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Christians tend to quote Isaiah because they believe he was predicting the coming of Jesus as Messiah. Three favorite passages are Isaiah 7:14, 9:6-7, and 52:13-53:12. Read these passages in context, and write a one page paper stating whether you believe Christians are drawing proper conclusions and why.

I believe that Christians are drawing the correct conclusions about the stated scripture passages. Part of a prophet's job is foretelling future events whether they are for the good of the world or seem catastrophic. Isaiah 7:14 can be cross-referenced to Matthew 1:23 in which Matthew states, "Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us." There is an additional reference confirming Isaiah's prophecy in the Book of Mormon, in the book of Alma. In Alma 7:10 it states, "And behold, he shall be born of Mary, at Jerusalem which is the land of our forefathers, she being a virgin, a precious and chosen vessel, who shall be overshadowed and conceive by the power of the Holy Ghost, and bring forth a son, yea, even a son of God." This can be compared to Luke 1:35, "And the angel answered her, and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God."

"For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace." (Isaiah 9:6) This can be compared to Luke 1:32-33, " He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David. And he shall reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there shall be no end."

"He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief….he was despised and we esteemed him not." Isaiah 53:3 is prophetic of how Jesus was received when first beginning his ministry on the Earth. Jesus was rejected when he began preaching at the synagogue in his hometown. The local people did not think he was anything special for they only knew him as Jesus of Nazareth, a carpenter, the son of Joseph. "But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him, and with his stripes we are healed." Verse Five foretells of the crucifixion that will happen and that only through the atoning sacrifice of Christ can we be saved and given eternal life.

"He was oppressed, and afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep, before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth. He was taken from prison and from judgment and who shall declare his generation? for he was cut off from the land of the living: for the transgression of my people was he stricken."." Verses seven and eight go on to continue the description of what Christ was to endure before being crucified, in that he did not receive a fair trial and given to the mercy of the people by Pilate.