References:
(1) Chapter 53 of the Book of Isaiah. This chapter is known as the “Suffering Servant” passage in the Bible, which describes a FIGURE who suffers for the sins of others. Christians INTERPRET this chapter as a PROPHETIC DESCRIPTION of Jesus’ suffering, death, and resurrection, highlighting key parallels between the text and the RECORDED EVENTS of the crucifixion.
(2) Isa. 53 refers to the crucifixion of Jesus so CLEARLY that Judaism is THREATENED and MORTIFIED by its contents that Christians refer to it as proving that Jesus is the Messiah. Judaism voices a STRONG OBJECTION that Isaiah 53 proves Jesus is the Messiah. But they have COMPLETELY ELIMINATED this chapter from their OT scriptures because Christians use it so tellingly to Judaism’s CONSTERNATION.
(3) If we study Isa. 53 and interpret every phrase as a prophecy about Jesus being the Suffering Servant then we observe at least 30 prophecies fulfilled by Jesus. That’s more than anyone can tolerate in a short episode. So allow me to give just 6 such prophecies.
A. Verse 3 states that the suffering servant is “despised and rejected of men.” This is mirrored in the New Testament, where Jesus is rejected by many, including the religious leaders and many of His own people. John 1:11 informs us, “He came unto His own, and His own did not receive Him.” This description closely matches the Gospel accounts. Even at His trial before Pontius Pilate, the crowd chose BARABBAS over Him (Luke 23:18; Acts 3:13-15). This rejection fulfills Isaiah’s portrayal of a Suffering Servant.
B. Verse 5 mentions that the servant was “wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement for our peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed.” Christians interpret this as a DIRECT REFERENCE to Jesus' CRUCIFIXION, where He is seen as the ultimate sacrifice for sin as 1 Peter 2:24 relates.
C. Verse 7 — “He was oppressed and He was afflicted, yet He opened not His mouth; He was led as a lamb to the slaughter.” This is reflected in Jesus’ silence during His trial before the high priest and before Pontius Pilate.
D. Verse 8 says “He was ‘cut off’ from the land of the living.” Daniel 9:26 predicts the Messiah will be “cut off,” a reference to the crucifixion.
Arguably the most amazing prophecy in the Bible is Daniel’s prophecy that reveals the exact week when Jesus died on the cross in Jerusalem. This is announced in a message given to the prophet Daniel and recorded in book of Daniel 9:24-27 and is identified as the ‘Seventy weeks prophecy.” If you wish to understand more about this, contact Doug Apple at Wave 94.
E. Verse 9 states, “And they made His grave with the wicked — but with the rich at His death.” This is paralleled in the New Testament, where A RICH MAN and a member of the Sanhedrin, Joseph of Arimathea, asked for Jesus’ body so that Jesus is buried in his new tomb carved out of stone (Matthew 27:57-60).
F. Verse 10 states, “But the LORD was pleased to CRUSH Him, putting Him to GRIEF; If He would render Himself as a GUILT OFFERING.” God the Father accepted Jesus’ sacrifice as an OFFERING. There is ONE GREAT EVENT in the world’s history, ONE GREAT TRANSACTION, ONE GREAT OBSERVATION that attracts more ADMIRATION than any other day of the year except possibly the celebration of His birth. That EVENT, that TRANSACTION, that OBSERVATION is the DEATH of our Lord Jesus Christ.
If Isaiah 53 gives us 30 prophecies fulfilled by Jesus that means that the probability that can happen is 1 in 2^30 or approximately 1 in 10^9.
(4) Taking verse 10 as our GUIDE, let’s visit Mount Calvary and look more concertedly on Him who died upon the cross.
A. Notice first of all, the CAUSE of Christ’s death — Literally it pleased Jehovah to bruise Him.
B. Secondly, notice the REASON for Christ’s death — “When You (Jehovah) shall make His soul an OFFERING for sin.” Christ died because He was an offering for sin. Jehovah PREDETERMINED the ORIGIN of Christ’s death.
C. Thirdly, notice the EFFECTS and CONSEQUENCES of Christ’s death. Another phrase is too important to leave out: “He (Jehovah) shall see His seed.” Jehovah was looking at His own Son who as a human would die on the cross.
(5) The faithful reader of the Bible looks BEYOND the Roman SPEAR which opened Jesus’ side where blood and water flowed out. He looks BEYOND the HAMMER and NAIL which bound Jesus to the cross. He looks BEYOND the Jewish taunts, jeers, and mockery and arrives at the conclusion that the creator God Yahweh MADE THE DECISION to send Jesus to the cross.
(6) Peter in his sermon on the day of Pentecost proclaimed “Jesus of Nazareth, a Man attested by God to you by MIRACLES, WONDERS, and SIGNS which God did through Him in your midst, as you yourselves KNOW — Him, being DELIVERED by the DETERMINED PURPOSE and FOREKNOWLEDGE of God, you have taken by LAWLESS HANDS, have CRUCIFIED, and PUT TO DEATH; whom God RAISED UP, having LOOSED the pains of death, because IT WAS NOT POSSIBLE that He should BE HELD BY IT” (Acts 2:22b-24).
(7) The foundational principles for redemption from sin are UNMISTAKABLY put forward to us:
A. Sin deserves and demands punishment because it is an OFFENSE to God.
B. God MUST PUNISH a person for sin UNLESS someone else will take your place.
C. The provision and acceptance of a SUBSTITUTE for sinners is an act of God’s GRACE.
D. Jesus Christ is THE MOST FITTING PERSON to be a SUBSTITUTE since He lived a sinless life and had nothing of His own that required God’s wrath: no DEBT, no GUILT, no SEPARATION from God, no BONDAGE, no UNGODLINESS, no UNRIGHTEOUSNESS, nothing at all deserving of God’s DISPLEASURE.
E. Jesus did SUFFER in the place of all those who ever have believed on Him in the PAST, all those who do believe on him in the PRESENT, and all those who ever shall believe on Him in the FUTURE.
F. Jesus did SUFFER in the place of all those who ever have believed on Him in the PAST, all those who do believe on him in the PRESENT, and all those who ever shall believe on Him in the FUTURE.
This is episode 274.
