Shalom everybody and welcome to another pod for Israel I’m here with Dr Golan Broshi my name is Dr Seth Postel and we are continuing in our series of the case for messiah and Old Testament defense of the New Testament faith and today we’re actually going to be looking at a passage
That has received quite a bit of heat from the anti-missionaries Isaiah chapter 7 verse 14 and we’re going to be asking ourselves did the gospel writers distort the words of Isaiah 7 14 so good
To see you back Golan welcome to you thank you so let me just kind of set the stage I’ll introduce kind of the issues here so we actually have two very different translations of the Hebrew text of
Isaiah chapter 7 14. and so we actually have for instance a new American Standard Version therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign Behold a virgin will be with a child and bear a son and
She will call his name Emmanuel the JPS on the other hand which is a Jewish translation of the Hebrew Bible actually says look the young woman is with child and about to give birth to a son and so
For a young woman to be pregnant is not so much of a miracle right that’s normal yes so the issue is the definition of that of that girl Alma versus correct so are we you know does the original
Hebrew word actually mean virgin or not so there are two very different translations and obviously there are two very different interpretations right so if we look at the New Testament both in Matthew chapter one and in Luke chapter one it’s clear that they understand that that Mary right Miriam
Is this virgin that is supernaturally pregnant and that is a sign that Jesus fulfills this passage whereas if you look at the Jewish rabbinic interpretations they would argue they’ve got a couple of different arguments they would say that this woman is is not a virgin right it’s Isaiah’s
Wife right and that by naming the son Immanuel she does it by the power of the Holy Spirit or others would say that the young woman is a has his wife or his daughter okay so so the rabbinic approach
Would be that the word Alma is for a young young girl but not not necessarily a virgin and he doesn’t talk about a future prophecy that that would be fulfilled 700 years but something that
Is fulfilled in the next chapter or in the same chapter correct so and we’ve got a kind of a a slide that kind of kind of summarizes the issue so here’s the anti-missionary claims against the New
Testament and they’re really two I mean we could probably add some but I think the main arguments that the New Testament has Twisted or distorted Isaiah 7 14 is first the gospels mistranslated uh the word Alma the original Hebrew word for Alma is young woman is what they argue and that if Isaiah
Wanted to say that a virgin is pregnant they would have used the Hebrew word Betula so he would have used a different word the different words so the Matthew basically muddles uh the the original word secondly and this is this is another argument is that Matthew and Luke ripped Isaiah 7 14 out
Of context the sign is given to ahaz right and therefore it had to have been fulfilled in the days of ahaz and the the sign is that Samaria and Iran would be defeated so it can’t be a prophecy that’s dealing with something that happened 700 years later so let’s focus now on the
First thing yeah that’s a really important issue what what does the word Alma actually means so in this podcast I think what we’ll do obviously we’re going to address these two concerns one at a time
Okay we’re going to deal it deal with it one at a time and so the big Focus what in the world does the word Alma mean right what does it even mean did the gospel writers abuse it mistranslate it
Let’s just be honest with our sources here too I think a book that’s that came out recently that’s a very important book is by Christoph Rico and Peter J Gentry the mother of the infant
King Isaiah 7 14 and they did a lot of work uh on on the meaning of Alma and Betula and so it’s a it’s a book that’s it’s worth a read okay so but before the word Alma we would just want to make
Clear what does the word Betula actually means so in modern Hebrew if you wanted to say virgin how would you would say that’s the only word right in modern Hebrew there’s no other word to refer to a
Virgin and so the argument goes likewise in modern Hebrew so in Biblical Hebrew there’s only one one word for Virgin and it’s a bit too long and it’s not the word that Isaiah uses he uses Alma correct
So the word Betula how many times does it appear in at least 50 times 15 versions okay Exodus 22 verse 16 uh in the English verse 15 in the Hebrew I’ll give you an example if a man seduces a virgin
Who is not engaged right and lies with her he must pay a Dao referred to be his wife so it’s clear that the word here Betula means she didn’t she didn’t know a man she didn’t sleep with anybody
