Answers Bible Curriculum Year 2 Quarter 3 Lesson 9
This week we’re back in the book of Isaiah and examining some of the most remarkable prophecies given in the Old Testament about the Messiah. What does God reveal about His Messiah through Isaiah that was different from what we’ve heard so far? How does Jesus fulfill Isaiah’s prophecies? How should we respond to those who insist that Isaiah’s prophecies do not refer to Jesus? We’ll answer these questions and more.
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as we’ve already seen in this course the Old Testament has gradually been revealing more and more about a coming one from God an anointed one the Messiah and Genesis 3 14-15 God foretold the sinful Serpent’s defeat and destruction brought about brought about by the seed of the woman the seed shall crush the Serpent’s head while only being wounded on the heel and Genesis 12 3 and 2218 God told Abraham that through his seed all the families of the Earth would be blessed Peter later interprets this seed in the New Testament as singular that is it refers to just one person Angie let me know if we need to switch to the the other method and Genesis 49 Jacob prophesied that the scepter would not depart from Judah and that Dominion eventually would be given to the one to whom it belongs and Deuteronomy 18 15.
Moses prophesied that God would raise up a prophet a special Prophet for Israel one like Moses and this he would come from Israel and all Israel must listen to this prophet in second Samuel 7 11-16 God promised David that God would establish his Royal House to always reign in the land and God also promised that David see would have a kingdom that would be established forever the Psalms foretold various truths about the Messiah including that he would be David’s descendant and yet David’s Lord and that’s in Psalm 110 exercising rule on the earth he would be David’s Lord he would be betrayed by his Brethren and seemingly forsaken by God psalm 22.
but God would actually vindicate him and allow his body to not be corrupted in the grave that’s Psalm 16. do we need to switch the other method okay that’s fine uh just give me the clicker when you can so in Psalm 16 he he foretells that he’s not going to remain in the grave he won’t his body won’t see corruption well recently we saw in Hosea Hosea 1 11 that Judah and Israel will one day be reunited under one ruler and then last week in Micah Micah 5 2-5 we learned some specific information about the Messiah what are some of the things that Micah told us about becoming one where he would come from where have you born he’d be born in Bethlehem of Judah what else yes Joe continuing right yeah so he would Rule and um his rule would last what else where’s his uh where his going forth going forth from even from eternity past he’s going his his going forths are from ancient times he will not come Mike also said he will not come until Israel’s birth labor was over but when he comes he will Shepherd Israel and the strength and Majesty of the Lord he will be great and he will be Israel’s peace so as we are moving through the Old Testament God reveals more and more to his people through His prophets about who the Messiah is when and when he will come and what are those circumstances going to be it’s getting clearer and clearer and yet the more that is revealed about the Messiah the more amazing the Messiah shows himself to be and the more um I don’t want to say unbelievable in the sense of like you can’t believe him but it just becomes more and more astounding what God actually has in mind with the Messiah can you uh make sure uh the clicker’s ready still still nothing there uh you can do it manually okay so just go to the um the end of that that slide there so it’s becoming more and more amazing but now it comes to Isaiah what Isaiah has to say about the about the Messiah is going to be even more astonishing some new information some more specifics they’re going to be even more amazing when it comes to Messiah now Isaiah is a very large book it features words of rebuke and judgment against Israel and other nations it has words of encouragement and restoration for God’s people but also has information specifically about Israel’s Christ about Israel’s coming one so that’s what we’re going to focus on this morning even those passages there are there are many of them and they’re very poignant so it’s going to be it’s going to be a little bit difficult to even mine all of what’s there we’re going to do our best to with the time we have to appreciate a couple different passages we’re going to look at three so if you go to the next slide here’s our outline for today’s class if you can go to the next slide yeah there we go so we’re going to look at first Isaiah 7 1 to 16. then we’re going to look at Isaiah 9 1-17 and then we’ll finish with the very famous section on Isaiah 53 starting from Isaiah 52 13 to Isaiah 53 12. let’s ask the Lord’s blessing on this time Our God you are in heaven and yet you sent your son to Earth you promised God to send the Messiah and you reveal increasingly in your scriptures how you’re going to do that and what would happen once your Messiah came it’s truly astounding God help us to appreciate what you revealed through Isaiah and Lord let us just as Israel was meant to be let us be changed buy that information let us be affected in the way that you have met in Jesus name amen okay please open to our first passage Isaiah 7 and we’ll start in verse 1. so you can go to the next slide just a quick reminder of the background of this prophet Isaiah I don’t know why part of this is being cut off in the projector just look on the side screens if you’re missing something Isaiah was a prophet from Judah ministered primarily to Judah especially around Jerusalem his ministry spanned Four Kings Uzziah it was called azerbaijah jotham ahaz and Hezekiah at this point you’re probably familiar with those names they’re the kings that we keep on mentioning as we keep on talking about these prophets they’re a set of four kings that many of these prophets are administer administering under Messiah was good Jonathan was good too ahaz was horribly evil and Hezekiah was the most righteous king of Judah now remember Isaiah was the one who had delivered those words of um rescue to Hezekiah regarding the invasion by Assyria whereas Isaiah who said he’s going to return to his old land to his own land so this is a very long ministry under very very many Kings Isaiah was a contemporary of Micah and Hosea probably finished this book of Prophecy around 680 BC it appears that different prophecies were given in this book at different dates because at one point the fall of Samaria is mentioned to be yet future but the totality of the book was certainly finished by about 680 680 BC tradition has it that Isaiah was martyred during the reign of a subsequent King in Judah Manasseh by being sawn in two probably happened between 680 and 640 BC so let’s now hear what God revealed through Isaiah in this chapter Isaiah 7 1 to 16.
