The Sign of Immanuel Matthew 1:22,23 Isaiah 7 Wayne O. Cochran [email protected] Matthew 1-18:25 Isaiah 7:14 All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet: “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 Ahaz of Isaiah 7 is listed in the genealogy of Christ in Matthew 1:9. Ninevah, Assyria Tiglath-Pilesar III 734 Oracle of Isaiah 7 Ahaz, King of Judah II Kings 16 II Chronicles 28 Pekah, Israel 12 yrs Rezin, Damascus, Syria Assyrian 722 Captivity Sargon II Historical setting : Syria and Ephraim (northern kingdom of Israel) at war with Judah (southern kingdom). 2 Kings 16, 2 Chronicles 28 record Ahaz’s alliance with Tiglath- pileser of Assyria. Note : Jonah lived during rein of Jeroboam 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 • Isaiah 8:18 : 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…” Isaiah 1:18-20. 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. • Shalmaneser V succeeded Tiglath-pileser and besieged Samaria. • Sargon II succeeded Shalmaneser and completed the destruction of Israel in 722 BC. • The Assyrians and Egyptians then battled in the land surrounding Jerusalem. The land was so devastated that only briers grew and the inhabitants survived on curds and honey. • In 701 BC, the Assyrian king Sennacherib carried 200,000 people from Judah into captivity during Hezekiah’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., 1 Peter 3:21). 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 Hosea 1 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 Jesus Christ • The ultimate fulfillment is the virgin birth of Jesus Christ. • David’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..