Christ in the Old Testament

Isaiah 53:1

Who has believed our message
    and to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed? (NIV)

Today’s Reading: Isaiah 53:1-12

As we begin this beautiful chapter, let’s first make sure we understand who is speaking and when this takes place. This chapter opens with two questions, “Who has believed our message?” and “To whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?” If we don’t understand who is asking the question, we cannot answer the question. So who is asking?

To find our answer we need to look briefly at the first six verses of the chapter and examine the first-person pronouns that the author uses for the speaker. I see the following pronouns:

• “our” – 6 times
• “we” – 5 times
• “us” – 3 times

So a group of people are speaking. Now notice the tense of the verbs in these verses – they are all past tense. Remember that this entire chapter is a prophecy of the future work of the Messiah on the cross. But almost all the verbs in this chapter are past tense. This group of people are telling us about a future event, from a time even further into the future while they are looking back on that event.

So what we have in Isaiah 53 are the Jewish remnant who have been saved in the future who are looking back at the Suffering Servant and recording their reaction to him. This future group of Jews grieve on behalf of all Israel and mourn their unbelief at the Messiah’s first coming and their words are recorded in Isaiah 53. And to top it off, Zechariah prophesied about this very event when these Jews are saved and look back:

“And I will pour out on the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem a spirit of grace and supplication. They will look on me, the one they have pierced, and they will mourn for him as one mourns for an only child, and grieve bitterly for him as one grieves for a firstborn son” (Zech 12:10).

How awesome is our God? Zechariah prophesies that God will bring future Jews to believe in Jesus, who will then look back and mourn the one they have pierced while Isaiah prophesies what they say to prophesy about the future Messiah going to the cross. God says, “Are you not entertained?” And we have only begun to scratch the surface of this amazing chapter!

Isaiah 53:1 is quoted twice in the New Testament – once by John and once by Paul. Both times this verse is quoted it is used to prove that Israel would reject the Messiah. In John’s gospel, he says:

“Even after Jesus had performed so many signs in their presence, they still would not believe in him. This was to fulfill the word of Isaiah the prophet:

‘Lord, who has believed our message
    and to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?’

For this reason they could not believe, because, as Isaiah says elsewhere:

‘He has blinded their eyes
    and hardened their hearts,
so they can neither see with their eyes,
    nor understand with their hearts,
    nor turn—and I would heal them.’

Isaiah said this because he saw Jesus’ glory and spoke about him” (John 12:37-41).

John is writing that he is witnessing Isaiah’s prophecy being fulfilled right in front of him. Even though he and many other Jews did believe in Jesus, they were the exception. Israel as a whole would not believe that Jesus was the Messiah and John is not surprised because God said through Isaiah that they wouldn’t accept him. Paul also says the same:

“But not all the Israelites accepted the good news. For Isaiah says, ‘Lord, who has believed our message?’” (Rom 10:16).

Israel rejected the Messiah. So in the future they ask, “Who has believed our message?” The NET version says they ask, “Who would have believed what we just heard?” This is a rhetorical question. The answer is in truth that no one believed it. When Jesus went to the cross, he was completely abandoned and alone. And even after Jesus was resurrected and his chosen apostles preached the gospel to the Jews there in Jerusalem, very few believed.

But as Paul would write, “Because of their transgression, salvation has come to the Gentiles to make Israel envious. But if their transgression means riches for the world, and their loss means riches for the Gentiles, how much greater riches will their full inclusion bring!” (Rom 11:11-12).

We (Gentiles) are saved because of Israel’s rejection. We should be so thankful that God’s grace has shined on us. But we should also keep in mind that the purpose of our salvation is to bring Israel to salvation. And that will happen. And when it does, how much greater riches will it bring!

Today’s Prayer: Lord, thank you for your grace to bring salvation to all nations. I pray that Israel will accept Jesus just as you said they will and we will witness even greater riches!