Yet correct correct so um there is actually one contested use of Betula and again there’s 50 over 50 times it appears there’s one contested use of the word Betula and that’s in Joel chapter 1 verse 8. so Joel 1 8 says whale Like a Virgin a Betula girded with sackcloth for the bridegroom
Of her youth so some people would argue that this word the use of the word Matula here proves that Betula can’t mean virgin because how can a a woman who’s a virgin be lamenting the bridegroom of her youth in other words obviously they were already together however however it probably means that
She’s mourning the loss of her fiance before correct correct so so we would agree right that Betula does in fact mean virgin yep okay and that’s actually what Rico and gentry also they would argue that Betula actually refers to Virgin and in the case of it actually shows that Betula
Has no respect for age so in Hebrew Betula can mean batula doesn’t have any respect for age it’s just a virgin woman either young or old correct and also in modern Hebrew exactly alrighty so now let’s this is the debated what about yeah what about the word okay the word is used
Nine times right so it’s rare it’s not as common as batula in the Bible is it the word Alma is it is the meaning always clear in the Hebrew Bible nope and it’s not always clear and even
In in modern Hebrew it’s not so clear what do you mean when you say Alma is it a young girl is he it doesn’t it’s not so clear so what’s really important to notice that it the word is
Not used a whole lot in the Hebrew Bible and there are cases where you simply cannot know what it means because it’s used for instance for titles in the Psalms it doesn’t say what they are so Psalm 46 the superscription psalm 68 verse 25 Song of Songs one three First Chronicles
15 20. we don’t know we can’t use these to determine its meaning so in other words in some some places where the word Dalma appears it doesn’t say anything about it it’s just a title it doesn’t interpret it correct okay okay but and this is really important in every clear case in
Every clear case when the word is used the word it refers to a girl who is a virgin so for instance Rebecca Rebecca in Genesis 24 43 she’s a virgin she’s a young woman who’s not yet married Exodus
2 8. it’s clear that the word there means virgin Miriam is Moses’s older sister but she’s young of course right song of song six eight these are cases where the word can be checked and in these instances we’re dealing with women who are young and virgins so where’s the debate okay where’s the
Debate obviously actually well obviously the big debate would be Isaiah 7 14. but we can’t use that we can’t use that because that would be begging the question right we can’t use our you know our premise to prove the conclusion so we’re having one more place there’s one more place though
Um that the anti-missionaries love to use as proof that al-mach does not refer to a virgin that’s in proverbs 30 verse 19. so that’s the proof text that’s the proof text that it cannot mean virgin
So what does it say there so let’s read it okay proverbs 30 verses 18 and 19 there are three things which are too wonderful for me four which I do not understand the way of an eagle in the sky
The way of a serpent on a rock the way of a ship in the middle of the sea and the way of a man with a maid okay whatever that means this is the way of an adulterous woman she eats and wipes her mouth
And says I have done no wrong and so I’ve actually heard some of the anti-missionaries actually say here this is proof what what does a man do with a maid he sleeps with her and therefore she can’t be
A a virgin but there’s a problem with that just I want you to notice number one we’re dealing with poetry and so there’s a debate as to what exactly is the point being made what’s too wonderful and
Some have actually argued that what’s amazing is that the way of an eagle in the sky means that an eagle fly through flies through the sky and there are no traces he doesn’t leave a trace what about
A serpent on a rock also a serpent on the Rock and the Sheep on the sea doesn’t leave a trace doesn’t leave a trace and so if this is talking about a man sleeping with a woman there is a trace of
Course you would be pregnant she’d be pregnant and so the point being that this is a poetic passage and it’s actually can be argued in any number of ways and so we can only rely on those passages
That are absolutely clear to make our case so this is illegitimate yeah this is not a clear it’s not a clear text it’s a debatable text correct so Golan why then do you think if we’re saying that
Alma is a virgin and Betula is a virgin doesn’t that that’s kind of foolish right we have two two words so there must be a distinction there must be a difference between those two Hebrew words right correct and so so what does Rico and gentry conclude okay so they basically conclude that
