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Written by Natan Lawrence   
Thursday, 24 January 2008

Scriptures

Exodus 18:1-20:23 (26)

Haftorah Reading
Isaiah 6:1-7:6; 9:5-6 (6-7)

Etz Chayeem Hoo (He Is a Tree of Life)

Yeshua is a tree of life to those who take hold of Him, and those who support Him are praiseworthy. His ways are ways of pleasantness and all of His paths are shalom. Bring us back YHVH to You, and we shall come, renew our days as of old.

As we begin to study the Torah let us never forget that YESHUA THE MESSIAH is the Living Torah, the Torah-Word of Elohim made flesh. He is the way, the truth and the life — the Living Manna sent from heaven. Without Him living in our lives through the indwelling Presence of his Set-Apart/Kadosh Spirit (Who leads us into all truth and revelation) the Written Torah can become the dead letter of the law!

B’rit Chadashah
On leadership in the Messianic congregation: Ephesians 4:11–13; Titus 1:5; 1 Timothy 3:1–13
On Yeshua marrying his bride, redeemed Israel (the saints): Revelation 19:6–9; 2 Corinthians 11:2
On being kings and priest of Yeshua: 1 Peter 2:9–10
Mount Sinai compared to spiritual Mount Tzion: Hebrews 12:18–29
Yeshua on the commandments of the Torah: Matthew 5:17–19; 19:16-30; John 14:15
Paul on the importance and validity of the Torah: Romans 7:7–12; 13:8–10
James on the Torah: James 2:8–13
John on the Torah: 1 John 2:3–6; 3:4–10

Outline of This Week’s Parashah (Torah Portion):

  • 18:1 Jethro (Yitro), Moses’ Father-In-Law, Arrives
  • 18:13 Jethro Advises Moses on Establishing Leaders/Judges Among the Israelites
  • 18:21 Requirements for Righteous Leadership
  • 19:1 The Israelites Arrive at Mount Sinai Prior to Shavuot/Pentecost
  • 19:3 YHVH’s Loving (Marriage) Proposal to Israel; The Leaders and People of Israel Accept the Proposal
  • 19:10 Israel Prepares Herself to Receive the Torah/Enter into Covenantal/Marital Agreement With YHVH
  • 19:16 YHVH’s (the Bridegroom’s) Arrival: A Day of Thunder, Lightening, Clouds, Smoke, Shofar Blasts
  • 20:1 The Giving of the Cornerstone of the Torah: The Ten Words (Devarim)/Commandments

Study Questions For This Week’s Midrash (Torah Discussion):

