Christ in the Old Testament

Isaiah 52:13

See, my servant will act wisely;
    he will be raised and lifted up and highly exalted. (NIV)

Isaiah 52:13-15 and Ephesians 1:15-23

The fourth Servant Song opens up with the following statement translated very differently amongst the different versions:

• See, my servant will act wisely. (NIV)
• Behold, My Servant shall deal prudently. (NKJV)
• Behold, My Servant will prosper. (NASB)
• Look, my servant will succeed! (NET)

The Hebrew word śākal is being translated “to act wisely, to deal prudently, to prosper or succeed.” Wisdom and prosperity resulting from acting wisely are united together in this one word. When we act wisely in every sense of the word, the end result is always prosperity and success from God’s perspective.

Jesus would always think, say and act according to God’s will. He was perfectly wise. In fact, Jesus is wisdom. He is “in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge” (Col 2:3). Jesus was the only man to ever walk this earth in perfect wisdom. And that perfect wisdom led him to intense suffering which fulfilled his purpose and resulted in his success.

The second part of verse 13 tells us what success looks like – he will be raised, lifted up and highly exalted. Three similar but different descriptions of the resulting glory from the Messiah’s perfect wisdom and obedience. John McArthur says, “It’s high, higher, highest.” Each is defined like this:

• Raised – His resurrection
• Lifted Up – His ascension
• Highly exalted – His coronation (Seated at the right hand of the Father)

Paul says it like this:

“Therefore God exalted him to the highest place
    and gave him the name that is above every name,
that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,
    in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord,
    to the glory of God the Father” (Phil 2:9-11).

This is reflected in the Hebrew language as well:

• Raised – rûm
  • describes something being raised up high
  • “For forty days the flood kept coming on the earth, and as the waters increased they lifted the ark high (rûm) above the earth” (Gen 7:17).
• Lifted up – nāśā’
  • means to literally lift up or to bear (our sins)
  • “For forty days the flood kept coming on the earth, and as the waters increased they lifted (nāśā’) the ark high above the earth” (Gen 7:17).
• Highly exalted – gābah
  • denotes elevation or to raise up to a great height
  • “Who is like the Lord our God, the One who sits enthroned on high (gābah)” (Ps 113:5).

Paul restates this again in his letter to Ephesians in the context of his prayers for the followers of Jesus. Paul prays that we would walk with wisdom just as Jesus did so that we would know him better and know the hope that we have in Jesus.

“I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people, and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is the same as the mighty strength he exerted when he raised Christ from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every name that is invoked, not only in the present age but also in the one to come” (Eph 1:17-21).

Today’s Prayer: Thank you Jesus for the hope that I have in you. Because you are raised and lifted up and highly exalted, I have an inheritance of eternal riches. Help me to walk in your wisdom today.