THE GREATEST PROPHESY EVER. (period) Isaiah 52 & 53
The Prophet Isaiah wrote in 700 B.C. He is the writer of this profound prophesy. But it becomes obvious that God is the Author by the inspiration of God’s Spirit (I Tim. 3:15-17; 2 Pet. 1:19-21). Why? Because it reveals things that it was impossible for any human being to have known or guessed at the time.
ISAIAH 53 is THE GREATEST PROPHESY EVER Because it answers LIFE’S GREATEST QUESTION. Most people avoid dealing with this Question: Which is foolish for the answer determines your eternal destiny! (Deut. 30:19). How can a sinner be “right” with a Holy God so as to escape eternal Hell & enter eternal Glory? (Lk 3:7)
There is Great Archaeological Proof of the Truth of Isaiah’s Prophesy. Excavations at the “Ophel” in Jerusalem discovered seal impressions of both Isaiah & Hezekiah. They have also uncovered Hezekiah’s tunnel in Jerusalem (2Kings 20:20; Isa. 22:11; 2 Chron. 32:30). These all bear witness to the Historical truth of the things written in the Book of Isaiah.
THIS GREATEST PROPHESY PROCLAIMS THE GREATEST FREEDOM
The Background is Isaiah chapters 42-52 which contains many incredible & supernatural Prophecies of Israel’s future Liberation from their Babylonian Captivity by a man named Cyrus (Isa. 44:24-28; 45:1-6)
But Isaiah 53 looks forward to the greater liberation from sin that was to be accomplished by the Messiah (the servant of the LORD). If you Believe the Truth of this great prophesy & you can experience FREEDOM from the torment & bondage of sin!
I.) Behold the IRREFUTABLE PROOF THE BIBLE IS THE
WORD OF THE ONE TRUE GOD
Isa. 52 & 53 has at least
36 distinct prophecies whose literal fulfillment is confirmed in over 150
different verses from 9 different O.T. books & 17 different N.T. books! [See handout]. The “Law of Compound Probability” states that
Each detail of a prophecy doubles the chances of it being fulfilled by Chance
alone. A prophecy with 1 detail has 1
chance in 2 of fulfillment; A prophecy with 2 details has 1 chance in 4 of
fulfillment. So the 36 prophecies in
this section of Isaiah have 1 chance in 68,719,476,736 of being fulfilled by
one man.
PROPHESY REVEALS THE GREAT GOD BEHIND IT!
Such Prophesy must be written by someone from outside our “time-domain.” Someone not confined by time & space. It could not have been written by mere men. It must be written by a sovereign, all knowing, eternal Being! Fulfilled Prophesy is the Single Greatest Test to determine if a Religion is True or not? God challenges the World:
“Shew the things that are to come hereafter, that we may know that ye are gods: “Behold, ye are of nothing, & your work of nought: an abomination is he that chooseth you” (Isa. 41:23-24,26; 45:20-22; 46:9-10; John 13:19; 14:29).
BACKGROUND OF ISAIAH 53: Redemption & Salvation from Sin
(Isa 52:3) the LORD says: “ye shall be redeemed without money”
(52:7) “How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings… that publisheth salvation…” (Rom. 10:15)
Illustration: 52:7-10 is word picture of a messenger bringing great news of a great victory after a dreadful battle (2 Sam. 18:24-28)
(52:9) “Break forth into joy… for the LORD hath redeemed Jerusalem”
(52:10) The LORD hath made bare his holy arm… and all the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of our God.” (also 49:6)
All the earth “shall see” (i.e. experience) this salvation!
Our anticipation & excitement are stirred by the messenger! But how has God “saved us?” Let’s continue and learn how.
II.) BEHOLD, THE LORD’S SERVANT
(Isa 52:13) “Behold, my servant shall deal prudently, he shall be exalted and extolled, and be very high”
“Behold!” – something unusual here to take note of. “My Servant” – the servant of Jehovah. Servants were poor, they owned nothing. Jesus became poor for us (2 Cor. 8:9; Matt. 8:20; Lk. 9:58)
Behold Something Amazing: This servant obtains the Greatest Glory!
(Isa 52:13) “… he shall be exalted & extolled, & be very high”
God reveals the Eternal glory (52:13) before he reveals the Great but temporary suffering (52:14) {I Pet. 1:11; Lk. 24:26-27). We are reminded that “Jesus for the joy set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, & is set down at the right hand of God” (Heb. 12:2)
The Greatest Glory Fulfilled in & obtained by Jesus Christ:
(Phil. 2:9) “God hath highly exalted him, & given him a name which is above every name: (2:10) That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, & things in earth, & things under the earth; (2:11) & every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord
(Isa 52:13) “… he shall be exalted & extolled, & be very high”
This is Fulfilled & obtained by Jesus Christ:
(Eph. 1:20-21) God “raised Christ from the dead, & set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places, Far above all principality, & power, & might, & dominion, & every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come.”
