The Cross in the Nevi'im

Introduction

Last week we learned that the Bible as we know it was canonized or accepted around 397 BC. That means for about four centuries, the scripture that was known to the Church was the TANAKH. We also learned that Tanakh is actually an acronym meaning Torah, Nevi’im and Ketuvim.

Tanakh - תַּעְנָךְ

Torah (Teachings)- תּוֹרָה

Nevi’im (Prophets) - נביאים

Ketuvim (Writings) - כטובים

Last week we took a look at the cross in the first of the three scrolls - the Torah. This week we will take a look at the next scroll called the Nevi’im or Prophets.

Of all the scrolls, this is the easiest one to find Jesus in. As a matter of fact, it is a certainty that this is how the magi knew to find Jesus when they did. We’ll touch a little more on the Magi next week when we look at the Ketuvim, because there is something there that will surprise you, but let’s take a look at Jesus in the prophets by looking at one of the most place obvious of all.

Isaiah

One of the amazing things about Isaiah is that he lived about 750 years before Christ’s birth. His writings contain so many prophesies about Messiah and His kingdom that he is commonly known as the Messianic Prophet. Some orthodox rabbis and parents in Rabbinic Judaism actually forbid their children to read Isaiah too closely because of what it contains.

To understand how messianic prophecy works, it is important to look at it through the correct mindset. Western ideas of prophecy involve prediction and fulfillment. The Hebrew idea of prophecy is a pattern that is repeated, multiple fulfillments with one ultimate fulfillment. Each of the multiple fulfillments is both a type of, and a lesson on, the ultimate fulfillment.

For example, Moses declared that God would raise up another Jewish prophet in the future whose life would closely resemble his. Clearly he was ultimately speaking of Jesus, but throughout Israel’s history prophets raised up- much like Moses to lead the nation of Israel through the wilderness of history.

In fact the very life of Moses parallels another. Think of it. Moses came at a time when the king had ordered the execution of every newborn male? Does that remind you of anyone? If you answered Jesus, you would be correct. Here’s another parallel and it’s one of these grand poetic twists of Hebrew literature. Moses fled from Egypt, only to return in order to save God’s people. Jesus fled to Egypt only to return to save God’s people. So with this in mind, let us begin.

The word gospel means “good news” so let’s start there:

The Good News

Isaiah 7:13–14 CJB

Then [the prophet] said, “Listen here, house of David! Is trying people’s patience such a small thing for you that you must try the patience of my God as well? Therefore Adonai himself will give you people a sign: the young woman will become pregnant, bear a son and name him ‘Immanu El [God is with us].

We are all familiar with this passage of scripture. We know this as a passage announcing the virgin birth of Jesus, but look at the word that is used there-The young woman! Yep, it doesn’t say virgin and that’s because that particular Hebrew word has two definitions! It means both young woman AND virgin. But I purposely kept verse 13 in there as well because it reveals something. So let’s read it again.

Isaiah 7:13 CJB

Then [the prophet] said, “Listen here, house of David! Is trying people’s patience such a small thing for you that you must try the patience of my God as well?

So apparently something was happening in Judah that was trying God’s patience, so He was going to send them a sign. A particular young woman would conceive and would give birth to a son and call him Immanu el.

But if we extrapolate this further (remember, OT prophesies often have more than one immediate interpretation), we can then see that the prophesy itself was saying that a VIRGIN would become pregnant, and though the child was not named Immanu el, He very much was God with man.

So He was to be born of a virgin and be God with man. What else does Isaiah tell us about messiah?