Alma in contrast to Betula relates to a specific period in a woman’s life when she is both young and a virgin and this is clear in the case of Rebecca Genesis 24 43 and in the case of Exodus
2 verse 8 with Miriam so so in other words not only that Alma is the Virgin it’s a young girl a virgin a virgin a young girl correct a young a very young woman okay correct so the question then
Becomes is there any proof to this interpretation from the text itself so what do we always say what’s the best commentary on scripture but only scripture right so the best commentary in scripture is scripture and I think the best commentary and the meaning of the word Alma is in
The book of Isaiah in Isaiah chapter 54 because he uses the word Alma in a different format the same root but in a slightly different he talks about the period of time when a woman is in
Alma the period of her youth her Alum so her the period of her youth defines what it means to be an so let’s just read the whole section and you’re reading from Isaiah 54 1-6 correct shout for Joy o
Baron one the barren one here is a metaphor for Zion right xion that that after the Exile she’s empty of children the land of Israel is empty of children and so this woman has no children shout
For Joy o Baron one you have been have borne no children Break Forth into joyful shouting and cry aloud you who have not travailed for the sons of the desolate one will be more numerous than the
Sons of than the sons of the married woman says the Lord enlarge the place of your tent stretch out the curtains of your dwellings spare not lengthen your cords and strengthen your pegs for you will spread abroad to the right and to the left and your descendants will possess
Nations and resettle the desolate cities fear not for you will not be put to shame and do not feel humiliated for you will not be described traced but you will forget the shame of your Youth and
Here’s the word this is the period of an alma this all right and the reproach of your widowhood you will remember no more for your husband is your maker whose name is the Lord of hosts
And your redeemer is the Holy One of Israel who is called the God of all the Earth for the Lord has called you like a wife Forsaken and grieved in spirit even like a wife of one’s youth when
She is rejected says your God and so what’s really important here is that this text actually provides two different reasons for a woman in the ancient world to not have children in both cases for a
Woman at that time period not to have children was a disgrace right it was a shameful it was shameful at that time period And so Isaiah actually describes two situations in which a woman would feel shame for not having children scenarios correct okay so let’s look at the first
Situation and 54 Verses 4 verse a the first part fear not for you will not be put to shame and do not feel humiliated for you will not be disgraced but you will forget the shame of your youth being
An alma exactly the word shame of your being an alma the period of your I don’t know how to say it your youngness right okay your youth yeah the parallel line provides the solution to this problem 54 verse 5 a for your husband is your maker whose name is the Lord of hosts
In other words what is the solution to an alma not having a child a husband a husband takes her and in Hebrew the word the husband actually means the the actual intimate act correct so to become
A husband means to make an unmarried woman your wife exactly now let’s look at we’ll talk about this in a minute but I want you to notice the parallel 54 4B and the reproach of your widowhood
You will remember no more in other words here’s a there are two scenarios to shame the shame of an alma without children and the shame of an al-mana a widow without children a widow what’s the solution to the al-mana to the Widow and your Redeemer go away who is the Holy One of
Israel who is called the God of all the Earth in other words in this situation God will redeem he will redeem the Widow in other words to redeem a widow is to provide children for a woman whose
Husband who whose husband died and she doesn’t have a children so let’s stop here because this is really important in other words why would a woman what what is the shame of an alma in this text it’s that she never had a husband nobody ever took her and therefore she never had a
Child so Alma has to mean according to this text a woman that never that was never married or was never had a husband correct and that’s why she doesn’t have a child let’s be clear on this this is really important if we’re saying that the best commentary on scripture is scripture what
We’re saying here is that Isaiah In this passage defines for us what an alma is and Alma is a woman who doesn’t have children because she hasn’t yet been slept with she hasn’t yet been taken by a
