without making God tired as well?" Test (05254) nacah/nasah in most OT uses has idea of testing or proving quality of someone or something and doing so often through adversity or hardship. NASAH frequently describes God testing the faith and obedience of His people—such as Abraham (Gen 22:1), Israel (Ex 15:25; 16:4; Deut 8:2, 16; Judg 2:22), Hezekiah (2 Chr 32:31), and David (Ps 26:2). While Scripture forbids people from putting God to the test, they often did so (Ex 17:2, 7; Dt 6:16; Ps 78:18, 41; Isa 7:12). The term does not always imply tempting to sin; it can denote examining or evaluating, as when the Queen of Sheba tested Solomon’s wisdom (1 Kgs 10:1) or Daniel’s appearance was tested after a special diet (Dan 1:12, 14). It may also refer to testing equipment, such as armor or weapons (1 Sam 17:39). QUESTION - What does it mean to test God? | GotQuestions.org There are examples of both an acceptable and unacceptable kind of testing God ANSWER - In the Bible, there are examples of both an acceptable and unacceptable kind of testing God. It’s acceptable to “test” God in regard to tithes and offerings, for example, but unacceptable when the test is rooted in doubt. Malachi 3:10 says, “‘Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this,’ says the Lord Almighty, ‘and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that there will not be room enough to store it.’” This is the only situation given in the Bible in which God tells His people to “test” Him. Interestingly, the Hebrew word used for “test” in this verse is bachan, which means “to examine, scrutinize, or prove (as in gold, persons, or the heart).” Just as gold is “tested” with fire to prove its quality, God invites Israel to test Him in tithes and offerings and see that He proves His faithfulness in response. There is another Hebrew word for “test” used elsewhere in the Bible. Nasah means “to put to the test, try, or tempt.” It is used in Deuteronomy 6:16, where God commands Israel to not test Him: “Do not put the Lord your God to the test as you did at Massah.” unacceptable kind of testing is when doubt leads us to demand something of God to prove Himself This second, unacceptable kind of testing is when doubt leads us to demand something of God to prove Himself to us. Jesus quoted Deuteronomy 6:16 in the wilderness, in response to one of Satan’s temptations. “The devil took him to the holy city and had him stand on the highest point of the temple. ‘If you are the Son of God,’ he said, ‘throw yourself down. For it is written: “He will command his angels concerning you, and they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.” Jesus answered him, ‘It is also written: “Do not put the Lord your God to the test”’” (Matthew 4:5–7+). Essentially, the devil was telling Jesus to “prove” God’s Word was true by forcing God’s hand—if Jesus was in peril, God would have to save Him. Jesus refused to test God in such a way. We are to accept God’s Word by faith, without requiring a sign (see Luke 11:29+). God’s promises are there for us when we need them; to manipulate situations in an attempt to coerce God into fulfilling His promises is evil. The occasion where the Israelites tested God at Massah is found in Exodus 17. As God was leading Moses and His people toward the Promised Land, they camped at a place where there was no water. The Israelites’ immediate reaction was to grumble against God and quarrel with Moses (Exodus 17:1–3). Their lack of trust in God to take care of them is evident in their accusations toward Moses: “They said, ‘Why did you bring us up out of Egypt to make us and our children and livestock die of thirst?’” (Exodus 17:3). The Israelites were obviously in a situation where they needed God to intervene. The point at which they tested God, though, is when doubt and fear overtook them and they came to the conclusion that God had abandoned them (see Exodus 17:7). They questioned God’s reliability because He was not meeting their expectations. The difference between these two kinds of testing God is faith. “Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and the assurance about what we do not see” (Hebrews 11:1). The Israelites at Massah tested God because