Isaiah 53 The Arm of the Lord Revealed: via His suffering?

1. Isaiah 53 The Arm of the Lord Revealed: via His suffering?

2. ISAIAH CH 53 690 BC

3. Isaiah 51-53 514Hearken unto me, my people; and give ear unto me, O my nation: for a law shall proceed from me, and I will make my judgment to rest for a light of the people. 5 My righteousness is near; my salvation is gone forth, and mine arms shall judge the people; the isles shall wait upon me, and on mine arm shall they trust. This is a prophecy of the coming of the Gospel. The law that “shall proceed” from God is the New Covenant in Jesus’ Blood. The “light of the people” is the same Gospel light that was seen by people who walked in darkness, the light which God said should not be hidden under a basket, the light that we should let so shine before men. “Near” means the same as Paul said, “The Word is nigh thee” to confess and to believe on Christ and His resurrection. The “isles” are the far-away lands where the Gospel would go, and be embraced, through the work of faithful missionaries, starting with the Apostles. “Mine arms”: the arms which we are encouraged to lean upon for our hope and future are the same arms which will judge the whole world. Pay me now, or pay me later.

4. Isaiah 52-53 523For thus saith the Lord, Ye have sold yourselves for nought; and ye shall be redeemed without money. Here is God, being mysterious again, going “Want to hear some New Testament?” Israel says, “New Testament? What’s that?” God says, like Marty McFlyafter he imitated Chuck Berry on guitar, “You may not dig it now, but your kids are gonna LOVE it…” The idea is that Israel and Judah worshiped other goddies and got nothing from it. They prostituted themselves, and stupidly paid the customer (Eze 16:32-4); but would be redeemed out of compassion -- in the same way Rahab was, and Tamar, and Ruth and Bathsheba – all of these stories contain a Redemptive aspect, so that women who were not all virtuous Jewish girls were redeemed; and all 4 are included in the Christ lineage. Now watch how the New Testament puts it:

5. Isaiah 52-53 52:7 How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringethgood tidings, that publisheth peace; that bringeth good tidings of good, that publisheth salvation; that saith unto Zion, Thy God reigneth! Here is a new prophecy, a complete departure from the “Don’t do the crime if you can’t do the time” that preceded it. And what a prophecy it is! It represents a lead-in to the Gospel. The term, “good tidings”, is, literally, the Gospel. How fitting that it is a preview of the Gospels and the Epistles: Luke 2: the Angel of the Lord to the shepherds, and to us: “I bring you good tidings of great joy; peace on earth; a Savior (salvation), to all people.” Best news ever. John 1:23 the voice of one crying in the wilderness, John Baptist, said, “Behold the Lamb of God who taketh away the sin of the world”. Good news alright. Feet shod. Ready, go. Romans 10:13-18 How shall they hear without a preacher? Go prepared, studied-up, prayed-up, led by the Spirit. Eph. 6:15 We have a story to tell; we are His ambassadors.

6. Isaiah 52-53 52:8 Thy watchmen shall lift up the voice; with the voice together shall they sing: for they shall see eye to eye, when the Lord shall bring again Zion. The Watchmen here are the prophets of old, and the Apostles, who were yet to come. As we have long taught, the old and new testaments are in complete agreement: the prophets and apostles “see eye to eye”. And, in Ephesians 4:11, we see that when Christ ascended on high, He gave gifts: again, apostles and prophets, but also evangelists, pastors and teachers. He is still doing that. The Gospel is here alright, and we sing and praise, like in Zion of old, when David was around – and it’s all to bring the Gospel more fully into the lives of God’s children, individually, and as a group – toward maturity. And this brilliantly-conceived, yet mysterious, aspect of the Church Age was foretold, way back in 690 BC, in these types and shadows.

7. Isaiah 52-53 52:10 The Lord hath made bare his holy arm in the eyes of all the nations; and all the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of our God.11 Depart ye, depart ye, go ye out from thence, touch no unclean thing; go ye out of the midst of her; be ye clean, that bear the vessels of the Lord.12 For ye shall not go out with haste, nor go by flight: for the Lord will go before you; and the God of Israel will be your rearward. We have been over this end-times revisitation of Israel, when Christ comes to His long-lost nation, saves a remnant via supernatural preaching and prophesying (Moses, Elijah, the 144K). That word, “rearward”, means “rear-guard” – as in God has got your back. I have claimed that many times for myself, as I watched God protect me and my family in matters I didn’t even know about. It reminds me of the wandering in the wilderness when God used His pillar of fire to guard the rear flank of Israel vs the Egyptians. So it will be again when God takes them back to the wilderness in the last days of the Tribulation.

