BYU Studies Quarterly
Article Title
"He Is God; and He Is with Them"
Keywords
Isaiah, Ahaz, house of David, Mary, Immanuel, prophecy context, Syro-Ephraimite crisis, Assyrian invasion, Jesus Christ prophecy
Abstract
The prophet Isaiah foretold to Ahaz and the house of David: “Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel” (Isa. 7:14). Latter-day Saints often interpret and teach the “Immanuel” prophecy of Isaiah 7:14 as a simple, straightforward messianic prophecy with a single fulfillment in the birth of Jesus Christ. Most pay little attention to the historical circumstances in which Isaiah gave the prophecy—namely, the Syro-Ephraimite crisis prior to the Assyrian invasion in the eighth century BCE. The idea of a more immediate, contemporary fulfillment is sometimes (wrongly) regarded as undermining the veracity of Matthew’s statement of its fulfillment in Jesus (Matt. 1:22–23).
Recommended Citation
Bowen, Matthew L.
(2023)
""He Is God; and He Is with Them","
BYU Studies Quarterly: Vol. 62:
Iss.
1, Article 7.
Available at:
https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/byusq/vol62/iss1/7