now came about in the days of ahaz the son of Jonathan the son of Uzziah king of Judah and resin the king of Aram and Pika the son of ramaliah king of Israel went up to Jerusalem to wage war against it but could not conquer it one was reported to the House of David saying the Armenians of Canton Ephraim his heart and the Heart of his people shook as the Trees of the forest shake with the wind then the Lord said to Isaiah go out now to meet ahats you and your son Shier Joshua at the end of the conduit of the upper pool on the highway to the foolish field and say to him care and be calm have no fear and do not be faint-hearted because of these two stubs of smoldering firebrands on account of the fierce anger of resin and arum and the son of remaliah because Aram with Ephraim and the son of ramalai has planned evil against you saying let us go up against Judah and terrorize it and make for ourselves a breach in its walls and set up the son of tabil as King in the midst of it thus says the Lord God it shall not stand nor shall it come to pass but the head of Aram is Damascus and the head of Damascus is resin now within another 65 years ethium will be shattered so that it is no longer a people and the head of Ephraim is Samaria and the head of Samaria is the son of ramalia if you will not believe you surely shall not last then the Lord spoke again to Ahab saying ask a sign for yourself from the Lord your God make it as deep as she’ll or high as heaven but he has said I will not ask nor will I test the Lord 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 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 Emmanuel he will eat curds and honey at the time he knows enough to refuse evil and choose good for before the boy will know enough to refuse evil and choose good the land whose two kings you dread will be forsaken okay as always let’s start our analysis of this passage with just simple textual observations this prophecy is given during the reign of the wicked King ahaz in Judah what’s the specific occasion however what’s just happened to Judah thank you being attacked that’s right they’ve been invaded they’re being attacked by Syria also called Aram and Israel remember we’ve heard of this before those two United against Israel and eventually ahaz would call on a Syria for deliverance but anyways they’re coming against Israel their camps in Ephraim and the the king and the people are very afraid it says they’re shaking like trees God tells Isaiah to deliver a prophecy to ahaz whom does God tell Isaiah to take with him yeah and this is Isaiah’s son he says take your son living by the way your Bible may include a footnote telling you the meaning of a son’s name what is the meaning a Remnant shall return so we have a prophecy in the name of this son God tells or God through Isaiah tells ahaz not to be afraid why should nahas be afraid what promise does God gives that ahaz should not be afraid what does he promise about this invasion that’s right it’s not going to succeed it’s going to fail they have a plan they say let’s breach Jerusalem let’s set up our own King there he says it’s not going to work it’s not going to come to pass the invasion is going to fail therefore Don’t Be Afraid ahaz don’t be afraid God even declares that within 65 years Ephraim that is another name for Israel the northern kingdom it will be shattered and it will no longer be a people then God says if you will not believe you surely shall not last then called tells ahaz to ask for a sign whatever ahaz wants it to be but ahaz won’t do it why not according to ahats I don’t want to test the Lord that would be an evil thing I mean think about all the times Israel test of the Lord I don’t want to test the Lord by asking him for a sign what’s the irony of that statement according to verse 13.
Judy exactly so he says you say you don’t want to try the Lord by not asking for a sign but the fact that you’re not asking for a sign is trying to the Lord you are testing his patience he’s told you to ask for a sign and you won’t you’re testing the patients of Israel and the patience of God then says he will give ahaz his own sign a virgin will be with child and bear a son and she will call his name Emmanuel now notice the term virgin your Bible may have a footnote that says the term can also be translated Maiden the Hebrew word is Alma the term signifies a young woman who has just reached full sexual maturity and therefore the marriageable age remember the marriageable age and ancient Jewish Society was right after puberty about 12 13 years old this is normal for the time now since an alma has only just become sexually mature and Alma was also considered to be a virgin just made sense used only seven times in the Bible and only three other times is it used in a way which the context helps us understand the meaning of the term I’ll give you those three the word is used in Genesis to describe Rebecca who met Abraham servant at the well before marrying Isaac the servant refers to Rebecca as an alma the word in the nasb is translated as Maiden in that verse and the surrounding verses make it clear that she is a virgin she has not ever known a man Alma is also used to describe Miriam in Exodus 2 8. she was an alma when she spoke with Pharaoh’s daughter at the Nile nafp translates Alma as girl in that instance and then there’s one other instance in proverbs 30 verse 19 where the writer is describing the way of a man with a maid that is the way of a man with an alma as an example of an event that has no immediate Trace he actually Compares it to a couple of different things you have a the wave of bird in the sky you can’t see the path of the bird after it flies the way of a snake on the rock you can’t tell that the snake was there the wave a ship in the sea its path disappears once it goes through and then it says the way of a man with an ulna so the idea there there is a sexual Union and perhaps a loss of virginity but none of it is detectable at least not immediately so those are the only three three instances that help us understand the term Alma one more note some commentators have suggested that based on proverbs 30 19 the last instance that I mentioned to you and certain other linguistic links Alma could refer to someone who’s technically not a virgin a new young wife could still be referred to as an alma or a virgin according to these commentators notice the indefinite article for Virgin and verse 14 of Isaiah here uh Isaiah 7.
