Isaiah 7:14 EXPLAINED - What's the Real Meaning?

Was Mary, the mother of Jesus, truly a virgin? If so, was the virgin birth a literal fulfillment of Isaiah 7:14? Or was this the furthest thing from the mind of the Prophet Isaiah? Dr. Seth Postell, Academic Dean of Israel College of the Bible will be on today’s episode to discuss the meaning of this crucial text.

Dr. Postell is the Academic Dean of Israel College of the Bible in Israel, an educational ministry of ONE FOR ISRAEL. Dr. Postell completed his PhD in Hebrew Bible under the mentorship of Dr. John Sailhamer. He also studied at Hebrew University in Jerusalem and did post-graduate studies on literary approaches to the Hebrew Bible under leading Israeli scholars at Bar Ilan University in Ramat Gan. He has authored or coauthored several books including Adam as Israel (2011), Reading Moses, Seeing Jesus (2017) and essays in The Moody Handbook of Messianic Prophecy (2020), The Handbook of the Jewish Roots of the Christian Faith (2021), Reading the Psalms Theologically (2023). Because of Dr. Postell’s interest in inner-biblical interpretation and the New Testament’s use of the Tanakh, he is the perfect guest for today’s program.

In this conversation, Dr. Paul D. Weaver and Dr. Seth Postell discuss the current situation in Israel, the impact of recent conflicts on ministry, and delve into the theological implications of Isaiah 7:14, particularly the interpretation of the Hebrew words 'Alma' and 'Betula'. They explore the significance of these terms in the context of biblical prophecy and the broader implications for understanding the virgin birth of Jesus. In this conversation, Dr. Paul D. Weaver and Seth Postell delve into the interpretation of the term 'Alma' in Isaiah 7:14, discussing its implications for understanding the virgin birth of Jesus. They explore the lexical meaning of 'Alma', the contextual significance of Isaiah's prophecy, and the fulfillment of this prophecy in the New Testament, particularly in the Gospel of Matthew. The discussion also addresses the debate surrounding the concept of double fulfillment in prophetic texts and emphasizes the importance of understanding the original Hebrew context. The conversation concludes with reflections on the significance of these interpretations in the context of celebrating the birth of Jesus as the Messiah.

00:00 - Introduction
2:28 - Update on Current Situation in Israel
7:13 - Understanding Isaiah 7:14
9:04 - The Meaning of 'Alma' vs 'Betula'
14:19 - Missions Moment of the Week
16:23 - The Meaning of 'Alma' in Isaiah
20:26 - The Contextual Significance of Isaiah 7:14
22:03 - The Prophetic Fulfillment in Matthew
31:49 - The Debate on Double Fulfillment
36:33 - Reflections on the Christmas Celebration

[tlewis]

That's fascinating! I'd be very interested to hear (or read) a similar analysis of Matthew's use of Hosea 1:11 in Matthew 2:15. This came up in last Friday's episode of Albert Mohler's podcast (Part II of The Briefing on Friday, December 20, 2024), and I'm not sure what the correct answer would be. To say the least, double fulfillment seems like a convenient tool to make prophetic passages say whatever you want them to say, but I don't know enough to know how to demonstrate Matthew 2:15 isn't an example of it.