Suffering Servant

Read Isaiah 50-54:3
 
Isaiah 53:1 Who has believed our message? To whom has the Lord revealed his powerful arm?
 
IN chapters 50-52, Isaiah has prophesied of the Messiah to come. He has foretold the good news that God will redeem and bless his people. But then Isaiah now revealed a very difficult truth of the Messiah: He will suffer. How challenging it must have been then and is now for the Jews to believe their Liberator would suffer!  
   But surely this is a view of Jesus’ life. The 12 verses of Isaiah 53 are so specific of Jesus’ servant, suffering life, orthodox Jews often forbid its teaching. In fact, many forbid teaching Isaiah because Jesus of Nazareth so completely fulfils this remarkable work. Many blind and deaf Jews still do not see and hear. But you, Christian, can see and hear your Servant King’s love for your soul through the 12 verses, each one a lesson on the LORD’s life and ministry. Look with wonder and awe upon Jesus’ deep, abiding love for you.
   Who has believed our message? The apostle Paul wrote the gospel is difficult, almost impossible, to believe. 1 Corinthians 1:18 For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. When we think about it, how can a man who died on a cross, a death cursed in God’s law, pay the life-price of our sins? How can one man who is said to be perfect become sin, so you can be without sin? How can the Son of God, who is the Living Word, die and be buried in a tomb?
   The Bible’s truth is very different than the world’s thinking, isn’t it? People cannot grasp the Trinity’s all-consuming love for them. Our sin nature is a doubting, “show-me” nature. We hear this “too-good-to-be-true” good news and think, “All of this cannot be so.” The sin nature is also a self-condemning nature. “I’m not worthy of Jesus’ taking my sins. They are too many and too big.” Such accusations fill our minds and block our submission to the good news.
   But praise God that some believe in his power. I hope you are one. Your faith is God’s revelation to you. Romans 5:9 Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath through him! 10 For if, when we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life! 11 Not only is this so, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation. 
   Do you believe his message? Your “Yes!” confirms the Holy God’s “foolish” work is his glorious gift. Matthew 8:17 This was to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet Isaiah: “He took up our infirmities and carried our diseases.”
 
 
Note: If you received my daily teachings in 2020, we looked at each verse in Isaiah 53. If you would like these, I can email them to you in a Word document. Just reply to this email. God bless your desire for Him.