this isn’t a specific version that ahaz would recognize or know about this is a an unknown version or at least at that time it says that she will bear a son which means a male human being and notice that she is the one who names him says she shall call him now normally it was the father who named the son in ancient times not the mother she calls his name Emmanuel which means god with us the boy will eat curds and honey that is unrefined food and then we have this phrase nose enough to refuse evil and choose good before Emanuel is able to refuse evil and choose good what does God promise will happen that’s right the two kings and their lands the those two kings you dread will be forsaken which two kings are those Pika and resin the king of Syria and the king of Israel they’re going to be defeated their lands are going to be forsaken okay I think you can actually uh say all the things on this slide just don’t go to the next one just yet now before we ask some interpretation questions we do need to look at one passage close in a context look just at the beginning of chapter 8 verses one to four it’s going to be helpful for when we interpret chapter 8 verse one then the Lord said to me take yourself a large tablet and write on it in ordinary letters Swift is the booty Speedy is the prey and I’ll take myself faithful Witnesses for Testimony Uriah the priest and Zechariah the son of jabarikai so I approached the prophetess and she conceived and gave birth to a son then the Lord said to me name himas which means Swift is the Buddhist we use the prey for before the boy knows how to cry out my father or my mother the wealth of Damascus and the spoil of Samaria will be carried away before the king of Assyria okay there are a lot of perhaps puzzling details here in just these four verses so let’s observe a few things God has Isaiah write a certain message on a tablet in front of two messages or two witnesses that message is Swift as the booty Speedy is the prey verse 3 starts with so indicating causation what comes after is based off of what came before then we hear a prophetess conceives and bears a son and God instructs Isaiah to name the son the message that he previously had written on the tablet now there’s another prophecy here swimmer to the one that we just heard in chapter seven before this child was able to cry out my father or Cloud for his father or cry out for his mother what does God say will happen yeah boy yeah Syria specifically mentioned here is going to come to Syria that is Damascus and Aram gonna defeat them take away their plunder but not just Syria but also but also Samaria meaning Israel so just like in the previous passage God says those two kingdoms are going to be defeated and it’s going to be a Syria who’s going to do so and it’s going to take away all their plunder okay now let’s ask some interpretation questions who is the prophetess in Isaiah 8.
the prophetess not Isaiah’s son is his wife it has to be his wife uh it’s kind of strange that he’s called a prophetess but Isaiah would be immoral to conceive a son with anybody else this has to be his wife now why is she called a prophetess isn’t Isaiah the prophet why is she called a prophetess now it’s possible that there’s some information we just don’t that we aren’t given and maybe there was something prophetic about her that we don’t know about more likely it has to do with the children she Bears because both Shia jashube and this child Mahar Halal they both have prophetic names and so perhaps for that reason she is that’s the one who Bears these children deemed a prophetess what did God mean when he told ahaz if you will not believe you surely will not last why end his word of Prophecy in chapter seven at least in that first section with those words it seems to be addressing the king so what does he mean if you don’t believe you surely will not last consider he just had revealed that Syria and Israel were going to be destroyed but then he says if you don’t believe you will not last so oh go ahead Joe that seems to be that seems to be what we’re looking at here Joe you you suggested that he could be referring to the kingdom of Judah and the kingship in Judah ahaz remember is a wicked King and he’s about to demonstrate more of that that wickedness in just a moment with how he reacts to God’s sign but he says if you don’t believe just like Samaria fell or is going to fall so will you so will your kingdom so will your kingship you’ll be just like Samira and God has said as much in the other prophets if you don’t believe you will not last either now ahaz claims that he will not ask for a sign in order not to test the Lord but based on Isaiah’s rebuke we know that that’s not true what is the real reason a has one asked for a sign yeah he doesn’t believe he doesn’t trust the Lord therefore he’s not interested in a sign and remember from the other books we know that ahaz actually goes after the gods of Assyria he’d rather trust in them not Yahweh so he’s not interested in a sign from Yahweh but God’s gonna give one anyways and it’s the sign of this special birth now was the young woman of Isaiah 7 14 really a virgin or is she really to be understood as an actual virgin or is she simply someone of young and marriageable age yeah Roy I mean young women are having children sons all the time the context of this in the New Testament commentary and Matthew interprets it to be very yes uh you you’ve articulated well Roy I think that’s the way we should approach this question repeat what you said well first of all to say linguistically it’s very weak case to say that this could mean anything other than an actual virgin