  1. 18:2–3 After he had sent her back. There is an indication here that Moses divorced his wife after their altercation over the circumcision of their sons in 4:24–26. The phrase sent away/back in verse two is shilluach (shin-lamed-lamed-vav-chet, shil-loo’-akh), which according to Strong’s Concordance and Gesenius’ Hebrew Lexicon can refer to divorce. Shilluach is from shalakh (shin-lamed-chet), a basic verb meaning “to send” where in Isaiah 50:1 and Jeremiah 3:1 the prophets use it referring to YHVH’s divorce from the House of Israel/Ephraim. Though rabbinical commentators Rashi and Hirsch fail to note the possibility of Moses’ divorce (Jewish Torah commentators tend to gloss over the faults of their great biblical heroes), Baal HaTurim notes this possibility in his commentary. Yet in Exodus 18:2, YHVH still views Zipporah as Moses’ wife. What’s going on here? Zipporah seems to have evidenced reluctance at obeying YHVH’s command to circumcise their sons (Exod 4:25), so did Moses put her away (divorce her), as a result? Was Moses, the human “savior” of Israel from Egypt and an antetype (­prophetic forerunner) of Yeshua the Messianic Savior (Deut 18:15–19), having to deal with a rebellious wife even as Yeshua (in his preincarnate state as YHVH of the Tanakh) had to deal with his rebellious wife Israel and eventually had to put her away? Zipporah is never again mentioned in the Torah and in fact we see the possibly divorced Moses marrying another woman (Num 12:1)—apparently a black woman from Ethiopia. Is this a prophetic picture of Yeshua remarrying his former wife (Israel) during the time of the Renewed (Marriage) Covenant (Ketubah) who has adulterously mixed herself with the nations and returns to him in a mixed racial (spiritually-speaking) condition? If Moses led Israel as a divorced and remarried man, does this change your perspective about him? How about divorced and remarried people in present-day ministry? (By the way, this author is not divorced and/or remarried and so has no pony in this race, so to speak, on this issue.)
  2. 8:13 Here we see Moses choosing elders/judges over the congregation of Israel. These were “able men of accomplishment” in Israel. Compare this with Paul’s instructions about the qualifications of an elder in 1 Timothy 3:1–13 and Titus 1:5–9. If Moses was divorced at the time of his choosing the elders of Israel does this clarify Paul’s statement that an elder must be “the husband of a (mistranslated as one) wife”(1 Tim 3:2)? It would appear that Scripture does not prohibit divorced and remarried people from holding leadership positions in the household of faith as some churches teach. Think about this. (Again, the author has no ulterior motives here, for I am happily married to my first and only wife.)
  3. 19:1 In the third month. What moed or divine appointment occurred in the third month (hint: 50 days after the Feast of Unleavened Bread, see Acts 2:1 for the answer)? We saw in Parashah Va’eira (in Exod 6:7) that YHVH is expressing his intent to marry Israel (see Ezek 16). This occurred at Mount Sinai, again on what festival?
  4. How did Israel, as a bride-to-be, prepare herself to meet with YHVH? (Exod 19:10) How are YHVH’s people now to be preparing themselves for their spiritual marriage with Yeshua? (Compare Exodus 19:10 with Revelation 19:7–9.) What is the righteousness of the saints (mentioned in Rev 19:8)? Righteousness is defined in Psalms 119:172 as, “… all thy [Torah] commandments are righteousness.” If what Scripture defines as righteousness (i.e., the Torah) was “nailed to the cross,” as is popularly taught, then who is in error? Scripture or those who teach against YHVH’s Torah laws?
  5. Compare YHVH’s visitation with his people at Mount Sinai (Exod 19:16–19) and Yeshua’s second coming/ “the day of the lord/YHVH” (see Matt 24:29–30; Acts 2:19–20; 2 Pet 3:10; Joel 2:30–31). Marriages occur at both events.
  6. 19:6 Kingdom of priests. From the beginning it has been the heart of the Father to form a nation of priests who would teach the world his ways of life and truth (Deut 4:6). (Compare Exod 19:6 with 1 Peter 2:9 and Rev 1:6; 5:10; 20:6.) Discuss the spiritual implications. Could a priest fulfill his duties if he did not know and practice the Torah? How could the Levites, who would later be scattered throughout the land of Israel, be able to teach the ways of YHVH to the nation of Israel, and fulfill their duties if they did not have an intimate working understanding of YHVH’s instructions in righteousness (i.e., the Torah)? Are you now preparing for fulfilling your commission as a member of YHVH’s royal priesthood (1 Pet 2:9) during Yeshua’s Millennial reign by learning about and living out YHVH’s Torah (Rev 1:6; 5:10; 20:6)?
