The Lord revealed for he shall grow up before him as a tender plant and as a root out of a dry ground
He hath no form nor comeliness when we shall see him. There is no beauty that we should desire him
He's despised and rejected of men a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief and we hid as it were our faces from him
He was despised and we esteemed him not
Surely he hath borne our griefs and carried our sorrows
Yet we did esteem him stricken smitten of God and afflicted but he was wounded for our transgressions
He was bruised for our iniquities the chastisement of our peace was upon him and with his stripes
We are healed all we like sheep have gone astray
We have turned everyone to his own way and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all
He was oppressed and he was afflicted yet he opened not his mouth
He is brought as a lamb to the slaughter as a sheep before his sheers is dumb
So he openeth not his mouth
He was taken from prison and from judgment and who shall declare his generation if he was cut off out of the land of the living
But the transgression of my people was he stricken and he had and he made his grave with the wicked and with the rich in
His death because he had done no violence now there was any deceit in his mouth
He had a pleased the Lord to bruise him. He hath put him to grief when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin
He shall see a seed. He shall prolong his days and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hand
He shall see 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 spoiled with the strong because he hath poured out
His soul unto death and he was numbered with the transgressors and he bear the sin of many and made intercession for the transgressors
Let's pray dear look I just thank you for the book of Isaiah Lord
And we thank you for these great truths that we find in your word Lord and that all point to the Lord and Savior Jesus
Christ Lord, we pray that you bless his service in every aspect of it
please fill pastor me here with your Holy Spirit Lord and
Pray that you're with us in the congregation tonight Lord. We pray this all in Jesus name. Amen
Okay, we're in Isaiah chapter 53 this evening and we're continuing tonight with the servant song
And of course, this would be the last chapter that falls into that category of being the servant song and chapter 53 is an amazing chapter
It's part of the chapter that most people are familiar with when it comes to the book of Isaiah and it's just saturated with
Prophecies regarding the Lord Jesus Christ essentially the entire chapter has to do with his suffering
It's very powerful chapter here
And in fact, it's the famous passage that Philip the evangelist used to win the Ethiopian
eunuch to Christ in Acts chapter 8
So it's a powerful passage now look back at chapter 52 if you would chapter 52 in verse 14
This is really where the context of chapter 53 comes from it says in verse 14 as
Many as were astonished at thee his visage was so marred more than any man and his form
More than the sons of men so shall he sprinkle many nations the Kings shall shut their mouths at him
For that which had not been told them shall they see and that which they had not heard shall they?
Considered of course verse 14 and on is
Addressing the Lord Jesus Christ and the fact that it says that his visage was so marred more than any man is
Obviously referring to the fact that he was beaten. He was smitten. He was scourged
He was bloodied
Of course, we know that he was crucified and it's essentially referring to the fact that his being was so severe
that you couldn't really recognize him as just being a human being that's how severe his
Punishment that he received for us was this side of eternity
So that is the context of chapter 53 and I look at verse number one if you would of chapter 53
We're gonna look at the report about the Savior that's continuing here
It says in verse one who hath believed our report so again
He's talking about the visage being marred the fact that he's gonna sprinkle his blood upon the nations
And then it says who's gonna believe this who's gonna believe this report and to whom is the arm of the Lord?
Revealed now this should come this should obviously be
familiar to you because this passage is quoted in the New Testament and in fact the New Testament answers this particular question and
The answer is the Gentiles when it says who hath believed our report
The answer the New Testament provides for us is that it's the Gentiles the nations are the ones that are gonna believe the report of
The prophet Isaiah and in fact he also goes on to say that Israel was the one that didn't obey the gospel
Meaning they did not believe the report that Isaiah gave so what we see here when he says who had believed our report
He's referring to the gospel because when he talks about the blood being sprinkled upon the nations
that is the good tidings of great joy that is the gospel that's being preached and
Unfortunately, the Israelites of the Old Testament did not believe that they didn't hold to it as being true
And in fact the Bible tells us that they did not obey the Gospels
But the Gentiles did now hold your place in Isaiah 53 and go to Romans chapter 10
Romans chapter 10 if you would Romans chapter number 10, of course is the famous passage that we use when we're out soul-witting
It kind of gives a systematic way of explaining salvation
It talks about the fact that we have to believe with the hearts and confess with our mouths the Lord Jesus
But I want you to notice verse 15
It says and how shall they preach except they be sent as it is written how beautiful are the feet of them that preach
The gospel of peace and that bring glad tidings of good things
But I want you to notice verse 16, but they have not all obeyed the gospel for Isaiah's referring to Isaiah
Sayeth Lord who hath believed our report so then faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the word of God now before I move
On here
I want you to notice that verse 17 is telling us that the way you get saved is by faith, right?
And it's relating it to what Isaiah has said in the Old Testament
Showing us that the salvation of the Old Testament is exactly the same as a salvation in the New Testament
People got saved in the Old Testament by placing their faith in the Christ
People get saved in the New Testament by placing their faith in the Christ which is Jesus, okay?