there is that passage in proverbs 30 verse 19 and that that suggestion that it could refer to somebody who was recently married but the other sections of the Bible use the term to mean an actual virgin a young woman who is a virgin and is about to get married or is ready to be married so there’s that but even more importantly actually what you said Roy is the same thing that John Calvin says whenever he comments on this issue between the Jews and Christians in his own time because there’s a lot debate between the Jews and Christians when it comes to this passage he says even if the Jews are right and this doesn’t refer necessarily to an actual version it just refers to the age of a particular woman usually a virgin this sign would be completely insignificant if it didn’t mean a virgin he just told Ahab asks for a sign as supernaturally obvious as something in sheol or in high heaven and God says you don’t want one I’ll give you one there’s going to be a supernatural birth a virgin will bear a child and as Roy was saying if it were just like oh this young girl is going to Bear a child after she gets married what kind of sign is that doesn’t seem significant at all it would not make sense so whatever this term might mean in other cases Isaiah must mean and his audience must understand that this is an actual version and yes there’s the commentary from the New Testament but even from the Old Testament we can understand that without looking for Matthews or Lucas commentary another question these two passages talk about this is related these two passages talk about the birth of two children Isaiah seven is a eight and before either of those children grow up God says that Aram and Israel will be destroyed considering how similar the prophecies are should we say that these children are actually the same the one spoken about in Isaiah 7 14 is actually Isaiah’s Second Son which is talked about in Isaiah 8.
should we make that conclusion no we shouldn’t why not first of all they’re not named the same he says specifically this child shall be called Emmanuel but in the second one he says call him this other name so the name is different what else yes who is the one who actually names the child he says it’s the woman it’s gonna be the Virgin who names this child Emmanuel but then in Isaiah 8 he says you are to name the child this other name and then or there’s one other thing we can point to what is the other if they were married they would have had relations so how could a virgin give birth yeah in Isaiah’s case right right that’s that’s my the other point that we should bring up the son for Isaiah is not born of a young virgin girl and not even somebody who’s been a virgin recently this is her second child she certainly cannot be referred to as an alma because she’s not a virgin and hasn’t been a virgin for some time so for three different reasons Isaiah and his wife cannot fulfill what Isaiah 7 14 says now some say that Isaiah’s son in chapter 8 is a partial fulfillment of Isaiah 7 verse 14. some good commentators do say that but I don’t like that explanation because Isaiah’s son and his wife do not meet any of the conditions that are given in his ASM verse 14 except that the prophecy that’s given after that son of Isaiah is born is very similar to what was given in Isaiah 7 14. but the conditions are not there they’re not even sort of there have some might object and say well if this if these two are not exactly related then in Isaiah 7 14 isn’t at all about Isaiah’s son then why would this sign be relevant to King ahaz I mean messiah’s birth is a long time after the fall of Syria and Israel why would this sign be significant to ahaz who’s under imminent invasion of Syria and Israel well that is a fair objection and I can’t exactly say why God chose to give ahaz the sign in the way that he did though considering the circumstances and he has his wickedness God may have simply stepped aside from ahaz and he says you don’t want to sign okay I’m going to give a sign but it’s not really for you that could be one way to explain it but there are other things we can point to as well perhaps this sign of this virgin birth and the coming of Emmanuel was given as a confirmation of God’s covenant with Israel and his promise to redeem them and restore them despite their sin and despite the unbelief of their ruler God is saying no matter what no matter what happens with this Invasion no matter what happens due to your own unbelief know that it doesn’t change my plans I still will send one to redeem Judah and Israel one day or perhaps we could also say this sign the Virgin birth and the announcement of Emmanuel is a rebuke to ahaz he says ahaz you unbelieving King you and your wives and your gods and even your wicked Descendants on the throne they will not be the source of ultimate Deliverance for Israel a virgin unknown to you will have a son supernaturally born by God and this son will be God With Us he will be the one to deliver Israel but even before he grows up Aram and Israel those enemies you fear they will be shattered yeah bill it’s not the same other words to Christ that’s a good question let me repeat it is it possible that verse 14 and chapter 7 and verse 16 actually refer to two different children the first one referring to the Messiah the second the second one referring to Isaiah’s own child I think that is part of the argument for those who say that Isaiah’s son is a partial fulfillment of what’s given in chapter seven I do think it’s a interpretive stretch to say that there’s an immediate shift like that considering the the common sense would be to understand the sun in verse 14.
