Isaiah’s wonderful Picture – Isaiah 52:13-53:12.
Now that we have divine authority to say that the wonderful person spoken of here is the Lord Jesus Christ, let us take note of what is said about Him.
1. Notice how Isaiah starts and ends his picture of Christ with a setting forth of His exaltation!
“Behold, my servant shall deal prudently, he shall be exalted and extolled, and be very high” Isaiah 52:13.
“He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities. Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he hath poured out his soul unto death: and he was numbered with the transgressors; and he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors,” 53:11-12.
This is very important for us to notice. There is more emphasis on His humiliation and sufferings but the passage begins and ends with His glory!
His sufferings came first in time: “Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter into his glory?” Luke 24:26, but here His glory is referred to first.
2. This something God often does. Rev 4:1-11, 6:1-2 & 17.
Why is that?
a. I believe that before going into the detail of Christ’s sufferings, God refers to His ultimate glory in order that we might have hope! This is seen also at the beginning of Isaiah. 2:1-4, 10-12. Glory and triumph before there is a dealing with the sinful and desolate state of Israel.
b. It has ever been so. Right from the beginning there has been a emphasis upon the glorious victory of the Saviour, Jude 1:14-15. These words were preached back in the days of Adam.
c. The Lord wants us ever to bear in mind the eternal triumph of His Son. It is what sustained the Saviour amidst His sufferings. “Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God,” Hebrews 12:2.
Click to stream or download, KICS, Pt122