JESUS THE MESSIAH

Prophecies of the Christ

 

He was born in an obscure village.

He worked in a carpenter shop until He was thirty.

He then became an itinerant preacher.

He never held an office.

He never had a family or owned a house.

He never went to college.

He had no credentials but Himself.

He was only thirty‑three when the public turned against Him.           

He was turned over to His enemies.

He was deserted by his friends.

He went through the mockery of a trial.

He was nailed to a cross between two thieves.

While He was dying, His executioners gambled for His clothing, the only property He had on earth.

He was laid in a borrowed grave.

 

Twenty Centuries have come and gone, and today

He is still the central figure of the human race.

All the Armies that ever marched,

all the Navies that ever sailed,

all the Parliaments that ever sat,

and all the Kings that ever reigned

have not affected the life of man on this earth

as much as that  ONE SOLITARY LIFE. (From a 1926 sermon by James A. Francis).

 

What do you think of Jesus Christ?  Who was he?  I have asked that same question to many people over the years.  The responses to that question are varied.

 

           He was a good man.

           He was a teacher.

           He was a rebel.

           He was crazy.

           He was a prophet.

 

In asking people their opinion of Jesus, I have often been given the reply, “I don’t like to discuss religion.”  Yet that same person is often willing to discuss Buddha or Confucious or Islam of Charles Darwin.  What is it about Jesus that engenders such a response?

 

Perhaps it is because of the fantastic claims Jesus made about Himself.  He said things about Himself that went far beyond those made by any other religious leader of history.  He said that God was His Father.  He claimed to be the unique Son of God.  He said that his death would pay for the sins of the world.  He promised eternal life to thsoe who believe in Him.

 

Who is Jesus?  Who is this man that so drastically changed the face of the world?  On the afternoon following His resurrection, Jesus appeared to two of His disciples as they walked along the road to Emmaus.  They did not recognize Him and when Jesus asked about their conversation, they related the evens of the past week and how their hopes had been dashed by the turn of those events.  At this, Jesus rebuked them for their lack of understanding of the Old Testament.

 

            25 And He said to them, "O foolish men and slow of heart to believe in all that the prophets have spoken! 26 "Was it not necessary for the Christ to suffer these things and to enter into His glory?" 27 And beginning with Moses and with all the prophets, He explained to them the things concerning Himself in all the Scriptures. (Luke 24:25-27).

 

Notice the repetition of the word “all.”  Jesus used both the writings of Moses and ALL the prophets to show that He was revealed in ALL the Scriptures.  This suggests that a proper understanding of the Old Testament will not really be a proper understanding unless it includes a portrait of Jesus.

 

THE PROMISE OF A SEED

 

            And I will put enmity Between you and the woman, And between your seed and her seed; He shall bruise you on the head, And you shall bruise him on the heel. (Genesis 3:15).

 

This prophecy was given in the Garden of Eden.  The words are spoken to the serpent.  We can understand from our perspective that Satan had used the serpent to lead the first man and woman into sin.  God comes on the scene and pronounces judgment upon everyone involved.  An intense hatred is pronounced between the serpent and the woman and between their offspring -- their seed.

 

The first seed was to be the seed of the serpent.  It was the seed of rebellion.  It was the seed of sin.  It was made up of all who walked in the way of Adam in turning against God.

 

There is also a second seed promised.  It is the seed of the woman.  This second seed is set over against the first seed.  The two seeds are at war with one another.  And God has decreed that the second seed shall ultimately win.

 

From our vantage point, we know that this second seed is ultimately fulfilled in Jesus Christ ‑ the One who was bruised for our iniquities as He crushed underfoot the Serpent's Head.

 

            Since then the children share in flesh and blood, He Himself likewise also partook of the same, that through death He might render powerless him who had the power of death, that is, the devil; 15 and might deliver those who through fear of death were subject to slavery all their lives. (Hebrews 2:14-15).

 

The defeat and destruction of Satan is accomplished in two parts.  First, Christ defeated Satan when He died for sins upon the cross and then rose in victory from the grave (Colossians 2:14-15).  The ultimate conquest will be completed at the second coming of Christ -- Paul speaks in Romans 16:20 of how the God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet.  Just as the serpent is destroyed by striking him on his head, the most vulnerable part of his body, so Jesus Christ will destroy and neutralize Satan.

 

The Old Testament is a history of the Satanic attacks on the seed of the woman and the royal line of Christ.  Satan may have considered either Cain or Abel to be the seed of the woman, and so he tempted one into murdering the other.  It would not be too far a stretch to imagine that the sinfulness that brought about the flood in the days of Noah was due in part to the temptations wrought by Satan.  Later attacks can be seen against Abraham and his descendants, against the nation of Israel and against the Davidic line.

 

When Jesus was born, there came a great intensification of these attacks.  Herod tried to have the child assassinated.  The Pharisees and the Sadducees plotted with the priesthood to put Him to death.  Even Satan himself came and tried to entice Jesus to sin.  In the end, it was Jesus who conquered.  That conquest took place upon the cross.  In the very process of striking a death blow tot he head of the serpent, Jesus Christ suffered and died upon the cross.

 

But He was pierced through for our transgressions,

He was crushed for our iniquities;

The chastening for our well‑being fell upon Him,

And by His scourging we are healed. (Isaiah 53:5).

 

The crushing of Satan’s head is not the only crushing that takes place in this prophecy.  In His crushing of Satan, Jesus was also crushed.

 

 

The Seed of the Serpent

The Seed of the Woman

Points to Satan

Points to Jesus Christ

He receives a wound to the head -- this is a fatal wound.

He receives a wound to the heel -- painful but not lasting.

He was fatally bruised for all eternity.

He was temporarily bruised while on the cross.

 

The picture is of a man stomping upon the head of a serpent in order to kill it, but being bitten on his heel in the process.

 

 

THE PROMISE TO ABRAHAM

 

When the Lord revealed Himself to Abram, He gave to him certain promsies that were to form the foundation of a covenant relationship.

 

            Now the Lord said to Abram,

            "Go forth from your country,

            And from your relatives

            And from your father's house,

            To the land which I will show you;

            And I will make you a great nation,

            And I will bless you,

            And make your name great;

            So you shall be a blessing;

            And I will bless those who bless you,

            And the one who curses you I will curse.

And in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed." (Genesis 12:1‑3).

 

There are three major promises in this passage that are later confirmed and developed in greater detail.

 

           The promise of a land (Genesis 12:1, 7; 13:14-17; 15:7-8; 17:8).  The Lord promised that He would give to Abram and to his descendants all of the land of Canaan for an eternal inheritance.  This promise was fulfilled when Joshua led the Israelites into Canaan.