He goes on to say in verse 18, but I say have they not heard? Yes, verily their sound
referring to the prophets preaching went into all the earth and
Their words unto the ends of the world verse 18 is essentially showing us that even the prophets of the Old Testament
Were scattered throughout the nations preaching the Word of God getting Gentiles saved
So even then the Gentiles were believing the report right obviously in a smaller scale than what we have the New Testament
But nonetheless the Gentiles of the Old Testament were also believing the report even more so sometimes that even the nation of Israel
Says in verse 19, but I say did not Israel know for Moses saith
I will provoke you to jealousy by them that are no people and by a foolish nation
Will I anger you but his eyes is very bold and saith I was found of them that sought me not
I was made manifest in them that asked not after me
But to Israel he saith all day long have I stretched forth my hands unto a disobedient and gain same
People so what is this telling us?
It's telling us the fact that the Gentiles of the New Testament are the ones who had the faith in the gospel, right?
It probably the gospel profited them being mixed with faith. They actually believed the report that
Then those who were saved in the nation of Israel were giving of the coming Christ or the one who already came
whereas Israel didn't believe they were disobedient to the gospel and
They essentially, you know went apostate
They weren't willing to listen and in fact it says that there were gainsayers and a disobedient people
So when Isaiah talks about who has believed our report, it's essentially saying like Lord
I've preached the word of God to the Israelites, but who's gonna believe this?
You know his visage was marred and as we're gonna see he's smitten stricken of God who's gonna believe this?
Well, I'll tell you who won't believe it and that is the Israelites
Okay, and we see in the New Testament that it's the Israel the the excuse me the Gentiles who are the
Believers and by the way, we got to carry this on to Romans 11, right?
Because even though there's chapter breaks in the book, it doesn't mean that the thought
You know concludes at the end of the chapter
Continues to go on to the following chapter and in chapter 11 of Romans 11, I don't have it in my notes
He says, you know, what say I then have God cast away his people and then he says God forbid for I am also
An Israelite of the seat of Abraham of the tribe of Benjamin and this is the Christian Zionist favorite verse, right?
That's like their life verse. That's their salvation verse
That's like their John 3 16 and they're like, you know God didn't cast away his people because this but can we can we stick to?
The context though because of the fact that when he says his people we got to define what his people means
Based upon the entire context of the book and according to Romans chapter 9
His people is referring to the children of the living God and who are the children of the living God those who are saved
Which is why when he says had God cast away his people God forbid he uses himself as an example
Because even though Paul is a is of Israel even though he's of the seed of Abraham
Even though he's of the tribe of Benjamin. He's not gonna get cast away. Why because he believed on Christ
He's part of the people of God that actually were grandfathered in from the Old Testament because he actually believed the report
Okay, and so very important there go back to Isaiah chapter 53
Isaiah chapter 53 so already in the book of Isaiah
We already see a foreshadowing of replacement theology and it's not something you know replacement theology isn't something that in the New Testament
It's just like a brand new thing as if no one knew about it
the prophets of old had already been prophesying about these things long ago and in fact
Jeremiah specifically said that he was gonna make a new covenant with the house of Israel with the house of Judah
So if he's saying in the old covenant that he's going to make a new covenant
That would mean that the old covenant at some point or another
Would be made null and void because you can't have two covenants at the same exact time
one covenant in order to conclude there has to be the death of the mediator and in order for
Excuse me. Yeah, the death of the high priest and then in order for another covenant to start
There has also has to be a death of the mediator, which is Jesus Christ the testator
So that new covenant brought in better promises and that was something that was already prophesied in the book of Jeremiah
Now the Jews and the Israelites who were paying attention already knew that that should be a non controversial point to them
The only ones who are not paying attention is so-called Christians
Okay, but I digress look at verse number two going on with the prophecy of Jesus Christ
It says for he referring to Jesus shall grow up before him as a tender plant and as a root out of a dry ground
He hath no form nor comeliness and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him
Now this is very powerful if you think about it because what is it saying?