they lacked faith in Him. The Israelites in Malachi’s day were invited to test God because they had faith in Him. Faith, by definition, takes risk. When true faith is present, obedience follows. Faith, by definition, takes risk. When true faith is present, obedience follows. It is that faith-inspired action of obedience that God loves. As seen in the example of Israel’s tithes and offerings (Mal 3:10), when we give out of our faith in who God is, He proves Himself to be faithful. By contrast, when we view God through our doubt and demand something of Him as a way of determining whether or not He can be trusted, we’re in danger of testing God (see Mark 8:11–12+). Mark 8:11–12+ The Pharisees came out and began to argue with Him, seeking from Him a sign from heaven, to test Him. 12 Sighing deeply in His spirit, He *said, “Why does this generation seek for a sign? Truly I say to you, no sign will be given to this generation.” Isaiah 7:13 Then he said, "Listen now, O house of David! Is it too slight a thing for you to try the patience of men, that you will try the patience of my God as well?: KJV And he said, Hear ye now, O house of David; Is it a small thing for you to weary men, but will ye weary my God also? NET So Isaiah replied, "Pay attention, family of David. Do you consider it too insignificant to try the patience of men? Is that why you are also trying the patience of my God? BGT καὶ εἶπεν ἀκούσατε δή οἶκος Δαυιδ μὴ μικρὸν ὑμῖν ἀγῶνα παρέχειν ἀνθρώποις καὶ πῶς κυρίῳ παρέχετε ἀγῶνα LXE And he said, Hear ye now, O house of David; is it a little thing for you to contend with men? and how do ye contend against the Lord? ESV And he said, "Hear then, O house of David! Is it too little for you to weary men, that you weary my God also? NIV Then Isaiah said, "Hear now, you house of David! Is it not enough to try the patience of men? Will you try the patience of my God also? NLT Then Isaiah said, "Listen well, you royal family of David! Isn't it enough to exhaust human patience? Must you exhaust the patience of my God as well? O house: Isa 7:2 2Ch 21:7 Jer 21:12 Lk 1:69 Is it too slight: Ge 30:15 Nu 16:9,13 Ezek 16:20,47 34:18 To try: 2Ch 36:15,16 Jer 6:11 You will: Isa 1:24 43:24 63:10 65:3-5 Am 3:13 Mal 2:17 Ac 7:51 Heb 3:10 Isaiah 7 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries The Virgin Birth in the Old Testament and Isaiah 7:14 - Charles Feinberg HOW TO WEARY GOD! Then he said - The prophet Isaiah is speaking (cf "my God") Listen now House of David - NET = "Pay attention, family of David." Ahaz's refusal to ask a proof offered by Jehovah Himself is an insult to the divine majesty which as we see exhausts the patience of the Almighty! Woe to the one who wearies God's longsuffering! So here God gives a command to listen. The prophet addresses the whole family of David NET NOTE on Listen - The verb (Listen) is second plural in form, because the prophet addresses the whole family of David. He continues to use the plural in Isaiah 7:14 (with one exception, see the notes on that verse), but then switches back to the second singular (addressing Ahaz specifically) in Isaiah 7:16–17. House of David - Notice that he does not address just Ahaz in this verse for but (1) the House of David and (2) you (twice in the plural). The mention of the house of David is would call to mind the Messianic interpretation of Isaiah 7:14, for the Messiah was repeatedly referred to as the "son of David" (Mt 1:1, 12:23, 15:22, 20:30, 31, 21:9, 15 Lk 18:38, 22:42 cp Lk 1:69, 2:4) NET NOTE adds that "The address to the house of David is designed to remind Ahaz and his royal court of the protection promised to them through the Davidic covenant. The king's refusal to claim God's promise magnifies his lack of faith." Michael Rydelnik has an interesting interepretation - "Ahaz’s rejection of Isaiah’s offer caused Isaiah to address the house of David. (ED: COMPARE NET = "Pay attention, family of David.") This is evident not just by the use of the vocative Listen now, O house of David (Isa 7:13), but also in the use of the second person plural pronoun you, evident in Hebrew but not in English since English does not have a distinct word for the second person singular