Old vs. New — Take a Look! April 7, 2007
Posted by Steve in : The City, Powerful Passages , trackbackAs we approach Easter tomorrow here in Chicago, it is worth taking a read of ISAIAH 53 in the Old Testament — This amazing passage from one of the Hebrew Prophets was written more than 700 years before the birth of Jesus, and contains writings that clearly identify and prophesy the coming life and mission of Jesus of Nazareth. This chapter is often cited by Jews and Gentiles as prophecy that must be fulfilled by the Messiah. Franz Delitzsch made an extraordinary but true comment about the 53rd chapter of Isaiah when he said that this chapter is “the most central, the deepest, and the loftiest thing that the Old Testament prophecy, outstripping itself, has ever achieved.”
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No other person has arisen to lay claim to being a Messiah who would suffer for mankind. Isaiah 53 is found in the the Jewish Tanakh today, though it is generally left out of the weekly synagogue readings, as are many other texts of the Bible. When people read Isaiah 53 without knowing which part of the Bible it comes from, many often assume is from the New Testament. Though many modern rabbis describe the sufferings as that of the nation of Israel, most ancient rabbis said it refers to Messiah’s sufferings.
As you read the verses below starting in Chapter 52’s verse 13, look at the insight into the characteristics of the Messiah and how he is to be received by his own people, and the pain and suffering he will go through before rising victorious from the grave. Only Jesus of Nazareth has laid claim to every one of these prophecies. No other person has ever tried to meet the contradictions of disgrace and glory fused in these messianic predictions. Isaiah 53 is where the Old Testament meets the New Testament in the person of Jesus the Christ, the Messiah:
1. He is to be a person of great importance. 52:13
2. He will be abused to the point of extreme physical damage. 52:14
3. Kings of foreign nations will give attention to this news with astonishment. 52:15
4. But his own people, in general, will not believe nor recognize him. 53:1
5. Nothing noteworthy about his personality nor appearance will stand out. 53:2
6: He will know the pain of rejection. 53:3
7. His punishment is to be considered as God’s justice. 53:4
8. He is not to suffer for himself but to heal us with his wounds. 53:5
9. Our sins are to be laid on him by God. 53:6
10. He is to suffer and offer no defense. 53:7
11. He is to be imprisoned and sent to death from trial. 53:8
12. During the trial he is to be beaten for the nation’s sin.53:8
13. Even though innocent he is to die among the wicked. 53:9
14. He is to be given a grave among the wicked and the rich. 53:9
15. God’s will is that he see his offspring when his life is made a sin offering. 53:10
16. God is pleased and his life is prolonged by his death. 53:10
17. After the travail and anguish he is to see himself as completed. 53:11
18. Many will be saved by the knowledge of his righteous act. 53:11
19: He will bare his soul to death and thereby be insured a place of historical greatness.53:12
20. Wealth will be his because he faced death as a sinner bearing the sins of sinners and interceding for them. 53:12Source: Fred _Miller
Isaiah 52 –The Exalted 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.
saiah 53 – The Suffering Servant
1 Who has believed our message? And to whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed?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. 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. 6 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. 7 He was oppressed and He was afflicted, Yet He did not open His mouth; Like a lamb that is led to slaughter, And like a sheep that is silent before its shearers, So He did not open His mouth. 8 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?9 His grave was assigned with wicked men, Yet He was with a rich man in His death, Because He had done no violence, Nor was there any deceit in His mouth.10 But the LORD was pleased To crush Him, putting Him to grief; If He would render Himself as a guilt offering, He will see His offspring, He will prolong His days, And the good pleasure of the LORD will prosper in His hand.11 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.12 Therefore, I will allot Him a portion with the great, And He will divide the booty with the strong; Because He poured out Himself to death, And was numbered with the transgressors; Yet He Himself bore the sin of many, And interceded for the transgressors.
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