to: DCP, Wade, Benjamin M, Nehor, Rocket, Maklelan,Whyme,Gaz

[_karl61]

Was there ever a Hebrew leader named Immanuel?

[_John Waite]

I wasn't asked to reply, but I will. The following represents my opinion as to the meaning and proper interpretation of Isaiah 7:

I must respectfully disagree with the interpretation that the prophecy had immediate fulfillment in the birth of Hezekiah. Ahaz responded to the request of Jehovah to seek a sign from the "Lord thy God" by first misinterpreting the request as a test, to which he expressed reluctance to "tempt" the Lord. This was a mistake on the part of Ahaz, for when God himself suggests that you ask for a sign, you'd better do so. Therefore Jehovah responded harshly to Ahaz (likening him to the entire house of Judah, and thereby condemning their faithlessness):

"Hear ye now, O house of David; is it a small thing for you to weary men, but will ye weary my God also?"

He then goes on and provides Ahaz with the sign of the birth of the Messiah, an ancient prophecy even then, dating to ante-diluvian times. Was the prophecy ever about an actual "virgin" conceiving? No. The conception of a human child can only occur in one way, although the sire in this instance imparted a very unique and superior collection of genetic material in comparison to any other child ever born on this planet before or since.

But why make reference to this prophecy in this context? Because the Assyrians were about to scatter Israel. There was no avoiding this calamity. The prediction of the Messiah, part of whose mission would be to eventually gather again scattered Israel, is given in relationship to the prophecy of the imminent scattering to occur. The intent is to emphasize that the only way Israel can hope for eventual fulfillment of the Abrahamic covenant is to turn to the Messiah to come.

Furthermore, verses 17 - 20, although it can be argued that they were fulfilled with the ancient Assyrian conquest, will be fulfilled again in the last days. These verses are related to the same event foretold in Isaiah 10, whose ultimate fulfillment is yet to come. The "Assyrian" is Gog.

[_maklelan]

Was there ever a Hebrew leader named Immanuel?

It's not meant to be taken as a literal appellative. It's just rhetoric.

[_Doctor Steuss]

Edit:
Why the crap is the MB editing my G”-“d to “God” ?

That’s pretty damn smarmy.

Seriously. What the crap is this about? Are there other stylistic preferences that are edited too (does the site automatically capitalize certain things, or correct spelling from old European to modern American English, or change italicized words to non-italicized words)? Or is it merely this stylistic preference with a potential religious motivation that is deemed worthy of circumvention?

Smarmy.

[_Yoda]

Test

G-d

[_Yoda]

Hey, Steuss--

I just did a test. It looks like the site software is set up to make that correction automaically.

I don't have access to that feature to change that. I'm sure if you PM Shades, he will look into it and fix it if possible.

[_AlmaBound]

G-d

[_AlmaBound]

Smarmy.

Ditto.

How about G - d?