and plural pronouns (“you” serves as both)." You - This picks up on Rydelnik's comment above. This pronoun is plural, indicating that this prophecy is not just to King Ahaz, but to the entire nation. In the following prophecy in Isaiah 7:14, God is giving the people of Israel a sign by which they would be able to recognize their longed for Deliverer, the Masyiach (Messiah - mashiach/masiyah) ben (son of) David. Sadly most of Israel refused to recognize and receive Messiah as the Son of David Who when He was born of a virgin (Mt 1:23, 25+) fulfilling Isaiah 7:14 (Jn 1:11, 12, 13+). Try the patience of men - ESV = "Is it too little for you to weary men" Referring to the patience of the prophet Isaiah. Try the patience (laah) of my God - The Septuagint (Lxx) translates laah with two Greek words - (1) the Greek noun agon means a struggle against opposition (2) the Greek verb parecho has the basic meaning of "to hold beside" or "to hold near". These two Greek words literally mean to keep holding near a struggle and in short to contend with someone, in this case with both men and God. Although it is not the same Hebrew verb for "test" (nasah; LXX = peirazo) that was used in Isaiah 7:12, try the patience (laah) does indicate that Ahaz's failure to believe ("test") God in response to God's request is in fact a "testing" or trying the patience of the Lord! Ahaz had already wearied people, prophets, counselors, and citizens, with his wavering and faithless policies. But now his resistance has reached a more serious level for he is exhausting the patience of God Himself! To refuse to ask for a sign when God offered to give him one was not a minor hesitation but was a deliberate provocation, treating God's amazing grace with profound contempt. My God - Wicked King Ahaz has now voiced his overt unbelief and thus Isaiah no longer says to Ahaz that Jehovah is "Your God" (Isa 7:11) but "my God"! Indeed, given the continual evil of Ahaz's life, it would be very difficult to believe he was a genuine believer in Jehovah. What/Who you believe determines how you obey/live (not perfectly but directionally!) and Ahaz's direction was continually "hell-ward" not "heaven-ward." Try the patience (03811) (laah) is a Hebrew verb meaning to become impatient, to grow weary, to be frustrated, or exhausted. The term can describe physical fatigue as well as inner, psychological weariness—the draining effect of persistent effort, pressure, or sin. The first occurrence in Genesis 19:11 depicts the men of Sodom who “wearied themselves” trying to break down Lot’s door in order to violate the angelic visitors. Their consuming lust drove them to impatience, frustration, and exhaustion—a vivid picture of what our own sinful desires (epithumia) do to us. Fallen flesh is never truly satisfied; it only leaves us more depleted. Only Christ fully satisfies the deepest longings of the heart. God Himself uses this word to describe His response to hollow religion. In Isaiah 1:14 He declares that Israel’s feasts—though divinely appointed—had become empty rituals: “I am weary of bearing them.” Likewise in Ezekiel 24:12 the Lord says of Jerusalem, “She has wearied Me with toil, yet her great rust has not gone from her.” Persistent rebellion exhausts even the longsuffering patience of God. Jeremiah employs lāʾâ repeatedly. The Lord challenges the prophet: “If you have run with footmen and they have tired you out, how can you compete with horses?” (Jer 12:5). Jeremiah also observes that Judah “wearied themselves committing iniquity” (Jer 9:5)—a sobering truth: sin does not energize; it drains. Later he confesses, “I am full of the wrath of the LORD; I am weary with holding it in” (Jer 6:11). Isaiah echoes this theme when he asks, “Is it too slight a thing for you to try the patience of men, that you will try the patience of my God as well?” (Isa 7:13). 