8. Isaiah 52-53 52:13 Behold, my servant shall deal prudently, he shall be exalted and extolled, and be very high.14 As many were astonied at thee; his visage was so marred more than any man, and his form more than the sons of men: 15 So shall he sprinkle many nations; the kings shall shut their mouths at him: for that which had not been told them shall they see; and that which they had not heard shall they consider. This begins another prophecy. To us, it is the most precious of all the OT prophecies of our Lord Jesus. It is mysterious to most Jews to this day, because it speaks of the Anointed One, the Messiah, in terms that can only be described as the most troubling, and undeserved, suffering anyone could ever imagine. It speaks of Christ’s : Wisdom Exaltation and worship Brutal suffering His Blood (the sprinkling of many nations) His iron-rod rule The newness and mystery of His ultimate plan. And He is just getting started!

9. Isaiah 52-53 And He is just getting started Ultimate Sacrifice and Redemption in Chapter 53

10. Isaiah 53 1. Who hath believed our report? and to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed? 3 levels about the rhetorical question of disbelief in God’s Word: a. Israel did not believe it, and they were dissolved b. Judah has some who believe, but they’re still rebellious c. the gentiles are oblivious, yet some will believeanyway It’s like people will believe anything BUT God: Adam and Eve believed the devil’s report Noah’s report of judgment was met with scorn The people at Babel tried a workaround Pharaoh didn’t believe God’s report Israel in the wilderness believed an evil report Northern Kingdom, Israel, believed false reports Kings in Judah wanted to kill the messengers John the Baptist was rejected and killed The Pharisaical types rejected the report And the Arm of the Lord was revealed to them, as though He were an enemy.

11. Isaiah 53 1. Who hath believed our report? and to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed? 3 levels about the rhetorical question of belief in God’s Word: a. Abraham believed God; counted as righteousness b. As many Jews as received Him, He made His sons c. when the Gentiles heard this, they were glad, and glorified the word of the Lord (Acts 13:48) The few who do believe are blessed: Abel believed and brought a good sacrifice Noah believed and built an ark Abraham, Isaac and Jacob believed Joseph believed and was used mightily Samuel believed and was anointed David believed and established Messiah’s line Daniel believed and saw amazing things The Apostles believed and began the Church And the Arm of the Lord was revealed to them, as the power to save and bless.

12. Isaiah 53 Q: Who hath believed our report? and to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed? A: Sadly, most people do not believe God’s Report (His Word). And WHAT is His Arm? His Power! They think God is a joke. Idols make more sense to them. A: The Arm of the Lord is revealed to ALL. Psalm 19; Romans 1; Luke 2 Why would anyone want God’s Arm to be stretched out against them??? They don’t; they just give God bad grades. No one said they were very smart. Why would anyone reject His Arm when He is trying to embrace them with His Love???

13. Isaiah 53 The Arm of the Lord,revealed… Exodus 6:6 I will redeem you with a stretched out arm Deuteronomy 7:19 …the mighty hand, and the stretched out arm, whereby the Lord thy God brought thee out Job 40:9 Hast thou an arm like God? or canst thou thunder with a voice like him? Psalm 89:10 thou hast scattered thine enemies with thy strong arm Psalm 98:1 sing unto the Lord a new song; for he hath done marvellous things: his right hand, and his holy arm, hath gotten him the victory. Psalm 136:12 With a strong hand, and with a stretched out arm: for his mercy endureth for ever. Isaiah 40:10 the Lord God will come with strong hand, and his arm shall rule for him Isaiah 40:11 He shall feed his flock like a shepherd: he shall gather the lambs with his arm Isaiah 51:5 mine arms shall judge the people; the isles shall wait upon me, and on mine arm shall they trust Isaiah 51:9 Awake, awake, put on strength, O arm of the Lord; awake, as in the ancient days

