Another short portion to end off this week: Isaiah 7:21-25

v21: Note: Victory brings prosperity. 

• A man will keep alive: A man will experience life. 
• A young cow: The calf of the cattle. Veal (calf meat) is very tender and good to eat. Most people would not eat the veal, however, as it did not make financial sense to do so. If a calf grew up it was a lot larger and therefore there was a lot more meat to eat. A wealthy man did not have to wait for the calf to grow up. Because he was prosperous, he could eat the delicacies of the veal without concern for the financial implications. 
• (Flocks): This is not the word for a sheep but is a word that refers to flocks of sheep. 

Note: This verse foreshadows the blessings (the promises of G-d) that G-d’s people experience after victory. This is not necessarily prosperity relating to and enjoyed in this earthly kingdom, but it will be enjoyed in the Kingdom of G-d. 

v22: The abundance of milk: Milk will be so abundant that there will be enough of it to make butter/curds (enough for luxuries). 

• Eat curds, for curds and honey everyone will eat: Repetition shows emphasis. This is tied to the Messianic prophecy, read in the verses above, and it is informing us that if we have faith, in the One who was born of a virgin, then we are going to enjoy future abundance. 
• Everyone who remains: Those who have endured. (As an aside: after 2000 years, Israel is back in her land. Israel, despite being so young and so small comparatively – just over 9 million people – is in the top 40 richest countries in the world currently. She is enjoying prosperity in her land now, but at the end this is all going to be taken from her – just before the second coming of Messiah).

v23: In that day: Although the scholars agree that this is a phrase that refers to the last days it does not mean that all of the prophecy spoken here is for the last days. However, all of this prophecy does have last days implications. It teaches us truth that we will need for the end days. 

• A thousand vines (worth) a thousand shekels of silver will be for briars and thorns: Very good land is going to be made desolate. This foreshadows the land of Israel becoming desolate. This happened after the destruction of the second temple in 70AD, but this is also going to happen again during the time known as “Jacob’s trouble” (Jer 30:7)

v24: Arrows and bows: This is an image of war. The land will be made desolate because of war. Before this time, Israel is going to be like a prosperous fig tree (Luke 21:29-31) but because of their rejection of the antichrist, much war is going to take place in the land and it’s going to become desolate because of this war. 

v25: Note: The land is going to be so bad that no one’s going to come with a hoe and try to cultivate it. 

• Fear: Speaks of intensity. 
• A range for oxen and a place for sheep to roam: This not going to be a place that is fit for human sustenance or habitation. It is going to become a desolation.