Well, it's telling us that Jesus Christ when he came in the first century AD was not gonna be an attractive person
That's very important. It's literally telling us that he's not gonna have any
Cummliness. What does that mean? He's not gonna be good-looking by human standards. It's not gonna have any attractiveness
He's not gonna be beautiful what humans would consider to be a standard of being handsome for a man
He wouldn't actually possess those qualities
He wouldn't possess those attributes of a comely good-looking person and when it says no form
It means that he didn't have any features that made him distinctly unique or different when he says he has no form nor cumminess
It's referring to the fact that when you if you lived in the first century, you know when he's 30 years of age or whatever
Later on when you saw him, you wouldn't be able to pick him out of a crowd and say oh, that's Jesus
Why cuz he had no form meaning that he looked exactly like every other Jew in that time
Okay, you know, he's looked like a Middle Eastern
Dark-skinned Jew and the proof of that is the fact that when the Pharisees were trying to cast him down headlong
You know, he could just move to the crowd because he pretty much looked like everyone who was around there
And when they came to arrest him, right, you know Judas had to point out who he was, you know
Why didn't the soldiers come and say oh, you know, it's the long-haired dude
It's the six foot long-haired blue-eyed the real pretty looking get the pretty looking one
All right
Now this is important because this actually flies in the face of what the Roman Catholic Church depicts Jesus Christ to look like
You know the Roman Catholic Church just places a European there for some reason just a really light-skinned
tall lanky
Victim weight, you know just long hair
Brown long hair, you know, just you know, just effeminate looking guy
and that's not what he looked at it like at all now see the Roman Catholic Church did that because
You know, they obviously did not like Jews. They didn't like
Jews because of the curse that came upon Jews throughout the centuries because of their rejection of Jesus Christ
And so they didn't want to depict G
They didn't want to depict Jesus looking as a Jew because they had a bias against the Jews
So that's why they made him look more European more comely more handsome more attractive
And so a lot of Protestants even think that Jesus looks like that crazy, but that is a man-made
Doctrine that is a man-made depiction of Jesus Christ and let me just be honest with you
You know at the second coming of Christ, I guarantee you a lot of unsaved Christians
I'm saying Christians not because they're saying just because they think that they're Christians
They're probably gonna be disappointed when they see Jesus, you know, they're gonna be like
You know, but I'm sure they'll be that's probably one of the reasons why they'll accept the Antichrist though
Because the Antichrist will probably fit this bill of being comely
Attractive having physical prowess, you know having that form whereas Jesus Christ will not look like that
physically speaking obviously, we know he's gonna come with power and great glory and
Obviously we know that to us. He's beautiful because he's God right? He's wonderful. He's powerful. He's glorious
But from a human standpoint, he did not have those physical attributes
So this teaches us that Jesus Christ humbled himself to become a man in more ways than one
Because he humbled himself by being born in Bethlehem's manger. There was no room for him in the inn
He was despised people did not esteem him. But even in his physical form, he was not attractive
He was he had a humble disposition a humble form
He looked like every other person and reason that's important because he could have chosen to just look like, you know, a hunk or something, you know
Just like he's like, you know, he's God he could probably choose whatever features that he wanted
But he chose to forego
Those comely physical attributes because he was humbling himself to do so and so, you know
If you have a picture of Jesus at your house number one, what do you do with idolatry in your house?
Amen number two burn it. Well, isn't that sacrilegious? No, because it's not Jesus first and foremost
That's Caesar Borgia some European that the Roman Catholics or the Orthodox came up with you know, it's not Jesus Christ
It doesn't depict him and it's causing people to become
Desensitized and have a standard of what they think Jesus Christ looked like and look nowhere in the Bible
Does it give any descriptions of how he looks like all it said all it says here is that he wasn't comely and all we can
Surmise the pride just looked like a Middle Eastern person of the desert, right?
The only detailed description that we get of him is of his glorified state in the book of Revelation
That has a lot of symbolic representation and and by the way, you know, Jesus was not black either
Says his hair was of wool means he had nappy hair and therefore he was black hair like unto wool
Okay, like means it's it looks like that or it has a particular appearance of that
But it doesn't mean that he had nappy hair, you know, obviously it's referring to his wisdom that he has
And so it's very important to note that that according to the Bible. He was not physically attractive. He was not comely and
Let me continue reading here
So he says in verse 2 that he has no form nor comeliness and when we shall see him
There is no beauty that we should desire him. I mean, that's powerful
So essentially when people saw Jesus Christ, they were like, oh man, who's this guy, you know? Oh, yeah
This has to be because obviously this is like in stark contrast to David David is described as being comely
You know saws described as being head shoulders above everyone else. They are a choice young man
They have those physical attributes whereas Jesus when he came you would just look right through him
You just see him and wouldn't even think oh, this is the Christ very powerful. Look at verse 3
He is despised and rejected of men a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief and we hid as it were our faces from him
Now, I don't necessarily know exactly what that means
I can surmise and and guess that maybe this is referring to the fact that not only was he not comely
But even by human standards, he would be considered quote-unquote ugly because it's saying here
We hit as it were our faces from him like they didn't even want to look upon him
It's one of the reasons they despised and rejected him
We don't know but this is saying here that people hid their faces from him
He was despised and we esteemed him not
So this kind of lends more veracity to the fact that people
Literally by faith had to believe that this was the Christ, right?
