Dr. Barclay with Something to Think About - TWO-FOLD PROPHECY

TWO-FOLD PROPHECY

It is believed that in many cases the prophecies that are given in the Bible have both a near application and a distant interpretation. One such instance involves a prophecy we often hear this time of year from the book of Isaiah.

Therefore the Lord Himself shall give you a sign:

Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a Son, 

and shall call His name Immanuel. 

(Isaiah 7:14)

The confirmation that this indeed refers to the birth of Jesus as the Messiah comes from the book of Matthew where it states:

“Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, 

and they shall call His name Immanuel,” 

which is translated, “God with us.” 

(Matthew 1:23)

In Isaiah, this was initially given to the house of David as the prophecy.

Hear ye now, O house of David 

(Isaiah 7:13)

But it was also given to King Ahaz, who at that time was in a dispute with both Syria and Ephraim who were in a conspiracy against him, but…

 

thus says the Lord God, “It shall not stand, 

neither shall it come to pass.” 

(Isaiah 7:7)

Moreover the Lord spoke again to Ahaz, saying

Ask a sign for yourself from the Lord your God…

…But Ahaz said, “I will not ask…” 

(Isaiah 7:10-12)

Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign:

Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a Son,

and shall call His name Immanuel.

Curds and honey He shall eat, that He may know 

to refuse the evil and choose the good.

For before the Child shall know [this]…

the land that you dread will

be forsaken of both her kings. 

(Isaiah 7:14-16)

The Lord will bring upon thee, and upon thy people,

and upon thy father’s house…even the king of Assyria.

(Isaiah 7:17, KJV)

So, Isaiah related a prophecy to the House of David regarding the distant future coming of the Messiah but he also related to Ahaz a more imminent prediction about an event that would result in both Syria and Ephraim forsaking their objectives and also that Syria would be taken over by Assyria. This also would bring ruin to Judah.  All this would happen within a few years of the birth of Ahaz’s own son in that, before the boy was of the age to distinguish good from evil, both Syria and Israel were deprived of both their kings and Assyria had taken control. It becomes complicated but an example of how prophecy can be both near meaning and distant in its application.

Certainly something to think about.