We Learn from Jesus there is Great Purpose in all our suffering. We share in His glory if we share in His suffering (2 Cor. 4:16-18; I Pet. 4:12-14; Rom. 6:5; Eph. 2:6; Col. 3:1-3; Rev. 3:21; John 14:3)
“…the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us” (Rom. 8:18)
III.) BE “ASTONIED” AT THE GREAT HORROR OF OUR SIN
(Isa 52:14) “many were astonied at thee; his visage was so marred more than any man, & his form more than the sons of men”
“Astonied” means made like a stone; petrified. Jesus looked like a bloody worm hanging on a stick because of our sin (Ps. 22:6). Has the Holy Spirit ever allowed you to see an accurate picture of what Jesus suffered to save you? (John 16:13-15; Heb. 9:14)
Why was His suffering so great? (Ps. 22; Zech. 13:6; Matt. 27:29-30). Because Jesus “tasted death for every man” (Heb. 2:9; 2 Cor. 5:15). (Isaiah 53:9 “in his death” is plural in Hebrew “in his deaths!)
Jesus “is the propitiation for the sins of the whole world” (I John 2:2). He bore the Just punishment due all sin (John 1:29). That means you & me are included! Hallelujah! A Clear Vision of Sin in The Cross will cause us to flee sin (2 Tim. 2:22; I Cor. 6:18; 10:14). God has given us a picture of Sin that empowers Victory! What is your picture of sin? We must understand what we are saved from! Forget all those beautiful pictures of Christ. Forget the idolatrous pictures of man’s imagination.
The only Picture of Jesus God has given us is the unleavened Bread of the LORD’s Supper (Matt. 26:26; Mk. 14:22; Lk. 22:19; I Cor. 11:24)
This is a picture of what sin will do to me in Hell if I reject Christ!
This Servant of the LORD is God’s Great High Priest:
(Isa 52:15) “So shall he sprinkle many nations.” This Sprinkling is Christ’s ministry as our Great High Priest (read I Peter 1:2)
The Servant of the LORD is the King of Kings:
(Isa 52:15) “… the kings shall shut their mouths at him.” At Christ’s 1st Coming people were astonished by the depths of His suffering. At Christ’s 2nd Coming even Kings will be astonished at the magnificence of His Glory! Mission history has many examples of whole Nations turning to Christ when their King became a believer!
IV.) BEHOLD ISRAEL BLINDED TO THE GLORY OF CHRIST
(Isa 53:1) “Who hath believed our report? and to whom is the arm (zeroa) of the LORD revealed?” The arm of the LORD is the servant of the LORD. He is God Himself working salvation in the world
IV.) BEHOLD OUR OWN BLINDNESS TO THE GLORY OF
CHRIST
(Isa 53:2) “he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, & as a root out of a dry ground: he hath no form nor comeliness; when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him.
(Isa 53:3) “He is despised & rejected of men; a man of sorrows, & acquainted with grief: & we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, & we esteemed him not.”
The emphasis on “we” in verses 2-3 forces us to find ourselves in this prophesy & admit we used to be blind to the truth of Jesus. The Devil blinds us to the Truth (2Cor. 3:14; 4:4; Eph. 2:2).
V.) BEHOLD THE GREATEST PASSAGE ON THE DOCTRINE
OF SALVATION BY SUBSTITUTION IN THE BIBLE
No one can save himself. The Great purpose of the Cross was to save us from our sins & thus eternal Hell. Jesus suffered the judgment you & I deserved! 8 Times God says Christ bore our sins (Isa 53:4-6, 8).
(53:4) Surely he hath borne……our griefs, & carried our sorrows
(53:5) But he was wounded… …For our transgressions,
he was bruised… for our iniquities:
(53:5) The chastisement of our peace…was upon him;
and with his stripes… we are healed.
(53:6) and the LORD hath laid on him…the iniquity of us all.
(53:8) …for the transgression of my people… was he stricken.
(53:11) he shall bear their iniquities
How is it the Blood of Jesus has the Power to Cleanse all of us of all our sin? (Isa. 53:11: Heb. 9:12-14; 10:12-14). Because of who He is! Jesus is God Almighty, Creator of Heaven & Earth (John 1:1-3, Col. 1:14-17). “Is anything too hard for the LORD?” (Gen 18:14; Jer. 32:17; Matt. 19:26). Because Jesus is omniscient (John 21:7; Matt. 9:4) He knows every sin! Because Jesus is omnipotent (I Cor. 1:24) He can bare all sin! (Hebrews 10:12-14).
Why Can God in Christ Forgive & Cleans all our Sin? Because ultimately “all” sin is against God! “Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, & done this evil in thy sight: that thou mightest be justified when thou speakest, & be clear when thou judgest” (Ps. 51:4; Gen. 20:6; 39:9).
Experiencing forgiveness of sins through faith in the power of the blood of Christ is a life changing experience!
Important Lessons
God has given every reasonable person irrefutable proof the Bible is His supernaturally inspired Word. Jesus Christ fulfilled every detail of Isaiah’s prophesy in Chapters 52 & 53. Will you believe the obvious? Will you trust in Him to save you from your sins & give you eternal life?
Behold! You have a very important decision to make!