um to be continually described going into verse 16. now I’m sure not every commentator agrees on that but I would I would say you would be interpretively hard-pressed to argue that verse 16 is a different person without any other clues in the context to show that it’s a different person but it’s a good question that you bring up Bill okay another question does the name Emmanuel mean that the boy would literally be God With Us that the boy will be God yeah Joe you say yes well we know the way it turns out and yes it is true Emmanuel will literally be God With Us Matthew makes that clear in his gospel by even quoting this passage in Isaiah 7 14. what Jesus’s birth but Emmanuel is just an a can’t name it be interpreted various ways has not Israel been told before by God that God will dwell among them and be with them via his Tabernacle via his Temple via his saving presence Israel claimed at various times that their God was with them and therefore they could face their enemies could this sun simply be an affirmation that God would be with his people again in some way after all the phrase is the phrase Emmanuel is used twice in Isaiah chapter 8 but not clearly in connection to a particular person now those things are worth noting but we should also note that whenever God directs a child to be born with a certain name given a certain name that name is always significant regarding a fulfilled or soon to be fulfilled promise with the coming of this son God would be with his people in a way that he wasn’t with his people before there’s going to be a new way that God is with his people and how could that be unless this child was God himself moreover while many Hebrews were named various Pious names no one ever thought to or dared to name his son God With Us Emmanuel there appears to be a certain expectation that’s in this phrase that just felt like going too far for any normal Israelite but God tells Isaiah and then ahaz through Isaiah this virgin will miraxly bear a son and confidently name him God with us because she will know that this phrase is true God will be with his people so like Micah 5 2 and his statement about the messiah’s going forth being from of old the phrasing here is somewhat enigmatic but the name of the Virgin son is indicative that with this son God would be with his people in a way that he wasn’t before even because the son himself is God now a case that still feels a little bit ambiguous to you let’s now look briefly at Isaiah chapter 9 verses 1 to 7. turn over there we don’t have time to fully analyze this passage and after we read through it you might have handles Messiah playing in your mind It’s a Wonderful bit of Prophecy let’s notice a few things as a and I and verse 1 to 7. and you can go to the next line but there will be no more Gloom for her who was in anguish in earlier times he treated the land of zebulun and land of Napoli with contempts but later on he shall make it glorious by the way of the Sea on the other side of Jordan Galilee of the Gentiles the people who walk in darkness will see a great light those who live in a dark land the light will shine on them you shall multiply the nation you shall increase their gladness they will be glad in your presence as with the gladness of harvest as men rejoice when they divide the spoil for you shall break the Yoke of their burden and the staff on their shoulders the rod of their oppressor as at the Battle of Midian for every boot of the booted warrior in the battle tumult and cloak rolled in blood will be for burning fuel for the fire 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 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 forever molar the Zeal of the Lord of hosts will accomplish this so is the son that is to come going to be God or simply have God’s blessing it’s going to be both yeah but clearly he’s going to be God his name will be Mighty God Everlasting father no one can fulfill these names except God himself the son that is to come the Messiah is to come will be God so we can be sure Emmanuel means literally God With Us God on the earth in the flesh this must have blown the minds of Isaiah’s listeners even Isaiah himself a human son will be God and he will sit on David’s throne and Rule David’s Kingdom forever notice also some repetition of some other prophecies promises that we’ve seen verse one Gentiles are included in God’s salvation plans Galilee of the Gentiles verses two to four Israel’s enemies will be destroyed and the Kingdom of Israel will be restored verse 5 war will cease the boots and the cloaks will all be burned up there’s no need for them anymore so like we saw from Micah Isaiah is declaring an astonishing truth God himself will come as a man to deliver Israel and Reign on David’s Throne born not in the king’s Palace but from a young no-name virgin but is about to go to another level of astonishment because we’ve got another passage to look at turn to Isaiah 52.
and you can go to the next all right put all the information on this slide leave it there for a second and then we’ll go to the next one so Isaiah 52 starting in verse 13.
and then we’ll reach the end of chapter 53 long section again we won’t be able to appreciate all of the significance but we will notice key segments of the of these passages all right Isaiah 52 starting at verse 13.
oh some quick background in the latter part of the book of Isaiah the prophet gives a number of Revelations concerning the coming servant of the Lord God keeps referring to the one who will come as his servant this begins in Isaiah 42. it um comes again in Isaiah 49 then again in Isaiah 50 and then finally here Isaiah 52 going to the end of Isaiah 53.
here’s what it says starting in Isaiah 52 verse 13.
