Isaiah gave this prophecy almost 700 years before the birth of Jesus.
Isaiah, the son of Amoz, was a member of the royal family. He made his first public appearance as an inspired prophet when Uzziah was infected with leprosy, and he ministered to the people for about ninety years, during the reigns of kings Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah.
Isaiah had seen the growth of a new empire, Assyria, and the fall of the Northern Kingdom of Israel. Judea alone remained, and it was the last bulwark of the true faith in One God. Isaiah brought to the king and people the message of the holiness of God, at a time when idolatry seemed to be taking hold in the land of Judah. He preached justice and charity when the morals of the people had reached a new low.
Isaiah’s mission was not only to admonish the people to keep them on the right path. He also instilled fervent faith in God in the hearts of his flock, and he brought them courage and fortitude at a time when they were suffering mortal fear from the threat of the new Assyrian Empire. Isaiah gave people hope that a virgin would bear a Son and His name would mean “God with us”.
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