14. Isaiah 53 The Arm of the Lord,revealed… To whom????? Isaiah 52:10 The Lord hath made bare his holy armin the eyes of all the nations; and all the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of our God. To do what????? Isaiah 59:16 his arm brought salvation Isaiah 63:5 mine own arm brought salvation unto me; and my fury, it upheld me. Jeremiah 27:5 I have made the earth, the man and the beast that are upon the ground, by my great power and by my outstretched arm, and have given it unto whom it seemed meet unto me. Jeremiah 32:17 Ah Lord God! behold, thou hast made the heaven and the earth by thy great power and stretched out arm, and there is nothing too hard for thee

15. Isaiah 53 The Arm of the Lord,revealed… To whom????? How about to precious Mary? Luke 1:46 And Mary said, My soul doth magnify the Lord, 47 And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour. 48 For he hath regarded the low estate of his handmaiden: for, behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed. 49 For he that is mighty hath done to me great things; and holy is his name. 50 And his mercy is on them that fear him from generation to generation. 51 He hath shewed strength with his arm; he hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts. 52 He hath put down the mighty from their seats, and exalted them of low degree. 53 He hath filled the hungry with good things; and the rich he hath sent empty away. 54 He hath helped his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy; 55 As he spake to our fathers, to Abraham, and to his seed for ever. Mary had a moment of supreme inspiration when she said that, don’t you? The angel had told her: “With God shall all things be possible.” She had replied, “Be it unto me according to thy word.” That should be our response, too!

16. Isaiah 53 The Arm of the Lord,revealed… By whom????? How about our beloved Isaiah? Christ Himself? This is fulfilled in the Gospels, and continues to this day. Who has believed? A few. Isaiah 6:5 Then said I, Woe is me! for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for mine eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts. 6 Then flew one of the seraphims unto me, having a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with the tongs from off the altar: 7 And he laid it upon my mouth, and said, Lo, this hath touched thy lips; and thine iniquity is taken away, and thy sin purged. 8 Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? Then said I, Here am I; send me. 9 And he said, Go, and tell this people, Hear ye indeed, but understand not; and see ye indeed, but perceive not. 10 Make the heart of this people fat, and make their ears heavy, and shut their eyes; lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and convert, and be healed.

17. Isaiah 53 – in the Gospel John 12:34The people answered him, We have heard out of the law that Christ abideth for ever: and how sayest thou, The Son of man must be lifted up? who is this Son of man? 35 Then Jesus said unto them, Yet a little while is the light with you. Walk while ye have the light, lest darkness come upon you: for he that walketh in darkness knoweth not whither he goeth. 36 While ye have light, believe in the light, that ye may be the children of light. These things spake Jesus, and departed, and did hide himself from them. 37 But though he had done so many miracles before them, yet they believed not on him: 38 That the saying of Esaias the prophet might be fulfilled, which he spake, Lord, who hath believed our report? and to whom hath the arm of the Lord been revealed? (that’s from our Isaiah 53 text) 39 Therefore they could not believe, because that Esaias said again, 40 He hath blinded their eyes, and hardened their heart; that they should not see with their eyes, nor understand with their heart, and be converted, and I should heal them. 41 These things said Esaias, when he saw his glory, and spake of him.

18. Isaiah 53 The fact is that few, indeed, there be that find it, much less believe it. To this day, when we rhetorically preface a question with “WHO DOES THAT?” or “WHO KNEW?” “WHO HAS BELIEVED OUR REPORT?” What we mean to imply is that few, if any, fit the description. Elsewhere, the Word asks, “when the Son of Man returneth, shall He find faith on the earth?” Rhetorical question, I think, the rhetorical response to which would be, “Yes, but precious little, few and far between.” That is unfortunate, in that the declaration of God’s Glory and Goodness has gone out into all the earth; but people simply refuse it. The fact that you are hungry and thirsty to hear God’s report places you among those few, and should give you cause for great rejoicing. There is a wonderful feeling to being in the embrace of those Arms of God, instead of bearing the brunt of their fury.

