שמע ישראל ה 'הוא האלוהים שלנו הוא אחד
Shema Yisrael Adonai Elohaynu Adonai Echad
"Hear Israel, the Lord is our God, the Lord is One"
"Hear Israel, the Lord is our God, the Lord is One"
Looking at Isaiah 7:14 in Context
According to standard Nicene Christian belief Matthew 1:23 explicitly references Isaiah 7:14 and foretells the miraculous conception and birth of Adon Y'shua HaNatzrati ("Master Jesus of Nazareth") to an engaged virgin teenager named Miryam (Mary). This belief is declared an essential dogma in the Nicean Creed. In this study we'll consider whether these verses actually teach what is being taught by the Nicene religion.
First the King James Version (KJV) of Matthew's account:
Matthew 1:18 Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise: When as his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Ghost.
19 Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not willing to make her a public example, was minded to put her away privily.
20 But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost.
21 And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins.
22 Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying,
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.For clarity sake is the same section in the modern English Complete Jewish Bible (CJB):
Matthew 1:18 Here is how the birth of Yeshua the Messiah took place. When his mother Miryam was engaged to Yosef, before they were married, she was found to be pregnant from the Ruach HaKodesh.
19 Her husband-to-be, Yosef, was a man who did what was right; so he made plans to break the engagement quietly, rather than put her to public shame.
20 But while he was thinking about this, an angel of ADONAI appeared to him in a dream and said, "Yosef, son of David, do not be afraid to take Miryam home with you as your wife; for what has been conceived in her is from the Ruach HaKodesh.
21 She will give birth to a son, and you are to name him Yeshua, [which means `ADONAI saves,'] because he will save his people from their sins."
22 All this happened in order to fulfill what ADONAI had said through the prophet: 23 "The virgin will conceive and bear a son, and they will call him `Immanu El."a (The name means, "God is with us.")Note (at verse 21) that the name Y'shua (or Yeshua) means "HaShem Saves," the name "Jesus" means something all together different as I discuss Here.
When Adon Y'shua and his first century talmidim (students) referred to "the Scriptures" they were in all instances talking about the Tanakh (or "Old Testament"). The books of the B'rit Hadashah we have today were written at a later date (between around 20-62 years after Y'shua's execution). There is strong reason evidence suggesting that the original books of the B'rit Hadashah were written in the holy language of Hebrew, not in Greek and/or Aramaic. As with the proposed Q source document however this can not be conclusively proved. At this point no original Hebrew originals nor copies of these writings exist. The Greek and Aramaic versions are likely edited copies of the Hebrew originals. There is some evidence of tampering with the text for doctrinal advantage. This in way nullifies these writings as inspired writ, however when studying the B'rit Hadashah we need to be careful to view it through the lens of the Tanakh. Likewise when studying the Tanakh we should do so through the lens of the Torah (the five books of Moshe).
With this in mind let's see what Isaiah 7:1 is discussing in context.
In order to understand the context of Isaiah 7:14 we will begin reading at the beginning of the chapter. The context is self evident. For ease of reading I'll use the CJB:
Isaiah 7:1 During the days of Achaz the son of Yotam, the son of 'Uziyahu [Ahaz the son of Jotham], king of Y'hudah [Judah], Retzin the king of Aram and Pekach the son of Remalyah, king of Isra'el, advanced on Yerushalayim [Jerusalem] to attack it but were unable to conquer it.
2 It was told to the house of David that Aram and Efrayim had become allies. Achaz's heart began to tremble, as did the hearts of his people, like forest trees shaken by the wind.
3 Then ADONAI said to Yesha'yahu [Isaiah], "Go out now to meet Achaz [Ahaz], you and your son Sh'ar Yashuv, at the end of the aqueduct from the Upper Pool, on the road to the Launderers' Field;
4 and say to him, 'Take care to stay calm and unafraid; don't be demoralized by these two smoldering stumps of firewood, by the blazing anger of Retzin and Aram or the son of Remalyah;
5 or because Aram, Efrayim and the son of Remalyah have been plotting against you, thinking, 6 "We will invade Y'hudah [Judah], tear it apart, divide it among ourselves and appoint the son of Tav'el as king there."
7 "'This is what Adonai ELOHIM [the LORD God] says: "It won't occur, it won't happen.The context pertains to literal events taking place at the time. The situation looked hopeless to Ahaz and his people.
When Ahaz learned that Aram's alliance with Ephraim had been achieved the Judaites were very worried! They were outnumbered and their enemies were approaching. There seemed to be no hope for them. However when God is on ones side there is always hope!
HaShem provided them hope by issuing a promise through His prophet Isaiah! Adonai ordered his prophet to meet with King Ahaz and assure him that he and his people -- the House of David -- would survive their latest challenge. Isaiah told Ahaz that the thing he feared "will not take place." Period! But still Ahaz and his people doubted.