People literally had to walk by faith and not by sight
Because he did not have or possess the physical attributes that people would think all this is the Christ
It would literally have to be based upon the Word of God his preaching like okay
This is the Christ not because of what he looks like
Not because of his height not because of this color of her skin, but rather because the gracious words that proceed from him
They would have to have faith in that okay
And so he was the complete opposite opposite of these prominent kings that we read about in the Old Testament such as David
not esteem Bible tells us in Philippians chapter 2 verse 7 but made himself of no reputation and took upon him the form of a
servant and was made in the likeness of
Men and so this might be one of the reasons why the Israelites didn't want to believe on him because they placed a heavy
Emphasis on the outward appearance right, you know you see this commonly throughout the New Testament
Where even Nathaniel for example when he was told hey come see the Christ
He's like can there any good thing come out of Nazareth though, you know and Phillips saying to him come and see
You have you know the Pharisees that are saying, you know
No prophet can arise from Galilee and just people despising him not
Esteeming him as being the word of God that was made flesh. So we see that he's despised
He's rejected now
One of the reasons is telling us this obviously is to kind of show
The extent of his humility the extent of his lowliness that he came to this earth with but it's also showing us that
We should not esteem these things as being important either and we should not be surprised when we are
Rejected when we are despised we should not it should not come as a surprise when we become a people of sorrow
When we become acquainted with grief why because our Savior was as well
Okay, so when we are despised we are not esteemed in this world when people hate us
Hey, we are in good company if to call the master of the house be els above
How much more shall they call day of his household?
But we see that this is part of the reason why the Israelites when he first came did not esteem him
They thought that the Messiah should probably possess the physical attributes and prowess
That some of these Old Testament monarchs had and so again
I think a lot of these unsaved Christians of the end times are probably gonna be disappointed
Like I can't be the Christ. This is the crisis this Jew, you know, this guy is the one I mean, he looks like a
Savior he looks like the Christ look at verse 4. It says surely he had borne our griefs and carried our sorrows
Yet we did esteem him stricken
Smitten of God and afflicted but he was wounded for our transgressions
He was bruised for our iniquities the chastisement of our peace was upon him and with his stripes
We are healed all we like sheep have gone astray we have turned everyone to his own way and the Lord hath laid on him the
iniquity of us all so here we see the prophet is highlighting the
Propitiation to Jesus Christ was the Bible tells us if any man sin we have an advocate with the father Jesus Christ the righteous
And he is the propitiation for our sin and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world
Propitiation meaning that he's the one who received the wrath of God for us
He's receiving he's being stricken and smitten of God. He's being punished for our
Transgressions now go with me if you would to 1st Peter chapter 2 1st Peter chapter 2 hold your place on Isaiah
Because one of the most famous passages in this particular
Verse here these verses here in Isaiah
53 is when it says that by his stripes
We are healed and you have a lot of prosperity preachers fake healers
They try to use this to you know claim that you can heal individuals by his stripes
We're healed walk again. You know they think they have these
Apostolic gifts and many of them don't even they know they don't have them
There's just a bunch of charlatans who are acting like you know or trying to portray themselves to be men of God in order to take
Advantage of the flock of God to fleece the flock of God
You know what is this referring to well by his stripes
We are healed is actually was fulfilled when Jesus first came in a physical manner
But it's also fulfilled throughout, you know from the time that he came all the way up until now through a spiritual manner
Which is salvation. Okay, look at Matthew chapter 8. What I have you turn first Peter Matthew first
Okay, you say in first Peter. I'm gonna reach you from Matthew chapter 8 verse 16
It says when the even was come they brought into him many that were possessed with devils and he cast out the spirits with his
Word and healed all that were sick that it might be fulfilled
Which was spoken by his eyes to prophets saying himself took our infirmities and bear our sickness essentially
Summarizing or quoting Isaiah chapter 53. So when it says by his stripes
We are healed, you know, it's obviously referring to the fact that when he first came
He was able to perform these miracles that healed the deaf the blind the sick those who are maimed
Those who are hurting those who had physical ailments he was able to actually heal them in a physical manner
But here's the thing many of those instances where he healed people were done with the intention of kind of showing us a symbolic
representation of
Salvation right how salvation can heal us you think about the fact that he healed the blind, right?
Physically healing the blind. Well, what's the spiritual significance to that? Well, the Bible tells us that you know the
Unsaved in this world are blinded Satan had blinded the minds of them
Which believed not lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ whose the image of God should shine into them
So we're blind but once we come to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ
It's like Jesus Christ touches those spiritual eyes and we can see now
I once was blind but now I see right same thing with the fact that he heals people who are deaf
You know
He heals the deaf and they can hear again and the spiritual significance to that is the fact that prior to salvation
We can read the Word of God and hear the Word of God
But if we're not saved, we don't understand it
We can't really discern what's being stated through those verses, but now that we're saved we understand we can hear our faith can be increased
You know we can be taught of the Holy Ghost because Jesus Christ took us from being deaf to now
Hearing he that hath an ear let him hear so obviously these people were physically healed their
Miracles were actually performed. But the most important thing is the fact that it pictures
Salvation, okay, and look, let me just say that I do believe in miracles today
I believe people can be healed that they can be healed of their being deaf and blind
The sickness is what I don't believe is that I can do it
I don't believe that you can do it, you know
I don't believe you can smack someone on the forehead and then boom and just you know, I'm healed or whatever, you know
it doesn't exist and
Namely the people who actually practice this are the Charismatics right the Pentecostals
I remember years ago when I was when I was younger, maybe about 11 or 12
I went to a Pentecostal church with that Pentecostal aunt that we all have right and
You know, she's like, oh you're gonna see some demon
Exorcisms and some healings and I'm just like well and it was a circus, right?
