Jesus in Prophecy

Isaiah 53:6, "All we like sheep have gone astray; We have turned, everyone, to his own way; And the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all."

Isaiah chapter 53 is my favorite chapter in the bible. To me, it is, the most exact prophetic picture of Jesus in the bible. It covers His entire life, from childhood through the cross, from the resurrection to His asscension, to the establishment of His kingdom. This day before "Good Friday," it seemed appropriate to review this momentus chapter in the bible, so turn to Isaiah 53.

v. 1) Isaiah speaks for himself when he asks the question, "Whom has believed our report?" Their are ovr 300 seperate prophesies of the 1st coming of Christ in the Old Testament, yet the Jews could not see that their Messiah had indeed come. Very few believed. But the power(arm) of the Lord had been revealed through Jesus. The correct translation from the original greek should be the "bared arm of the Lord." This speaks of hard work. The bible tells us God spoke the universe into existence, as John Wesley put it, 'God created the univrse, and didn't even half try.' But this was hard work. The Father was sending His Son to earth to die for you an me.

v. 2) Jesus is referred to as a "tender plant." This refers to His childhood. Jesus was a child, we sometimes forget that. He was fully man and fully God, but He also was a child dependent upon human parents for care. "A root out of dry gound" refers to Him coming from the line of David, which had been cut off from the throne due to sin. The line was dried up, so he did not appear(No form or comlieness) to have the credentials to be Messiah.

v. 3-5) You don't get crucified for no reason unless you are "despised and rejected." Notice the word "our" in these 3 verses which appears 5 times; Our faces, our sorrows, our transgressions, our iniquities, our peace. He was a "man of sorrows," but not His sorrows, our sorrows. Jesus knew and knows our grief and sorrows and He was "smitten and afflicted" for our transgressions and iniquities, for our sin. Our peace, which refers to our peace with God and the atonement and forgiveness of sins, was indeed "upon Him." "He who knew no sin became sin for us." By "His stripes we are healed" of our sin condition, and made right with God.

v. 6) Notice the word "all," which begins and ends this verse. "All" have gone astray. "All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." But the iniquity of us "all" was laid upon Him. The first "all" condemns us all as sinners. The second "all" offers forgiveness of that sin to all who will believe. What's the difference between the first condemning "all" and the second "forgiving" all? It's the middle part of the verse. If we turn to our own ways and reject Jesus, we will be condemned as sinners. If we turn to Christ and follow Him, we will be forgiven.

v. 7) In spite of having the power, as God on earth, to stop His trial and ultimately His crucifiction, Jesus remained silent before His accusers. His "joy" was to suffer on the cross for us so that we may once again be acceptable to God through His blood. He was the "Lamb of God sent to take away the sin of the world."

v. 8) Jesus did indeed die. He was "cut off from the land of the living." He died for our "transgressions."

v. 9) Jesus was crucified between 2 thieves, with the "wicked." But was buried in the tomb of a rich man, Joseph of Aramethia. Jesus did harm to no one and always proclaimed the truth. He committed no sin.

v. 10) This verse has always amazed me. It says it "pleased the Lord(Father) to bruise Him(Son)." The word bruise in the greek is the word "halal." It means literally to pierce. It was pleasing to the Father to send His Son to die for us. That friends, is true love for you and me. His soul was the "offering," once and "for all," for sin. And Jesus will see the fruit of the seed He planted, Jesus will prosper as the future ruler of the universe.

v. 11) The labor of the cross is rewarded when any sinner comes to salvation. We are justified through Him, as He bore our "iniquities.

v. 12) The Father will give Jesus the keys to His kingdom. The "spoil" will be divided. While He was crucified like a common criminal(numbered with the transgressors), He interceded for all of us "transgressors."

As you can see this chapter in the bible is an exact picture of Jesus Christ. It was written a full 700 years before Christ. Friends, only God can know the future. This chapter and many others in the bible which reveal fulfilled prophecy is one of the great proofs that the bible is indeed the word of God. As we approach Easter weekend, reflect on that. Maybe share this with an unbeliever. Let them see that the bible does indeed declare the absolute truth of God.