Fire in the Hole

“Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.”  Isaiah 7:14

 

I have listened to the reasons that some modern scholars have chafed at the word “virgin” and have replaced it with “young girl” in their newer, more scholastically-approved Bible versions.  They suggest that another Hebrew word should have been used if it was really supposed to mean “virgin”. In their typical theological puffery, they claim a better wisdom than the old King James Version archaists.  We can believe them and rest in their modern laxity because we have been assured of their educational superiority.

However, with just a little digging, we find that the actual Hebrew word that was used really does mean “virgin”, and the alternate word they suggest can only mean “virgin” when it is bolstered by a direct accompanying observation. 

Even the Greeks, noted for their exactness, translated it as “virgin” hundreds of years before Christ ever came.  So why, all of a sudden, is there a controversy?

Before the fulfillment of this incredible prophesy, this had to seem like it was an utterly impossible thing to happen.  There is no way that a virgin can get pregnant, but the old Hebrew and Greek scholars left it as it was written without trying to figure it out.

Ahh, and there lies the rub!  Prophesy is not meant to be figured out; it is meant to be revealed. 

Could it be that God created this literary conundrum on purpose to thwart the minds of men?  Knowing Man’s propensity to rely upon our humanistic endeavors, God had to know that this would create a challenge to faith.  Would we trust in our intelligence, or would we cast that away and choose to believe God in spite of what was seemingly impossible?

The fruit from the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil is a fruit that is desired to make one wise, and it has always had a flavor that has attracted the nature of Man.  We would rather appear intelligent and figure things out, than seem foolish and believe something that defies common sense.

Put in another way, we would rather trust ourselves than trust God.

Today, there is a endless flurry of books written about the puzzling prophesies of the events signaling the end of the world.  It has been a treasure trove of fodder for publishing houses, and notoriety and wealth for the regiments of authors as they bump each other to gain the solitary claim of truth.  Let us not forget the readers who, for a mere $19.95 can purchase a piece of fruit that will give them the inside scoop of wisdom.

But you know what?  I’m just going to wait and see how God fulfills His word without concocting my own version.  I have learned that whenever I try to figure out how God is going to do something, He always does it some other way that I didn’t think of. 

Be careful when exercising your theological analytical wisdom, or when listening to those who claim a higher level of understanding.  It is all too easy to run down that path in our zeal to learn about God, and end up chasing an illusion of wisdom that is plucked off a tree that is beautiful to look upon and which seems good to the taste, but which can be the subtle test between faith and presumption.

“And unto man he said, Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom; and to depart from evil is understanding.” Job 28:28

(Quoted from a man who was perfect and upright, and one that feared God, and eschewed evil, and whom God considered one of the top 3 men who ever lived.)