Chp.67 (Pt.2) - The Sign Of Salvation

In our last we discussion we established that the virgin birth did not come through the direct line of David, but through the laws of Hebrew adoption. In this, the Christ was made in the lowly estate of man in every degree, yet made without sin to the highest equality of the Father through the conception of the Holy Spirit in the seed of the virgin woman. Lord willing we will labor to identify the characteristics of this virgin child that make him distinct from all the other children of men conceived through sin. Isaiah points out the mark of this child's inability to sin, while Justin uses this passage to demonstrate the superiority of this child's sinless (internal) nature, yet being in the very image of man's sinful (external) nature (flesh and blood). Justin uses this to debate Trypho's premise that the Christ will be elected by men through his observance of the Hebrew law, because they themselves have only an allegiance to the external nature of the law, and are void of the internal nature the law's purification--the image of God. Otherwise they would not have crucified the fulfillment of the law (1Cor.2:8).

"You are not, however, acting fairly or truthfully in attempting to undo those things in which there has been constantly agreement between us; namely, that certain commands were instituted by Moses on account of the hardness of your people’s hearts. For you said that, by reason of His living conformably to law, He was elected and became Christ, if indeed He were proved to be so.” And Trypho said, “You admitted5 to us that He was both circumcised, and observed the other legal ceremonies ordained by Moses.” And I replied, “I have admitted it, and do admit it: yet I have admitted that He endured all these not as if He were justified by them, but completing the dispensation which His Father, the Maker of all things, and Lord and God, wished Him [to complete]. For I admit that He endured crucifixion and death, and the incarnation, and the suffering of as many afflictions as your nation put upon Him. But since again you dissent from that to which you but lately assented, Trypho, answer me: Are those righteous patriarchs who lived before Moses, who observed none of those [ordinances] which, the Scripture shows, received the commencement of [their] institution from Moses, saved, [and have they attained to] the inheritance of the blessed?”" Justin Martyr. (1885). Dialogue of Justin with Trypho, a Jew. In A. Roberts, J. Donaldson, & A. C. Coxe (Eds.), The Apostolic Fathers with Justin Martyr and Irenaeus (Vol. 1, p. 231). Buffalo, NY: Christian Literature Company. Again, therefore, this was to show that the Christ would not be elected by the favor of men, but through the divine threefold-will of God. Christ willing gave himself to the Father's just hand (Phil.2:8-9) in coming to redeem men in the likeness of sinful flesh (Rom.8:3), and to die as a man innocent from all sin (2Cor.5:21), demonstrating the life and power of the Holy Spirit's election to resurrect him above all men and declare him perfect in the righteousness of the Father's perfect will (Rom.11:35-12:2;Col.1:28;4:12;Eph.4:13;Jn.17:23;Lk.13:32;Matt.5:48). But this man was a stumbling block to the Jews because of their ludicrous ideas concerning justification through the external nature of the flesh (Gal.3:3); as if flesh and blood were the image of God (1Cor.15:50). This is proved through Trypho's understanding of the "sign" to be that this man will have a "perfect" external nature conformed to the law, by which the "eye of man" can judge him the Christ. But Justin's point is that this man will have a life conformed to the law but not according the "evil eye" of man's understanding of the law (Matt.6:22;20:15;1Sam.16:7). For Isaiah himself says this man will have no external form or appearance that will attract the sinful nature of man, but will draw men through the internal nature of his righteousness (Isa.53).

Isaiah 7:10–16 (Brenton LXX En) 10 And the Lord again spoke to Achaz, saying, 11 Ask for thyself a sign of the Lord thy God, in the depth or in the height. 12 And Achaz said, I will not ask, neither will I tempt the Lord. 13 And he said, Hear ye now, O house of David; is it a little thing for you to contend with men? and how do ye contend against the Lord? 14 Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; behold, a virgin shall conceive in the womb, and shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name Emmanuel. 15 Butter and honey shall he eat, before he knows either to prefer evil, or choose the good. 16 For before the child shall know good or evil, he refuses evil, to choose the good; and the land shall be forsaken which thou art afraid of because of the two kings. Again, Justin's point, by quoting the above portion of Isaiah 7, was to identify the (internal) characteristics of this perfect man, who was conceived not by sin but by the image and election of God, to be to the righteous of God on behalf of sinful man. Therefore this passage, which is often used as a proof text to support the age of accountability and the innocence of children, is a sign of the characteristics of the perfection and justification of the Christ, not a justification of the innocence of children conceived through the imputation of Adam's sin. This passage applies only to Christ, as the Septuagint rightly translates that the sign of this child "refusing evil" before (from a human perspective) knowing good or evil, being required to learn (in Spirit) under the limitations of the flesh (Lk.2:40,52).

