The Dawn of Hope (2)

Could you tell someone about Jesus using only the Old Testament? Now I’m not suggesting that you try but there has been some talk out there in our culture about “unhitching” from the Old Testament. One prominent teacher thinks it is too hard for people to believe the things that are in this part of the Bible. But if you loose the OT, you have some pretty big problems. The entire OT points forward to Jesus. Jesus and the writers of the New Testament constantly quote and allude to things in the Old Testament. It is the Word of God and we desire to know the whole council of God. So the Old Testament is very important for us, as is the New Testament. One thing that we find in the OT is the many prophecies that point forward to Jesus. Some of them had an immediate meaning in the situation they were spoken into but also a larger and more future meaning.

This morning we are jumping back into the book of Isaiah. For the last three weeks, we have been investigating this coming Savior that was foretold in the book of Isaiah. We have pulled apart the story of what was going on in Palestine at that time and the context into which these prophecies were spoken. Today, I want to just do a little recap of Jesus in the Old Testament as we have seen the last few weeks. I’ve mentioned various passages so far and leading up to what we are covering today I think it will be helpful for us to take a big overview. This of course won’t be comprehensive but will give you the general idea.

Genesis 3:15 ESV

I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel.”

Protoevangelium

show picture of painting and explain

Isaiah 7:14 ESV

Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.

- a sign of a virgin carrying a baby who would be king

- invited all manner of questions both in Isaiah’s time and Mary’s time

Isaiah 9:6–7 ESV

For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end, on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time forth and forevermore. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this.

- A child given by God to a people who were walking in darkness

- in gloom and stife

- He would be their peace

- In Isaiah 11

- the prophecy of the branch

- in the midst of desolation, the forest cut down

- a promise of a shoot growing from the stump of Jesse

- Then in Isaiah 43, according to Ligon Duncan

- the people were plagued with a problem of idolatry and were promised by God and then provided by God with a saving servant.

- In Ezekiel 34 there’s a promise of a shepherd

- In Micah 5 there’s a promise of a ruler to come, a ruler who would bring true peace to His people

- He would bring blessedness and total well-being

- In Psalm 110 David’s son turns out to be David’s Lord and before he sits at God’s right hand he draws all people to Himself. He does this by being lifted up on a cross.

- After hearing all of these things, nothing like the prophecy we are considering this morning could have been expected.

- This great king, Prince of Peace, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Wonderful Counselor, the Shoot, Immanuel, the expected Messiah would also be despised.

- Let’s pray before we dive in and ask God to bless the reading of His Word this morning.

# Pray for the proclamation of the Word

Isaiah 53 ESV

Who has believed what he has heard from us? And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed? For he grew up before him like a young plant, and like a root out of dry ground; he had no form or majesty that we should look at him, and no beauty that we should desire him. 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. Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed. 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. 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. By oppression and judgment he was taken away; and as for his generation, who considered that he was cut off out of the land of the living, stricken for the transgression of my people? 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. Yet it was the will of the Lord to crush him; he has put him to grief; when his soul makes an offering for guilt, he shall see his offspring; he shall prolong his days; the will of the Lord shall prosper in his hand. Out of the anguish of his soul he shall see and be satisfied; by his knowledge shall the righteous one, my servant, make many to be accounted righteous, and he shall bear their iniquities. 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.

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- I have 9 qualities or traits of this Despised King in Isaiah 53 that I want to describe and see how they connect with Jesus.

I. Unexpectedly magnetic (v.2)

- According to this, the coming king would not have anything visibly that would attract people to him. We know that His people would be drawn to him and we see that looking ahead to Jesus in the New Testament. But according to Isaiah here, it wasn’t because of His physical appearance or majesty or beauty.

- This is part of the reason why I don’t like most artistic renderings of what people think Jesus looked like. He’s way to pretty in most of them. Glowing, blonde hair... He wasn’t white, He was Jewish for crying out loud.

- So if there was nothing physically drawing about Him then why would we, along with all of His people declare Him to be the “fairest of ten thousand” as the old song says?

- People were drawn to Jesus and are drawn to Jesus because of who He is.

- Because of His character and what He has done for us.

II. Rejected and unvalued (v.3)

- Duncan points out the irony of this passage. If you look at verse 3, the one who is our joy, our comfort, our peace, our well being... WAS REJECTED.

- He lived a life of sorrow and grief.

- We did not value Him.

- No mother or father would ever pray over their new baby that the kid would be rejected and live a life alone and without friends.

- Yet our Savior lived a rejected life.

- When you feel alone, rejected, etc know that your Savior has felt that on a level exponentially deeper than what you are and He understands your pain. He’s felt it. He’s carried it - for you.

III. Carried Sorrows Not His Own (v.4)

- This king would bear the griefs of his people.

- That we would know Joy

- Not simple happiness but joy. True happiness and satisfaction.

- Here’s the thing: The sorrow and grief He carried were not His own. They were yours and mine.

- The people of His day considered him cursed of God.

- He was the only one who deserved not to be!

- He bore our griefs and carried our sorrow so that we may know true happiness and blessedness.

IV. Substitutionary Piercing (v.5)

- So we get God’s pardon

- So we might be made alive

- We are the ones who have broken the law. We deserve the piercing.

- He was crushed so we could live.

V. Faithful and Punished

- He did not stray but bore the burden for my straying.

- He lived perfectly in the will of God.

- He took the punishment for my sin, for your sin, for our straying. The only one who didn't stray had our straying laid on Him.

- Our iniquity was laid on Him.

- The iniquity of all of us was laid on Him.