🙏 THOUGHT - Do we test the Lord’s patience through cycles of confessing, sinning again, and returning to the same bondage? A question worth pondering—for me and for thee. To be forewarned is to be forearmed, spiritually speaking. Laah can also mean to be tired or weary. The basic idea is to be worn out. To exhaust oneself. In the hiphil stem (expresses "causative" action) as in the present passage, la'ah means to weary someone (Job 16:7, Ezek 24:12, Micah 6:3). lāʾâ refers either to physical or psychological weariness and is used in poetic figures based upon both. The physical weariness of the runner is thus described (Jeremiah 12:5). The Sodomites are described as physically wearied from searching for Lot's door (Genesis 19:11). Physical weariness is sarcastically attributed to Moab from much activity in idolatry (Isaiah 16:12; cf. Proverbs 26:15). Psychological weariness expresses several attitudes. On Job's part, discouragement (Job 4:5) and annoyance (Job 4:2) are thus described. Disgust is also indicated by lāʾâ when the Egyptians are said to be too "tired" to drink the corrupted waters of the Nile (Exodus 7:18) and when God is depicted as "tired" of the Hebrews' insincere religious rituals (Isaiah 1:14). As a poetic figure weariness describes the land struck by drought conditions (Psalm 68:9 [H 10]). Often the idiom of "being weary" with something serves as a dramatic, poetic way of asserting that there is an objectionable excess of what causes weariness. The Hebrews were wearied by too many" pagan, religious advisors (Isaiah 47:13). Attempting to hold in God's message of wrath was too much for Jeremiah to bear (Jeremiah 6:11). God himself was weary from too much relenting (Jeremiah 15:6). Isaiah 7:14 "Therefore the LORD Himself will give you a sign: Behold, a virgin will be with child and bear a son, and she will call His name Immanuel Behold: Ge 3:15 Jer 31:22 Mt 1:23 Lk 1:35 Will call: Ge 4:1,2,25 16:11 29:32 30:6,8 1Sa 1:20 4:21 Immanuel : Isa 8:8 9:6 Jn 1:1,2,14 Ro 9:5 1Ti 3:16) Isaiah 7 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries See Related Devotionals at bottom of page Immanuel-Emmanuel - 35 pages of notes, devotional,, quotes - Bruce Hurt A DIFFICULT TEXT A DEFINITIVE TEXT! Isaiah 7:14-16 is one of the most difficult texts in the Bible to interpret! One reason Isaiah 7:14 is so controversial is that some who deny the Virgin Birth of Jesus go to great lengths (vain attempts in my opinion) to argue that the Hebrew (and Greek Septuagint) language of this passage does not predict Jesus' virgin birth! These notes will not attempt to review these sundry, often confusing opinions. For more detailed analysis, the reader will need to consult other sources. Note that in the references listed above, there are a number of scholarly articles on this passage (Note: The $ signifies that the host site charges a fee [$50] to view the entire article but this fee gives one a full year's subscription with access to literally thousands of articles in conservative, highly respected theological journals -- PS - I receive no royalty but if you can afford it, this is potentially a "gold mine" of sound teaching on the Word of God!) I love Spurgeon's comment that Isaiah 7:14 is... One of the most difficult in all the Word of God. It may be so; I certainly did not think it was until I saw what the commentators had to say about it, and I rose up from reading them perfectly confused. Ray Stedman - Charles Wesley had a great gift for incorporating in brief form some of the greatest truths of our faith. He wrote, Late in time behold Him come, Offspring of a Virgin's womb; Veiled in flesh the Godhead see; Hail th' incarnate Deity. In Chapter 7 of Isaiah we have the prophetic announcement of that virgin birth. One commentator has written: Of measureless importance to the universe, to this world, to every individual of the human family is the prophecy to which we have now come. On the fulfillment of this prophecy all Christianity rests, as a building on its foundation. (Isaiah 7, 9 O Come, Immanuel!) Therefore - This is a term of conclusion which always begs the question of the reader "What is it there for?" Because of Ahaz's act of unbelief and failure to ask for a sign, God Himself will give the sign. The LORD Himself will give you (PLURAL) a sign - In some ways I am glad Ahaz refused to ask for a sign. Ahaz's unbelief and refusal opens the way for Jehovah Himself to give us one of the greatest signs in all of the Bible! Unfortunately it has also become one of the most controversial! As