Journal: Grace Journal
Volume: GJ 10:3 (Fall 1969)
Article: Isaiah’s Immanuel
Author: Edward E. Hindson

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GJ 10:3 (Fall 69) p. 3

Isaiah’s Immanuel

Edward E. Hindson

[Edward E. Hindson holds the M.A. degree from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, and is presently a postgraduate student at Grace Theological Seminary.]

Many attempts have been made to identify and demonstrate the significance of the figure “Immanuel” in the writings of Isaiah. His name appears in 7:14; 8:8; 8:10. It is interesting that children play an important role in these chapters which deal with the virgin’s son, the birth of Maher-shalal-hash-baz and the child who will rule on David’s throne.

Early interpreters preferred a “messianic” fulfillment, but the bulk of critical commentators in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries denied the “messianic” interpretation of the Immanuel passage. Soon, conservative writers began to take a dual-fulfillment viewpoint in an attempt to reconcile the arguments of both.1 Today, the general opinion is still quite mixed. Only Edward J. Young has written a major commentary in support of the strictly “messianic” view in the past half-century.2

The “Book of Immanuel” covers 7:1–12:6 .3 Two questions are prominent in the interpretation of this passage: 1) Who is Immanuel? 2) Did Isaiah consider him to be already present in the land? Undoubtedly the most detail on him is given in chapter seven. Therefore, it is obvious that a proper interpretation necessitates a careful study of the 7:14 section.

Background

According to the information supplied by Isaiah in 7:1–9, Syria and the Northern Kingdom (Ephraim) had formed an alliance against Judah because of her refusal to join them in standing against powerful Assyria. Their obvious intention was to replace Ahaz with their own “puppet-king” who would co-operate with their ambitions. Fearing the invasion of his neighbors, Ahaz was inclined to call on the aid of the Assyrian conqueror, Tiglath-pileser. According to 2 Kings 15:37, Syria and Ephraim had already attacked Judah in the days of Jotham. From 2 Kings 16:5, we learn that they came against Jerusalem without success, yet (according to 2 Chron 28:5) Ahaz was captured and one hundred twenty thousand of Judah were slain. In relating the two accounts, it seems that...

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