The Book of Isaiah, often regarded as a wellspring of messianic prophecy, takes on an entirely new dimension when read through the framework Neville Goddard proposed: that Scripture is not secular history but psychological truth. Isaiah 7:10–18, in particular, unfolds as a powerful lesson on the refusal of imagination, the promise of divine conception, and the consequences of remaining in fear.
The King Who Would Not Ask
"Ask thee a sign of the Lord thy God; ask it either in the depth, or in the height above." (Isaiah 7:11)
King Ahaz, ruler of Judah, is invited by the Lord to ask for a sign—either from the depths or the heights. In Neville’s understanding, this is not a request for a magical omen, but an invitation to consciously assume a new state. To “ask” is to imagine boldly, to accept a new conception within.
But Ahaz refuses. Cloaked in piety, he says, “I will not ask, neither will I tempt the Lord.” (v.12) Yet Neville would point out: this is false humility. It’s not reverence; it’s fear. He will not move from his current state of consciousness. And so, like all who cling to outer appearances, he wears down his faith—and his potential.
“Dare to believe in the reality of your assumption and watch the world play its part relative to its fulfilment.” — Neville Goddard
The Virgin Conception: Inner Birth Without Outer Cause
"Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel." (v.14)
This sign—offered despite Ahaz’s refusal—is one of the most symbolically profound in all Scripture. Neville taught that the virgin birth is not a biological event but a spiritual principle: the conception of a new self or reality within, without the help of external means. It is the power of your own imagination to bring forth life.
The name Immanuel—meaning God with us—points directly to Neville’s central teaching: “God is your own wonderful human imagination.” To conceive a new self through imagination is to birth God within.
“The virgin birth is the birth of every idea in the world that is born of a man who does not consult man, does not consult the facts of life, does not consult anything, but dares to assume it as true.” — Neville Goddard
Butter and Honey: Feeding the Inner Man
"Butter and honey shall he eat, that he may know to refuse the evil, and choose the good." (v.15)
What does it mean to feed on butter and honey? Neville would say it refers to feeding on the riches and sweetness of the inner world—the truths revealed in silence, vision, and assumption. When you consistently dwell in the feeling of the wish fulfilled, you are nourishing the inner man.
And before this new child (this newly assumed state) even learns to distinguish good from evil, “the land that thou abhorrest shall be forsaken of both her kings” (v.16). These kings represent the old rulers—the dominant thoughts of fear and doubt. When you change your state, the old ones lose power.
The Consequences of Refusing Imagination
"The Lord shall bring upon thee… even the king of Assyria." (v.17)
"He shall hiss for the fly... and for the bee..." (v.18)
When imagination is denied its creative power—when you refuse to assume a new state—you fall prey to outer tyrants. Assyria symbolises an oppressive, foreign state of mind: external logic, force, distraction, confusion. Flies and bees evoke mental noise, swarming irritants that invade consciousness.
Neville often reminded his listeners: not choosing is still a choice. If you refuse to shift your attention inward, you remain enslaved to what is outward.
Conclusion: Imagination Will Give the Sign
Isaiah 7:10–18 is not a remote prophecy about ancient kings and nations. It is a present, inward warning and promise. You are always being invited to assume the reality of what you desire, and your refusal will only bring noise and confusion. But if you accept—if you let imagination conceive within you—you will birth Immanuel, the awareness that God is truly with you, as you.
“All things exist in the human imagination, and all things are brought to pass by imagining.” — Neville Goddard
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