Wednesday Bible Study: Drive-by Isaiah part 13

 

Even with all the Messianic references and prophecies of the last few chapters, I don't rightly know how you 'drive-by' those in chapter 53.  The Jews have done it, though, for almost 3 millennia.   However, let me try by sharing some verses...

Isa 53:3  He was despised and rejected by men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief; and as one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not.
Isa 53:4  Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted.
Isa 53:5  But he was wounded for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his stripes we are healed.

"...we esteemed Him not..."  There's a damning self-accusation.  Do I esteem Him?  Not nearly enough...

Isa 53:6  All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned--every one--to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all.
Isa 53:7  He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth; like a lamb that is led to the slaughter, and like a sheep that before its shearers is silent, so he opened not his mouth.

Just so, Jesus never opened His mouth during His trials to strike back; and when He did speak...

Joh 18:33  So Pilate entered his headquarters again and called Jesus and said to him, "Are you the King of the Jews?"
Joh 18:34  Jesus answered, "Do you say this of your own accord, or did others say it to you about me?"
Joh 18:35  Pilate answered, "Am I a Jew? Your own nation and the chief priests have delivered you over to me. What have you done?"
Joh 18:36  Jesus answered, "My kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, my servants would have been fighting, that I might not be delivered over to the Jews. But my kingdom is not from the world."
Joh 18:37  Then Pilate said to him, "So you are a king?" Jesus answered, "You say that I am a king. For this purpose I was born and for this purpose I have come into the world--to bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth listens to my voice."
Joh 18:38  Pilate said to him, "What is truth?" ...

 

...and when He did, He witnessed to Pilate.  Pilate scoffed at His truth... do we?

Isa 53:9  And they made his grave with the wicked and with a rich man in his death, although he had done no violence, and there was no deceit in his mouth. 

 

Crucified between robbers, buried in a rich man's tomb.  How did the scribes not tremble with fear watching this unfold- how do we not?

 

 Isa 53:12  Therefore I will divide him a portion with the many, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong, because he poured out his soul to death and was numbered with the transgressors; yet he bore the sin of many, and makes intercession for the transgressors. 

 

The entirety of Christian faith is born in this one chapter.  And for 700 years, the scribes and teachers had this to mull over until at last they WATCHED it happen.  And they denied it, because it would have upset their lifestyle, their power base.  All of their finery, all of their parsing truth to the poor and enjoying life themselves, would have been out the window had they believed what was plain before them.  And you, if you don't believe, aren't exempt of this charge....

 

 
Rom 1:18  For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth.
Rom 1:19  For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them.
Rom 1:20  For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse.

If you have read any of this, you are in the "without excuse" crowd.  Next question- what do you do with it?

Rom 10:8  But what does it say? "The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart" (that is, the word of faith that we proclaim);
Rom 10:9  because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.
Rom 10:10  For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved.

And therein is the unity of the Bible.