  7. 19:11 The term the third day is mentioned twice here. This is a significant prophetic Scriptural phrase that occurs in relationship to the work of Messiah among his people. What is the spiritual significance of this? For two days (verse 10) the people were to wash and prepare themselves for the third day when YHVH would appear to marry them in covenantal relationship. If a day is as a thousand years (Ps 90:4; 2 Pet 3:8) then what is this a prophetic picture of? (Read Hos 6:1–3 and Luke 13:32; compare also with Gen 22:4 and John 2:1.)
  8. 19:16–19 Compare the supernatural manifestations that occurred on Shavuot (Pentecost) at Mount Sinai with what occurred in the upper room in Acts 2. What are the similarities? Here is some food for thought in this regard:
    • The Commandments of Elohim were originally written on tablets of stone at Shavuot (Exod 24:12); then at Pentecost on our hearts (Jer 31:33; Pss 37:31; 40:8; Isa 51:7; Ezek 11:19–20; 36:22–27; 2 Cor 3:3; Heb 8:10).
    • Originally the commandments were written by the finger of Elohim on two tablets of stone (Exod 31:18); then at Pentecost YHVH’s commandments written by the Ruach (Spirit) of Elohim (2 Cor 3:3; Heb 8:10) on the heart of man.
    • Three thousand were slain at the golden calf incident (Exod 32:1–8,26–28); on Pentecost the reverse happened: three thousand were saved (Acts 2:38–41).
    • The letter of the Torah was given at Sinai; in the Brit Chadashah (Renewed Covenant or Apostolic Scriptures) the Spirit of the Torah was given (Matt 5–7; Rom 2:29; 7:6; 2 Cor 3:6).
    • The Torah-law was originally given on Mount Sinai (Exod 19:11); at Pentecost the Torah was written into the hearts of men in the “Upper Room” of the Temple in Jerusalem, or Mount Zion (Rom 11:26; Heb 12:22; 1 Pet 2:6).
    • Thunderings, fire and tongues of various languages occurred at both Shavuot at Sinai (according to rabbinic tradition) and Pentecost at Jerusalem.
  9. 20:2 I am YHVH your Elohim. In Jewish reckoning, the first “commandment” (better translated: “word”) is found in 20:2 with verses 3 through 6 forming the second word and verse 7 the third and so on. YHVH wrote the first five words on the right side of the two tablets of stone and the last five words on the left side. The Jewish sages teach that the first word (commandment) corresponds with the fifth, the second with the sixth and so on—the first set of words governing our relationship with YHVH and the second parallel set of words governing our civil relationships. The two are related and linked. One can’t be fulfilled without the other. (Discuss this.) Relate this to what the Apostle John wrote in 1 John 2:3–7,9–11; 4:7–11, 19–21; 5:1–3. Also look at Mark 12:30 and John 14:15 in this regard. Love for Elohim must always be our primary motivation for keeping his commandments!
  10. 19:8 Discuss the Sabbath commandment. Why did YHVH say to, “Remember the Sabbath …”? Why did he only say “remember” with this commandment and not the others? Why do people have such a hard time keeping the Sabbath? Why will some Christians extol unendingly the virtues of keeping the “Ten Commandments,” but when it comes to keeping the fourth one they make every excuse possible to get out of it? What are the deeper spiritual implications of this? Why do so many Messianics, who upon having been exposed to the truth of the Sabbath and so are without excuse, still struggle with keeping the Sabbath kadosh (set-apart) unto YHVH?
  11. Discuss the spiritual/prophetic implications of the Sabbath. (See Heb 4:1–11.)
  12. Remember that the Ten Words are but the mighty cornerstone of the 613 commandments of the Torah. The Jewish rabbis teach that all 613 are implied in the Ten; or that the Ten can be expanded into 613. The Hebrew Scriptures and Jewish writings contain a number of phrases that express the quintessential essence of the Torah. One of these best-known passages naming several of these phrases is in the Jewish Talmud: “Rabbi Simlai said, ‘613 commandments were given to Moses—365 negative mitzvot (commandments), the same as the number of days in the year, and 248 positive mitzvot, the same as the number of parts in a man’s body. David came and reduced them to eleven (Ps 15), Isaiah to six (Isa 33:15), Micah to three (Mic 6:8), Isaiah again to two—“Observe and do righteousness” (Isa 56:1). Then Amos came and reduced them to one, “Seek me and live” (Amos 5:4)—as did Habakkuk, “The righteous one will live by his trusting [or by faith] (Hab 2:4)”’ (Makkot 23b–24a, abridged, from the Jewish New Testament Commentary, by David Stern, p. 565).

