Chapter 1: A Mysterious Sign
During the time Ahaz was king of Judah, two kings began to attack him, and he was afraid. The prophet Isaiah was sent to Ahaz to tell him that God would deliver Judah from those two kings. After that prophecy, a mysterious sign was promised to the house of David, which is recorded in Isaiah 7:14. The promise was made in Hebrew, and is shown on the front cover of this book. A literal, English translation of that promise is:
"Therefore, shall give the Lord himself to you a sign; behold, ha'almah with child, and will bear a son and will call his name Immanu'el [‘With Us God’]." Isaiah 7:14
There is disagreement over the meaning of the Hebrew word "ha'almah" in the passage above. Therefore, it is simply transliterated in the above translation. The sign is mysterious because common explanations of this sign, and its fulfillment, do not appear to make sense.
Some say that the purpose of the promised sign was to show that God would deliver Judah from the two kings, and was fulfilled when a young, married woman, pregnant at the time the prophet spoke, gave birth to a son and named him Immanuel. But there are some problems with this interpretation. Why should a woman giving birth to a son and naming him Immanuel, confirm to God’s people that he would deliver them from those kings? Is that so unusual? And if that sign was fulfilled in those days, why isn’t its fulfillment indicated in the Hebrew Scriptures (the Tanach) – as is the fulfillment of all other signs that the Lord gave for the purpose of showing he would accomplish something he had spoken?
It is said in the New Testament that the sign promised in Isaiah 7:14 was fulfilled when Mary, who is said to have been a virgin, was pregnant with Jesus. But this assertion raises more questions. How could a sign occurring about 700 years later confirm to the house of David that God would indeed deliver them from those kings? Does it make any sense at all to talk about Jesus in Isaiah 7:14? And what kind of sign is that? Can it be proved that Mary was a virgin?
This is a mysterious sign. This book carefully examines the passage with its context and problems. It is written to be understandable to those not familiar with the Hebrew Scriptures, yet at the same time challenging to those who have studied long. It does not shrink back from asking difficult questions. As a result, it addresses many issues of contemporary interest to both Jewish and Gentile people alike. Can a prophecy in the Hebrew Scriptures of a future event be written in the past tense? If the Messiah is not fathered by one of David’s descendants, how could he be of the seed of David? According to the Hebrew Scriptures, is it possible for God to become a man? Do they ever indicate that the Messiah would offer himself as a sacrifice for the sins of others? Is it possible for the Messiah, who is from the tribe of Judah, to be a priest? The Scriptures say that all the seed of Israel will be saved with an everlasting salvation. Does that mean all Jewish people will be saved? Can Gentiles be saved? Most Jewish people believe the Messiah has not yet come. If Jesus is indeed the Jewish Messiah, then most Jewish people today would be rejecting their own Messiah. Do the Hebrew Scriptures speak of a time when most Jewish people would reject their own Messiah? These are some of the issues faced by this book.
In order that those who are not familiar with the Hebrew Scriptures may follow the issues and problems, necessary background is simply, yet carefully, explained as needed. What is a sign? What is the house of David? What is a prophet? Why should we believe what Isaiah wrote? When different English translations of the same passage from the Hebrew Scriptures disagree with one another, how is it possible for a person to understand the passage? As these and other questions are addressed, the Hebrew Scriptures themselves are the source from which the answers are sought.
