Dual Fulfillment? NO
    Joseph was comforted and reassured by the Holy Spirit that Mary being with child was the work of Deity, not man, by citing the prophecy of Isaiah in Isaiah 7:14 about the virgin birth (Matt. 1: 18-25). If Isaiah's prophecy had ever been fulfilled by a natural conception and birth in Isaiah's day as some "dual fulfillment" people claim, how could Joseph be comforted to know that Mary 's condition was a fulfillment of Isaiah's prophecy? If the prophecy had been fulfilled once by a natural conception and birth, Joseph would have reason to doubt Mary's fidelity to him. Joseph knew Isaiah's prophecy had never been fulfilled previously. We wonder why "modern scholars" cannot understand that.

  Many Old Testament passages have less direct reference to the virgin birth, but this one is specific and unquestionably prophetic. Why would anyone  want to give ground to those who deny the virgin birth of Christ by a theory that says Isaiah's prophecy had earlier been fulfilled by a natural birth? It only betrays the desire to be "scholarly" rather than sound.