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Dialogue with Trypho
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Chapter 77: He Comes Back to Explain Isaiah's Prophecy.
TRYPHO SAID: "I admit that your arguments are strong enough to persuade someone, but I want you to provide the proof that you promised. Go ahead and show us how you prove that this passage refers to your Christ. We claim that the prophecy is about Hezekiah." I replied, "I will do as you ask.
But first, show me how it is said of Hezekiah that before he knew how to say 'father' or 'mother,' he received the power of Damascus and the treasures of Samaria in the presence of the king of Assyria.
It will not be conceded to you, as you want to explain it, that Hezekiah waged war with the people of Damascus and Samaria in front of the king of Assyria. The prophetic words say, 'Before the child knows how to say 'father' or 'mother,' he shall take the power of Damascus and the treasures of Samaria in front of the king of Assyria.' If the Spirit of prophecy had not added, 'Before the child knows how to say 'father' or 'mother,' he shall take the power of Damascus and the treasures of Samaria,' but had only said, 'And shall bear a son, and he shall take the power of Damascus and the treasures of Samaria,' then you might say that God foretold he would take these things, since He knew it in advance.
But the prophecy includes this addition: 'Before the child knows how to say 'father' or 'mother,' he shall take the power of Damascus and the treasures of Samaria.' And you cannot prove that this ever happened to anyone among the Jews.
Yet we can prove that it happened in the case of our Christ. At His birth, Magi from Arabia worshipped Him, coming first to Herod, who was ruling your land and whom the Scripture refers to as the king of Assyria because of his ungodly and sinful nature.
You know," I continued, "that the Holy Spirit often announces events through parables and metaphors, just as He did with the people in Jerusalem, often saying to them, 'Your father is an Amorite, and your mother a Hittite.'"