Grogan says "The sign of the child...constitutes an indication that the all-sovereign and all-knowing God has the situation completely in hand, and it rebukes the king’s lack of faith in Him. (See The Expositor's Bible Commentary - Abridged Edition: Page 295) A virgin will be with child and bear a son - Although some commentators, even conservative commentators (e.g., Feinberg), feel that the sign of a virgin bearing a son was only fulfilled in the virgin birth of Christ, it would be difficult to explain how such a far future sign (over 700 years later) would function as an actual sign to King Ahaz and the house of David. Therefore, most conservative commentators view Isaiah 7:14 like a number of OT prophecies which have a near and future fulfillment or so-called double fulfillment. The near fulfillment of the sign occurred in the days of Ahaz and the later, complete, final fulfillment occurred at the first coming of Christ when He was born of the virgin Mary. POSSIBLE DOUBLE FULFILLMENT NEAR FULFILLMENT FUTURE FULFILLMENT Maher-shalal-hashbaz** Isaiah 8:3,4, 18 Immanuel ** As Michael Rydelnik discusses below not everyone agrees that Isaiah 7:14 has a double fulfillment. Also not everyone agrees that Maher-shalal-hashbaz is the sign givne to Ahaz (See W A Criswell's note below). Michael Rydelnik - Since Ahaz refused to ask for a sign, now the entire house of David, (ED: IT IS NOTEWORTHY THAT Isa 7:13 HAS "HOUSE OF DAVID" AND "YOU" IN THE PLURAL) under a threat of destruction because of Ahaz’s lack of faith, would receive a sign: a virgin will be with child and bear a son, and she will call His name Immanuel (v. 14). This was the first of two signs. The first sign was addressed to the entire house of David and gave a long-term prophecy of the coming Messiah (Isa 7:13–15) to reassure them of God’s preservation of the nation. The second sign was a short-term prophecy addressed to Ahaz about the immediate situation he was facing. The term sign occurs elsewhere in Isaiah with reference to various objects, people, or non-miraculous events that are identified as having particular significance (8:18; 19:20; 20:3; 37:30; 55:13; 66:19). While non-miraculous events can be used as signs, Isaiah also used the word sign to refer to miraculous events. For example, later in the book Hezekiah would be given a sign that his life would be extended, namely, that the shadow on the stairway would retreat ten steps, clearly a miraculous event (38:7–8, 22). Hence, the way to determine if the word refers to a miracle is by the context. Since Isaiah had previously offered a sign as deep as Sheol or high as heaven (v. 11), it appears that this sign now would also be miraculous.....The sign the Lord promised the house of David was that “the” virgin would conceive. The use of the definitive article (frequently untranslated in modern English versions) with the word ‘almah indicates that the Lord had a particular woman in mind. She was not some nameless woman in the court of Ahaz, but one whom the prophet specifically saw. (Page 1019ff Moody Bible Commentary) Ray Stedman comments that "It is not wrong to translate "a virgin" as "a young woman." The Hebrew allows for that. The word can mean a young married as well as a young unmarried woman. But to be a "sign" it would have to be a young unmarried woman who had never known a man -- a virgin, in other words. Young women have sons all the time, but it would only be a sign if a woman who never knew a man conceived and bore a son. That is what the prophet said would happen. It was a sign to the whole House of David. In the New Testament we are told that an angel appeared to Joseph because he was of the line of David and said to him, "Fear not to take this woman to be your wife because that which is born of her is of the Holy Spirit," Mt 1:20). Thus the virgin birth was, indeed, a sign to the House of David, 750 years later, that God would carry out his promise. A baby would be born of a virgin and his name would be "God with us." ...Surely anyone reading these two Scriptures together can fail to see the tie between them. (Isaiah 7, 9 O Come, Immanuel!) W A Criswell comments that "The sign of a child was fulfilled not only