behold my servant will prosper and he will be high and lifted up and greatly exalted just as many were astonished at you my people so his appearance was marred more than any man and a sworn more than the sons of men thus he will sprinkle many nations Kings will shut their mouths on account of him for what they had been told them they will see and what they had not heard they will understand who has believed our message and to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed for he grew up before him like a tender shoot and like a root out of parched ground he has no stately former Majesty that we should look upon him nor appearance that we should be attracted to him 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 surely our griefs himself bore and our sorrows he carried yeah we ourselves esteemed him stricken smitten of God and afflicted but he was pierced through for odd transgressions he was crushed for our iniquities the chastening for our well-being fell upon him and by his scourging we are healed 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 he was oppressed and he was afflicted if he did not open his mouth like a land that has led to a Slaughter or to slaughter and like a sheep that is silent before she was so he did not open his mouth by oppression and judgment he was taken away and as for his generation who considered that he was cut off out of the land of the living for the transgression of my people to whom the stroke was due his grave was assigned with wicked men yes he was with a rich man in his death because he had done no violence nor was there any to see his mouth but the Lord was pleased to crush him putting him to grief if he would render himself as a guilt offering you will see his offspring you won’t prolong his days and the good pleasure of the Lord will prosper in his hand as a result of the anguish of his soul he will see it and be satisfied by his knowledge the righteous one my servant will justify the many as he will bear their iniquities therefore I will Allah him a portion with the grace and he will divide the beauty with the strong because he poured him poured out himself to death and was numbered with the transgressors yet he himself bore the sin of many and interceded for the transgressors incredibly incredible poignant Passage fortunately it’s long so we have to talk about it in summary form but notice your shift between chapters 52 chapters 52 and chapter 53 how did the verb tenses change that’s right future tense moves into past tense notice 5213 says that this servant will prosper and be exalted this is consistent with the other prophecies we’ve heard about the Messiah even from earlier in this book Isaiah 7 and 9 he will be exalted he will prosper but what other stunning Revelations are given here about the coming one what’s one one thing revealed yes Danny 13.
sounds similar to Isaiah 6.
he has the vision okay he says I see the Lord sitting on the throne oh that’s something okay good question yeah Danny is noting that that language there in verse 13 he would be high and lifts it up and greatly exalts it it is perhaps reminiscent certainly similar to what Isaiah says about God sitting on his throne in Isaiah 6. let’s see if I can find it real quick yes Isaiah 6 verse one I saw in the year of King messiah’s death I saw the Lord sitting on a throne lofty and exalted with a train of his robe filling the temple is that an illusion to the Divinity of Jesus I’m not sure but certainly there’s there’s a extreme exaltation to the servant that is being talked about here between these two chapters but what what other Revelations besides the prospering and the exaltation of this servant are given what’s one thing yeah Joe okay yes so it talks about he doesn’t have any uh stately form I think probably best to understand that as he will be humble he represents himself humbly doesn’t mean he was ugly just means that he didn’t look like someone who was Majestic someone who has the the pump of kingship what else that’s right his appearance was smart and it says more than any man and we can tie together some of the other virtues verses here he will suffer greatly he will be sorrowful you see the word anguish In this passage you see him being crushed you see him um being uh afflicted this servant it’s going to suffer he’s going to be a man of Sorrows acquainted with grief emphasize again and again in these chapters what else that’s right all right guys not suffering for any old reason he’s suffering on behalf of the people of Israel it says our iniquities he caused the iniquity of his Earth he bore the iniquities of his people suffer and even die they’re the sins of his people according to God’s will and look at the result what will he obtain for his people Craig that’s right he says they will be healed it says he will justify them he’s going to cover their transgressions pay for them and cause these people to be made right with God he will be presented as a guilt offering for his people not just his people back in Isaiah 52 verse 15 it says he will sprinkle many nations people who did not see her under or or had not heard will understand so this is again there’s a reference here that goes beyond the Kingdom of Israel but specifically the people his people he’s going to suffer for them as a guilt offering let’s see other things here he will be righteous 53 9 it says um he had done no violence you know there was no deceit in his mouth he’s called the righteous one in verse 11.
he’ll be counted though as an evil doer and verse 9 it says they assign his grave with wicked men and in verse 12 he was numbered with the transgressors they will consider him to be an evil doer they will reject him he will die but instead of being buried in a grave for wicked men he will actually be buried in connection with a rich man in the grave of a rich man and after he dies God will raise him up we see this in it does say in Isaiah 52 13 he will be exalted by Isaiah 53 10.
he will see his offspring he will prolong his days and verse 11 he will see it and be satisfied verse 12.