In order to establish Ahaz's faith as the leaders of HaShem's people in the next few verses HaShem explains how things will go with the various peoples involved:
Isaiah 7:8 For the head of Aram is Dammesek, and the head of Dammesek Retzin. In sixty-five years Efrayim will be broken and will cease to be a people.
9 The head of Efrayim is Shomron [Samaria], and the head of Shomron is the son of Remalyah. Without firm faith, you will not be firmly established."The prophet explained that it was vital that Ahaz and his followers reestablish and maintain their faith in HaShem. With faith it not possible to please Him (Hebrews 11:6)! It was in the mind of Adonai to save His people and preserve the House of David among them, however they needed to have faith and to rely on Adonai's protection. Yet both Ahaz and his people continued to doubt. Their faith was very important and so HaShem offered Ahaz a most remarkable boon:
Isaiah 7:10 ADONAI spoke again to Achaz; he said,
11 "Ask ADONAI your God to give you a sign. Ask it anywhere, from the depths of Sh'ol [Sheol: the grave/the depths of the earth] to the heights above."Notice in this verse the reason Ahaz was offered a such a boon. He could ask HaShem for any sign that would bolster his faith in God's protection, for both himself and his people. The purpose of the offered sign was to rally the morale of the people involved, to rectify their doubts and establish their faith in HaShem protection. Adonai wanted to act through His people and yet His people had to be willing to be used as His hands and feet in the world!
Sound familiar? How often do people say "If I only knew God's Will...."
Despite this unprecedented offer to abate their doubts, for reasons not made clear in the text, Ahaz refused to ask for a sign when prompted by HaShem's representative! His rationale sounds good at first, very pious, but Ahaz was not being honest! If HaShem gave Ahaz proof then Ahaz knew he would have to act! One cannot trick the HaShem however:
Isaiah 7:12 But Achaz [Ahaz] answered, "I won't ask, I won't test ADONAI."
13 Then [the prophet] said, "Listen here, house of David! Is trying people's patience such a small thing for you that you must try the patience of my God as well?
14 Therefore Adonai himself will give you people a sign: the young woman will become pregnant, bear a son and name him 'Immanu El [God is with us].
15 By the time he knows enough to refuse evil and choose good, he will [have to] eat curdled milk and [wild] honey.
16 Yes, before the child knows enough to refuse evil and choose good, the land whose two kings you dread will be left abandoned.
17 ADONAI will bring the king of Ashur on you, your people and your father's house. These will be days worse than any you've known since Efrayim broke loose from Y'hudah" [Judah]You have no faith! Isaiah charges not only Ahaz but all those who were with him. Not only do you try my patience, but HaShem's as well!
Using the wayward Ten Tribes (Ephraim) as an example Isaiah chastens Ahaz, king of Judah. Didn't HaShem stand with you and choose you even as Ephraim was divorced by Him due to their lack of faith (Jeremiah 3:8)? And now, Isaiah excoriates them, Will you still refuse to believe Him!
OK then, the prophet says, HaShem will choose a sign so that you will stand firm before your enemies in faith!
Judah is vital to the Plan of Restitution being enacted by HaShem! As a son of David Adon Y'shua came through the line of Judah and will one day be crowned HaMashiach, the King of the City of David, Yerushalayim, the eternal capital of Judah. What was happening here was therefore very important.
However, did this promise directly refer to Mashiach and his birth as the Matthew passage in our editions of the New Testament say?
First, who was this divine sign for?
This is a very important question! We are advised to search the Tanakh to confirm that our interpretations are correct (Acts 17:11). Let's reread this:
14 Therefore Adonai himself will give you people a sign:...The KJV has this as 14 "Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign..."
Was this sign given for people who would be living 800 plus years in Ahaz's future? Or was it given for "you people" hearing the words of Isaiah at that place, under those circumstances?
The text seems clear enough when read in context. Did this promise by Isaiah to the fearful Ahaz have anything at all to do with the coming of the promised Shiloh? No. Clearly it was for Ahaz and the House of David who were at that time facing imminent destruction without the direct intervention of Adonai.
This sign was clearly for those Judaites huddled there in fear and indecision waiting for Ahaz to lead them. Nothing in the context even hints at anything more.
Some Bible teachers have argued that since the text says the sign is for the House of David -- "Hear now, you house of David" -- it is for the House of David for all times. But notice verse 2, "Now the house of David was told..." The House of David HaShem is clearly speaking to -- through His Prophet -- are the followers of Ahaz present at that time and place.
"Therefore..." the prophet of Adonai says ... because of something ... Because of what? Because these Judaites gathered with Ahaz were afraid to do their duty to HaShem -- and were thereby standing in the way of Adonai's Will -- "Therefore," as the King James has it, "the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel."
When studying the Scriptures and finding a "therefore" or a "wherefore" always pause to determine what its there for! Without context one will be easily led astray.
