THE AMAZING MESSAGE OF ISAIAH 7

UNION GROVE CHURCH OF CHRIST, CLEVELAND TN.

THE AMAZING MESSAGE OF ISAIAH 7:14

In the 8^th century B.C., Isaiah the prophet told King Ahaz of Judah, "Therefore the LORD himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel" (Isaiah 7:14). There are three elements that stand out in this prophecy. Consider:

(1) It is an accurate, precise prediction of events that took place more than 700 years later! Look at the three specific aspects of Isaiah’s prophecy. (1) The type of female that would conceive and bear a child is specified – "a virgin"; (2) The sex of the child that the virgin would bear is specified – a male ("son"); (3) The name of the son that the virgin would bear is specified – "Immanuel."

Are we left in doubt as to whom the virgin and her son are? No. Mathew 1:18-23 plainly declares that the virgin that conceived and bore a son was Mary, and the son, of course, was Jesus. Just how could Isaiah have the knowledge to predict specific events that would happen over seven hundred years after he predicted them? The only explanation that harmonizes with the facts is that Jehovah revealed it to him. What does that tell us about the message of the Book of Isaiah? Answer: It was inspired by God.

(2) It shows that Jesus came into the world through a female vessel, but not through anything done by a male. Mary was a virgin both at the time of her conception (Luke 1:27,34) and even at the time when Jesus was born (Matthew 1:23,25).

Men can debate all they want about whom the Lord had in mind when He spoke of a "virgin" that would conceive, but if we will accept the New Testament record, then there will be no controversy. God’s angel told Joseph that it was by means of the Holy Spirit (and thus, not by a male) that Mary conceived (Matthew 1:20). What is true about this conception by Mary and the subsequent birth of Jesus? "Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son . . ." (1:22,23). God labels Mary as the virgin of whom Isaiah spoke. Enough said. Jesus was indeed "made of a woman" (Galatians 4:4), but not of "a man and a woman."

(3) It points to the Deity of Jesus. The virgin-born Child was to be called "Jesus," meaning "Savior" (Matthew 1:21). He was also to be called "Immanuel," which means "God with us" (Matthew 1:23). Jesus was God "in the flesh" (1 Timothy 3:16), the Word that "was made flesh" and dwelt among men (John 1:14). Jesus possesses the divine nature, meaning that He is God! (John 1:1).

Isaiah 7:14 truly is an amazing message.

-- Roger D. Campbell