|
|
Post by marquus on Jul 30, 2008 20:17:50 GMT -8
I've been discussing Isaiah 7 with some Orthodox Jews and we've been talking about the word almah in v.14 and also as to the House of David.
They maintain that Ahaz is addressed as "House of David" since he was such a wicked king.
In the Tanach it says v.2 -his heart and the heart of his people- after it mentions House of David. Their contention is House of David - his heart = Ahaz; heart of his people = Judah, Benjamin, and Levi.
My question is that a legitimate interpretation of that chapter or is their a better explanation?
I welcome any help.
|
|
|
|
Post by Mark on Jul 31, 2008 4:09:41 GMT -8
This is an excerpt from Matthew Henry; and while I don't agree with a lot of his, well, antinomian bigotry, he's pretty articulate on this passage and I haven't much time this morning:
II. The great distress that Ahaz and his court were in when they received advice of this design: It was told the house of David that Syria and Ephraim had signed a league against Judah, Isa_7:2. This degenerate royal family is called the house of David, to put us in mind of that article of God's covenant with David (Psa_89:30-33), If his children forsake my law, I will chasten their transgression with the rod; but my loving-kindness will I not utterly take away, which is remarkably fulfilled in this chapter. News being brought that the two armies of Syria and Israel were joined, and had taken the field, the court, the city, and the country, were thrown into consternation; The heart of Ahaz was moved with fear, and then no wonder that the heart of his people was so, as the trees of the wood are moved with the wind. They were tossed and shaken, and put into a great disorder and confusion, were wavering and uncertain in their counsels, hurried hither and thither, and could not fix in any steady resolution. They yielded to the storm, and gave up all for gone, concluding it in vain to make any resistance. Now that which caused this fright was the sense of guilt and the weakness of their faith. They had made God their enemy, and knew not how to make him their friend, and therefore their fears tyrannised over them; while those whose consciences are kept void of offence, and whose hearts are fixed, trusting in God, need not be afraid of evil tidings; though the earth be removed, yet will not they fear; but the wicked flee at the shaking of a leaf, Lev_26:36.
The whole alma question is a little silly. If not a virgin, are we suggesting that Emmanuel will be born from a hooker? Rather than focusing on the vague nature of the young woman's description, of much greater significance the name that her child is given. The name is used only one other time in Scripture, Isaiah 8:8. Given the proximity of these uses to one another, it is worth our time to study the whole context of the story when determining who is Emmanuel and what is His significance in this portion.
Why did the prophet use the more generic word "alma" as opposed to "bethoolah"? I believe that the young woman was not to be the focus of the prophecy; but rather her child. The focus on the word "alma" is a smoke-screen to draw our attention away from Him!
|
|
Tyler
Junior Member
Posts: 64
|
Post by Tyler on Aug 9, 2008 13:04:10 GMT -8
Also God's choice of "almah" in Isaiah 7:14 points back to another "almah" in Exodus 2:8 by the name of Miriam. So we see that even the name of Mashiach's mother is alluded to.
It's funny how religious Jews so conviently throw out their multi-layer approach to Scripture interpretation whenever Yeshua comes up.
|
|