Therefore, this does not comply with the sign of the children of men conceived through sin (Ps.14:3;Isa.53:6). We must understand this sign in order to identify the Christ who was to be born under the law to save his people from their sins (Lk.1:31-33;Matt.1:20-23). Gabriel and the prophet (Isaiah) both testify and witness to Joseph, of the line of David, that this child is the sign of Israel's salvation. Therefore, JESUS is the fulfillment of the law and the prophets, according to the (inward) nature of Yahweh and the (external) nature of a man. "Ask a sign of Yahweh Elohim for yourself; form it from the depth of sin and death to the highest glory." (MAST) The Lord is speaking directly to Ahaz, but he is also speaking to all who are in Ahaz. If Ahaz is the head of Israel then he represents all of Israel. So the Lord is not merely speaking to Ahaz alone but also to his descendants. Though Ahaz is not the direct king, in control of all of Israel, he is the Lord's chosen, to be his representative, and the instrument through which the Lord demonstrates his faithfulness to the house of David, and thus to all the house of Israel.

He (God) commands them to request a sign, but they are to form it out of the depth of their sin and death (Sheol), even out of the highest glory of God. This is to say that from the very least of them to the greatest, they are to seek this sign of assurance for themselves, and not by the word of man. But Ahaz said, "I will not ask, nor will I test the LORD!" God demands that this sign be put to the test. If Ahaz and his offspring fail to put this sign to the test, the day of the Lord's visitation will be missed, and the merciful opportunity to receive this divine grace will be squandered. Ahaz has one mind, and that is to protect his kingdom, but Ahaz doesn't have the faith to give it to the Lord for its protecting. The kings of Israel often ruled by their own strength and power, and feared to put the law of God to the test with their faithful obedience and submission. The asking of this sign, commanded by God, was not to test the Lord himself but to test the loyalty of Ahaz's faith in the LORD. He was to seek and ask a sign out of the depth of his sorrow and depression, for the need of grace and wisdom, to lead his kingdom out of destruction and into the glory of peace and prosperity with God and Israel's neighbors.

This asking was to be the means to prove Ahaz's faith genuine, and give assurance back to the whole nation that she is the chosen of the LORD, to demonstrate the LORD's glory in her throughout the earth. Therefore the Lord changes the direction of the prophet's attention toward the whole house of David, and directly charges them to labor in prayer for the fulfillment of this sign. He literally commands them to wear him (Isaiah) out through the persistence of their desire to see and know this sign. In other words they are to ask direct questions to enlighten their understanding not merely to appease their presumptions concerning the sign; seeking to be answered according to their folly rather than seeking to know how to bear witness to the Word of the LORD. Then he said, "Hear now, O house of David! If it is a small thing for you to burden men, how will you wear out my walk with the Elohim?" (MAST) What we need to do is to talk to each other less in the darkness and walk together with God more in the light (1Jn.1:7;Eph.5:8;Jn.8:12;12:35), and then we will have fellowship in the light of the Lord's Word. King Ahaz, no doubt, wanted to know Yahweh in the same manner as Isaiah, but Ahaz was too fearful of getting near enough to the LORD lest he become "undone" or broken as pictured by Isaiah's weaknesses (Isa.6:5). Isaiah's brokenness was an open book to this king and he knew first hand the cost of obedience for walking with the Elohim. Therefore the heart attitude of Ahaz lacked the willingness to be disciplined for his sins that he may receive the assurance of the fellowship in the Elohim (the image of God) (Acts 23:3). Isaiah was made in the heavenly conversation which empowered him to be a "sent one" and a bearer of the divine Name and message (Isa.6:8;52:6;Num.6:27;Deut.18:20;Ps.91:14;Amos 9:12;Mal.1:11;Matt.18:20;28:19;Acts 9:15).