Isaiah 9:5–6 CJB

For all the boots of soldiers marching and every cloak rolled in blood is destined for burning, fuel for the fire. For a child is born to us, a son is given to us; dominion will rest on his shoulders, and he will be given the name Pele-Yo‘etz El Gibbor Avi-‘Ad Sar-Shalom [Wonder of a Counselor, Mighty God, Father of Eternity, Prince of Peace],

Again, let’s look at the richness of a more complete translation of the OT. Read with me starting in verse 6 (in your bibles- the numbering of some old testament verses is a bit different in a Jewish Bible than it is in a Christian Bible) Wonder of a Counselor? Wow, that is just a bit more extravagant than just wonderful counselor isn’t it? Doesn’t this enthusiasm remind you of the exuberant descriptions the angels gave about Jesus at His birth? Let’s go back and look again:

Luke 2:8–11 (NJV)

And there were shepherds in the same country staying in the field, and keeping watch by night over their flock. And behold, an angel of the Lord stood by then and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. And the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid, for behold I bring you good news of great joy that will be to all the people. For there is born to you today, in the city of David, a savior who is Messiah the Lord.”

Let’s check back in with Isaiah and see what we know about Jesus’ genealogy.

Isaiah 11:1 (NJV)

A shoot will grow from the stump of Jesse,

And a branch from his roots will bear fruit..

Jesse had a few sons, one of them is quite famous, do you know who that was? Right! King David! Well if we look at Matthew 1 and Luke 3 we see the “begats” tracing Jesus from both Mary and Joseph’s lineage all the way back to David, which of course takes us back to Isaiah, because Jesus is clearly a branch form the roots from the shoot that grew from the stump of Jesse.

What more do we know?

Isaiah 11:2 (NJV)

The Ruach of יְהוָ֑ה will rest on him, the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of יְהוָ֑ה.

Do you remember the baptism of Jesus? What happened when He came up out of the water? Let’s read it together.

Matthew 3:16–17 NKJV

When He had been baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened to Him, and He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting upon Him. And suddenly a voice came from heaven, saying, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.”

So what Isaiah is preaching is that a virgin shall give birth and she will have a child who would be God among us. He would be a counselor of wonder a father of eternity and His Kingdom would last forever! He would emerge from the root of Jesse and the Spirit of God would be upon Him.

By any estimation this is a good start to the gospel message. Nothing missing yet. So let’s keep going.

Isaiah 40:3–5 NJV

A voice cries out in the wilderness:

“Prepare the way of יְהוָ֑ה;

Make straight in the desert

A highway for our God.

Every valley shall be exalted

And every mountain and hill shall be made low;

The uneven shall be made level,

And the rough places a plain;

The glory of יְהוָ֑ה will be revealed,

And all flesh shall see it together;

For the mouth of יְהוָ֑ה has spoken. it”

Who is this talking about? Right! It is John the Baptist. The Hebrew word here for desert is ‘Aravah’ means arid land. Do you feel like you are in an arid desolate land? Well then level a highway for our God!

At a certain point in His ministry Jesus Himself tells us straight up who He is. It says that He took the Torah and he quoted Isaiah.

Isaiah 61:1–3 NJV

“The Ruach of Adonai,יְהוָ֑ה is upon me,

Because יְהוָ֑ה has anointed Me

To proclaim good news to the humble;

He has sent Me to bind up the broken hearted,

To proclaim liberty to the captives,

And release to those who are bound;

To proclaim the acceptable year of יְהוָ֑ה,

And the day of vengeance of our God;

To comfort all who mourn,

To console those who mourn in Zion,

To give them a garland for ashes,

The oil of joy for mourning,

The garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness;

That they may be called trees of righteousness,

The planting of יְהוָ֑ה, that He may be glorified.”

How many today know that though Isaiah prophesied this around 3000 years ago, we need this now more than ever? Where are you today? Will you not proclaim the year of the favor of Adonai- the favor of the Lord?

Look around beloved! There is fear out there, real fear. We just got done with a pandemic, our nation is polarized, and there are talks of a famine that could be hitting our land soon. Babies are going without formula and people are getting desperate. But you and I are serving the God of the Universe. The God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. The God who delivered the whole world from a famine by the hand of a dreamer who was cast away by his family and thrown into prison for a crime he didn’t commit. Is your God too small to rise up in this current crisis?

Jesus came into a world where the Children of Israel were still in the midst of a centuries long captivity, but He claimed He had come to declare the year of God’s favor?

