Daily Devotions
Isaiah
"The LORD will bring the king of Assyria upon you"
Text: Isaiah 7:17
A TRANSLATIONAL CHALLENGE
We believe in the inspiration of the Scriptures. The word “Scriptures” refers to the original text written by the Biblical writers. Translations are not in the same category as the original Scriptures. We have an example of a translational challenge in this text.
“Curds and honey He shall eat,
that He may know to refuse the evil and choose the good.
For before the Child shall know to refuse the evil and choose the good,
the land that you dread will be forsaken by both her kings.
The LORD will bring the king of Assyria
upon you and your people and your father’s house—
days that have not come since the day that Ephraim departed from Judah.”
Isaiah 7:15-17
1. The NKJV translators followed the KJV version.
a) The personal pronoun “He” is capitalised.
b) The translators applied the Messianic prophecy incorrectly here.
c) The correct translation should be “he”.
i) This is not a reference to the Messiah.
ii) It is a reference to Shear-Jashub, that God instructed the prophet
to bring with him his son (Isaiah 7:3).
2. The context bears this out clearly.
a) The context is that of an Assyrian threat.
b) Assyria will threaten the very existence of Judah.
c) These would be very difficult and painful days for the nation.
d) The context cannot be Messianic for Assyria was no longer in existence
when the Lord Jesus was born. Rome ruled the ancient world then!
3. Shear Jashub as an illustration.
a) Shear Jashub was still a child when he was carried by Isaiah
in his meeting with King Ahaz.
b) It is not usual for a prophet to carry his son with him
when sent on an important mission.
c) There must be a purpose for the child to be brought there.
i) The first food of a child in the ancient days would be “curds and honey”.
ii) In time, he would be able to choose what he wants to eat.
iii) As he grows to maturity, he knows how to refuse the evil
and choose the good.
d) King Ahaz was afraid of his two enemies, Israel and Syria.
i) God’s answer to Ahaz was to point to Shear Jashub.
ii) Before he reaches full maturity where he can refuse the evil and choose the good, the two enemies would be defeated.
iii) Assyria would be the bigger threat than Syria and Israel combined.