19. Isaiah 53 2For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: he hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him. “He” (Jesus Christ) shall grow up before “Him” (The Father) “As a tender plant”… 3 meanings: 1) “tender” – that means, among other things, vulnerable, subject to the human conditions and limitations He had never experienced before; 2) during His growing up, from infancy, to childhood, to manhood, He was subject to His parents’ direction and protection; and 3) this contains the suggestion that He, like the tender firstripe plants that are harvested at the celebration that occurs on the 3rd day after Passover, and waved before the Lord, He is indeed “Christ, the Firstfruits…” This gives us that blessed hope of “…and afterward, those that are His at His coming.” (1 Corinthians 15:23) When the Father saw Him, full grown, He declared Him His Beloved Son, in Whom He was well-pleased.

20. Isaiah 53 2 For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: he hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him. “…as a root out of a dry ground…” I believe this is a way of signifying the end of a prophesied spiritual drought Amos 8:11 Behold, the days come, saith the Lord God, that I will send a famine in the land, not a famineof bread, nor a thirst for water, but ofhearing the words of the Lord: That drought lasted 400 years – the period between the Testaments. Christ then is born into that era Amos prophesied, and He proceeded to break that drought and famine. He began to declare “rivers of living water”, and the Bread of Life, come down from Heaven. No more famine. Eat and drink.

21. Isaiah 53 2 For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: he hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him. It also reminds me that He is the God of the impossible; Who makes a way in the dry desert; Who brings forth water out of the dry rock. Think for a moment and realize that, in dry ground, a root just withers up and dies. But this is like the resurrection – a physical impossibility except when God makes it happen. Christ is the root or Jesse, the ultimate sustainer of humanity, of the Church, of the world, of the universe. Out of dry ground, He springs forth as a walking, talking, living, breathing, all-encompassing and pervasive MIRACLE. Out of dry ground, He brings forth the New Birth, the new creature, the Church itself, and the fruits of the Spirit.

22. Isaiah 53 2 For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: he hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him. “No form nor comeliness…” 1) God doesn’t even want us to know what He looked like, or we would idolize that; 2) “can any good thing come out of Nazareth?”; 3) “a prophet is not without honor save in his own town and among his own kindred…”; 4) “how knoweth this man letters, since he has no learning?”; 5) “is this not the son of the carpenter? Isn’t his mother Mary? Aren’t his brothers James, Joseph, Simon and Jude?” 6) “Does my teaching offend you, too; are you going to go away, too?”; 7)”Even His own brothers did not believe on Him…” Add to that the fact that, after they were through beating Him, our Lord must have looked horrible. See Isaiah 52:14

23. Isaiah 53 2 For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: he hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him. If you’re not drawn to Jesus by His looks, then what is it that makes you want to know Him? Could it be that you have seen your Creator, on the Cross, dying for you? Read on.

24. Isaiah 53 2 For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: he hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him. If you’re not drawn to Jesus by His looks, then what is it that makes you want to know Him? Could it be you’re a Jew with a Zechariah 12:10 experience, in the last days? Read on.

25. Isaiah 53 3 He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not. “He is despised and rejected…” That is a long-term rejection; so it doesn’t just refer to (John 1:12) “…His own received Him not…” It doesn’t say He “was despised and rejected… …but, He is…” So it also refers to the ongoing hatred of Jesus that we see in our day – among some very aggressive religions, and among secular governments and societies. The Jews gnashed, the heathen rage. You can reject someone passively and benignly; but when you despise a person, you are likely to go out of your way to let on. What right do people have to despise and reject their Maker? No one has that right. But everyone has that choice.

26. Isaiah 53 3 He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not. “…a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief…” John 7:5; John 11:32-36; John 19:25-30; Matthew 17:22-23; Matthew 23:37; Matthew 26:38; Luke 22:41-48; Can you think of other times when Jesus experienced sorrow and grief? Luke 22:14-22 With that, let’s share communion

27. Isaiah 53 3b. and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not. Now, this part of the verse ispast tense – and that part does refer to His treatment by His Own, Israel, when He came to them the first time. In this sense, especially, Jesus fulfills the type set forth 1700 years prior by Joseph, son of Israel (Jacob), who, when seen by his brethren the first time was not recognized; but when they saw Him the second time, they knew him. So it will be with Israel in the future, when Jesus comes to earth a second time – they will have their moment of clarity, as in Zechariah 12:10. “We hid … our faces from Him…”: this is an indicator that they were offended by Him, and ashamed of Him (as in Luke 23:34-37). “…and we esteemed Him not.” They were looking for a conquering king, not a suffering servant. They also were stung and offended by His words; they were under conviction.

