After disclosing the angel's words to Joseph, the
writer of Matthew abruptly switches back to addressing the reader, "All this
took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: “The virgin
will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him
Immanuel”—which means, “God with us.”"[1]
The explanation seems almost superfluous. Those who know their Bible well
cannot read of Mary's pregnancy, Joseph's decision, dream and the angel's
counsel, without thinking of the familiar passage in Isaiah 7, when the prophet
first speaks of Immanuel. But how many of Matthew's original readers would have
done likewise is hard to say, because Isaiah wasn't writing a particularly
gleeful promise in Isaiah 7.
At the time, Isaiah had been told to go with his
son to talk to the king of Judah. It was while Jerusalem (Judah's capital) was
being besieged by Israel and Aram. The king and all his countrymen were
disheartened that Israel had allied himself with Damascus (Aram), believing the
combination too great for them to resist successfully. While giving the Lord's
strong counsel that Judah should not fear this development, the Lord spoke
Himself to Ahaz, king of Judah, "Again the Lord spoke to Ahaz, “Ask the Lord your God
for a sign, whether in the deepest depths or in the highest heights.” But Ahaz
said, “I will not ask; I will not put the Lord to the test.” Then Isaiah said,
“Hear now, you house of David! Is it not enough to try the patience of men?
Will you try the patience of my God also? Therefore the Lord himself will give
you a sign: The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel."[2]
Isaiah goes on to detail that before the boy is old enough to know right from
wrong, the siege will be over because of a massive invasion from Assyria, and the
two kings Ahaz fears will be swept away. Ahaz was given a message of personal
peace, even amidst the conflict and danger all around him. “God with us” surely
means peace, yet Isaiah also speaks of Assyria's timeline and mandate to subjugate
all Israel, writing, " The Lord will bring on you and on your people and on the house of
your father a time unlike any since Ephraim broke away from Judah—he will bring
the king of Assyria.” [3] Then I
went to the prophetess, and she conceived and gave birth to a son. And the Lord
said to me, “Name him Maher-Shalal-Hash-Baz. Before the boy knows how to say
‘My father’ or ‘My mother,’ the wealth of Damascus and the plunder of Samaria
will be carried off by the king of Assyria.”[4]
So the prophesy's immediate application
in the day it was given is Maher-Shalal-Hash-Baz (not Christ), and we can
know it was given as a prophesy of imminent war (not imminent peace). True,
there would be a short season of peace, but it would be followed by sweeping
destruction and foreign occupation (till the completion of the whole prophesy –
see Isa 8:9-1, 9:1-7). All of that had already taken place, except the literal
day of God with us. Israel in Matthew’s day therefore looked forward to the day
Immanuel would come (which Jesus did) and finish fulfilling Isaiah’s wider
prophesy – something Jesus did spiritually, but not yet physically.
· What does it
mean to you to know that Jesus, who fulfilled this prophesy most literally,
will yet physically fulfill Isaiah’s wider prophesy? Internal peace now, external peace to come!
[1] The Holy Bible:
New International Version. (1984). (Mt 1:22-23). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan
[2] The Holy Bible:
New International Version. (1984). (Is 7:10-14). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan
[3] The Holy Bible:
New International Version. (1984). (Is 7:17). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan.
[4] The Holy Bible:
New International Version. (1984). (Is 8:3-4). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan
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