I will allot him a portion with the grace he will divide the booty with the strong so he will be raised a new life he will be exalted and his work will astonish the world Isaiah 52 15 kings are going to be shutting up their mouths on account of him and Isaiah 53 verse 1 who has believed our message and to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed you can actually list all the things on this slide be humble he’ll be righteous he’ll suffer greatly and be sorrowful he’ll be counted as an evildoer he will die but instead instead of being buried in the grave for wicked men who will be buried with a rich man or as a rich in the grave of a rich man suffer and die for the sins of his people obtaining justification for them his work will impact Gentiles God will raise him up and exalt him and he will astonish the world let’s talk some interpretation now why is part of this prophecy given in the past tense yes to me it’s referring to a future event when Israel comes for repentance to realize that they have it’s a point in the future even the future for right now when Israel and Nation poor fathers killed children and that’s when they were they will reflect on the fact that we years ago considered Israel’s repentance in the future of what happened okay yeah that makes sense um I I Danny was telling me that that MacArthur lays out the argument for that certainly we know that in other sections of scripture both in the Old Testament and New Testament future events are sometimes talked about in the past tense and perhaps that’s simply to emphasize that it’s sure to come to pass or it may additionally be as you were saying Dwayne and as MacArthur argues that this is actually going to be the testimony of Israel in the future when they repentance when they look on the one on whom they pierce they will say we did all these things we assumed him as an evil doer even though he was our Guild offering and that’s when they return to the Lord so perhaps both of those things but there’s it’s meaningful that Isaiah 53 is given in the past tense how would these words have impacted the men of Judah who heard them who heard them from Isaiah yes Craig yes I think this would have been very astonishing and perplexing I mean it’s not that it’s unclear but it’s just how can this be true God’s servant who’s going to be exalted who will be God according to Isaiah 9 and Isaiah 7. he’s going to die he’s going to suffer for the sins of his people he’s going to be esteemed a transgressor how could that possibly happen are we gonna say Rob OT that’s interesting I’ll repeat what you said you’re saying that you believe that and many synagogues they actually don’t read this chapter it’s because of how shocking it is okay yeah that’s what you’ve heard other people say certainly there’s a lot of uh tension between Jews and Christians and among Jews themselves when it comes to a Isaiah 53 or you’re gonna say really see that mindset in of the the apostles as they were going through are you going to set the kingdom up now of this kind of the forward-looking but they could never understand at that time that they and of course they could not understand too the distinguishing that there would be up first coming and also a second coming right yeah so you bring up that even in the New Testament people are still perplexed not understanding this section of Isaiah they know that Messiah is going to come be exalted he’s going to reestablish the kingdom but this whole thing about suffering we don’t know how to fit that in but yeah they they did not understand that he was going to come two different times one to save his people from their sin at another time to re-establish the Kingdom of Israel on the Earth certainly there is uh there’s certainly supposed to be some comfort from this that has God has been revealing Israel needs a savior Israel needs covering it’s going to come it’s going to come through a special servant of God Israel don’t be disheartened God has not cast you off you will be brought back just as the other prophets reveal you will be forgiven you will be restored but now we see how it’s going to be through the suffering of a special servant the servant of God God himself the son of God well is is this a or I gotta ask this question who is the suffering servant described here you know that this is the Lord Jesus if you’ve read the gospels it’s completely obvious you’ve probably heard and we are looting to this a little bit stories of Christians reading this passage to Jews the Jews not knowing where it is from and the Jews confessing that this has to be talking about Jesus I don’t I’ve never tried that myself so I can’t testify to that but it makes sense because Jesus fulfillment of these words is so complete and the words of the other prophets I’m sure Isaiah and the others who originally heard this prophecy were very puzzled about how all these things could fit together he’s man and yet God he has an eternal Kingdom yet he’s rejected and put to death he’s righteous and yet he suffers for transgression he’s the king and yet he humbly accepts his own Slaughter how could all these things be fulfilled together but God has shown Us in the final revelation of Jesus in Jesus own coming Jesus does exactly all of these things he’s rejected by his people he dies on their behalf and even on behalf of the Gentiles all according to the plan of God and therefore God highly exalts him only God could be righteous and die for the sins of his people but he had to become man to do so so Jesus is the Fulfillment the only possible fulfillment of what is declared in Isaiah but before we move on from this passage we have to tackle one issue we have to go back to Isaiah 49 at the age chapter 49 for just a moment because some look at the Isaiah passage we just read in Isaiah 53 as not pointing to Jesus or even necessarily the Messiah but to Israel itself the suffering servant of Isaiah 53 is Israel that is the standard Jewish interpretation and before you say that is so Blasphemous and stupid look what Isaiah 49 1-4 says I do think it is Blasphemous in a way prideful but look at what Isaiah 49 1-4 says listen to Mio islands and pay attention you peoples from afar the Lord called me from the womb from the body of my mother he named me this again this is one of the passages that talks about the servant he has made my mouth like a sharp sword and a shadow of his hand he has concealed him and he has also made me a select Arrow he has hidden me in his quiver he said to me you are my servant Israel in whom I will show my glory but I said I have toil in vain I’ve spent my strength for nothing and vanity yet surely the Justice due to me is with the Lord and my reward with my God uh God says Point Blank that the servant Isaiah is describing is Israel and yet why can we confidently say despite what to say to you in Isaiah 49 3 that the people or nation of Israel cannot be the servant that Isaiah described in Isaiah 53.