    We see some of these same Torah summation-type statements in the Apostolic Scriptures. For example, the phrase, “the just shall live by faith” is found in three passages of the Apostolic Scriptures (Rom 1:17; Gal 3:11; Heb 10:38); In Leviticus 19:18, we find the phrase, “you shall love your neighbor as yourself,” which is the summation of the last five of the famous Ten Commandments. This in itself is a summation of all of the 613 Torah commandments that relate to human relationships, which we see in Yeshua’s famous “Golden Rule” passage of Matthew 7:12, “Therefore all things whatsoever you would that men should do to you, do you even so to them, for this is the law and the prophets.” Paul echoes this concept in Romans 13:8, “Love does not do harm to a neighbor; therefore love is the fullness of the Torah.” Love is the foundation and quintessential concept behind the Torah-law of Elohim. Yeshua states this in Mark 12:29–31,
    And Yeshua answered him, "The first of all the [Torah] commandments is, Hear, O Israel; YHVH our Elohim is one Master: And you shall love YHVH your Elohim with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength. This is the first commandment. And the second is like, namely this, you shall love your neighbor as yourself. There is none other commandment greater than these"

    Love must be the motive behind all our righteous deeds or else our actions count for nothing (1 Cor. 13:1–13). The concept of love and the keeping of YHVH’s Torah-law are codependent actions. One cannot exist without the other. John, in his epistle, discusses this idea at length in 1 John 2:7–11; 3:11-24; 4:7–21 where he states that “Elohim is love” (4:8,16) and that one’s love of Elohim and man is linked to obedience to the Torah commandments (2:3–11; 3:11–18). As YHVH first loved us, we should love our fellow man (4:7–11), in word, deed and in (Torah) truth (3:18). This relates to Yeshua’s admonition to his disciples in John 14:15, “If you love me, keep my Torah-commandments.”

    Lest one recoil at the thought of having to keep 613 commandments of the Torah please be advised of the fact that there are approximately 1050 commandments in the Apostolic Scriptures (New Testament)!

The Giving of the Torah at Mount Sinai

As already noted, the giving of the Torah at Mount Sinai occurred on Shavuot/Pentecost. YHVH gave his people the words of life to live by, but because of the hardness of their hearts they were not able to be faithful to him. Like a wife who says “I do” (and the Israelites actually did say “I do” three times: see 19:8 and 24:3, 7) in response to her wedding vows, but cannot remain faithful to her marriage covenant agreements, so Scripture likens Israel to such a woman (Ezek 16:1–29). On Pentecost in the book of Acts, however, Yeshua betrothed the descendants of ancient Israel and this time gave to ancient Israel’s spiritual daughter (that’s you and me) a heart of flesh to replace the heart of stone of her mother. YHVH filled his new bride with the Spirit of Elohim, thus empowering or enabling her to keep his Torah-commandments. In other words, Yeshua, the Living Torah or Word of YHVH, came to take up residence within the very hearts and minds of believers through the indwelling and empowering presence of the Ruach HaKodesh (the Set-Apart Spirit) thereby living out Torah from within each born-again believer even as he lived out the Torah-Word of YHVH when he walked this earth. Isn’t this a beautiful picture of YHVH’s love and care for his bride, his people? This is all part of the wonderful plan of salvation/redemption that YHVH laid out thousands of years ago to bring people into a life-giving relationship with himself through his instructions in righteousness, the Torah, and all through Yeshua the Messiah, the Living Torah, who now leads and guides his people through the wilderness of life not via a pillar of fire over a physical tabernacle, but through the fire of the Spirit of Elohim or Ruach HaKodesh living in the spiritual temple of each individual believer’s life as Elohim spiritually guides them from within.