VI. Oppressed for Freedom (v. 7-9)

- So we would be free.

- Afflicted so that we would be whole.

- Judged and condemned so we could be declared not guilty.

- So you would hear NOT GUILTY and be FREE!

VII. Pleasingly Crushed (v.10)

- Jesus was crushed by God to free us from our sin. This massive burden of your sin that separated you from God is not off your back and you’re free... you feel light because the burden is gone... Now imagine: you look over at Jesus and all of your sin is on Him and He is being crushed by it.

- Your freedom was won by His selfless love.

- It was sufficient. It pleased God, it satisfied what was required.

- A perfect sacrifice.

VIII. Satisfaction in the Joy

- For the joy set before Him, He did this.

- So, even in His severe anguish, He was satisfied to see the Father’s purpose and plan accomplished.

- Duncan says that your debts were not just cancelled but they were liquidated. They no longer exist.

- He was never resentful about it.

- It was worth it to Him. You were worth it to Him.

IX. Justifier of the Wicked

- It would not have done us any good if He only knew how to justify the righteous.

- or to declare the righteous to be righteous.

- The well don’t need a doctor. The sick do.

- This king foretold about who would be born knows how to declare the WICKED to be RIGHTEOUS.

- In a way that does not compromise the justice or the righteousness of God.

- I read that He knows how to declare the guilty, guiltless, guiltlessly.

- This is GOOD NEWS!

- He is a selfless, merciful, and wonderful king and Savior.

# Conclusion and Application

I’d like to illustrate this by sharing a brief story.

It comes from the Theology of the Gospel material by Dr. Jeff Dodge.

>This is an adaptation of a story once told by Fred Barshaw, an

>elder at Grace Community Church in Sun Valley, CA. He had a gift for creating incredible parables — allegorical stories with deep biblical themes running through them.

>Once upon a time in a kingdom far, far away, there lived a great king. He was simultaneously the most powerful man in the kingdom as well as the kindest and gentlest man in the entire realm. The kingdom was known for its peace, harmony, and goodwill. Neighbors cherished one another and years would pass without a single crime being committed.

>One day, however, the chief servant of the merciful king came into the throne room with ill tidings. “There is a thief in the realm of your kingdom, sire,” said the servant. The king was astonished! “Find that thief! And when you do, bring him to me. He will be punished with 10 lashes!” Those in the room were astonished. It had been so long since a crime had been committed that they could hardly imagine who would have done such a thing.

>A week went by and the servant again made his way into the throne room. “I have bad news for you, sire,” the servant reported quietly. “The thief has not been found and he continues to rob from your people.” In anger, the king raised his voice and said, “Find the thief and when you do he will receive 25 lashes!” The people began to murmur among themselves, “Who could withstand such a punishment? Who could possibly be committing such a crime?”

>But as time went on, the servant once again came back into the throne room with yet another bad report. “Your Majesty, the thief has not been found. We have searched in vain for him. Your people are still being robbed.” The king was enraged. “Find that wretched thief! And when you do his punishment will be 50 lashes!” Now the people were filled with dread. They were not even sure that the king himself could withstand such a punishment! And if he could not, then certainly no one could. Who could be doing such a thing?

>Soon afterward, the servant again approached the king in his throne room. His face was pale and his voice timid and hollow.

>“Your Highness,” spoke the servant, ”the thief has been found.” “Bring him to me this instant!” cried the king. The crowd that had poured into the throne room slowly parted revealing the thief who now stood trembling in the middle of the room. To the utter shock and dismay of all, it was the king’s aged mother. There she stood, trembling and crying. Her small and frail body was shaking with fear and shame. She was, perhaps, the very last soul that anyone would have suspected of such a crime. And there stood the king, in shock, deeply wounded.

>The crowd began to wonder and murmur among themselves. What will the merciful king do? Will he set aside the law and display his love and mercy by forgiving his mother for her crimes? Or will he display His sovereignty and justice by giving her exactly what she deserved? Will he choose mercy or will he choose justice?

>The king raised his hand to quiet the crowd. “Bring the whipping post,” he said. The crowd was dumbfounded. Would the king truly have his mother receive such a punishment? Even the king could scarcely survive such a flogging! This frail woman would not last even a few strokes! The old woman was tied to the post. Her garment was rent, exposing her back to the whip-master. Her ribs could be counted for her frailty. “Administer the lashes,” said the king. Not a sound could be heard as the whip was raised.

>But just as the whip-master was about to unleash his first stroke, the king cried, “Halt!” The crowd sighed in utter relief! But not for long. The king stood from his throne. He slowly removed the crown from his head, laying it upon the regal seat. As he began to walk down the stairs toward his mother, he laid aside his royal robe and finely woven tunic. Coming to his mother, he wrapped his enormous body around her, completely enveloping her under his frame. “Now, administer the lashes,” said the king.

>Thus in one act did the king display pure mercy and perfect justice.

-You have broken the law of God. Your very nature is sin.

-The penalty is death. The wrath of God will be poured out on sin.

-Jesus, the Messiah, the Savior stepped in and absorbed that wrath due to you on the cross, as your substitute.

- Those who repent of their sin and believe this message of Good News will be saved and will have joy.

- He understands your grief. He carried if for you. Why won’t you just surrender to Him.

- Next Sunday we will celebrate Christmas with our church. It can be a whole new experience for you. When you understand the Good News and you truly believe and trust on Jesus for salvation, your heart worships from a place of joy and gratefulness. I want this for you. If the Lord is speaking to your heart today, please respond to Him.