Husband in other words she’s she’s the Virgin she’s a young virgin correct so let’s I I think it’s worth reading Rico and gentry summary about this passage it’s very well written the two women will forget forever the shame that they had bitterly suffered and they will no longer
Remember the fact that they were without hope of having Descendants the reason for the foreseen absence of progeny for children is different for each of the two women the first one has been married but her husband died before she could conceive so she is in a State of widowhood
The State of widowhood will cease as soon as the Redeemer the goel comes on the scene as for the second one she has never had a husband and she is in a state of alumim this state of alumim right
Being an alma I’m the word right will cease once a BAL a husband takes her in marriage the conclusion to which this strict parallelism leads us is that the word Alma can only refer to a girl who has
Never been married and who has never had children once a BAL a husband arrives in the scene both her celibacy and the absence of children or progeny will cease so in other words according to these two Scholars the difference between the Virgin and Alma is that Alma is a young virgin a virgin
Could be old or young but Alma is Almar refers to a young virgin correct specifically a young woman who’s yet to been take be taken by a husband and so I think that this actually as we kind
Of conclude the first response about the meaning of the word Alma the fact that Alma has to be a woman that has not yet known a man a young woman who’s known a man makes this text all the more
Startling so let I’m going to read it and actually if we look at the Hebrew here it there’s all sorts of beautiful plays on words here so you’re reading Isaiah 7 10 to 14. correct then the Lord
Spoke to ahaz again saying sha’al ask a sign for yourself from the Lord your God make it as deep as right and so it’s interesting is the word ask and she all sound almost exactly the same and
They look almost the same they look exam exactly so ask for yourself a sign make it as deep as [ __ ] right or as high as Heaven we’re going to get to that in a minute but ahaz said I will not
Ask nor will I test the Lord then he said listen now o House of David and by the way here he’s not speaking just to he’s talking to the House of David plural plural listen now House of David
It is is it too slight a thing for you to try the patience of men that you will try the patience of my God as well therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign Behold a Alma a virgin is
Pregnant it does not say an alma will become pregnant because that would not be a sign if she is but there’s an alma who is pregnant how is it possible for an alma who has never slept
With a man who’s not been taken by a man to be pregnant and here we see the beautiful play on words is there connection between Alma and as high as Heaven the same the same words it’s the
Same words it’s the same letters just reverse same letters yes right so what is this sign that’s as high as Heaven La Mala and Alma will is pregnant is and the emphasis on is it’s not tahar it’s she
Is pregnant absolutely and so here we see that this is truly an amazing sign and so so we can conclude at least for that part that the gospel writers did not reap a part to the the the the
Translation or the meaning of the word they did not distort the meaning of Alma I think that we see from the book of Isaiah that they actually that Matthew gets the the meaning and Luke gets
The meaning correctly so we tackle the the meaning of the word El map what about the next argument what about the context did the gospels writers reap out Isaiah 7 14 from its context well so
What’s the problem with the context oh does it is it a prophecy to be fulfilled or was it fulfilled in Isaiah times yeah so the whole issue of you know the context seems to tie Emmanuel’s
Birth to the time period of the Assyrians and if that’s the case obviously this can’t be about the Messiah obviously right and so maybe I’ll read it Isaiah 7 14-20 just so that we get a sense of the
Context therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign Behold a virgin will be with child notice I use the word virgin we probably should say young virgin right young unmarried woman right will be
With child and bear son and she will call his name Emmanuel he will eat curds and honey at the time he knows enough to refuse evil and choose good for before the boy will know enough to refuse
Evil and choose good the land whose two kings you dread will be forsaken ah here we go so Emmanuel had to have been born during the time of the Assyrians Case Closed you notice it says the
Lord will bring on you and on your people and on your father’s house such days as have never come since the day that Ephraim separated from Judah the king of Assyria again Assyria in that day
That the Lord will whistle for the fly that is in the remotest part of the rivers of Egypt and for the bee that is in the land of Assyria they will all come and settle on the Steep Ravines on The