On Pentecost the first century believers were empowered from on high through immersion in Ruach HaKodesh (or baptism of the Holy Spirit, Acts 1:5,8). As a result, we see Peter being transformed from a spiritual mouse (compare John 20:22–23 with John 21:3) into a spiritual lion or dynamo (Acts 2:14–41). The immersion or saturation in the Ruach (a different and subsequent occurrence than being simply “saved,” “converted,” redeemed” or “born again”—all are expressions used to convey the idea of the initial spiritual salvation of the believer) is for the purpose of being empowered with supernatural gifts or divine enablements (the gifts of the Spirit, see 1 Cor 12) in order to be equipped to go out into the harvest field of human souls spiritually empowered ready to bring in the spiritual harvest of souls. On the Day of Pentecost, YHVH wrote the Torah into the hearts of the Messianic believers by the Spirit and then supernaturally empowered them to take both the message of Torah (YHVH’s instructions in righteousness)—the light of his truth—coupled with the good news of the Redeemer, Messiah Yeshua, the Living Torah-Word of Elohim to a lost and dying world. This is the fundamental message and purpose of Shavuot in the Book of Acts and it was all foreshadowed at the foot of Mount Sinai 1500 years before the book of Acts.

Did the Torah (“Law”) Exist Before Moses & Mount Sinai?

The Spiritual & Eternal Nature of Torah

Did the Torah (the laws, statutes, judgments, ordinances, precepts, commandments or, in brief, YHVH’s instructions in the ways of righteousness) originate at Mount Sinai with the giving of the “law” to Moses as many Christians have been led to believe? If so, the implication follows that YHVH instituted “the law” as part of the “Old Covenants” agreement with ancient Israel, and that since Christians are no longer “under” the “Old Covenant” but are in the “New Covenant” dispensation, the Torah-law is no longer applicable to us today. Is this a correct line of reasoning?

It is the intent of this brief study to show the reader that the Torah (a Hebrew word that is translated as “law” into most English Bibles, but more correctly means “teachings, instruction, precepts” [Strong’s H8451/TWOT 910d]) pre-existed Moses and even pre-existed the creation of this earth and that it is spiritual in nature and therefore exists outside of all the physical creation as well as time itself. In fact, we believe that the Word of YHVH Elohim, over-arches everything and is the very character and nature of YHVH himself and is the pathway of truth, righteousness and light which, if followed (obeyed) will lead humans to an eternal (never-ending) and spiritual relationship with YHVH Elohim (their Heavenly Father).

Article continued at http://www.hoshanarabbah.org/pdfs/torah_b4_moshe.pdf.

Haftorah Reading—Isaiah 6:1-7:6; 9:5-6 (6-7)

It Is Darkest Before Dawn—Before the Day Star Arise—Messiah, the Sun of Righteousness!

Both the Parashah and Haftorah portions record humans experiencing a revelation of the glory of YHVH. In the former instance, this event marked the beginning of Israel becoming a set-apart (kadosh) nation before YHVH, while in the latter case it marked the beginning of the end for the nation of Judah. Yet despite the imminent demise of the Southern Kingdom, Isaiah’s vision, which seems to have launched his prophetic ministry, stressed the fact that regardless of the sinfulness of Judah, YHVH sovereignly ruled from his throne in glory.

Some commentators believe that Isaiah saw his vision while in the Temple in Jerusalem, but such a view does not explain why or how he was allowed in there (Soncino Pentateuch). Others say that he was only shown a vision (similar to the vision of Ezekiel) of the Merkavah or the heavenly court where the angels pay homage to Elohim (ArtScroll Chumash).

  1. 6:1 In the year that king Uzziah died. Uzziah was the king of Judah who imperiously marched into ­YHVH’s Temple (hekal) and profaned it when he illegally offered incense therein—something only the priests were allowed to do. YHVH immediately struck him with leprosy. He remained a leper until the day of his death (2 Chr 26:16–23). It was after this sordid desecration of the Temple that Isaiah had his vision, which marked the beginning of his forty-odd-year-long ministry.
  2. 6:4 The house was filled with smoke. The Hebrew word for smoke is ashan/ayin-shin-nun sofit (Strong’s H6227) and derives from a root word (Strong’s H6225, same Hebrew spelling) meaning “to fume, to be angry, furious or wroth.” The ArtScroll Chumash states that this was a sign to Isaiah from YHVH that the Kingdom of Judah was going downhill toward destruction and exile (p. 1155). Although Jotham, Uzziah’s son, was a righteous king who reigned for 16 years, Ahaz, his son, was another corrupt and idolatrous king for which words of rebuke were not long in coming from the lips of Isaiah. From Isaiah 6:1 to 7:1, 16 years pass, and no mention is made of Jotham.