immediately in the birth of either (1) Isaiah's son Maher-Shalal-Hash-Baz (cf. Isa 8:3, 4), or (2) the royal child Hezekiah (715-686 B.C.), whose righteous deeds (2Ki 18:4 , 5, 6, cp 2Ki 23:25) were honored by a period of the revealed presence of God; but messianically as Immanuel, "God with us," Jesus, the virgin maiden's Son, Who fulfilled the oracle in its truest sense. ("Double fulfillment" of prophecy) COMMENT: It is important to note that all of the specific interpretations have problems to some degree. For example, one reason not everyone agrees that Maher-Shalal-Hash-Baz was the sign to Ahaz is because Isaiah already had one son by his wife which makes it difficult to understand how she would fulfill the meaning of 'alma as a "virgin" unless his first wife had died and he had remarried a virgin. And so Criswell offers the birth of Hezekiah as the fulfillment of the sign but this is a minor interpretative view. Some like Rydelnik feel that the prophecy Isaiah 7:14 had no fulfillment in Ahaz's day, but then why even give Ahaz a sign (which he would have been able to recognize)? The important point to remember is that while the interpretation of the near fulfillment is disputed, there is no controversy (among conservative commentators who accept predictive prophecy) on the interpretation of the future and final fulfillment in the birth of Jesus, Immanuel, to the virgin Mary (Mt 1:23, Lk 1:26, 27) IMMANUEL - GOD WITH US HALLELUJAH! Immanuel (see Immanuel-Emmanuel) - God with us. Despite the difficulties in the detailed interpretation of Isaiah 7:14 (eg, who is the near fulfillment?), the name Immanuel is clearly a prediction which was fulfilled in the virgin birth of the Messiah. How can we be so dogmatic? Scripture is the best commentary on Scripture (Compare Scripture with Scripture) and Matthew's quotation of Isaiah 7:14 in Mt 1:23 leaves absolutely no doubt that the Holy Spirit intended Isaiah 7:14 to be a prophetic sign of the birth of Jesus to the virgin Mary. Mattoon - No one else could meet the qualifications of this statement, "God with us." Jesus Christ was God's love, holiness, and heart wrapped in human flesh. He was God walking in sandals upon this earth. Gene Brooks writes that Immanu-El is an "unusual order of the words (which) indicates an emphatic “WITH US is God!” Thus this name captures the awe and wonder of the Incarnation, and the unimaginable fact that the God of the universe entered the world through a virgin’s womb to become like us and become one with us. (Isaiah 7:14 - The Virgin Shall Conceive) Wolf adds that "The name Immanuel was a rebuke to Ahaz. If ‘God is with us,’ then why should he have feared the enemy?" Expositor's Bible Commentary - This event, therefore, as Caspari says, stands at the turning-point of Old Testament History. It marks the beginning of that second period of the History of the Chosen People in which their hopes were granted as a counterpoise to their anguish and their humiliation. "It stood, therefore, at the point where a prospect offered itself to the eye of the prophet which reached out over the whole development of the people of God." Robert G. Gromacki takes Isa 7:14 as a reference to the virgin conception and birth of Jesus; he sees Isa 7:15–16 as a reference to Isaiah’s second wife, a virgin at the time of the prophecy, and the son as Maher-shalal-hash-baz (The Virgin Birth: Doctrine of Deity, 1981, pp. 141–44). J. Alec Motyer, taking the expressions in Isa 7:15 as connoting hardship, Motyer argues, “the name of the overlord power would change, from Assyria to Babylon to Persia to Greece and finally to Rome, before Immanuel would be born, but when he was born it was to share the poverty of his people.” (The Prophecy of Isaiah: An Introduction and Commentary pp. 84–87). Robert B. Chisholm, Jr., Handbook on the Prophets (Grand Rapids: Baker, 2002), pp. 32–34. Chisholm understands Mahershalal-hash-baz as the historical type and Jesus as the antitype. Commenting on Jesus as the “second Immanuel,” Chisholm states that “He ‘fulfills’ Isaiah’s Immanuel prophecy by bringing the typology intended by God to realization and by filling out or completing the pattern designed by God” (p. 34). Adam