Ledges of the cliffs on all the thorn bushes and on all the watering places in that day the Lord will shave with a razor hired from the regions beyond the afraides that is with the king of
Assyria The Head and the hair of the legs and it will also remove the beard and so so Syria is coming up a lot do they have a case is it is it is it the about the time of Assyria you know
What’s really important here Golan and and this is really important is that when we approach Isaiah 7 obviously the best way to interpret any given passage is in the larger context and what’s really significant and even the rabbis will admit it that all the Messianic prophecies of Isaiah are placed
In the context of the days of Assyria let me show you what I mean by this I want you to notice Isaiah chapter 10. now some people would argue like Isaiah chapter 9 is not about the Messiah
We’ll do another podcast on that so let’s the rabbis do agree that Isaiah 11 is about the Messiah right have you checked the rabbinic commentaries even the anti-missionary say but the immediate context of Isaiah chapter 11 is Isaiah chapter 10. so let’s read it let’s read
All right woe to a Syrian I’m going to start in verse 5 of chapter 10. woe to Assyria the rod of my anger and the staff and whose hands is my indignation wait the Syria again it’s Assyria I send it against a Godless nation and commissioned it against the people of
My Fury to capture booty and to seize plunder to trample them down like mud in the streets yet it does not so intend nor does it plan so in its heart but rather it is its purpose to destroy
And to cut off many nations for it says are not my princes all Kings is not Kano like carcamesh or hamat like akpad or Samaria like Damascus as my hand is reached to the kingdoms of the idols whose
Graven images were greater than those of Jerusalem and Samaria shall I not do to Jerusalem and her images just as I’ve done to Samaria and her Idols so it will be that when the Lord has completed
All his work on Mount Zion and on Jerusalem he will say I will punish the fruit of the Arrogant heart of the king of Assyria and the pomp of his haughtiness now I’m going to skip down to
Verses 33 and 34 behold the Lord the god of hosts will Lop off the bows with a terrible crash this is talking about the Judgment of the Assyrians he’s going to cut down after the Judgment when
The Assyrians come down and wipe out or or kind of they’re used as God’s Rod of judgment against the people of Israel then God’s going to cut down the bows with the terrible question in other words the
Assyrians those also who are tall and stature will be cut down and those who are lofty will be abased he will cut down the thickets of the forest with an iron ax and Lebanon will fall by the mighty
One and then right after this cutting down of everything it says in chapter 11 verse 1 then when at the Judgment of the Assyrians exactly then a shoot will spring from the stem of Jesse another Messianic prophecy the rabbis absolutely don’t argue that Isaiah chapter 11
The context if we were going to take the historical context of Isaiah’s days we would say that this prophecy had to have already been fulfilled exactly and so this whole lopping off it’s it in some ways too the the parallel story of chapter 10 is when the Assyrians come and they’re
Standing outside the Gates of Jerusalem right if you remember the commander and he’s mocking and and you know where are the gods of this nation and that nation and God intervenes in a miraculous way and rescues Hezekiah so in some ways you could say that Isaiah 11 looks like Hezekiah just like
You could say that Isaiah 9 looks like Hezekiah or Isaiah 7 looks like Hezekiah but for the fact that we’re dealing with a period of time these descriptions of this exalted king and a forever Kingdom it can’t be Hezekiah we could say that the Deeds of Hezekiah are a sign for the Messiah
All right so we have you’re saying we have another Messianic prophecies which which apparently deal in the context of Assyria but are projecting for a for a later time absolutely so not only does Isaiah tie the birth of the Messiah right to the days of Assyria
We have another classic example in in Micah chapter five in Micah chapter five which also in rabbinic interpretation it’s a Messianic inter it’s a Messianic prophecy but as for you Bethlehem afrata too little to be among the clans of Judah from you one will go forth for me to be ruler in
Israel his goings forth are from long ago from the days of Eternity therefore he will give them up until the time when she who is in labor has borne a child then the remainder of his Brethren will
Return to the sons of Israel and he will arise that is this one born in Bethlehem and Shepherd his flock in the strength of the Lord and the Majesty of the name of the Lord his God and they
