This week we have looked at prophecies from the Old Testament of the coming Messiah. And today I bring that to an end with hopefully what is in known in music as a crescendo.
That means a big finish. Actually it means a gradual increase until the end when the loud music is on. I most remember it as music that led to a loud and exciting end. These verses I point us to today are just that. It is the best, the most exciting, the loud finish.
I’ve left copied below Isaiah 52:13-15 and all of chapter 53. Go read it, but I share some of the greatest pieces for me. I remember first reading this in college when I was writing a paper. It was awesome. It was almost too much or overflowing. So let me share just a bit.
Verse 14 His face was so disfigured he seemed hardly human, and from his appearance, one would scarcely know he was a man.
That is Jesus at the cross. His death was to come. These verses were written and shared long before the cross was even a possibility for the son of God.
Verse 2 There was nothing beautiful or majestic about his appearance, nothing to attract us to him.
There would not be much about Jesus that looked extra special or drew people to Him. But His life’s way, His words, His love, and all drew people to come and see and come and hear what God sent for us.
Verse 3 He was despised and rejected—
For us He was rejected. Remember this was written before the original Easter and all that Jesus would go through.
Verse 5 But he was pierced for our rebellion, crushed for our sins.
Why did Jesus come to earth? Why did God send Him? It was your sin and mine. My rebellion and disobedience and yours.
Verse 6 (and all of it) All of us, like sheep, have strayed away. We have left God’s paths to follow our own. Yet the Lord laid on him the sins of us all.
Once again God was going to provide. Similar to the sacrifice of the Old Testament, but in the future it would be a one time gift. Jesus was that gift for me, the sheep that went astray.
Verse 9 (and all of it, again) He had done no wrong and had never deceived anyone. But he was buried like a criminal; he was put in a rich man’s grave.
That is what was to come. If you were reading or hearing what Isaiah wrote before Jesus, this would sound weird, but we know it as what actually happened. The perfect one was given for those of us, all of us, who are imperfect.
Verse 10 But it was the Lord’s good plan to crush him
Verse 11 And because of his experience, my righteous servant will make it possible for many to be counted righteous,
That is the real part. It is all real. It all became a reality, and I am grateful. Yet it is hard to understand or to see lived out. Can you imagine being there when Jesus died?
Verse 12 because he exposed himself to death. He was counted among the rebels. He bore the sins of many and interceded for rebels.
That is Jesus who was and is the Messiah. He was talked about long before He came. Why? Because of sin. God knew that we needed a Savior. He was willing to give His best, His son and in our place.
The prophecy from the Old Testament of the coming Messiah makes the reality of the New Testament even more alive. May we understand the bigness, the crescendo, of Easter.
It is all about Jesus and what He did for us.
Again, below are the verses I am speaking of today. Read and celebrate. Get ready for Easter and the resurrection.
Isaiah 52:13-15 NLT
See, my servant will prosper; he will be highly exalted. 14 But many were amazed when they saw him. His face was so disfigured he seemed hardly human, and from his appearance, one would scarcely know he was a man. 15 And he will startle many nations. Kings will stand speechless in his presence. For they will see what they had not been told; they will understand what they had not heard about.
Keep reading.
Isaiah 53:1-12 NLT
Who has believed our message? To whom has the Lord revealed his powerful arm? 2 My servant grew up in the Lord’s presence like a tender green shoot, like a root in dry ground. There was nothing beautiful or majestic about his appearance, nothing to attract us to him. 3 He was despised and rejected— a man of sorrows, acquainted with deepest grief. We turned our backs on him and looked the other way. He was despised, and we did not care. 4 Yet it was our weaknesses he carried; it was our sorrows that weighed him down. And we thought his troubles were a punishment from God, a punishment for his own sins! 5 But he was pierced for our rebellion, crushed for our sins. He was beaten so we could be whole. He was whipped so we could be healed. 6 All of us, like sheep, have strayed away. We have left God’s paths to follow our own. Yet the Lord laid on him the sins of us all. 7 He was oppressed and treated harshly, yet he never said a word. He was led like a lamb to the slaughter. And as a sheep is silent before the shearers, he did not open his mouth. 8 Unjustly condemned, he was led away. No one cared that he died without descendants, that his life was cut short in midstream. But he was struck down for the rebellion of my people. 9 He had done no wrong and had never deceived anyone. But he was buried like a criminal; he was put in a rich man’s grave. 10 But it was the Lord’s good plan to crush him and cause him grief. Yet when his life is made an offering for sin, he will have many descendants. He will enjoy a long life, and the Lord’s good plan will prosper in his hands. 11 When he sees all that is accomplished by his anguish, he will be satisfied. And because of his experience, my righteous servant will make it possible for many to be counted righteous, for he will bear all their sins. 12 I will give him the honors of a victorious soldier, because he exposed himself to death. He was counted among the rebels. He bore the sins of many and interceded for rebels.
Easter is ahead! Let’s get ready for the resurrection.
Comments