It's really scary and she's like go up there so you can get exercise of your demons or something and I'm just like excuse me
You know, all right
So I went up there and you know, the guy puts his palm on my forehead and I'm like 11 or 12 years old
You know, and he's like pushing it and then he's like praying
He's saying all the stuff and then he kind of whispers in my ear like you need to fall back and I'm just like
I'm not gonna fall back, you know, that's kind of weird and then he's just like just let yourself just let yourself
You know, and I'm thinking myself. I don't feel different, you know, it felt weird
It's felt nonsensical and it didn't feel genuine and a lot of that stuff is like that now
I'm not saying that people don't get possessed with demons because there are definitely demon possessed people out there
But I don't think you can exercise a demon the way these people would or the way the Roman Catholic Church claims to do it
You know
I believe demons are exercised through the gospel because the Holy Spirit and a demon cannot possess the same vessel at the same time
Amen, once you believe on Jesus Christ you receive the indwelling of the Holy Ghost. He's permanently there
You're sealed until the day of redemption all demons have to vacate and let me also say that just because a person is demon possessed
Doesn't mean they're reprobate. Okay, because the Bible teaches there are certain people like Susanna who's possessed, right?
Mary who's possessed with seven demons when she got saved she was healed of those seven demons and you know that never happened again
But I will say that reprobates are permanently sealed with demons though
Just as like we're sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise for our faith in Christ
There are those who become reprobate who are permanently sealed with that demon until the day of damnation
But I'm not going to continue with that so physical healing is the first fulfillment spiritual healing is the second look at first Peter 2 verse 24
Quoting Isaiah 53 it says who his own self bear our sins in his own body on the tree
Meaning the cross that we being dead to sins should live into righteousness by whose stripes
You were healed for ye were as sheep going astray, but are now returned unto the shepherd and bishops of your soul
The Bible says so the Bible views unsafe people even as sheep. However, once they get saved
It's almost as if God depicts it as returning unto the bishop of their souls referring to Jesus Christ
So through the stripes that Jesus Christ received through the scourgings in the beatings
You got to keep in mind that Jesus Christ allowed that upon himself to forgive you of your sins
To take the punishment that you and I deserve and obviously the scourging we would say like that's what I deserve
but quite frankly
Biblically speaking we deserve more than right the scourging is that Jesus Christ receive would be like an eternal scourging for us in hell
And he took that scourging for us. Let me read to you from 2nd Corinthians chapter 5 verse 19
It says to wit that God was in Christ
Reconciling the world unto himself not imputing their trespasses unto them and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation
Now then we are ambassadors for Christ as though God did beseech you by us
We pray you in Christ said be
Reconciled to God for he hath made him to be sin for us who knew no sin
That we might be made the righteousness of God in him essentially referring to that replacement right that substitute
Jesus Christ became our substitute took the punishment that we deserve so that we would not receive that eternal damnation
Through his rejection or the rejection of the gospel should I say go back to Isaiah 53 if you wouldn't Isaiah chapter 53
So he bore our griefs carried our sorrows
Look, these are great verses to think about when you're going through a hard time of depression and grief and sorrow
Just remember like the Lord carried those griefs for you. Remember that he bore those sorrows
He's acquainted listen to this with your grief
There's only so much we, there's only so much I or any other Christian can be acquainted with your pain and your sorrow
We can try. We can condescend them in a low state. We can have apathy and even empathy towards you
We can weep with those that weep, but we're very limited in our acquaintance with your grief
There's certain people in this world that have griefs that some of you, myself included, will never understand
We will never experience. We'll never have that emotion or that pain
We will never go through that trial or tribulation, that difficulty
And we can pray unto the Lord and ask God to help us to be acquainted with that
And maybe He can provide us with some empathy for people like that
But quite frankly, none of us in this world can really empathize with everyone 100%
Right? Whereas Jesus Christ can't
You know, whatever pain you've experienced, whatever sorrows, trauma that you've had
And you think like, "No one knows what I'm going through!" Well, Jesus Christ does
He experienced the depths of sorrow and grief
He knows exactly what you've gone through
He knows the pain, He knows the sorrow, He knows the inner recesses of your heart and the pain you've...
And in fact, His pain and His sorrow and His grief exceeds the most grievous pain that you've experienced
Because quite frankly, no matter how hard we have at this side of eternity, we'll never be forsaken of God
Like, He'll never leave us nor forsake us
There will never be a time when God ever turns His face from us, right?
There'll never be a time where we can say, "My God, my God, why has Thou forsaken me?"
And have it be true, right?
Because God will never leave us nor forsake us
Oh, but with Jesus Christ though, He was forsaken of the Father when He died
When He said, "My God, my God, why has Thou forsaken me?"
