The Immanuel Child
The Immanuel child prophecy of the book of Isaiah is closely related to the Syro-Ephraimite War. Isaiah 7-12 is portrayed as happening concurrently to the Syro-Ephraimite war. The Hebrew prophet Isaiah tells the Judean King Ahaz that the invasion will be unsuccessful and tells him to ask God for a sign. Ahaz refuses, claiming he does not want to test God (Deut 6.16). Isaiah then announces that God himself will choose the sign: "A young woman shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel (meaning 'God is with us'). He shall eat curds and honey when he knows how to refuse the evil and choose the good. For before the child knows how to refuse the evil and choose the good, the land before whose two kings you are in dread will be deserted." (Isaiah 7:14-16 Revised Standard Version). The significance is that Assyria will not overtake Judah because God is with them. Ahaz's refusal to select the sign will lead Assyria directly to the gates of Judah.
The next chapter details another prophecy about a child by the name of Maher-shalal-hash-baz (meaning 'Quick to plunder, speedy to spoil'). Isaiah then explains that the significance of this name is that before this child can speak, Assyria will plunder both Syria and Ephraim.
Isaiah concludes these prophecies concerning his children (Shear-Jashub (meaning 'a remnant returns', Isaiah 7.3), Immanuel (meaning 'God is with us'), and Maher-shalal-hash-baz (meaning 'quick to plunder, speedy to spoil') by saying, 'Here am I, and the children the LORD has given me. We are signs and symbols in Israel from the LORD Almighty, who dwells on Mount Zion.' (Isaiah 8.18 NIV) Interestingly enough, the context continues into chapter 9 which also uses a birth of a child as its object.
Read more about this topic: Syro-Ephraimite War
Famous quotes containing the words immanuel and/or child:
“Dylan used to sound like a lung cancer victim singing Woody Guthrie. Now he sounds like a Rolling Stone singing Immanuel Kant.”
—Also quoted in Robert Shelton, No Direction Home, ch. 2, “Prophet Without Honor” (1986)
“We must remember when we speak of the “negativism” of the toddler that this is also the child who is intoxicated with the discoveries of the second year, a joyful child who is firmly bound to his parents and his new-found world through ties of love. The so-called negativism is one of the aspects of this development, but under ordinary circumstances it does not become anarchy. It’s a kind of declaration of independence, but there is no intention to unseat the government.”
—Selma H. Fraiberg (20th century)