28. Isaiah 53 4 Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. Remember in the previous verse, He is called a “…man of sorrows, acquainted with grief…”? When people look on the suffering of Christ, it is inescapable that it is a scene of grief, pity and sorrow. Well, no wonder! He looks grieving, sorrowful and pitiful there because HE IS CARRYING OURS to the cross with Him. The Man of sorrows carried our sorrows; the man acquainted bears our grief. He has not only borne our griefs, He also nailed them to the cross. He is the ultimate fulfillment of “weeping endureth for the night; but joy cometh in the morning!” Psalm 30 juxtaposes the darkness and grief of what we feel when we see our Lord suffering for us with the joy of Resurrection made all the sweeter; and it gives us encouragement to endure through our own sufferings, both real, and perceived (both are equally painful).

29. Isaiah 53/Psalm 30 Psalm 30: I will extol thee, O Lord; for thou hast lifted me up, and hast not made my foes to rejoice over me. Lifted up on the cross, and from the grave! Foes pitied, then worried. 2 O Lord my God, I cried unto thee, and thou hast healed me. Gethsamane; resurrection. 3 O Lord, thou hast brought up my soul from the grave: thou hast kept me alive, that I should not go down to the pit. Resurrection; alive forevermore. 4 Sing unto the Lord, O ye saints of his, and give thanks at the remembrance of his holiness. This is my Body; This is my Blood; do in remembrance of me. 5 For his anger endureth but a moment; in his favour is life: weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning. It pleased the Father to bruise Him; but He arose. 6 And in my prosperity I said, I shall never be moved. How happy Peter must have been! 7 Lord, by thy favour thou hast made my mountain to stand strong: thou didst hide thy face, and I was troubled. 8 I cried to thee, O Lord; and unto the Lord I made supplication. Gethsamane… 9 What profit is there in my blood, when I go down to the pit? Shall the dust praise thee? shall it declare thy truth? Hebrews 9:12; 24-26; He presented His Own Blood in Heaven. 10 Hear, O Lord, and have mercy upon me: Lord, be thou my helper. Another Comforter… 11 Thou hast turned for me my mourning into dancing: thou hast put off my sackcloth, and girded me with gladness; He spoiled principalities…; …made a show of them openly. 12 To the end that my glory may sing praise to thee, and not be silent. O Lord my God, I will give thanks unto thee for ever. Hallelujah! For our Lord God Omnipotent reigneth! The crucifixion is so horrible, it makes me glad to have this Psalm.

30. Isaiah 53 4 Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. This was Israel’s reaction. They evaluated (esteemed) Him there on the cross and discounted Him. Like Job’s “comforters”, they just knew that 1) anyone suffering this badly must’ve done something really, really bad; 2) no way is this the Messiah, for “cursed is every man that hangeth upon a tree; all Jews knew that scripture; and 3) no way is this the Messiah because the Messiah is supposed to WIN. And so, just when He could’ve use a word of encouragement, 3b. …we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not. We really need a dose of truth, to clear up all these misconceptions That is why the next word is… …BUT!

31. Isaiah 53 5 But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. Daniel had said in Dan. 9:26 that Messiah would be “cut off” (killed), but “not for Himself” (i.e., not for anything He did wrong). And here we have the big “however”, the “nevertheless”, the “notwithstanding”, the “Wait!, there’s more!”, the rest of the story. The wounds in His hands and in His side were because He stood up for us and took the punishment for our misdeeds, and for original sin, not His. The bruises, probably mostly from people punching him around, were from the interrogation He endured while people called him an evil liar; but it is we whose hearts are deceitful and desperately wicked, not His.

