As I have told you before, the chapter division between Isaiah 52 and 53 is unfortunate. Isaiah 53 is unfortunate. Isaiah 53 really should begin with the thirteenth verse of Chapter 52. The subject of this profound prophecy is the Lord Jesus Christ, our great Substitute. In these verses the prophet Isaiah, writing by the inspiration of God the Holy Spirit, describes the suffering, death, exaltation, and saving efficacy of the Son of God.
I am aware of the fact that all modern Jewish writers deny the application of this prophecy to Christ, even through all their forefathers said the passage refers to the Messiah. The liberals and would be intellectuals of our day, refusing to believe the obvious, say the passage refers to Jeremiah, or some other suffering servant of God. But the evangelist Philip puts the matter beyond dispute in Acts 8:37. When the Eunuch asked, "Of whom speaketh the prophet?" Philip, beginning at the same scripture, "preached unto him Jesus."
In these three verses of Scripture the prophet Isaiah sets before us The Humiliation and Exaltation of Our Lord Jesus Christ. That is my subject for tonight.
Proposition: As the Servant of Jehovah the Lord Jesus Christ humbled himself and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross; and as the reward of his obedience he was and is exalted to the right hand of the majesty on high.
Let's look at the text line. May God the Holy Spirit who reveals Christ to Isaiah long ago reveal him to us through the words of Isaiah tonight.
I. "Behold, my Servant."The Lord Jesus Christ, in his mediatorial capacity, as the God-man, our Savior, is the Servant of God. (Isa. 42:1; John 10:16-18). He was as a Servant…
A. As a Servant both His Work and His Wages were Prescribed By God.
As the Servant of God, it was our Savior's responsibility to work out and effectually accomplish the redemption and salvation of his people for the honor and glory of the triune God.
B. Yet, it must ever be remembered that his servitude was a matter of voluntary willing humiliation and subordination.
These words might be translated in three ways. We do no violence to the Word of God when we consider each translation as being a true and accurate representation of our Savior.
A. The translation in our Authorized Version is certainly accurate – "He shall deal prudently."
The Lord Jesus was himself wise and prudent as a man in all things.
B. These Words might also be translated, "He shall cause to Understand," or "He shall make others wise and prudent."
Christ is the wisdom of God and he is made of God unto us Wisdom. By the power of his Spirit, through the ministry of The Word, he…
1. Makes chosen sinners wise unto salvation.
2. Reveals to men the mind and will of God.
3. Instructs us in those things pertaining to our peace.
C. These words, "shall deal prudently," might also be translated, "shall prosper," as in the marginal reference. Jeremiah 23: 5
III. Now, look at these next words – "He shall be Exalted, and Extolled, and be Very High."
Here the prophet of God uses three words to describe the exaltation and glory of the Lord Jesus Christ. This is the reward of his obedience unto God.
A. He was Exalted by God the Father – "God also hath highly exalted him."
C. Those who preach the gospel lift up Christ and make him to be Very High – (John 12:32).
As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so the servants of God lift up Christ before men, that whosoever believeth on him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
IV. Verse 14 speaks of our Savior's great humiliation for us, when he suffered and died under the wrath of God as our Substitute.
1. By the hands of men (Acts 2:23). – This is what freewill has done to Christ – "What will ye" – "Delivered Jesus to their will!"
2. By the hand of God – (Isa. 53:10).
3. By his own purpose and consent – (John 12: 28).
O may God give you eyes to see the crucified Christ. If only you could see him, I know you would love and trust him. I imagine that if it were possible for a man to hear the cries of his mother in travail when he was born, he would love his mother more. If we could see the suffering of our forefathers on the battlefields of the world, we would cherish freedom and liberty more. And if a man sees the Prince of Glory made to be sin, made a curse, made to suffer all the wrath of God as the sinner's Substitute, he will fall in love with him!
V. Verse 15 proclaims the Efficacy of Christ's Saving Power and Grace.
Our Savior did not die in vain. As the result of his effectual atonement sinners out of many nations, being chosen of God and redeemed by his blood, shall be called and saved.
A. "So shall he sprinkle many nations."C. "For that which had not been told them shall they see; and that which they had not heard shall they consider."
The Apostle Paul tells us that this refers to the preaching of the gospel to the Gentiles (Rom. 15: 19-21).
That which God had not before revealed to the Gentiles, which none of their philosophers or religions could tell them, and which could never have been known by the light of nature, or carnal reason is revealed to sinners by Christ Jesus through the preaching of the gospel.
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