He was telling the truth, that actually had happened
You know, God the Father turned from Jesus Christ because He became sin
And so He experienced the lowest depths of pain, sorrow, and grief more than any human being has ever experienced
And so we need to remember that
Because sometimes we, you know, we can maybe grow resentful, bitter, and thinking that, you know, man, no one knows what I'm going through
And to a certain degree, that might be true with humans here on this earth
But it's not true with God, He's acquainted with your grief, He's acquainted with your sorrow
And so, that's important to remember, don't forget that
Look at verse 7, it says, "He was oppressed and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth
He is brought as a lamb to the slaughter and as a sheep before her shears is dumb, so he opened not his mouth"
Now, go with me if you went to the New Testament, and let's go to Matthew chapter 26
By the way, this is very timely for us to go through this chapter, of course, because, you know, in a couple weeks we're going to have Easter
And so it's good to kind of refresh ourselves on some of these things
Now what is verse 7 telling us about Jesus Christ?
It's saying that, you know, he was wrongfully punished, he was wrongfully beaten and oppressed and afflicted
And really, he had every right to defend himself
Like, he could have just opened his mouth and made the most eloquent argument and just destroyed everyone, right?
But the Bible says he opened not his mouth
As a sheep before a sheers is dumb, meaning, you know, mute, not speaking, he opened not his mouth
Look at Matthew 26 and verse 59
It says here, "Now the chief priests and elders and all the councils sought false witness against Jesus to put him to death
But found none, yea, though many false witnesses came, yet found they none
At the last came two false witnesses, and said, 'This fellow said, I am able to destroy the temple and to build it in three days'"
The high priest arose and said to him, "Answerest thou nothing? What is it which these witness against thee?"
But Jesus held his peace
Now, obviously later on he begins to answer some of these things, but even in spite, you know, I just think about myself
If I was in that position, I'd be like, "Oh, you're done"
Because everyone here heard that sermon and they know that I didn't say that, right?
But he held his peace
And partly one of the reasons why he held his peace is, it's a two-fold reason
One of them is because of the fact that prophecy just needs to be fulfilled, right?
He's gonna die
But secondly, he's showing us how to suffer as well
That even when you're justified, there's times when you should hold your peace
He says, "And the high priest answered and said unto him, 'I adjure thee by the living God"
What are you talking about? That is the living God
"That thou tell us whether thou be the Christ, the Son of God"
Jesus said unto him, "Thou hast said"
So obviously, when false accusations are coming to him, he's not gonna answer that
But when someone testifies to the truth, he's gonna answer that
"Are thou the Christ, the Son of God?" He's like, "Thou hast said"
He's bearing witness to the truth that's being spoken
"Nevertheless, I say unto you, hereafter shall ye see the Son of Man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming into the clouds of heaven"
"Then the high priest rent his clothes, saying he hath spoken blasphemy"
"What further need have we of witnesses? Behold, now ye have heard his blasphemy"
"What think ye?" They answered and said, "He is guilty of death"
Then they spit in his face and buffeted him, meaning they beat him
And others smote him with the palms of their hands, saying, "Prophesy unto us, thou Christ"
"Who is he that smote thee?" What a wicked, wicked trial
After he tells them the truth, they began to beat him, they're smiting him
We see in the other account that they cover his face and beat him and say,
"Try to prophesy, thou Christ. Who's the one who hit you?"
What is it showing us? It's showing us that he undeservedly received these things for us
He suffered shame, sorrow, pain, beatings, buffeting
Spitting in someone's face is probably the most shameful thing that you could ever experience
Getting spit on your face is super disgusting
Having someone spit in your face is probably the most reviling thing another human being can do to a human being in an argument, right?
I had a kid spit in my face one time when I was younger
It was a friend of mine, actually
And we're getting in an argument or something and I won
And he was just like, and he just spit in my face
And I wanted to kill him
Because it's such a disgusting gesture to spit in someone's face
And by the way, they still do that
They just don't do it to his face because he's not present
But they'll do it when his name is said
In order to blaspheme him, in order to revile him
So they're still doing this
Go back, if you would
Go to 1 Peter chapter two, 1 Peter chapter two
I'm going to continue reading from Isaiah 53
It says he was taken from prison and from judgment
And who shall declare his generation?
For he was cut off out of the land of the living
For the transgression of my people was he stricken
So it's specifically telling us in Isaiah chapter 53
That he's taken from the prison, he's taken from judgment
Referring to that judgment night prior to his crucifixion
He's cut off from the land of the living
Meaning that he was killed, he was crucified
And it says that it was for the transgression
Of my people was he stricken
Now this is very similar to what we see
In John chapter 11, you don't have to turn there, verse 49
It says that one of them named Caiaphas
Being the high priest that same year
Said unto them ye know nothing at all
Nor consider that it is expedient for us
That one man should die for the people
And that the whole nation perish not
Essentially implying that this one man has to die
For the sins of the nation, the transgressions of the nation
Just as Isaiah 53 prophesied
It goes on to say in verse nine
And he made his grave with the wicked
And with the rich in his death
Because he had done no violence
Neither was any deceit in his mouth
Now what does it mean when it says
That he made his grave with the wicked?