To establish YOUR faith Ahaz, HaShem has determined to give YOU (Ahaz) and your fellow Judaites a sign that He is with you. This is the whole crux of this event. The Judaites had lost faith that HaShem was with them. Prophet Isaiah assures them that He is and that HaShem is prepared to prove it!
Is this promised sign to Ahaz a virgin conception 800 years in their future? Does that make any sense? If the mighty prophet Isaiah could not convince these people that HaShem was ready to fight with them against their present enemies then and there, how would a promise of a virgin birth 800 plus years in the future prove anything to them? How would they possible believe such a promise or take any solace from such a distant assurance whatsoever when they currently feared imminent death? The interpretation makes no sense.
Almah
Then there is the matter of translation of a pivotal word. While the Vatican had ample opportunity to edit the texts of the B'rit Hadashah the Tanakh was carefully preserved by devoutly meticulous Jewish scribes. It could not be so easily altered to support Nicene beliefs. But no worries, since Judaizing was illegal Hebrew was becoming a dead language any way!
The word translated as "virgin" in the King James in support of the virgin birth doctrine is "almah" in the Hebrew. Any Hebrew dictionary worth its salt will tell you that this word does not mean "virgin" and is not correctly translated that way except by editorializing ones interpretation. The word almah means a young girl, a "maiden" or "damsel." That's all it means. One could argue that a young pious unmarried girl would be a virgin, but that is adding ones own interpretation. An almah is a girl in her early teens. Nothing more.
Had Isaiah been inspired by the Ruach HaKodesh to say this girl would be a virgin, he would have called her a "bethuwlah" (Strong's 1330), the word he uses for "virgin" every other time (as does Jeremiah and others). The passage therefore should read, as it does in the CJB, the JPS and other translations:
CJB: Isaiah 7:14 Therefore Adonai himself will give you people a sign: the young woman will become pregnant, bear a son and name him 'Immanu El [God is with us].In context there is no way this verse is referring to a girl giving birth to a child 800 years or so in the future! What kind of sign is that? "I know you are all afraid these two mighty kings are going to attack and slaughter you, but here's a sign: 800 years from now a girl is going to have a baby!" I don't know about you, but that wouldn't help me much!
Its also worth noting that when Miryam's son was born 800 years later, she named him Y'shua not Immanuel. As stated above, Y'shua does not mean 'Immanu El ("God with us") but "Yah-shua" ("HaShem saves") so the birth was not a fulfillment of the prophecy on this point either. IF this was indeed a prophecy concerning Adon Y'shua Miryam misnamed him!
In context everything is clear: Isaiah was telling Ahaz, 'See that pregnant girl over there? By the time her son is old enough to know right from wrong the kings you are so afraid of will be defeated and you will be victorious!' Now that's a sign that would help him!
As a reminder to Ahaz and his follower that HaShem cares for the Jewish people with an undying love the child was named "God is with us" (Immanuel)!
How and why such biblically inaccurate teachings came about is discussed in some detail in my study entitled The Noahide Nazarene Way and Identifying Mashiach.
What About Adon Y'shua?
Does this mean Miryam was not a virgin when she conceived him?
Lets read the text again:
Matthew 1:18 Here is how the birth of Yeshua the Messiah took place. When his mother Miryam was engaged to Yosef, before they were married, she was found to be pregnant from the Ruach HaKodesh.
19 Her husband-to-be, Yosef, was a man who did what was right; so he made plans to break the engagement quietly, rather than put her to public shame.
20 But while he was thinking about this, an angel of ADONAI appeared to him in a dream and said, "Yosef, son of David, do not be afraid to take Miryam home with you as your wife; for what has been conceived in her is from the Ruach HaKodesh.
21 She will give birth to a son, and you are to name him Yeshua, [which means `ADONAI saves,'] because he will save his people from their sins."
22 All this happened in order to fulfill what ADONAI had said through the prophet: 23 "The virgin will conceive and bear a son, and they will call him `Immanu El."a (The name means, "God is with us.")As I discuss in other studies in more detail, Adon Y'shua not only existed as the Only Begotten Son prior to taking birth in the womb of Miryam, everything that exists was created through him! The Son, the Word was the prototype of all creation!
He existed before Adam, before the Garden... does a virgin birth seem like anything by contrast?
There is no reason to doubt the bulk of these verses, only the amendment of verses 22 and 23. The point of this study is not with the virgin birth but with the clumsy insertion that was intended to support it.
What About Miryam as Theotokos
The additional Catholic dogmas (rejected by most non-Catholics and Orthodox Christians) that transform Miryam (Mary) into "the ever virgin Theotokos" ("Mother of God") and even to make her birth "an immaculate conception" as well has absolutely no basis in Scripture.
Miryam was a pious Jewish teenager who made herself available to HaShem for this unprecedented honor, nothing more. After giving birth to Y'shua she had several other children by completely natural means including Adon Y'shua's Emissary James.
More information on this and related topics is available at my Noahide Nazarene web site.