 

           The promise of a multiplied seed (Genesis 12:2; 13:;16; 15:2-5; 17:4-6; 22:15-17).  God promised that He would make a great nation from the descendants of Abram.  This was fulfilled in part when Moses led an entire nation out of Egypt.  Both the nations of Israel, Edom and Arabia descend from the loins of Abraham.

 

But that is not all.  The ultimate fulfillment of this promise is the church, the spiritual seed of Abraham that is made up of every nation, tribe and people.

 

           The families of the earth are to be blessed by Abram (Genesis 12:3).  Paul alluded to this promise as being fulfilled in the person of Jesus Christ.

 

            And the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel beforehand to Abraham, saying, "All the nations shall be blessed in you." 9 So then those who are of faith are blessed with Abraham, the believer. (Galatians 3:8-9).

 

Paul sites this promise as a forerunner of the truth that God would justify the Gentiles by faith.  By giving this promise to Abraham, God was preaching the gospel to him.  This means that the Abrahamic Covenant not only contins the seeds of the gospel, but also that it forms the basis of the New Covenant into which we enter when we believe the gospel.

 

We have been promised a new country.  It is not a country of this world, but a new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells.  We have been given a commission to spread the seed of the gospel, a seed that brings blessings to all who experience its harvest.

 

 

A SCEPTER FROM JUDAH

 

As he lay on his deathbed, Jacob called his sons together and blessed them.  When He came to Judah, his third son, he had a special promise.

 

8 "Judah, your brothers shall praise you;

Your hand shall be on the neck of your enemies;

Your father's sons shall bow down to you.

9 "Judah is a lion's whelp;

From the prey, my son, you have gone up.

He couches, he lies down as a lion,

And as a lion, who dares rouse him up?

10 "The SCEPTER shall not depart from Judah,

Nor the RULER'S STAFF from between his feet,

Until SHILOH comes,

And to him shall be the obedience of the peoples. (Genesis 49:8-10).

 

Judah is pictured as a lion’s cub.  It is no mistake that Jesus would be given the title of :Lion from the tribe of Judah” in Revelation 5:5.  We are left in no doubt as to what this image means.  It indicates KINGSHIP.  This is evidenced by the mention of the SCEPTER and the RULER’S STAFF.  It was from Judah that King David and his descendants would come.

This promise says that the rightful kingship of Israel would pass down through the descendants of Judah until the coming of “Shiloh.”  The word shiloh) is related to the more familiar shalom.  It speaks of being at rest, of well-being and of peace.

 

           Jesus is the prince of peace (Isaiah 9:6).

           His message is the gospel of peace (Romans 10:15; Ephesians 6:15).

           He is our peace (Ephesians 2:14).

 

This prophecy began to be fulfilled when David ascended to the throne.  He was from the tribe of Judah.  Even when the kingdom was divided, a descendant of Judah sat upon the throne of the Southern Kingdom of Judah.  The line of David continued to rule in Jerusalem until the Babylonian Captivity.  At that time, the descendants of David were given a prophecy from the hand of Ezekiel.

 

            Thus says the Lord God, 'Remove the turban, and take off the crown; this will be no more the same. Exalt that which is low, and abase that which is high. 27 'A ruin, a ruin, a ruin, I shall make it. This also will be no more, until He comes whose right it is; and I shall give it to Him.' (Ezekiel 21:26-27).

 

Because of their sins, the descendants of David were removed from the throne.  They were told there would be no one to wear the crown of Israel until the coming of the One whose right it is.

 

This prophecy was graphically fulfilled.  No descendant of David ever took the title of king after the Babylonian Captivity.  There were some who ruled as governor such as Zerubbabel.  There were also some from the tribe of Levi who eventually took the crown during the period between the Old and New Testaments.  There were even some, like the Herods, who were awarded the crown by the hands of the Roman Empire.  But only one descendant of David ever emerged after the Babylonian Captivity to take for Himself the title of king.  It was Jesus.

 

 

A STAR AND A PROPHECY

 

When the prophet Balaam was hired by Balak, king of Moab, to come and to prophesy against the Israelites, he instead foretold the future greatness of Israel.  In the midst of this prophecy, he gave this cryptic description:

 

I see him, but not now;

I behold him, but not near;

A star shall come forth from Jacob,

And a scepter shall rise from Israel,

And shall crush through the forehead of Moab,

And tear down all the sons of Sheth. (Numbers 24:17).

 

Whereas Jacob had promised that the scepter would not depart from Judah, Balaam says that the scepter shall arise from Israel.  They are actually saying the same thing, but with a different emphasis.

 

Jacob

Balaam

Genesis 49:19

Numbers 27:17

Emphasizes that, once the scepter has come, it will not leave the house of Judah.

Emphasizes that the scepter will come to Israel.

 

To what does this star refer?  Is there a star connected to the coming of Messiah?  Yes, there is.  It might be significant that the only Messianic prophecy in the Old Testament tells of the single sign that was used to bring the foreign Magi to Israel to greet the newborn King of the Jews.

 

            Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, magi from the east arrived in Jerusalem, saying, 2 "Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we saw His star in the east, and have come to worship Him." (Matthew 2:1-2).

 

What was it that drew the Magi to Israel in search of the newborn king?  It was the star.  It was the fact that they saw His star in the east.  They did not know of the prophecy of the Bible that Messiah would be born in Bethlehem, so they naturally came to Jerusalem, the capital of Israel.  They make no mention of any other prophecy of the Scriptures.  But they somehow knew that the star signified the birth of One who was destined to be the King of the Jews.

 

 

A PROPHET LIKE MOSES

 

Near the end of the life of Moses, the Lord promised that another prophet would come who would be like Moses.

 

            The LORD your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among you, from your countrymen, you shall listen to him. (Deuteronomy 18:15).

This prophet would speak with the words of power that were equal to those spoken by Moses.  The New Testament apostles recognized that the fulfillment of this prophecy was seen in Jesus (Acts 3:19-22).

 

The prophecy goes on to describe in exactly what way the future prophet would be like Moses.

 

            I will raise up a prophet from among their countrymen like you, and I will put My words in his mouth, and he shall speak to them all that I command him. 19 And it shall come about that whoever will not listen to My words which he shall speak in My name, I Myself will require it of him. (Deuteronomy 18:18-19).