But how did He accomplish all of this? After all:

Isaiah 53:1–3 (CJB)

Isaiah 53:1–3 NKJV

Who has believed our report? And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed? For He shall grow up before Him as a tender plant, And as a root out of dry ground. He has no form or comeliness; And when we see Him, There is no beauty that we should desire Him. He is despised and rejected by men, A Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. And we hid, as it were, our faces from Him; He was despised, and we did not esteem Him.

But He did it. He did it for us, because He loved us. The story doesn’t end yet. Hear the heart of God from the mouth of the prophet, and realize that the words that he speaks are promises from God that you can appropriate for your life today! These are the words that you can share with a world that is terrified, and that doesn’t know where to turn.

Isaiah 53:4–9 NKJV

Surely He has borne our griefs And carried our sorrows; Yet we esteemed Him stricken, Smitten by God, and afflicted. But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, And by His stripes 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; He was led as a lamb to the slaughter, And as a sheep before its shearers is silent, So He opened not His mouth. He was taken from prison and from judgment, And who will declare His generation? For He was cut off from the land of the living; For the transgressions of My people He was stricken. And they made His grave with the wicked— But with the rich at His death, Because He had done no violence, Nor was any deceit in His mouth.

But why did Messiah have to endure such severe punishment? How could a loving God allow His only Son to experience such a horrible death?

It was precisely for that reason - because He is a loving God.

Isaiah 53:10–12 NJV

Yet it pleased יְהוָ֑ה to bruise Him;

He has caused him to suffer.

When You make His soul an offering for sin,

He shall see His offspring, He shall prolong His days,

And the pleasure of יְהוָ֑ה shall prosper in His hand.

After the suffering of His soul, he shall see and be satisfied.

By His knowledge My righteous Servant shall justify many,

And He shall bear their iniquities.

Therefore I will give Him a portion with the great,

And He shall divide the plunder with the strong,

Because He poured out His soul to death,

And was counted with the transgressors,

yet he bore the sin of many,

And made intercession for the transgressors.

You see, it was the plan of a loving God to restore His children to Himself. He loved you and me so much that He moved heaven and earth, He allowed His one and only son to endure the harshest punishment ever conceived. The scripture said it pleased Him.

Putting It All Together

We’ve heard the Gospel before. In all its simplicity, it is laid out right there, but I need to ask you today to re-examine your hearts. Have you really opened up your entire self to the perfect work which Jesus did on the cross for you? Look at what it says He came to do- not just suffering for our sins, what it says He came to do.

Isaiah 61:1–3 NJV

“The Ruach of Adonai,יְהוָ֑ה is upon me,

Because יְהוָ֑ה has anointed Me

To proclaim good news to the humble;

He has sent Me to bind up the broken hearted,

To proclaim liberty to the captives,

And release to those who are bound;

To proclaim the acceptable year of יְהוָ֑ה,

And the day of vengeance of our God;

To comfort all who mourn,

To console those who mourn in Zion,

To give them a garland for ashes,

The oil of joy for mourning,

The garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness;

That they may be called trees of righteousness,

The planting of יְהוָ֑ה, that He may be glorified.”

Let us pray.

Benediction

Numbers 6:24–26 LHB

יְבָרֶכְךָ֥ יְהוָ֖ה וְיִשְׁמְרֶֽךָ׃ יָאֵ֨ר יְהוָ֧ה׀ פָּנָ֛יו אֵלֶ֖יךָ וִֽיחֻנֶּֽךָּ׃ יִשָּׂ֨א יְהוָ֤ה׀ פָּנָיו֙ אֵלֶ֔יךָ וְיָשֵׂ֥ם לְךָ֖ שָׁלֽוֹם׃

Ye va ra khe kha יְהוָ֖ה vehyish me re kha

ya'er יְהוָ֖ה panav ehlekha vihu ne ka

yisa יְהוָ֖ה panavv ehlekha vey-a-sem lekha shalom

Numbers 6:24–26 NKJV

“The Lord bless you and keep you; The Lord make His face shine upon you, And be gracious to you; The Lord lift up His countenance upon you, And give you peace.” ’