    YHVH expresses his anger in the Temple vision, then begins to speak about a spiritually hard-hearted people who refuse to see, listen or comprehend the error of their ways. As a result, their enemies would soon afterwards ravage their land and take them into captivity (Isa 6:8–13), but there is no mention of Jotham and the short interlude of this righteous king. Why was this not worthy of mention? Despite being a righteous king (2 Chr 27:2), did much really change spiritually in the land of Judah? Can a leader of a nation, although professing to be a Bible-believing and “God-fearing” man, be in reality vapid and vacuous, lacking in real fruits of righteousness? Is America and other so-called Christian nations in this place right now? Is YHVH fuming over the state of our so-called “Christian” nation that has all but turned its back on YHVH—from the church houses, to the state house, to the courthouse all the way to the house of Congress and the White House? Furthermore, what foreign elements are beginning to a take over our land, culture and religion today in this nation so that Bible-believing and YHVH-fearing individuals are becoming strangers in their own land?
  3. Despite the wickedness of Ahaz, YHVH still gave him ample opportunity to repent and to acknowledge the Creator’s involvements in the affairs of men. Is YHVH presently giving our “Christian” nation, and perhaps even the nation of Israel, that same opportunity before he “lowers the boom” of his judgment on us—or is this just the idle speculation a fringe element of folks who are obsessed with end-time prophetic and apocalyptic scenarios and who take Bible prophecy too seriously?
  4. Though judgment was (is) coming upon Judah (America and Israel?), YHVH through the prophet Isaiah gives a message of hope, restoration and redemption through his Messianic prophecies that follow. Read the rest of Isaiah chapter seven, along with portions of chapters eight and nine and identify the prophetic Messianic passages found therein and relate them to Yeshua.

Though the latter part of Isaiah chapter seven is not part of this week’s Haftorah portion, the temptation is too great, so we will discuss it here anyway since it is one of the great Messianic prophecies in the Bible, and is referenced in Matthew’s Gospel (Matt 1:23) as having been fulfilled in the Person of Yeshua the Messiah. Please note that this is part of a larger work available on our web site entitled “The Incarnation and Virgin Birth of the Messiah—Prophesied in the Hebrew Scriptures.”(http://www.hoshanarabbah.org/pdfs/vbirth.pdf)

Isaiah 7:11: Ask thee a sign of YHVH thy Elohim; ask it either in the depth, or in the height above.

The word sign is the Hebrew word owth/aleph-vav-tav (Strong’s H226) meaning “sign, token, signal, a beacon, a monument, evidence, prodigy or omen.” Some who are opposed to the virgin birth interpretation of Isaiah 7:14 will say that owth is never used in Scripture in reference to a miraculous sign. To this contention we produce the following Scriptures which show evidence to the contrary. Owth is indeed used in reference to a miraculous sign: Exodus 4:8, 9, 17, 28, 30; 7:3; 8:23; 10:1, 2; Numbers 14:22; Deuteronomy 4:34; 6:22; 7:19; 11:3; 2 Kings 20:8-11; Nehemiah 9:10; Isaiah 20:3; Jeremiah 32:20, 21. These Scriptures describe the following supernatural occurrences using the word owth: rods becoming serpents, the Nile turning to blood, the death of Egypt’s first born, the splitting of the Red Sea or time moving backward ten degrees on Hezekiah’s sundial. So when Isaiah 7:11 uses owth to describe a virgin miraculously giving birth to a child such an interpretation is not a biblical hermeneutical twist on Scripture.