yes Steve well from the other passages that we read about um being born of a virgin you know it doesn’t fit all the criteria that’s a great point when we combine all of the verses that talk about the Messiah we see that God is sending a coming one not a nation but a person and this person is going to be God and so just uniting that with his a53 we have to say no the servant is not Israel but we can also point to something else yes Joe I’ve heard it argued I guess that they said so it can’t be Israel itself you’re talking about here in Isaiah 49 yeah yes if we just look at the context of is it or the verses we just read verse 5 says and now says the Lord who formed me from the womb to be a servant to bring Jacob back to him so that Israel might be gathered to him for I’m honored in the sight of the Lord and my God is my strength he says it’s a too small thing that you should be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob and to restore the preserved ones of Israel I will also even make you a Light of the Nations so that my salvation May reach the end of the Earth how can Israel save Israel how can the sons of Jacob somehow call back the sons of Jacob doesn’t make sense same thing in Isaiah 53 some of those things could apply to Israel yes Israel may have grown up like a tender shoe before the Lord maybe Israel didn’t have a stately appearance at first maybe Israel was forsaken by God for a Time truly R Grieves he himself bore and our sorrows he carry um later on there says and biascouraging we are healed there’s a partner that talks specifically about his people oh yeah verse 8 and 53 he was cut out of the land of the living for the transgression of my people to whom the stroke was due how can Israel suffer the transgressions and redeem Israel the nation can’t fulfill these things on behalf of itself someone has to do this for Israel you’re going to say something wrong right yeah so right your point again we can always talk about the New Testament interpretation confirming our interpretation of the Old Testament but for the sake of kind of redirecting a Jewish interpretation which does not take into account what the New Testament says certainly we can say even here the the description of the suffering servant calls for someone to act on me or act on Israel’s behalf Israel cannot fulfill these things for themselves running short on time but if it’s quickly mm-hmm right yeah so there’s the r of Israel and Isaiah 53 versus the my servant real quick Danny right so verse 11 as you were saying it identifies the servant as the righteous one who will justify the many how can Israel be that righteous one that’s why it does kind of feel prideful and even Blasphemous to say that this is Israel you think you’re the righteous one you think that you’re the one who suffered and you’re the one who is due Justice and all those types of things and you don’t you don’t realize that you need someone to save you because of your iniquity that’s actually what Isaiah has been talking about the whole time in this chapter so it’s a sad reversal of what Isaiah originally meant so all right yeah that way there is a typology here that the nation of Israel is a type okay so you’re saying getting to my next question how should we understand Isaiah 49 3 then if the servant is called Israel well apparently Jesus can take on that title now Messiah can take on the title of Israel because he so identifies with his people and as you were you were suggesting that Jesus or that Israel is the type of Jesus certainly Matthew in his gospel is emphasizing again and again how whatever happens to Israel happens to Christ out of Egypt I called my son and um and there’s weeping in Rama and uh I forget the other the town name but referring to the slaughter of babies due to Herod and just as Israel went through weeping there’s weeping related to the Messiah related to the slaughter of children so anyways to wrap things up the suffering Suriname Isaiah 53 cannot be Israel the nation but one whom God would send on Israel’s behalf one who though the king would suffer and die in order to pay for the sins of his people and before Isaiah God had not revealed this shocking truth about the Messiah not specifically and even when Jesus came as they pointed out the Jews most of the Jews did not expect or comprehend this part of God’s plan but this is how all the prophecies related to Israel’s forgiveness and restoration all right this is part of the means of how those things are going to come to pass Israel needs a guilt offering on its behalf by the way how many years before Jesus coming did Isaiah prophesy this about amazing so we’ve seen some striking prophecies today regarding the Messiah the Zeal of the Lord of hosts has brought them to pass and yet there are still some to come we haven’t seen the Everlasting Kingdom of uh of the Messiah brought onto the Earth but it will come some questions to you to consider or can we go to the last slide and put all the uh not the last line the second last side put all those questions there some questions to consider certainly this has some relevance for evangelism proving that Jesus is the Messiah from the Old Testament reasoning with the Jews had an interpretation that as ASM 14 is about Isaiah’s son or Isaiah 53 is about Israel they just don’t fit they just don’t fit in the text but also we should ask or can you yeah put the questions on there we should ask for our own sake has Jesus suffered for your sins is he your guilt offering or are you still trying to make yourself right with God by your own good works are you still trying to do what Israel tried to do you needed justification by substitute not yourself do you love Jesus for his amazing heart revealed in Salvation that he was pleased to suffer and die for God’s Will and for you even you Gentiles and if you love Jesus and you have suffered on your behalf have you submitted to him in everything do you seek diligently to learn and do all of God’s will salvation glorious truth demands it if you have other questions or comments come see me afterwards uh even after the ministry of Isaiah and righteous Hezekiah is you’ll turn back to sin and so God yet patience sends another Prophet to warn judgment is coming that’s we’ll talk about next week with Jeremiah it’s closer prayer I would just mind-boggling truth God you would reveal this to Isaiah we see it even full of Revelation from the word of the Apostles but just so astounding you came into the Flesh and you suffered and died for Israel and then you brought in the Gentiles to you brought in US thank you thank you God for being so incomprehensibly merciful thank you for demonstrating a humility piano we could ever understand you deserve all the glory you are the great God thank you for sending your Messiah Lord Jesus help us to live in a worthy way of you and of the Salvation that you’ve given us empowers us by your spirit in Jesus name amen