Will remain because at the time he will be great to the ends of the Earth this one will be our peace when the Assyrian invades our land when he tramples on on our own citadels then he will raise
Against him Seven Shepherds and eight leaders of men they will Shepherd the land of Syria yep with The Sword and the land of nimrod at its entrances and he will Deliver Us from the Assyrian when he
Attacks our land when he tramples our territory so it seems like the word Assyria means more than what we think it is it has to be it it has to be okay but another interesting phenomenon that we see are that other Messianic prophecies that the rabbis would agree are Messianic prophecies
Are actually tied to the days of Israel’s historic enemies yep numbers 24 14 and 17-19 and now behold I’m going to my people come and I will advise you what this people will do to your people in
The days to come I see him but not now I Behold Him but not near a star shall come forth from the from Jacob a scepter shall rise from Israel and shall Crush through the forehead of Moab Israel’s
Ancient enemy and tear down all the sons of sheth Edom shall be a possession see ear its enemies in other words this whole use of Israel’s past enemies in the context of future prophecies is quite normal Rabbi ever used that verse as as was fulfilled as the Messianic fulfillment on barkva
Many years later that work absolutely and there it there it is and here we see this whole notion of what is it exactly unequal weights and measures equals weights and measures so here are the here’s the inconsistencies of the anti-missionaries one one well-known anti-missionary I’m going to quote
Him Isaiah 11 is a Messianic chapter Isaiah 11 verse 1 tells us about the kind of family he the Messiah comes from in the context of Assyria correct and it’s still a Messianic prophecy so you tell me why is Isaiah 11 definitely about the Messiah even though chapter 10 the
Context is Assyria but Isaiah 7 is not about the Messiah and he’s not the only Rabbi who agrees that Isaiah 11 is the Messianic prophecy right right talgum yonatan in Isaiah 11 verse 1 a king shall come out from the son of Jesse and the Messiah from his son’s son shall bear fruit
And thy staff that is the Messiah as it is said in Isaiah 11 1 and there shall come forth a shoot out of the stock of Jesse and the last the last reference from the talmud
Ah okay let’s see here let me see I have it here Ah that’s right from Sanhedrin 93 uh B the Messiah was blessed with six virtues as it is written and the spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him
The spirit of wisdom and understanding the spirit of counsel and might the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord and it is written and his Delight right from Isaiah 11 shall be the fear of
The Lord and He Shall neither judge after the sight of his eyes nor decide after the hearing of his ears so even the rabbis of the talmud so is there 11 even though the context is Assyria they saw it as a Messianic Prophet so these anti-missionaries can’t have it both ways in
Other words if you’re going to say that Isaiah 7 cannot be a Messianic prophecy because of the reference to Assyria and the days of Assyria then Isaiah 11 has to be eliminated too but by the way many of the anti-missionaries are going after the legacy of Russia and we have a quote from
Russia Isaiah 11 1 that you can read ah okay and the shoot this is what Rashi says in Isaiah 11 1 and a shoot shall spring forth from the stem of Jesse and if you say here are the consolations
For Hezekiah and his people that shall not fall into his hands now what will be the Exile that was exiled to hallan Habor is their hope lost is it not lost eventually the king Messiah shall come
And redeem them so even Rashi here understands why this ought to be Hezekiah right he it ought to be Hezekiah because of the context of chapter 10 but Hezekiah becomes a picture of something of somebody so much greater and the enemy Assyria it’s it is is depicted as
An eschatological enemies the worst of enemies can you give can you give an example anywhere where Assyria is used and it’s clearly cannot be referring to the the kingdom the historical Kingdom of Assyria anywhere in the Bible maybe even in Isaiah okay in Isaiah chapter 14 verses
22-26 right so notice this is a judgment in the Judgment sections the oracles against the Nations I will rise up against them declares the Lord of hosts I will cut off from Babylon name and survivors Offspring and posterity declares the Lord I will also make it a possession for the
Hedgehog and swamps of water and I will sweep it with the broom of Destruction declares the Lord of hosts the Lord of hosts is sworn saying surely just as I have intended so it has happened and
Just as I have planned so it will stand to break Assyria in my land and he goes on but the point is is that in the book of Isaiah the kingdom of Assyria and the kingdom of Babylon are actually