 

What made Moses so special that he should be compared with the Messiah?  It was that he had the words of the Lord.  But that is not all.  All of the prophets that followed had the word of the Lord.  There was something even more special about Moses.  It is that he saw God.  No made before or since ever saw God.  Moses caught a mere glimpse of God’s “afterglow” (Exodus 33:18-23).  Only Jesus has seen God in His fulness.

 

            No man has seen God at any time; the only begotten God, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has explained Him. (John 1:18).

 

Notice also the tenses that are used.  Jesus is described, not as the One who WAS in the bosom of the Father, but as the One who IS in the bosom of the Father.  This verse takes us full circuit from the beginning to the incarnation and then to the ascension of Christ.  When we come to meet Him, we come to meet One who is in the very bosom of the Father.

 

 

A SON OF DAVID

 

The following promise was given to King David and regards his son and successor.

 

            “When your days are complete and you lie down with your fathers, I will raise up your descendant [seed] after you, who will come forth from you, and I will establish his kingdom.

            “He shall build a house for My name, and I will establish his kingdom forever.

            “I will be a father to him and he will be a son to Me; when he commits iniquity, I will correct him with the rod of men and the strokes of the sons of men,  15  but my lovingkindness shall not depart from him, as I took it away from Saul, whom I removed from before you.

            “And your house and your kingdom shall endure before Me forever; your throne shall be established forever.” (2 Samuel 7:12-16).

 

Dead Sea  Scroll 4Q Florilegium, a midrash scroll, shows that the Qumran scribes took the “son” in verse 14 to be a reference to Messiah.

The promise to David revolves around the establishment of a SEED.  This takes us all the way back to the promise we saw back in Genesis 3:15.  It was there that the Lord had promised Adam and Eve that there would come One who would be of the seed of the woman.  This Seed would crush the serpent’s head.  He would be the destroyer of the works of Satan.

 

This promise is fulfilled in two parts.  The immediate fulfillment will be in the person of Solomon.  He will be the seed who will build a house in the name of the Lord.  It will be Solomon who constructs the temple of God in Jerusalem.  Solomon will found the Davidic dynasty.  But the ultimate fulfillment of this prophecy is seen in Jesus.

 

Solomon

Jesus

Son of David.

Ultimate son of David.

Established the united monarchy of Israel.

Established the kingdom of God upon earth.

Built the temple.

He WAS the temple.

Established a kingdom that would continue until 586 B.C.

Established an eternal kingdom that will never end.

Chastened because of his iniquity.

Took upon Himself the sins of the world.

 

The first part of verse 14 (“I will be a father to him and he will be a son to Me) is quoted twice in the New Testament.

 

·        Hebrews 1:5 quotes it in a context that speaks of Jesus as the Son of God.

 

·        2 Corinthians 6:18 gives a partial quote as the Lord tells US that “I will be a father to you, and you shall be sons and daughters to Me.”

 

 

THE LORD’S MESSIAH

 

Psalm 2 was traditionally sung at the coronation of the kings of Israel.  It gives a threefold description of the Chosen One of God.  He is Messiah, King and Son of God.

 

1 Why are the nations in an uproar,

And the peoples devising a vain thing?

2 The kings of the earth take their stand,

And the rulers take counsel together

Against the LORD and against His Anointed (Psalm 2:1-2).

 

The nation of Israel was a Theocratic Kingdom.  God was the true king of Israel.  The One who sits upon the throne is God’s Anointed One.  He is the Messiah.  He is the true king of Israel.  He is the One to whom the Lord says, Thou art My Son, today I have begotten Thee (Psalm 2:7).  He is Jesus Christ.

 

This Psalm begins with the nations in an uproar.  They are in an uproar because the people have devised a vain thing.  What is the answer to such an uproar?  It is the gospel.  Jesus has called us to make disciples of the nations by teaching them the good news.

 

 

THE PROMISE OF A RESURRECTION

 

In the midst of a Psalm of David in which he calls out for refuge in the midst of trouble, there is a verse that has Messianic implications.

 

For Thou wilt not abandon my soul to Sheol;

Neither wilt Thou allow Thy Holy One to undergo decay. (Psalm 16:10).

 

How do we know this to be a Messianic Psalm?  It is explained in Paul’s interpretation of it in Acts 13:35.  Paul pointed to this Psalm as an Old Testament prophecy of the resurrection of Jesus.  He pointed out how David had lived and had died and was buried and remained in his tomb, but, by contrast, Jesus was raised from the dead so that His body did not undergo decay.

 

 

THE SUFFERING AND DEATH OF THE MESSIAH

 

Psalm 22 is another song of David that reflect both the experiences of that king as well as the sufferings and death of the greater Son of David.

 

1.         The cry from the cross.

 

My God, my God, why hast Thou forsaken me?

Far from my deliverance are the words of my groaning. (Psalm 22:1).

 

These words were echoed by Jesus upon the cross.  They point to the mysterious separation that took place there.  They hint that, for a brief instant of time, the Son was separated from the Father as He bore our guilt upon the tree.

 

2.         The mockery of the onlookers:  All who see me sneer at me; they separate with the lip, they wag the head, saying, 8 "Commit yourself to the LORD; let Him deliver him; let Him rescue him, because He delights in him." (Psalm 22:7-8).

 

Those who mock King David in his troubles are a mere shadow of the men who would one day mock the Messiah.

 

3.         The physical sufferings.

 

14 I am poured out like water,

And all my bones are out of joint;

My heart is like wax; It is melted within me.

15 My strength is dried up like a potsherd,

And my tongue cleaves to my jaws;

And Thou dost lay me in the dust of death.

16 For dogs have surrounded me;

A band of evildoers has encompassed me;

They pierced my hands and my feet.

17 I can count all my bones.

They look, they stare at me (Psalm 22:14-17).

 

The spiritual and emotional suffering of the Messiah was accompanied by real physical suffering.  Crucifixion was an agonizing death that often included dislocation and muscle cramps that added to the pain of piercing hands and feet.

 

4.         The divided garments:  They divide my garments among them, and for my clothing they cast lots. (Psalm 22:18).

 

All four of the gospel accounts make mention of the dividing of the clothes of Jesus among the soldiers (Matthew 27:35; Mark 15:24; Luke 23:34; John 19:24).

 

 

THE PRIEST KING

 

Psalm 110 is the most quoted in the New Testament.  It is the Psalm that Jesus used to challenge the religious leaders of Jerusalem.  It is the Psalm of the Priest‑King.  The superscription ascribes it to David.

 

A Psalm of David.

The LORD says to my Lord:

"Sit at My right hand,

Until I make Thine enemies a footstool for Thy feet." (Psalm 110:1).

