The Suffering Servant

The translation that I read, (NASB) gives Isaiah 53 the title: The Suffering Servant. Biblical interpretation is a very interesting thing and can be thwarted by our desires and presuppositions. For example: The 21st century Jewish Rabbi would tell you that the suffering servant in Isaiah 53 is Israel. The christian dispensationalist interprets the passage to be about Israel but in a different way; it is the confession of Israel on a future date, when Israel comes to repent and believe in the Lord Jesus Christ. However, the unlearned person who has heard the story of Jesus but does not have a theological grid by which to interpret the Scripture would simply say, the passage is about Jesus. The simplest interpretation is often the correct interpretation, that is, if you are seeing Christ in all of Scripture because the Scriptures are written about Jesus Christ.

John 6:35 (NASB)

“I am the bread of life!”

John 8:12 (NASB)

“I am the Light of the world!”

John 10:7 (NASB)

“I am the door of the sheep!”

John 10:11 (NASB)

“I am the good shepherd!”

John 11:25 (NASB)

“I am the resurrection and the life!”

John 14:6 (NASB)

“I am the way, and the truth, and the life!”

John 15:1 (NASB)

“I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser!”

A Costly Cornerstone

Isaiah 28:16 (NASB)

Therefore thus says the Lord GOD,

“Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone, a tested stone,

A costly cornerstone for the foundation, firmly placed.

He who believes in it will not be disturbed.

This prophecy given through Isaiah is one of the most quoted by the New Testament writers: Matt 21:42; Mark 12:10; Luke 20:17; Acts 4:11; Eph 2:20; Rom 9:33; 10:11; 1 Pet 2:6. There is no doubt that Matthew, Mark, Luke, Peter and Paul who penned these New Testament text were saying that Jesus is the stone that the Lord God placed in Zion, that whoever believes in him should not perish.

My personal favorite text in all of Scripture is Romans 3:21-31. The NASB translators titled this section, “Justification by Faith.” Leading up to this passage, Paul shows that all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God; both Jew and Gentile have sinned. The Gentile has sinned without law and the Jew has sinned with law. However, God in his mercy has laid in Zion a costly cornerstone for the foundation, firmly placed and whoever believes in him shall not perish but have everlasting life. Later, in his letter to the church in Rome, Paul explains that God has not rejected the Jewish nation in favor of the Gentiles, but in fact, the Gentiles attained the righteousness of God by faith; but Israel did not because Israel pursued it as though it were by works. (Rom 3:30-33)

Like Skipping Rocks

Reading: Isaiah 7-11

I think that Bible prophecy and the way that Scripture is canonized is very interesting. Beginning with the first full week of this year, I began reading the Scriptures in a different way: Sunday Epistles, Monday Law, Tuesday History, Wednesday Psalms, Thursday Poetry, Friday Prophets and Saturday Gospels/Acts. 

It is very interesting reading the Scriptures in this way because every week there is a build up to Jesus Christ and the Church. It is very vivid as you quickly go through Scripture. By reading the Scriptures in this way I am able to take my time and really absorb what the word of God is saying but quickly progress and see how all of Scripture points to the incarnation of God in human flesh and the birth of the Church of Jesus Christ. 

One interesting thing that I read this morning is seeing how Bible prophecy has more than one meaning. Bible prophecy is like skipping rocks on a lake. The rock is thrown and it touches down on a spot in the water but then lifts off again to touches down in another spot. The rock may touch down and lift off a few times before reaching its destination. Bible prophecy does the same thing. Take for example, (Isaiah 7:14) “Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, a virgin will be with child and bear a son, and she will call His name Immanuel.” 

This prophecy had an immediate meaning in the days of Isaiah the prophet and in the days of Ahaz, the son of Jotham, the son of Uzziah, king of Judah. Isaiah approached his bride and she became pregnant. (Isaiah 8:3-4) “So I approached the prophetess, and she conceived and gave birth to a son. Then the LORD said to me, “Name him Maher-shalal-hash-baz; for before the boy knows how to cry out ‘My father’ or ‘My mother,’ the wealth of Damascus and the spoil of Samaria will be carried away before the king of Assyria.” The prophecy concerning the virgin was fulfilled with the birth if Isaiah’s son but there was an additional meaning.

Isaiah 9:6

“For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us;

And the government will rest on His shoulders;

And His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,

Eternal Father, Prince of Peace.”

We know from reading reading the birth of the Messiah in both Matthew’s and Luke’s gospels that the child that Isaiah prophesied was ultimately fulfilled in Jesus Christ but this fulfillment is already not yet because while the believer has peace with God, peace has not yet fully come to the earth in all of its glory.

Commissioned

This morning, my reading came from Isaiah 1-6. The Lord through Isaiah said that a animals know their masters but the Lord’s people do not know him or understand. They are very religious. They offer many sacrifices and observe the feasts but they do not know the Lord their God. Isaiah then spends five chapters laying out what the Lord has against them and explaining what the Lord wills. Jesus prayed to the Father on behalf of his disciples: “This is eternal life, that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.” (John 17:3) 

So, the questions is not do we know of God or know of Jesus Christ but do we know the Father and the Son. Jesus said that know one knows the Father except the Son and to whom the Son reveals him. (Luke 10:22) Jesus is God in human flesh. The writer of Hebrews said that he is the radiance of his glory and the exact representation of his nature. (Hebrews 1:3) Jesus said to his disciples, “If you had known me, you would have known my Father also; from now on you know him, and have seen him.” (John 14:7) Jesus came for two very important reasons: that we may know God and to save us from our sin. 

In Isaiah chapter 6, Isaiah sees the Lord seated on his throne and falls down face first saying,

“Woe is me, for I am ruined!

Because I am a man of unclean lips,

And I live among a people of unclean lips;

For my eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts.”

Isaiah’s eyes had seen the Lord of glory and all pride fell away. The Lord justifies him, declaring Isaiah clean in his sight. Then Isaiah is commissioned to preach the gospel among his people. Isaiah want to know for how long and the Lord said until all is complete.

The church has been commissioned by the Lord Jesus Christ to make disciples, baptize them in the name of the Triune God, and teach them to observe all that he commanded until his return. (Matthew 28:18-20)