32. Isaiah 53 5 But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. The punishment (chastisement) He took in our stead redounds to our peace, not as the world gives, but a peace that passes understanding; a peace between us and God that gives us the will and the ability to extend peace to our fellow man. He is our peace, who hath made both one, having broken down the middle wall of partition between us, and hath abolished in His flesh the enmity (Ephesians 2:14) And the whippings that He took have a mysterious transference that produces healing for us, yes, of our sin problem, and yes, of the physical maladies we experience; but most of all, we are healed of the limitations of mortality, the disease of death – that is the last enemy! See 1 Peter 2:21-24.

34. Isaiah 53 6 All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all. First of all, I love that way that first couplet rhymes when said in English. That has been a blessing to me since I was very young. In Romans it says all have sinned. In Romans also, there is a quote from Isaiah that says there is none righteous, no, not one; and it says that all are concluded under sin. This speaks of original sin, which means that everyone has to be born again to have eternal life. But it also means that we all find ways to go astray during our lives. Paul asked at the end of Romans 7, “Who shall deliver me from this body of sin?” Well, through Jesus Christ! Because the Lord has laid on HIM the iniquity of us all. Does that not just make you well up with gratitude and relief?

35. Isaiah 53 7 He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth. Oppression is when one is unjustly hounded, harried, hassled, accused or abused. Jesus was subjected to all of that: Luke 1153And as he said these things unto them, the scribes and the Pharisees began to urge him vehemently, and to provoke him to speak of many things: 54 Laying wait for him, and seeking to catch something out of his mouth, that they might accuse him. John 12:56 Then sought they for Jesus, and spake among themselves, as they stood in the temple, What think ye, that he will not come to the feast? 57 Now both the chief priests and the Pharisees had given a commandment, that, if any man knew where he were, he should shew it, that they might take him. John 15:18 If the world hates you ye know that it hated me before hating you. Mark 14:63 Then the high priest rent his clothes, and saith, What need we any further witnesses? 64 Ye have heard the blasphemy: what think ye? And they all condemned him to be guilty of death.

36. Isaiah 53 7 He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth. He was arrested, bound, insulted, spat upon, pummeled with fists, whipped, crowned with thorns, mocked, forced to carry the cross, fastened to the cross naked, gasping, and finally, speared. The high priest marveled that Jesus had nothing much to say to him. Pilate was astonished that He was looking a death sentence square in the face, yet did nothing in His defense. Luke 23:9 When Herod questioned Him, Jesus answered him nothing. John 19:10 Pilate marvelled that Jesus was silent before him. Jesus’ few words were measured and troubling to the hearers.

37. Isaiah 53 7 He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth. Here, we have a prediction of one who would act as a human lamb. The person prophesied here would reverse the order of Levitical Law and thereby fulfill it: in the Law, the lamb takes the place of the man. In the prophecy, and in the New Testament, the man takes the place of the lamb, in one sense, but in the ultimate sense, He takes the place of all men who receive His sacrifice. He becomes John the Baptist’s Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. Those who tend sheep know that sheep are very docile when they are being handled, and even when they are going to be slain and butchered. This completes the perfect analogy of the Lamb of God.

38. Isaiah 53 7He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth. Melito (Bishop of Sardis, c. 167 AD) is said to have been a man full of the Holy Spirit. He certainly heard from God when he made the following observations concerning the Lamb, Passover and deliverance: He was given a Body that could suffer, and accepted the suffering to relieve us from having to suffer in eternity. “Through the Spirit that cannot die, He slew the manslayer, death.” Led like the paschal family pet lamb, and slaughtered like a sheep. He ransomed us from the world, as from the land of Egypt. He freed us from slavery to the devil, as from Pharaoh’s bondage. He sealed our souls with His Spirit, and our bodies with His Blood. As Moses did to Pharaoh, so Jesus made the devil grieve. Jesus takes slavery to freedom, darkness to light, death to life.

39. Isaiah 53 7He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth. Melito (Bishop of Sardis, c. 167 AD continued: “This is the Pascha (passover lamb) of our salvation. In many people, He endured many things: He is the One Who was murdered in Abel, Tied up in Isaac, Exiled in Jacob, Sold in Joseph, Slaughtered in the Passover, Hunted in David, Dishonored in the prophets.”