 

As we approach this Psalm, we see at the outset that there are three people mentioned.  This cast of characters is seen in the first verse.

 

1.         King David.

 

The superscription calls this a Psalm of David.  He is the king of Israel.  Yet David seems to be overshadowed by the other two characters in the Psalm.  This is unique.  Kings are normally the most important people around.  Kings are not used to taking second place to anyone.  David does not even rank second in the Psalm.  He ranks a distant third.

 

2.         The Lord.

 

This is God.  He is the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.  He is called here by His divine name - Yahweh.  He is the God who led His people through the Red Sea.  He is the covenant keeping God.

 

3.         David’s lord.

 

This is the third character of this first verse.  He is really the main character of this Psalm.  The entire Psalm is addressed to Him.  He is seen here as David’s lord and He is seek in verse for as a Priest after the order of Melchizedek.  He is Jesus Christ.

 

The Lord (Yahweh)

David’s Lord

David the King

Yahweh said...

To my lord...

"Sit at My right hand,

Until I make Thine enemies a footstool for Thy feet."

 

To be seated at one's right hand was to be in the place of honor.  Thus when Joseph brought his sons to be blessed by Jacob, he was careful to place the older son at that Patriarch's right hand and was displeased when his father crossed his hands to put the hand of blessing upon the head of the younger son.

 

David was the beloved of the Lord, but David was not called to sit at the right hand of God.  That special place was reserved for another.  This is the place of highest honor.  It can only be held by the One who deserves all honor and glory.  It is held by the Son of God.

 

David is only a bystander in this drama.  He listens to the conversation of two that are greater than he.  The conversation involves sitting in the place of honor.  This is especially significant when we consider that the One who sits is described in verse 4 as a priest.  One thing that a priest did not do when he came into the temple is to sit down.  Jesus is the priest who sat down.  He sat down because His work upon the cross was completed.

 

Notice the patience of God.  The Father is pictured as speaking to the Son: Sit here UNTIL...  We are in the between times today.  We are awaiting a final consummation.

 

The consumation takes place when the enemies of David’s Lord serve as a footstool for His feet.  When we think of a footstool, we think of a comfortable piece of furniture on which you set your feet when you kick back to watch the afternoon football game.  But this is not the image that is in view in this verse.  This reflects the ancient practice of a king bowing in complete submission to a master conqueror.

 

This same passage was the object of discussion in one of the key confrontations of Jesus and the religious leaders.  It is recorded in all three of the Synoptic Gospels.  The setting was Jerusalem.  It was just prior to the Passover and the city was packed with Jewish pilgrims from all over the world.  The crowds were gathered in the temple as they came to hear the teaching of a Galilean rabbi.  For several days, he had been preaching in the temple.  The Jewish leaders have challenged Him repeatedly and He has answered all of their objections.  Now it is His turn to ask a question. 

 

            41 Now while the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them a question, 42 saying, "What do you think about the Christ, whose son is He?" They said to Him, "The son of David." (Matthew 22:41-42).

 

The question that Jesus asks concerns the identity of the Christ -- the identity of the Messiah promised from the Old Testament.  Whose son will he be?  What will be his lineage?  From what family will he come?  The Pharisees know the answer.  The Messiah is to come from the house of David.  He will be the son of David.  This brings up a second question.

 

            43 He said to them, "Then how does David in the Spirit call Him 'Lord,' saying, 44 'The Lord said to my LORD, “Sit at My right hand, Until I put Thine enemies beneath Thy feet”? 45 If David then calls Him 'Lord,' how is He his son?"

            46 And no one was able to answer Him a word, nor did anyone dare from that day on to ask Him another question. (Matthew 22:43-46).

 

Jesus refers to Psalm 110.  It was recognized by the Jews to be a Psalm of David and a Psalm that spoke of the Messiah who was to come.  The Jews recognized that there were three characters in this Psalm.

 

David

He is the one who writes Psalm 110

The Lord

The Hebrew of Psalm 110 uses the term Yahweh to describe the Lord

My (David’s) Lord

This unidentified one is told to sit at the right hand of Yahweh.  The only other clue to his identity is that he is David’s lord (adoni)

 

The question revolves around the true identity of the one whom David describes as “my lord.”  He is shown to be a different person from Yahweh, for it is Yahweh who says to Him, “Sit here.”

 

Here is the point of the question.  A son is not by nature greater than his father.  Fathers do not bow down before their sons.  Fathers do not look to their sons for leadership.  If this is the sake, then how can the Messiah be both...

 

·        David’s Son

·        David’s lord

 

The Scriptures make it quite clear that the Messiah is BOTH David’s son as well as David’s lord.  How can this be?  It can only be the case if the Messiah’s existence predated his birth.  It can only be the case if the Messiah had a pre-incarnate existence.  The Messiah is to be both the Son of Man and the Son of God.

 

 

THE BRANCH OF THE LORD

 

            In that day the Branch of the LORD will be beautiful and glorious, and the fruit of the earth will be the pride and the adornment of the survivors of Israel. 3 And it will come about that he who is left in Zion and remains in Jerusalem will be called holy‑‑ everyone who is recorded for life in Jerusalem. (Isaiah 4:2-3).

 

This is the first time in the Bible that the Messiah is described in terms of a BRANCH.  It seems to look back to the Lampstand which stood in the Tabernacle.  This Lampstand had seven branches.  It also had flowers and fruit built into its design.  It was a representation of the Tree of Life.

 

The Tree of Life had stood in the Garden of Eden.  It symbolized continued relationship with God.  When that fellowship had been broken, mankind had been cast out of the Garden and had been banned from the Tree of Life.

 

That fellowship had been restored.  It had been restored through a new promise and a new covenant.  It was the promise of a Redeemer ‑ a Life‑Bringer.

 

That redemption was found within the nation of Israel.  It was to Israel that the Tabernacle was entrusted.  It was in Israel that the Temple was constructed.  It was Israel who fathered the prophets and it was Israel to whom were given the oracles of God.

 

Psalm 80:8‑9 describes Israel as a vine which was transplanted from Egypt and replanted within the land of Canaan.  But Israel in itself was unable to provide redemption.  Israel was itself in need of redemption.  The faithful city had become like a harlot (Isaiah 1:21).  Jerusalem had become a spiritual Sodom and Gomorrah (1:9‑10; 3:9).

 

The good news is that there is the promise of a BRANCH.  It is described as the "fruit of the earth (the Hebrew can read "the fruit of the LAND").  This can be understood in one of two ways:

 

1.         It can refer to the fact that Messiah is to come from the land of Israel ‑ an indication of His birthplace.

 

2.         It could be a veiled reference to the One who was crucified, dead and BURIED ‑ and who then came forth from the EARTH.

