Episode Overview

Title: S4: Week 35 Day 1: Annotating Isaiah 7:10-14
Podcast: A Year in the Bible with Daily Grace
Date: August 25, 2025

This episode marks the return of co-host Beth from maternity leave. The hosts begin their in-depth exploration of Isaiah 7:10-14, focusing on how this Old Testament passage points forward to Jesus as the promised King and "Emmanuel." As always, the tone is warm, thoughtful, and rooted in encouragement to see Christ throughout all of Scripture.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Introductions and Theme for the Week

• The hosts explain the purpose for this season: “We will dive deeply into two passages of scripture, one from the Old Testament and one from the new, seeing how they connect and point to Jesus.”
• Main theme for the week: Jesus is the long-awaited King who enables relationship with God (00:10-01:10).

2. Isaiah 7:10-14: Reading and Initial Reactions

• Beth reads Isaiah 7:10-14, emphasizing the prophetic message to King Ahaz and the promised sign of the virgin birth (01:34-01:58).

Quote

“The Lord himself will give you a sign. See, the virgin will conceive, have a son, and name him Emmanuel.”
— Beth (01:54)

3. Annotating the Passage—Pointing to Christ

• Alexa notes key words pointing to Christ, specifically:
  • “Virgin will conceive” as a direct prophecy of Jesus’s birth.
  • “Emmanuel”—a title later connected explicitly to Christ in Matthew 1 (02:03-02:37).

Quote

“The language of a virgin conceiving a son points us to Jesus who was born of Mary. And then the name Emmanuel is also something to point out... For now, I just put in parentheses Matthew 1:21-23 next to the name Emmanuel.”
— Alexa (02:13)

4. Observing God’s Attributes

• Beth asks about God’s attributes in the passage (02:37).
• Alexa highlights:
  • Patience: “We see Isaiah speak about trying God's patience...” (02:45)
  • God’s initiative and desire to communicate: God invites Ahaz to request any sign, “as deep as Sheol or as high as heaven.”
  • God’s imminence and faithfulness: God wants to be known and is intentionally revealing Himself (02:45-03:25).

Quote

“God giving Ahaz opportunity to ask a sign from him that doesn't have to be like a simple sign shows his desire to both communicate to Ahaz and give him a promise.”
— Alexa (03:08)

5. Honest Reflections and Looking Ahead

• The hosts acknowledge the difficulties in understanding the passage but express excitement to study the context more deeply.
• They encourage listeners who might also feel confused: “If you are feeling the same, then be sure to join us tomorrow because we're going to go deeper...” (03:25-03:49).

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Beth’s joy at returning:

  “I've missed everything about this job while I was gone, but I especially missed getting to talk through this study every single week…” (00:54)

• On God’s character:

  “I love that God is saying that he wants to be known. He wants to give a sign to Ahaz.”
  — Beth (03:25)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• 00:10 — Introduction to the week’s passages and focus
• 01:34 — Reading Isaiah 7:10-14
• 02:03 — Annotating phrases that point to Christ
• 02:45 — Observing God’s attributes in the passage
• 03:25 — Honest reflection on the passage’s challenges and a preview for next episode

Final Thoughts

The episode sets the stage for a careful, Christ-centered study of Isaiah 7:10-14, inviting listeners to see Jesus in the Old Testament and to appreciate both God’s patience and the depth of His promises. With a blend of insight and relatable honesty, the hosts model how to annotate and meditate on Scripture—even when some passages seem confusing—while always pointing back to the person and work of Christ.