A thing doesn’t have to be factual to be true and neither does a thing have to be factual for us to believe what we want to believe. William Blake put it this way, “What seems to be IS- to those whom it seems to be”! In other words, we believe whatever we want to believe and the “Almah controversy” is a good example.
How is one to interpret Isaiah 7:14?
The answer is, however we want to interpret it. If you’re Jewish you have one conclusion, and if you’re a Christian you probably have another- though not every Christian does. Most fundamentalists believe that Matthew 1:23 is speaking of Isaiah 7:14. Was Matthew making his words fit what he thought the historical record was? Or?
From the earliest days of Christianity, Jewish critics have argued that Christians were mistaken in their reading of almah in Isaiah 7:14. Because the author of Matthew 1:23, believed that Jesus was born of a virgin, he quoted Isaiah: “Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son” as a proof-text for the divine origin of Jesus.
But the word Hebrew word Almah means young woman!
The Hebrew word bethulah (”בתולה”), is most commonly the word that the Old Testament uses for virgin even in modern Hebrew. And the tense that’s used is “present tense” meaning that the woman was pregnant already. Finally the context is in regards to Ahaz and the prophecy was completed then- not when Jesus came.
Judaism affirms that ha-almah (”young woman”) does not refer to a virgin and that had the Tanakh intended to refer to such, the specific Hebrew word for virgin (bethulah) would have been used. This view is often disputed by Christians and has been a point of contention between Jews and Christians since the formation of the modern Church.
So, whatcha wanna believe? You have free will don’tcha know. 
1-If you WANT to believe and NEED that Jesus was of a virgin birth then you have your proof text.
2-If don’t NEED a virgin birth for Jesus to be DIVINE and the first begotten Son of God, then Isaiah 7:14 stands as literally completed an not a metaphor looking ahead to Jesus.
Our DESIRES (what we WANT-NEED to believe) may have nothing to do with facts nor truth. What you can tell for sure though is a person’s LOVE or lack thereof. Fundamentalists an others who get angry, mad, and demand that you BELIEVE as they DO, certainly aren’t projecting the “image nor mind of Christ.”
Got love?
Or, got condemnation for those that differ from your beliefs? 
Having love is so much harder. It asks me to listen to other people…people I don’t like very much…people who are different. I’m working on this love thing, but sometimes I miss the days when I had it all figured out. But that lasts for about 2 seconds, when I think of going back.
Still, I’m called to love those who think they DO have it all figured out…even if they can’t STAND me.
Isn’t this the cross Jesus spoke of?
One of them for sure.
Good post!!
Does anybody cares about that issue (Virgin vs not Virgin)?
maybe just the church/religious people ?
maybe just the ego,always hunger of being right and everygody else wrong?
Unfortunately much of the “unchurched” world that wants a spiritual relationship are put off by what they see as a totally unrealistic approach to Jesus. It not only confuses, but keeps people at bay.
I talked to teenagers and young adults everyday,almost all
day long and I keep on hearing the same voice crying out,
Hey, I AM here, can you recognize me? I AM a spiritual BEING, just like you ! But, oh my..we, the so-called “Christians” are so occupied investigating dogmas,
doctrines,beliefs,etc,etc, who came first the egg or the
chicken..
The doctrine, dogma, belief of Jesus was primarily LOVE & FAITH and that needs to be our primary focus but followed closely behind with TRUTH. Jesus was truth and yet most denominations have made Him out to be something more than “Son Of Man” to which he referred to Himself about 95% of the time.