Isaiah 7-8

“Here am I, and the children the LORD has given me.
We are signs and symbols in Israel from the LORD Almighty”
(Isaiah 8:18)
The Situation
As the Assyrian Empire grew in power, regional kings began to make alliances to better protect themselves. But when Ahaz (King of Judah) rejected an offer of alliance from Pekah (King of Israel) and Rezin (King of Aram), they marched up to fight against Judah in hopes of replacing Ahaz with another man. This caused the hearts of Ahaz and his people to be shaken.

The Child
Name: Maher-Shalal-Hash-Baz
Nickname: Immanuel (God is with us)
Meaning: Quick to the plunder, swift to the spoil
Message: The alliance will…
Not defeat you (7:4-7)
Be defeated (7:8-9)
Be defeated quickly (7:10-16, 8:1-4)
Be defeated by Assyria (7:17)
Be defeated soundly (7:18-25)
Be defeated for rejecting God (8:5-7)
Be defeated b/c God is w/His people (8:8-10)
*It is proper, instead, to ally with God (8:11-17)

The NT Usage
The NT writers pick up on this OT prophecy as see an even greater fulfillment in Jesus Christ:
1. A literal virgin (Mary) gave birth to a son (Jesus) who was literally ‘God with us’ (7:14  Matt 1:22-23).
2. Jesus is the LORD (8:13  1 Peter 3:14b-15a, etc).
3. Jesus is the stone/rock (8:14  1 Peter 2:4-8, etc).