 

From this time onward and through the rest of the Old Testament prophets, there continues to be a promise of One who will be known as the BRANCH.

 

1 Then a shoot will spring from the stem of Jesse,

And a BRANCH from his roots will bear fruit.

2 And the Spirit of the LORD will rest on Him,

The spirit of wisdom and understanding,

The spirit of counsel and strength,

The spirit of knowledge and the fear of the LORD. (Isaiah 11:1-2).

 

5 "Behold, the days are coming," declares the LORD,

"When I shall raise up for David a righteous Branch;

And He will reign as king and act wisely

And do justice and righteousness in the land.

6 "In His days Judah will be saved,

And Israel will dwell securely;

And this is His name by which He will be called,

'The LORD our righteousness.' (Jeremiah 23:5-6).

 

            15 In those days and at that time I will cause a righteous Branch of David to spring forth; and He shall execute justice and righteousness on the earth. 16 In those days Judah shall be saved, and Jerusalem shall dwell in safety; and this is the name by which she shall be called: the LORD is our righteousness. (Jeremiah 33:15-16).

 

The image that is seen in these verses is of a tree that is grown by the Lord and which has a stem that is Jesse from which comes a shoot.  This small shoot grows into a branch that bears great fruit.

 

            Then say to him, 'Thus says the LORD of hosts, "Behold, a man whose name is Branch, for He will branch out from where He is; and He will build the temple of the LORD.”’ (Zechariah 6:12).

 

Zechariah ties the idea of the Branch to the promise that He would branch out from where He is.  It is significant that Jesus described Himself as the “True Vine” (John 15:1).  He went on to say that any branch that is unfruitful or that is not a part of the vine is thrown aside and cast into the fire.

 

 

IMMANUEL

 

            Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, a virgin will be with child and bear a son, and she will call His name Immanuel. (Isaiah 7:14).

 

The passage begins with a series of historical events.  This prophecy did not take place in a historical vacuum.  This is true of all of the prophecies of the Bible, but in this case we are given detailed information of the very real need and the situation in which it arose.  From the context that is given, we learn that the promises contained in this prophecy do not speak only to issues within the four walls of the church.  The message is placed in a context that was relevant to the world affairs of that day.  The implication is that it will also be a message that will be relevant to all of mankind today.

 

1.         The Historical Context of the Prophecy.

 

            Now it came about in the days of Ahaz, the son of Jotham, the son of Uzziah, king of Judah, that Rezin the king of Aram and Pekah the son of Remaliah, king of Israel, went up to Jerusalem to wage war against it, but could not conquer it.

            When it was reported to the house of David, saying, “The Arameans have camped in Ephraim,” his heart and the hearts of his people shook as the trees of the forest shake with the wind. (Isaiah 7:1-2).

 

Isaiah prophesied at a time when the Assyrian Empire was at its zenith and the fierce Assyrian warriors had spread their reign of terror throughout most of the known world, plundering and burning wherever they went.  The small kingdoms that lay along the shores of the Mediterranean were no match for these hoards and they decided that the only way they could resist the onslaught was to band together into a single alliance.  Accordingly, Egypt, Aram (Syria) and the Northern Kingdom of Israel formed an alliance and asked Judah to join with them.  Ahaz, the king of Judah, refused.

 

Tensions mounted as the confederation threatened to invade Judah and install a puppet king of their own choosing.  Ahaz found himself surrounded by enemies on all sides.  It was into this scene that Isaiah came with a message from the Lord.  The message was one of hope in the midst of what had all the appearances of an eventual collision of forces.

 

It was into this scene that Isaiah came.  He was a man with a message.  The message was from God.  The message was that the enemies of God would fail.

 

2.         A Promise in Time of Trouble.

 

            Then the LORD said to Isaiah, “Go out now to meet Ahaz, you and your son Shear-jashub, at the end of the conduit of the upper pool, on the highway to the fuller's field, 4 and say to him, 'Take care, and be calm, have no fear and do not be fainthearted because of these two stubs of smoldering firebrands, on account of the fierce anger of Rezin and Aram, and the son of Remaliah. 5 Because Aram, with Ephraim and the son of Remaliah, has planned evil against you, saying, 6 “Let us go up against Judah and terrorize it, and make for ourselves a breach in its walls, and set up the son of Tabeel as king in the midst of it,” 7  thus says the Lord God, "It shall not stand nor shall it come to pass. 8  For the head of Aram is Damascus and the head of Damascus is Rezin (now within another 65 years Ephraim will be shattered, so that it is no longer a people), 9 and the head of Ephraim is Samaria and the head of Samaria is the son of Remaliah. If you will not believe, you surely shall not last.”’” (Isaiah 7:3-9).

 

God gives a prophecy to Ahaz.  He tells Ahaz what will take place in the future.  The collision of armies is not the end of the story.  There is salvation at hand and it will not come by anything that Ahaz can do.  The only part that he must play is to believe.

 

3.         The Offer of a Sign.

 

            Then the LORD spoke again to Ahaz, saying, 11 “Ask a sign for yourself from the LORD your God; make it deep as Sheol or high as heaven.”  12 But Ahaz said, “I will not ask, nor will I test the LORD!” (Isaiah 7:10-12).

 

The Lord does not call for a “blind faith.”  Faith is required, but it is a faith that is accompanied by a sign.  God offers to put His signature to the promise that He has given.  In the case of Ahaz, God even permits Ahaz to choose what the sign shall be.  He says, “Ask anything you want.  Make it as great a sign as you desire.  Make is something whereby the greatness of My strength will be seen.”  But Ahaz refuses to ask for such a sign.  But Ahaz said, “I will not ask, nor will I test the LORD!” (Isaiah 7:12).

 

At first glance, Ahaz seems to be doing a very noble and pious thing.  He gives the excuse that he does not want to test the Lord.  But that is not a correct response.  It is like the man who says, “I do not pray because I do not want to bother God with my problems.”  Such a stance is the result of a heart of unbelief.

 

The good news is that the story does not end here.  God turns from this unbelieving king and gives a promise to those who will believe.  Here is the sign.  A virgin will conceive and shall be with child.  She will have a son.  He will be called Immanuel.  It is a name that means “God is with us.”

 

4.         The Sign of Immanuel.

 

            Then he said, “Listen now, O house of David! Is it too slight a thing for you to try the patience of men, that you will try the patience of my God as well? 14 Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, a virgin will be with child and bear a son, and she will call His name 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 will know enough to refuse evil and choose good, the land whose two kings you dread will be forsaken. (Isaiah 7:13-14).