So Isaiah is demonstrating the point that, though he is only a man, his power resides in his relationship to Yahweh Elohim. Even in Isaiah's weakness the power of the Elohim cannot be diminished (2Cor.12:9;1Cor.1:20-31). Isaiah is basically saying, "You may be able to wear me out with your questions concerning this sign, but if you will just go to the Elohim for yourself, the sign of assurance shall be given to you." Therefore the following verses show what it will look like. In other words, he is saying, "If you would just seek God, as He is in the Word and Providence (Heb.11:6), through prayer He will give you the Holy Spirit of assurance and will heal your doubts with truth (Lk.11:13)." Stop seeking it from the face of man and seek it from the truth of God, and know Him for yourself. Stop listening to lies, conceived by your own mind, and behold Him in truth. Go to Him in Word and in prayer, and a sign of sure hope will be given to you. Therefore the LORD Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel. This verse is the Lord's answer to their prayer, beginning with the word--therefore. But it should be noticed that as Israel seeks this mighty warrior king out of the line of David, the true test is for the building up of their faith. For this child will not come for generations as Matthew points out in his gospel genealogy (Matt.1:17). Yet each generation from this point on will be tested for the genuineness of its faith, as it seeks the sign of this birth, assuming the child will be born of David's direct line. For this is not the complete sign. This only identifies the miraculous virgin conception of this man, and does not answer the question as to how he comes to the election of David's throne. Each king that is raised up proves to fail this test (Rom.9:17), as each king does evil, causing the faith of men to grow weary and cold, wondering when this promise will come to its fulfillment. And it does come, but when it appears that it would be the least possible (Mk.10:27), for the greatest glory of God. As Trypho assumes that Hezekiah was the fulfillment of this sign, denying the virgin conception, he makes the virgin birth a necessary interpretation to apply Israel's salvation; for we see Hezekiah did not possess the power to do good unto Israel's complete victory, as it was declared that his children would be plundered by Babylon because of his sins and careless love against the children of Israel (Isa.39:6). A superficial look upon Hezekiah's response to the Word of Lord covers the evil of his lack of concern for the future of Israel's children as a result of his sin. The name of LORD was demonstrated to be weak and powerless in the unveiling of Israel's wealth to the Gentile dogs who did not fear the LORD. Hezekiah was a fool and did not pray that the power of the LORD would be demonstrated before children of Babylon, treasuring not his love of salvation with the merciful extension of his own life before his enemies, but gloried, rather, in the pride and treasures of this life which rust and moth destroy.

Also the request is anticipated that they will seek to know God face to face and desire to see him, as they see themselves in a mirror (1Cor.13:12;2Cor.3:18), as Isaiah himself desired. Therefore this man will be called Emmanuel (God with us). In this, God promised to walk among (and with) mankind in a dual nature of flesh and blood, as a distinct person of the very substance of YHWH. And Israel is to pray for this sign, whether she is at the height of her glory or in depth of her sin and failure, just as in Hezekiah's failure. Israel also fails, in this sign, as the high officials begin to teach God as one individual person, and that a mere man is elected to an infallible standard above the rest of the house of Israel, through man-made trials, turning the baptism of the Holy Spirit into a circus that makes men jump through hoops like a dog to be saved. Sounds a lot like how the Roman Popes assume power, as they too adopted the teaching of the Jewish Circumcision. The kings were later replaced by the high priest of the temple, as Israel was judged (by God) for the failure of her kings, conquered by the Gentile nations, one after another. Therefore this doctrine emerges and continues as a result to hold onto this power, as the priests of Israel act as king, and forfeit her sign and the time of Christ's appearing. Nevertheless, for our sake, the promise comes in the depth of her failure to make known the glory of YHWH's power in the weakness and lowest sin of the Jews (1Cor.1:18-25;Rom.11:1-36).