Well, obviously he's dying a criminal's death
His crucifixion is implying that he is dying as a criminal
And in fact, he was crucified amongst criminals, right?
So his grave is with the wicked
And it says that with the rich in his death
This is referring to the fact that Joseph of Armathea
gave his tomb to Jesus Christ, right?
He essentially gave it to them so they can bury his body there
So he made his grave with the wicked, meaning he died amongst criminals
And with the rich in his death, meaning that he possessed the tomb of a rich man
It was a borrowed tomb, as the Bible says
Look at 1 Peter chapter 2 verse 20
It says, "For what glory is it, if when ye be buffeted for your faults, ye shall take it patiently?
But if when ye do well and suffer for it, ye take it patiently, this is acceptable with God"
So, part of the reason why Jesus Christ allowed himself to be buffeted, to hurt, to be afflicted,
and not do anything about it, we have to see that he's fulfilling prophecy, but it's also
to give you and I an example.
Why?
Because if you're buffeted because it's your fault, there's no glory in that.
You know, you have these guys who go to these government buildings with a camera, and they're
like, "Sir, what are you doing?"
And you're like, "Oh, this is my right," you know, and they start quoting off all these
penal codes or whatever, or whatever the law says, "And I have the right to do this, my
constitutional right."
And they're just bringing controversy upon themselves.
It's the stupidest thing ever, you know, and all they want to do, and I think we actually
had a guy like that one time come here.
And this is, I think we were going to Mexico, Barstow is where we were going.
Were you with us?
So there's like a guy, he was walking around, he had all kinds of cameras, right?
He had one on his shoulder, he had his phone out, he had like three or four different cameras
on him, right?
And he just looked real suspicious, he had a mask on, and we're just kind of like, "What's
this guy doing?"
And he was already heading out to go soloing in Barstow.
So then, you know, he's coming to the building, he's filming, he's just like looking for,
I don't know, trouble or whatever.
So then we pull out and he walks right in front of us and he's like filming us.
And he goes around to the driver's seat, I'm the one driving, and I roll down the window
and I was like, "What's up?"
And he's not saying anything, he just doesn't say anything.
So he's just kind of filming me, you know?
And you know, hindsight is 20/20, I'm thinking what he wanted was for me to say, "Hey, you
can't be here."
Or to say like, "Hey, you can't film me."
So bro doesn't know that I'm like always before a camera though.
It's just like, you know?
And I'm like, "What?"
And he's just like, he's just kind of standing there and I'm like, "That was boring."
I'm like, "All right, see you."
And I just roll the one and I leave.
So then he goes and he films some more and we drive around to see him and he just doesn't
do anything.
But what he was probably waiting for is some sort of controversy where I'm like, "Oh sir,
you can't be filming here."
I don't care if people film me, people film me all the time.
You know, in fact, what I should have done is just preach the gospel to the camera and
have him upload that.
Look, if someone ever does that to you, and they're just like, you're on camera, be like,
"How's it going?
I'm a Christian.
Let me show you how to be 100% sure that if you die today, you go down and just start
preaching the gospel."
And be like, "Yeah, hey, tag me on that one."
When you upload that, they'll hate that because they want people to kind of like lose their
mind, lose their temper.
I don't care if people film me, you know, just another opportunity to preach the word
of God.
And so, the point that I'm making here is that a lot of people feel like it's glorious
to be buffeted, but it's actually their own fault.
"Oh, I'm being persecuted."
Yeah, because you're not working at your job.
You're giving the gospel while you're on the clock.
You're being buffeted for your fault and there's no glory in that according to the Bible.
The difference is that if you do well, the Bible says, you know, and take it patiently,
that's acceptable with God.
Look at verse 21.
"For even hereunto were ye called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an
example that ye should follow in his steps.
Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth."
Meaning deceit, lies.
"Who when he was reviled, reviled not again.
When he suffered, he threatened not, but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously."
And let's just be honest, you know, if these high priests were saying stuff to Jesus,
he could have cooked them, like, right then and there.
He's the word of God.
But the Bible says that he didn't revile.
And this is important for me, personally, I'm planning this to myself, because I like
to defend myself, you know, and so do you.
We all do.
But according to the Bible, the biblical model is that when we are reviled for doing well,
we should not revile back.
You know, when we suffer, we should threaten not, commit ourselves unto him that judge
it righteously.
So we see that he suffered to leave us an example.
Jesus Christ being the word of God who's made flesh.
He didn't cause the angels to come and destroy them.
He didn't send them straight to hell.
He actually, as a sheep before his sheers is done, he opened out his mouth.
He allowed himself to be reviled, to be defrauded, to leave us an example.
Go back to Isaiah.
We're almost done here.
Look at verse 10 in Isaiah 53, it says, "Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise him.
He hath put him to grief.
When thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see a seed, he shall prolong
his days, and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hand.
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 iniquity."
So this chapter is just saturated with the sufferings of Christ.
Because prior to this, we saw the sufferings in that people despised him when they saw him.
We see his suffering in the fact that he was lied about, reviled, born false witness against.
