Is Isaiah 7 and Isaiah 9 speaking of the same child?

Question

In Isaiah 7:14-16

14 Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and she will name Him Immanuel. 15 He will eat curds and honey at the time He knows enough to refuse evil and choose good. 16 For before the boy knows enough to refuse evil and choose good, the land whose two kings you dread will be abandoned.

and in Isaiah 9:6

For a Child will be born to us, a Son will be given to us; And the government will rest on His shoulders; And His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace.

Are these passages speaking of the same child?

Answer 1

The short answer is "Yes" and "NO". Let me be more specific.

Isa 7:14 is a prophecy about a child that Isaiah's wife would have as a sign that Assyria would be defeated. It is a local prophecy about a local situation and carries no immediate Messianic overtones.

However, the inspired NT writer, Matthew in ch 1:23 takes this prophecy and re-purposes it to apply to Christ. This could not have been deduced from the original text but by the direction of the Holy Spirit it now has become a Messianic prophecy about Jesus.

Isa 9:6 - by contrast, the prophecy of Isa 9 is a prophecy about the future - a time when the "great light" would appear (V2, 6, 7). This is clearly and always was a Messianic prophecy.

CONCLUSION

Therefore, originally, the two prophecies of Isa 7:14 & 9:6 were discussing two different children but because the or the NT re-purposing of one of them, they now both point to the same child - the Messiah born in Bethlehem.