Merged so that the fall of Babylon in some ways is depicted as the fall of a series of the fall of Assyria or Babylon is an extension of Assyria and it’s it’s not the only one the only place in the
Bible is there another place in the Bible where Syria absolutely does not refer to Assyria in the days of Isaiah and that and in Ezra the one you’re going to read the nether is really clear okay so
Ezra chapter 6 verse 1 for the context and then we’ll skip to verse 22. then King Darius issued a decree and search was made in the archives where the treasures were stored in in Babylon so King Darius is from the Persian period so we’re talking about Three Kingdoms later Assyria Babylon Persia
And notice what it says when they observe the Passover in the days of this Persian king okay and they observed the Feast of unleavened bread seven days with joy for the Lord had caused them
To rejoice and it turned the heart of the king of Assyria toward them to encourage them in the work of the house of God the god of Israel so again the name of Syria doesn’t necessarily mean the actual Assyrians it’s an eschatological term to mean the enemies the the most brutal enemies of
Of of Israel and of God sure and we also have that example numbers of amalek right this this you know amalek even in the book of of Esther and the scroll of Esther you’ve got Haman who
Is this amalekite and so you you don’t have any issue here again with using the name Assyria and making the Assumption okay that proves that it had to be fulfilled in the time period of Isaiah
So in other words if Isaiah 7 is talking about the the context of Assyria it doesn’t say it doesn’t it doesn’t mean that it’s not an eschatological event yet to come correct and once again if the anti-missionaries want to insist that Isaiah 7 is eliminated because of the reference to Assyria and
The kings in those days they have to be consistent they have to be consistent so let’s throw out Isaiah chapter 11 and yet the anti-missioneries say with confidence that Isaiah 11 is also a Messianic prophecy so I think it’s time to Summer to sum up the whole the whole episode correct what
Did we find out great discussion so number one uh the word Alma although the anti-missionaries would argue that Matthew and Luke they basically abused the text and they they used you know they don’t even know Hebrew or whatever the word al-mad does in fact mean a young virgin it’s
A young unmarried woman and that translation is affirmed in Isaiah chapter 54 Verses 4 and 5 and so what we really do have is an incredible miracle that you actually have a pregnant Alma exactly and then secondly and finally the New Testament didn’t rip Isaiah 7 out of the context in fact
All of the Messianic prophecies in at least in the first part of the book of Isaiah are set in the context of the Assyrian context and this interpretation is affirmed by the way that all Jewish interpreters treat Isaiah chapter 11. by the way we see it also in the New Testament
In the Book of Revelations where Babylon is used as the word for in a future enemy correct yeah so there’s no issue there whatsoever and so we see this in Matthew and I love it in Matthew chapter 1 verses 18 through 25 we’ve got this birth narrative it’s interesting we just coming off
A season where around the world people are all around the world celebrating the birth of a of a Jewish kid a little Jewish boy right which is quite quite remarkable but you know we can have
Our readers look at this passage after but gondan what do you think say would be the take on what’s the application that we can we can make from what we’ve just done I think at least personally for me
I can absolutely trust the words of the gospels and by the way when they wrote the gospels they had they had the Bible they had the tanach the Old Testament in front of them they didn’t have any other scriptures so basically what you’re saying then is that when Christians hear their faith
Being assaulted and against the New Testament and the way that the New Testament treats the Hebrew Bible you’re saying that actually that we can trust the way they’re interpreting the Hebrew Bible and and it’s not that we don’t welcome again we’re talking about the Jewish
Debate it’s an in-house debate and we welcome the debate we just want to to point out that we can trust what the Bible says and maybe one other application and that is is that if you’re seeking if you don’t you’ve not yet figured out you’re thinking through the Hebrew Bible and whether
It does in fact talk about the Messiah and whether Jesus is the Messiah or not we simply are here to tell you that actually by carefully searching the scriptures you will know that Jesus is in fact the Messiah amen the scripture is Rock Solid and we trust the rock amen amen [Music]
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