 

There is a “child motif” that runs through this section of Israel from chapter 7 to chapter 9 and include the mention of five different children.

 

            Shear-jashub (Isaiah 7:3).

            Immanu-el (Isaiah 7:14; 8:8).

            Maher-shalal-hash-baz (Isaiah 8:3).

            Isaiah’s children (Isaiah 8:18).

            The Royal Child (Isaiah 9:6-7).

 

Immanu-el stands out in contrast to the other children in that there is no father mentioned.  Even the mother is not named except to refer to her as “the virgin.”  In this regard, Immanu-el and the Royal Child of chapter 9 are seen to be similar.  This same “child motif” is seen in the book of Hosea.  This is notable because Hosea is commonly thought to have been a contemporary of Isaiah.

 

The sign is that a young maiden shall be with child.  She shall have a son.  He will be called Immanuel.  But the prophecy does not end here.  It goes on to tell what the sign will signify.  The sign has been given for a specific localized reason.

 

            He will eat curds and honey at the time He knows enough to refuse evil and choose good. 16  For before the boy will know enough to refuse evil and choose good, the land whose two kings you dread will be forsaken. (Isaiah 7:15-16).

 

The sign was not to end with the birth of Immanuel.  It was only to begin there.  The rest of the sign was that the child would grow and develop into a young boy.  Before that boy had reached the age of being able to tell the difference between right and wrong, the kings of both Aram and Israel would die.

 

I believe that the sign of Immanuel was given as a partial fulfillment in the days of Ahaz.  This is seen in the following chapter where Immanuel himself is addressed (Isaiah 8:8).  But that is not the end of the story.  Even though his name was Immanuel and expressed the truth that God was working in the lives of His people, there remained a further and more complete fulfillment.

 

That fulfillment is seen in the person of Jesus.  Matthew 1:22-23 presents to us the truth that Jesus is the ultimate fulfillment of the Immanuel.  He is God with us.

 

It is no mistake that Isaiah used the specific word that he did.  The Hebrew word Almah (translated “virgin”) technically means a “young maiden.”  Every time it is used in the Old Testament, it describes a young unmarried damsel.

 

What is it about the virgin birth of Christ that is so important?

            Because sin is passed down from the father?

            Because of the supernatural origin of Jesus?

            Because Jesus is God?

 

None of these are taught in the Scriptures or in this specific passage.  Instead, the significance of the virgin birth is that this was the promised sign.  This sign points to the fulfillment of the promise that God would be with us.

 

 

THE LIGHT OF GALILEE

 

            1 But there will be no more gloom for her who was in anguish; in earlier times He treated the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali with contempt, but later on He shall make it glorious, by the way of the sea, on the other side of Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles.

2 The people who walk in darkness

            Will see a great light;

            Those who live in a dark land,

            The light will shine on them. (Isaiah 9:1‑2).

 

Isaiah did not have a popular message.  It was a message of gloom and doom.  The previous verses at the end of chapter 8 reflect this.  But in the midst of this gloom and doom, there breaks through those dark clouds a shining ray of hope.  Note the emotional content of this description.

 

In anguish

Contempt

Walk in Darkness

Live in a Dark Land

            No more gloom

            Glorious

            See a great Light

            The Light will Shine on them

 

Israel was at war and facing the onslaught of the full weight of the Assyrian military machine.  Within a short time Israel would fall and the Southern Kingdom of Judah would also be besieged.  In the midst of this sober threat, God promises peace.

 

Zebulun and Naphtali were beautiful lands with a major problem.  The problem is that they were the buffer zone between Israel and the hostile forces to the north.  Every time the Assyrians came down, the first place through which they would come were Zebulun and Naphtali.

 

By the days of Jesus, this region had come to have a high Gentile population.  It would be known as "Galilee of the Gentiles."  This would give rise to a proverb: "Can anything good come out of Galilee?"

 

This is the place where God chose to send His Son.

            Not Jerusalem.

            Not the Temple.

            Not Rome, the capital of the Empire.

            But Galilee.

 

Jesus was not sent to those who already had the light.  He was sent to those in darkness.  He came to heal the sick, not the healthy.  We live in a world that is in darkness.  There are bad times ahead.  But there is good news.  A light has come.  The light has come.

 

 

THE PROMISE OF A SON

 

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.

7 There will be no end to the increase of His government or of peace,

            On the throne of David and over his kingdom,

            To establish it and to uphold it with justice and righteousness

            From then on and forevermore.

            The zeal of the LORD of hosts will accomplish this. (Isaiah 9:6‑7).

 

For the past three chapter we have seen a "son motif" running through the pages of Isaiah.  It began in Isaiah 7 with the virgin‑born son named Immanuel.  Throughout chapter 8 we read of Isaiah giving names to his children that had prophetic significance.  Now we come the final promise of a Son.

 

Isaiah opens this section with a bit of typical Hebrew parallelism:

 

            For a child will be born to us,

            A son will be given to us.

 

There are many celebrations that we observe throughout the year during which we have developed a tradition of giving gifts.  There is Mothers Day and Fathers Day and there are birthdays.  Of all of these, there is only one in which everyone is given gifts.  It is Christmas.  Though it has become commercialized, perhaps it is appropriate that this is a time of giving gifts because it commemorates the time when the Son was given.  The great truth of the gospel is that God so loved the world that He GAVE His only begotten Son.

 

1.         His Profession:  And the government will rest on His shoulders.

 

The Hebrew word here for "the government" is used only here and in verse 7.  It is derived from the Hebrew word describing a prince or ruler.

 

To which government does this refer?  Verse 6 does not say.  But verse 7 indicates that it is HIS government.  It is the government of the Throne of David.

 

The problem with this is that, from a physical perspective, the throne of David is long gone.  There is a nation of Israel today, but no one identifies modern Israel with the throne of David.

 

And yet, the promise says that this will be a reign of righteousness which shall last forever.  And that of this government there shall be no end.

 

What is this government?  I would suggest that this "government" refers to the Kingdom of Heaven.  It is the government which has gone out to make disciples of all the nations (Matthew 28:18).  It is the government which shall survive when all other rule and authority and power has been abolished (1 Corinthians 15:24).  It is the government of God's people.  Today we call it the CHURCH.

 

2.         His Personality:  Wonderful Counselor.

 

When we think of a counselor, it brings to mind one who has the answers to our problems.  Jesus has the answer because He IS the answer.  He is the way, the truth and the life (John 14:6).