40. Isaiah 53 7He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth. Melito (Bishop of Sardis, c. 167 AD continued: “This is the One made flesh in a virgin, Who was hanged on a tree, Who was buried in the earth, Who was raised from the dead, Who was exalted to the heights of Heaven. This is the Lamb slain, in the evening, Buried at night; Who was not broken on the tree, Nor corrupted in the earth, but rose from the dead, And resurrected humankind from the grave below.” What a brilliant assessment of verse 7 St. Melito gives us.

41. Isaiah 53 8 He was taken from prison and from judgment: and who shall declare his generation? for he was cut off out of the land of the living: for the transgression of my people was he stricken. He was bound and hauled away by guards in the night, taken before the Jewish Council and questioned, mocked, spat upon and slapped around; and no one cried out “POLICE BRUTALITY”. He was then taken to Pilate, who wanted nothing to do with what he considered petty questions of Jewish law. So He was taken to Herod, a pseudo-Jew, who wanted to amuse himself by having Jesus do some miracle as entertainment. Herod sent him bound, back to Pilate, who interrogated Him and found Him innocent. Jesus was then judged by the orchestrated, bloodthirsty mob.

42. Isaiah 53 8 He was taken from prison and from judgment: and who shall declare his generation? for he was cut off out of the land of the living: for the transgression of my people was he stricken. Who shall declare His generation? I find this to be an oblique reference to the fact that Jesus was begotten by the Father, without a mother, and was born of a mother without a father. He Who is timeless was born into time, and time is reckoned from that birth. Since His resurrection, new generations of born-again people can be declared, but being born not of flesh but of Spirit, the regenerate society we call the Church, the Body of Christ, is almost impossible to discern, much less declare! He, the timeless One, was inserted into time. Like a catlyst in chemistry, He brought about change without being changed. He broke into history and redefined the world, along with the very meaning of history, rejoined eternity, and makes history, using us. No one can declare His generation, for He truly transcends all that.

43. Isaiah 53 9 And he made his grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death; because he had done no violence, neither was any deceit in his mouth. In the days of Roman crucifixions around Jerusalem, there was said to have been so many of them that they would throw those thus executed, all together, into a common grave. That is why the scripture declares that Joseph of Arimithea, an influential man, was forced to, and was able to, beg for and obtain the body of Jesus. So His Body was rescued from the corruption of a common pit with dirt thrown over it – part of God not allowing His Holy One to see corruption. And His Precious Body was put into a rich man’s newly-hewn stone sepulchre, untarnished by any previous occupant. So our Lord Christ was cursed for us by hanging on a tree; but He was NEVER cursed for having ever violated the Law! He bore ours.

44. Isaiah 53 10 Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hand. John 3:16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosever believe on Him shall not perish, but have everlasting life. This is why it pleased the Lord to bruise Him – His immense love for us. He alone understood that the substitutionary suffering of the Perfect would be the only antidote to the poison of sin in the imperfect. It pleased the Lord because of the greater good – paradise lost being regained; fellowship with the offspring of Adam restored to its primordial condition. The Heroic Christ could then defeat sin, death, and the devil. He could then lead OT captivity back to God, and create a new progeny of offspring for His Kingdom. He would prolong His days by living out history by living in US, and working through us.

45. Isaiah 53 11 He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities. This speaks of Gethsamane, and the need to become obedient unto death, even the death of the Cross. He (the Father), shall see the travail of His soul (the Son), and be satisfied (“My Beloved Son, in Whom I AM well-pleased”). And, doctrinally, we are aware that the punishment inflicted on our Beloved Lord Jesus SATISFIED the debt that original sin, and our own subsequent sins, had incurred. “By His knowledge…”, indicates “all truth”, spoken of by Jesus in John 16, where He said He would send the Holy Spirit to guide us into it. And justification flows forth from the proclaiming of that truth, as one after another during this church age experiences the New Birth, and His perfect forgiveness!

46. Isaiah 53 12 Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he hath poured out his soul unto death: and he was numbered with the transgressors; and he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors. What an astonishing set of miracles! God has highly exalted Him because He humbled Himself, and poured Himself out, the way He did (Phil. 2). Our Precious Lord capped His sacrifice off to perfection, by praying for the very ones who had inflicted this horror of injustice upon Him! So, here in Isaiah 53, we have the New Testament Gospel, over 700 years before the New Testament began!