The word depth is the Hebrew masculine noun aymek/ayin-mem-qof (Strong’s H6009 from H6010) meaning “valley or depression.” This same Hebrew word in its adjective form (same spelling, different vowel points) refers to the “depths of sheol” or hell (Prov 9:18; Job 11:8). In Psalm 139:15, David in reference to his formation in his mother’s womb (verse 13) says, “I … was curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth (aretz/eretz). Aretz/aleph-resh-tzadik sofit (Strong’s H776) is the commonly used word for earth or land in Scripture. A valley or depression is the lowest part of the earth. Here David figuratively likens his mother’s womb to a low place or depression in the earth. Though the Hebrew words for depth in Isaiah 7:11 and lowest parts in Psalms 139:15 are different, the Hebraic concepts seem connected and analogous.

The word height is the Hebrew word gabahh/gimel-bet-hey-hey (Strong’s H1361) and means “to soar, to be lofty, to exalt.”This root word in its adjective form is also gabahh (Strong’s H1362)with the only difference between the two words being a slight vowel pronunciation difference in the second syllable. This word means lofty or high. We see this adjective used in Job 35:5 as a poetic reference to heaven (shamayim) as well as in Isaiah 55:9, and in Psalm 103:11, which says “For as the heaven/shamayim is high above the earth …” or “according to the heights of heaven” (alternate Hebrew rendering, KJV marginal notes).

The word above, which is opposite the word height in the passage under analysis, is the word ma’al/mem-ayin-lamed (Strong’s H4605) meaning “upward, above, overhead, from the top, exceedingly.” Thus, the phrase in this verse could be rendered as “highest heaven” (where YHVH abides). The word ma’al can be used as an adjective to refer to heaven above where YHVH dwells (Deut 4:39; Josh 2:11).

What is the point we are trying to make here? YHVH prophesies, through Isaiah, that he will give a supernatural, miraculous sign to the House of Judah from both the depths (womb of a woman) and the highest heavens. In verse 14, Isaiah speaks of “the[the Hebrew uses the definite article the] virgin or the young maiden”(depending on your Bible translation) giving birth to a son named Immanuel or El With Us. Now great controversy has raged as to the meaning of the word virgin (Hebr., almah). Does it refer simply to a young maiden or to an actual virgin? Much has been written by scholars on both sides of this hotly debated issue and it is not the scope of this work to deal with this particular subject. Both sides (the pro-virgin birth side versus the anti-virgin birth of Messiah side) have valid points to their credit. This author maintains that if Isaiah 7:14 were to stand alone it would be difficult, if not impossible, to prove the virgin birth either way. However, with the context of verse 11 considered (not to mention the other references in the Hebrew Scriptures referring to the virgin birth of the Messiah which we are considering in this work) it seems that Isaiah had one thing in mind in penning verse 14: the Messiah would be born of a virgin. He would be formed in the womb of a woman (without the seed of a man—see notes on Gen 3:15) and at the same time have origination from the highest heaven. This seems to be a clear reference to the ­incarnation that YHVH would miraculously fuse (by Ruach HaKodesh/the Set-Apart Spirit [Matt 1:20]) with the physical egg of a woman to form the Yah-Man (God-Man)—a miraculous act referred to in Christian theology as the incarnation or the hypostatic union.

Isaiah 9:6–7 (The Closed Mem):

6 For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government/dominion shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor/Advisor, The mighty El, The Everlasting/Eternal Father, The Prince of Peace/Sar Shalom. 7 Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of YHVH of Hosts/Legions will perform this. (Emphasis added.)

In this very clear reference to the forthcoming Messiah of Israel, the prophet Isaiah utilizes a literary device found nowhere else in the Tanakh (Hebrew Scriptures) to convey a hidden, prophetic message concerning the nature of the Messiah...

Read “Unveiling the Mystery of the Closed Mem of Isaiah 9:7” at http://www.hoshanarabbah.org/pdfs/closed_mem.pdf.
 
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