 

3.         His Power: Mighty God.

 

The phrase “mighty God” is not all that common in the Old Testament, but when it is used, it points to God (Isaiah 10:21 and Jeremiah 32:18).  In this case, it points to the deity of the Son.

 

4.         His Permanence:  Eternal Father.

 

The Hebrew of Isaiah 9:6 speaks of the Messiah being the "eternal Father."  What does this mean?  Some have taught that this is an indication of Modalism ‑ that Jesus IS the Father and that they are both one person in the same way that I am a son and I am also a father.

 

The Hebrew phrase is a compound word.  This seems to be a Hebraism.  There are a number of examples of this:

 

           Abiethon (2 Sam. 23:31), "father of strength," means "strong"

           Abiaseph (Ex.6:24), "father of gathering," means "gatherer"

           Abigail (1 Chron.2:16), "father of exultation," is a woman's name meaning "exulting"

 

If this is the same sort of Hebraism, then the term "father of eternity" in Isaiah 9:6 means simply that the promised Son would be eternal.

 

5.         His Peace:  Prince of Peace.

 

The ministry of the Son was to bring the most important peace of all; the peace that is between God and man.  He IS our peace (Ephesians 2:14) and He has not only made peace between God and men, but also He has broken down every wall that divides men.

 

 

THE SERVANT OF THE LORD

 

In the same way that a child motif runs through the early chapters of Israel, so also there is a “servant motif” that runs through the latter part of the book.  Of all the ways in which the Messiah is presented, this is the most striking.  We would expect the God of the universe to appear as a king, a conqueror, a wise teacher, but a SERVANT?

 

1.         The Voice in the Wilderness.

 

3 A voice is calling,

“Clear the way for the LORD in the wilderness;

Make smooth in the desert a highway for our God.

4 Let every valley be lifted up,

And every mountain and hill be made low;

And let the rough ground become a plain,

And the rugged terrain a broad valley;

5 Then the glory of the LORD will be revealed,

And all flesh will see it together;

For the mouth of the LORD has spoken.” (Isaiah 40:3-5).

 

When we first read these words, we might have a tendency to try to take them literally.  We might imagine mountain-moving bulldozers that raise valleys and level mountains and pave highways.

 

To do so would be to try to impose a 21st century interpretation on an ancient writing.  It would be missing the entire point.

 

The Scriptures themselves explain to us the meaning of this passage when it is quoted in the New Testament.

 

            As it is written in Isaiah the prophet, “Behold, I send My messenger before Your face, who will prepare Your way; 3  the voice of one crying in the wilderness, ‘Make ready the way of the Lord, make His paths straight.’” (Mark 1:2-3).

 

Mark says that this is “written in Isaiah, the prophet” (1:2).  Actually, the quote is taken from two separate passages of the Old Testament.

 

            “Behold, I am going to send My messenger, and he will clear the way before Me,,,” (Malachi 3:1a).

 

            A voice is calling, “Clear the way for the Lord in the wilderness; make smooth in the desert a highway for our God.” (Isaiah 40:3).

 

Mark tells us that both of these passages have reference to the same thing.  They both point to John the Baptist who was the messenger and the voice calling for the way to be prepared in the wilderness.

 

3 A voice is calling,

“Clear the way for the LORD in the wilderness;

Make smooth in the desert a highway for our God.

4 Let every valley be lifted up,

And every mountain and hill be made low;

And let the rough ground become a plain,

And the rugged terrain a broad valley;

5 Then the glory of the LORD will be revealed,

And all flesh will see it together;

For the mouth of the LORD has spoken.” (Isaiah 40:3-5).

 

John was the voice calling in the wilderness who came to prepare the way for the coming of the Lord’s Messiah.  He built a highway upon which the ministry of Jesus entered history.

 

John prepared the way.  But notice for whom it was that he prepared the way.  It is seen in verse 5.  He prepared the way for the glory of Yahweh.

 

Then the glory of the LORD will be revealed,

And all flesh will see it together;

For the mouth of the LORD has spoken.” (Isaiah 40:3-5).

 

I cannot read these words without thinking of the incident of Moses in the wilderness.  Moses had seen some great things.  He had seen the plagues of Egypt.  He had seen the parting of the Red Sea and the destruction of the armies of Pharaoh.  He had seen the cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night.  He had seen the Lord’s daily provision of the manna in the wilderness.

 

Was there anything more for which a man could ask?  Only one thing remained.  Moses asked that he might be permitted to see the glory of God.

 

Moses asks, “Show me your glory!”  And the Lord replies, “You cannot do that and live; but I will permit you to catch a glimpse of My afterglow.”  The Lord places Moses into a cleft in the rock and covers it and then His goodness passes by and Moses is allowed to see the afterglow of God’s glory.

 

But here is a promise that the glory of the LORD will be revealed.  That for which Moses could only long is given to men.  How can such a thing be?

 

            And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth. (John 1:14).

 

In the person of Jesus men were able to see the glory of the Lord.  On the night of Jesus’ arrest, his disciples asked Him about this.

 

            Philip said to Him, "Lord, show us the Father, and it is enough for us.” 9 Jesus said to him, “Have I been so long with you, and yet you have not come to know Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father” (John 14:8-9).

 

2.         The Servant as the Embodiment of Israel:  In Isaiah 41:8-9, the Lord describes Israel as the servant of the Lord.

 

8 But you, Israel, My servant,

Jacob whom I have chosen,

Descendant of Abraham My friend,

9 You whom I have taken from the ends of the earth,

And called from its remotest parts,

And said to you,

'You are My servant,

I have chosen you and not rejected you. (Isaiah 41:8-9).

 

However, as we continue reading the prophecies of Isaiah, we come to the power where the servant is pictured, not as the entire nation, but as being embodied in a single individual.  This faithful servant is contrasted to Israel, the unfaithful servant.

 

1 “Behold, My Servant, whom I uphold;

My chosen one in whom My soul delights.

I have put My Spirit upon Him;

He will bring forth justice to the nations.

2 He will not cry out or raise His voice,

Nor make His voice heard in the street.

3 A bruised reed He will not break,

And a dimly burning wick He will not extinguish;

He will faithfully bring forth justice.

4 He will not be disheartened or crushed,

Until He has established justice in the earth;

And the coastlands will wait expectantly for His law."

