The Sign of :22,23 7 Wayne O. Cochran [email protected] Matthew 1-18:25 :14

All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the : “Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel” (which means, God with us).

Note: The wicked king of Isaiah 7 is listed in the genealogy of Christ in Matthew 1:9. Ninevah, Tiglath-Pilesar III 734 Oracle of Isaiah 7 Ahaz, King of II Kings 16 II Chronicles 28 , 12 yrs , , Syria

Assyrian 722 Captivity Sargon II

Historical setting : Syria and Ephraim (northern kingdom of Israel) at war with Judah (southern kingdom). , record Ahaz’s alliance with Tiglath- pileser of Assyria. Note : lived during rein of II (786–746 BC). Maps used with permission from Ralph Wilson http://www.jesuswalk.com/isaiah/maps.htm Isaiah’s Message from YHWY Isaiah 7:3-9 • Isaiah is commanded to go with his son Shear-jashub to meet Ahaz

• :18 : Isaiah and his children are “signs”

• Isaiah = “YHWY is salvation”

• Shear-jashub = “A remnant shall return”

• Ahaz is not to fear Syria nor Ephraim, these “burned-out” kings and their kingdom is about to be shattered.

“…If you are not firm in faith, you will not be firm at all” Ask for a sign… anything!

• YHWY gives Ahaz a wide opportunity to encourage him to believe.

• Wicked Ahaz trusts his political alliance with the brutal, pagan king of Assyria over God (see 2 Kings 16).

• Pseudo-pious answer : “I will not put YHWY to the test.”

• Avoids “trap” of either submitting to the prophet or revealing his unbelief.

• Ahaz receives a stern rebuke and is given a sign that will be of little value to him.

YWHY is constantly offering an opportunity to Judah and Israel: “Come let us reason together…” :18-20. Ahaz even offers gold from the temple to Tiglath-pileser. “Do not put the Lord your God to the test” (Deuteronomy 6:16). Properly quoted by Christ in Matthew 4 during his temptation in the wilderness. Malachi 3 gives another example of where Israel is allowed to openly test God: “Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse…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.” The Sign of Immanuel Isaiah 7:13,14 • While rebuking Ahaz, YHWY gives Israel a sign: Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.

• “the virgin”

”young maiden“ ,עלמה "Hebrew “almah •

• Greek “parthenos” Παρθένος “virgin” (LXX / Matthew)

;"God is with us" עִמָנואֵל Immanuel” Hebrew“ •

The word “almah" means a “young woman” ripe for marriage, but not necessarily a virgin — this is decided by context — what kind of sign would it be for “a young woman to conceive and bear a son”? Enemies to be Defeated Isaiah 7:15-25

• Before the boy is able to tell right from wrong (evidently about 12 years old) the enemies would be wiped off the map.

• succeeded Tiglath-pileser and besieged .

• Sargon II succeeded Shalmaneser and completed the destruction of Israel in 722 BC.

• The Assyrians and Egyptians then battled in the land surrounding . The land was so devastated that only briers grew and the inhabitants survived on curds and honey.

• In 701 BC, the Assyrian king carried 200,000 people from Judah into captivity during ’s reign. Maher-shalal-hash-baz Isaiah 8:1-10 • Isaiah was to have another son who would be a sign of the quick plunder of Syria and Israel.

• Before he can utter “my father” or “my mother” the wealth of Samaria and Damascus would be carried away.

• The destruction in the land would surround Jerusalem “even reaching the neck,” but a remnant in Jerusalem would survive.

• The messianic line will survive!

Maher-shalal-hash-baz = “the spoil speeds, the prey hastens”

Jerusalem was carried into captivity in 597 BC. Type / Antitype

• A type (τύπος) is a mark formed by a blow or impression — a figure image (e.g. Romans 5:14).

• A type is a model of some reality which is yet to appear, a prototype of that which is yet to be developed and revealed.

• An antitype (ἀντίτυπος) is a thing resembling another, its counterpart (e.g., :21).

Romans 5:14: Adam was a “type” of Christ. Numerous parallels between Adam and Christ: Garden Eden/Gethsemane, Naked in Eden / on Cross, man becoming god / God becoming man, sinned at tree / bore sin on tree, etc… Shadow (Mosaic Law) vs Reality (Christ) Colossians 2:12, Hebrews 10. Interpretations

• Near fulfillment (in Isaiah’s time) vs far fulfillment (ultimate/complete fulfillment in Christ’s birth).

• Matthew frequently sees OT Scripture as typological, the final and full meaning is in Christ.

• Who was the historical virgin/son type in Isaiah 7:14?

• Abi (Ahaz’s wife) / Hezekiah? Hezekiah already 9 years old.

• Isaiah’s wife / Maher-shalal-hash-baz (Isaiah 8:1-4)? Sounds very similar to 7:14 , this child is a sign (8:18), and Immanuel is mentioned twice in chapter 8. Prophet’s wife already had a son (7:3).

• Some unknown princess unknown by us (unspecified by Isaiah)?

• Perhaps there was no immediate fulfillment (purely messianic). How would this be a sign of the coming deliverance of the land from Rezin and Pekah? Perhaps Ahaz lost the chance for an immediate sign, therefore a distant, enigmatic sign was given instead?

In Matthew, we saw how Matthew read and demonstrated how Christ’s life mimicked the Exodus event… in fact, Christ’s death was the ultimate Exodus freeing us from the slavery on sin.

If the “type” is a virgin, then we would have two virgin births? The Birth of Christ

• The ultimate fulfillment is the virgin birth of Jesus Christ.

• ’s line was to continue, and God’s promises would be fulfilled.

• Christian doctrine of the virgin birth rests not on the meaning of the Hebrew word, but on the teaching of the New Testament.

• The supernatural birth is the sign that God is with us. “For in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily” Colossians 2:9.