5 Thus says God the LORD,

Who created the heavens and stretched them out,

Who spread out the earth and its offspring,

Who gives breath to the people on it,

And spirit to those who walk in it,

6 "I am the LORD,

I have called you in righteousness,

I will also hold you by the hand and watch over you,

And I will appoint you as a covenant to the people,

As a light to the nations,

7 To open blind eyes,

To bring out prisoners from the dungeon,

And those who dwell in darkness from the prison. (Isaiah 42:1-7).

 

Like Israel of old, this Servant of the Lord is described as the chosen of Yahweh.  But whereas Israel has acted unjustly, this servant will bring justice to the nations (42:1).  Moreover, he does not accomplish this by force of arms or even by raising His voice.  To the contrary, He is so gentle that His coming will not extinguish the faintest flicker of the dimly burning wick.

 

His ministry is not only to bring justice, but also to open the eyes of the blind and to release those who have been in bondage.  He is a liberator and He is also just and righteous.

 

3.         The Suffering Servant.

 

13 Behold, My servant will prosper,

He will be high and lifted up, and greatly exalted.

14 Just as many were astonished at you, My people,

So His appearance was marred more than any man,

And His form more than the sons of men.

15 Thus He will sprinkle many nations,

Kings will shut their mouths on account of Him;

For what had not been told them they will see,

And what they had not heard they will understand. (Isaiah 52:13-15).

 

From this passage to the end of chapter 53 is set forth in the form of a chiasm.  It is a parallel that begins and ends of the same note.  The important point of this parallel is see in that which is at the pivotal point.

 

Exaltation; 52:13-15

 

Exaltation; 53:10-12

 

 

Rejection; 53:1-3

 

Rejection; 53:7-9

 

 

 

 

 

Suffering; 53:4-6

 

 

Notice that the aspect of suffering is the central and pivotal point of the passage.  But before we read of the suffering of the Servant, we are first guaranteed of the exaltation of the Servant.  He will prosper.  This is the same message as is found in the book of Revelation.  Jesus Wins!

 

In verse 14 we saw that many were astonished.  Now in verse 15 we see that many nations are sprinkled.  The point is that the Messiah not only worked in a surprising manner, but that He also produced some surprising results.  His coming would result in the salvation of the nations and even kings would recognize His authority.

 

1  Who has believed our message?

And to whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed? (Isaiah 53:1).

 

Verse 1 is a rhetorical question.  After all, this is a message that everyone ought to have believed.  But the truth of the matter is that many have not believed the report of the prophet.  Why not?  It is because of what we read in verse 2:

 

2  For He grew up before Him like a tender shoot,

And like a root out of parched ground;

He has no stately form or majesty

That we should look upon Him,

Nor appearance that we should be attracted to Him.

                3 He was despised and forsaken of men,

A man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief;

And like one from whom men hide their face,

He was despised, and we did not esteem Him. (Isaiah 53:2-3).

 

Jesus was not the stereotype of a heroic figure.  He didn’t come across as a conquering king or a majestic ruler.  He grew up as a simple carpenter.  There was nothing about His appearing that would attract the natural man.

 

4 Surely our griefs He Himself bore,

And our sorrows He carried;

Yet we ourselves esteemed Him stricken,

Smitten of God, and afflicted.

5 But He was pierced through for our transgressions,

He was crushed for our iniquities;

The chastening for our well-being fell upon Him,

And by His scourging we are healed. (Isaiah 53:4-6).

 

In these verses we go back and forth between the truth about the work of Jesus versus what people THOUGHT about Jesus.  It is a contrast between reality versus delusion.

 

53:4

Reality

Surely our griefs He Himself bore,

And our sorrows He carried;

Delusion

Yet we ourselves esteemed Him stricken,

Smitten of God, and afflicted.

53:5

Reality

But He was pierced through for our transgressions,

He was crushed for our iniquities;

The chastening for our well-being fell upon Him,

And by His scourging we are healed.

53:6

Delusion

All of us like sheep have gone astray,

Each of us has turned to his own way;

Reality

But the LORD has caused the iniquity of us all

To fall on Him.

 

Unbelieving Israel looked at Jesus on the cross and said, “He got what He deserved.”  The truth is that He got what WE deserved.  The death of Christ was substitutionary in nature.  He died in our place.

 

This was graphically illustrated in the case of Barabbas.  This man was a thief and a robber.  He had been caught and tried for his crimes and sentenced to death.  Seeking to pacify a hostile crowd, Pontius Pilate released Barabbas and crucified Jesus.  The one who deserved to die was given life and the One who had done no wrong was sent to the cross.  It was a cross that was meant for Barabbas.

 

Verse 6 widens the scope of the cross to show how it extends itself to all.

All of us like sheep have gone astray,

Each of us has turned to his own way;

But the LORD has caused the iniquity of us all to fall on Him. (Isaiah 53:6).

 

This is the same concept that Paul presents in Romans 5:12-18.  It is the concept that all were under sin and that all sins were subsequently atoned.

 

Sheep are not known for their organizational skills.  Left to themselves, they will wander and they will keep on wandering.  We are like that.  Left to ourselves, our tendency is to wander away from God.  This is why we need a Savior.

 

In verses 4-8 we see a contrast between our need over against the Servant’s divine remedy for that need.

 

Israel’s Need

The Servant’s Remedy

Our griefs (53:4).

He Himself bore (53:4).

Our sorrows (53:4).

He carried (53:4).

For our transgressions (53:5).

He was pierced (53:5).

For our iniquities (53:5).

He was crushed (53:4).

For our well-being (53:5).

The chastening... fell upon Him (53:5)

In need of healing (53:5).

By His scourging (53:5).

All of us like sheep have gone astray, Each of us has turned to his own way (53:6).

The LORD has caused the iniquity of us all to fall on Him (53:6).

For the transgression of my people to whom the stroke was due (53:8).

He was cut off out of the land of the living (53:8).

 

The innocent was punished in place of the guilty.  The guilty as permitted to go free.

 

 

BORN IN BETHLEHEM

 

But as for you, Bethlehem Ephrathah,

Too little to be among the clans of Judah,

From you One will go forth for Me to be ruler in Israel.

His goings forth are from long ago,

From the days of eternity. (Micah 5:2).

 

Bethlehem was the city from which David had come.  This was its primary claim to fame, as it was really only a small village.  Ephrathah was the place name of the general area, a name that went all the way back to the days of the judges (Ruth 4:11).   The use of the term Ephrathah distinguishes this town from another Bethlehem that was located near Mount Carmel in the territory of Zebulun (Joshua 19:15).

 

Just as David had come from Bethlehem, so also the future ruler of Israel would also come from Bethlehem.  He would be the One whose coming had been promised and described from ages past.

 

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