He suffered in that manner.
But we also see that he also suffered in hell, because it said that his soul was an offering
for sin, pointing to the fact that when he was crucified, his soul went to hell for three
days and three nights.
And of course, the Bible tells us in Acts chapter two that his soul was not left in
hell, neither that his flesh see corruption.
And we see that Jesus Christ, by dying on the cross and going to hell, to burn in hell
for those three days and three nights, he was fulfilling the Old Testament burnt offerings.
And a lot of people have a hard time reconciling that in their minds.
They think it's like blasphemous to say that, but, you know, they need to just kind of concede
and just be humble and read the Bible and, you know, believe the King James Bible and
read Acts chapter 2 and read Jonah chapter 2 and read the words of Jesus Christ that
said, "For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the whale's belly, so shall the
Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth."
And read Ephesians chapter 4 that says, "What is it that he ascended, but that he first
descended into the lower parts of the earth?"
You know, they need to read Isaiah 53 that his soul was made an offering for sin.
He went to hell for three days and three nights.
You know, and it's crazy to think that a lot of these people who, by the way, the majority
of them are dispensationalists, they hate the fact that we teach that Jesus Christ went
to hell, and they're willing to say all manner of evil against us because we teach that,
what the Bible says, but why don't you go ahead and focus some of that energy on these
Christ-rejecting Jews who teach that Jesus Christ is currently in hell?
That's way more blasphemous.
We're teaching that he went to hell for three days and three nights.
It's literally coincide with what the Bible says, but then you just turn a blind eye to
the fact that their beloved Jews teach that he's currently in hell for practicing sorcery,
causing Israel to commit idolatry and all manner of wickedness.
He has this Lazarus, or should I say, excuse me, rich man moment where he's given permission
to speak out of hell and say, "Oh yeah, the Jews are the apple of his eye and anybody
who curses the Jews is going to suffer the same fate that I have."
Literally what it says in the Talmud.
Oh yeah, but you want to get on us for teaching what Jesus said that he was in the heart of
the earth for three days and three nights.
Why don't you go ahead and focus on what the Talmud says and go ahead and remove the
star of Remphan from your platform there and actually be a Bible-believing Christian?
Very important.
His soul was made an offering for sin.
You know, I'm thankful for that.
And in fact, when I preach the gospel, I tell people that.
I tell them he was crucified on the cross, he himself bore all his sins on his own body
in the tree, and when he died, after I explained that, his soul went to hell for three days
and three nights.
And the Bible says that his soul was not left in hell, neither did his flesh see corruption
and on the third day, what happened?
They're like, he rose again from the grave.
And you say, how do they react when you say that he went to hell for three days and three
nights?
This is what they do.
That's what they do.
Now this is what dispensationalists do.
The only people who freak out about that are dipsticks.
Anybody else who has not been brainwashed or brain dirtied by Zionism and dispensationalism,
it's just they don't bat an eye at it.
You know why?
Because it makes perfect sense.
I can't even tell you how many, like I've preached the gospel for many years and of
course within the last maybe 10 years, I've included the fact that Jesus went to hell
for three days and three nights because I didn't always believe that.
But once I understood that that was what the Bible teaches, I would implement that, integrate
that into my gospel presentation and I'll be honest with you, the vast majority of people
don't bat an eye on it and in fact, it essentially reinforces the sacrifice of Jesus Christ.
People appreciate it more, they recognize it and here's the thing, is that you tell
them like, because where would you go if you went, where would you go to pay for your sins
if you didn't get it and they'll be like, oh to hell, so that makes perfect sense.
Like I never get someone who's just like, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, slow your roll
there, soul winner, what do you mean he went to hell for three days and three nights?
None of them say that.
But to them it makes perfect sense because it's biblical.
So his soul was made an offering for sin, just as the Old Testament sacrifices were
as well.
Look at verse 12.
We're almost done.
He says, "Therefore, will I divide him a portion with the grade," this is his reward
that he receives, "and he shall divide the spoil with the strong," because he had poured
out his soul into death and he was numbered with the transgressor.
So it's referring to the fact that his name shall be the name above every name, right?
His name, every knee shall bow in heaven and earth.
He's going to divide the spoil with the strong, referring to New Testament believers, obviously
along with Old Testament believers, who are serving God.
He's going to divide the spoils in the millennial reign with the strong.
And it says that he was numbered with the transgressors and he bared the sin of many
and made intercessions for the transgressors.
So here's the last passage we're going to go to.
Go with me, if you would, to Luke chapter 23, and we're done there.
Because the latter portion of verse 12 is quoted in the New Testament.
Let me read to you from Mark chapter 15.
As you're going to Luke 23, it says in Mark 15 verse 27, "And with him they crucified
two thieves, the one in his right hand and the other on his left.
And the scripture was fulfilled, which saith, And he was numbered with the transgressors."
So it's essentially referring to the fact that when he was crucified, he was crucified
in the midst of two criminals.
He was numbered among them, essentially saying that he died a criminal's death.
He died a transgressor's death.
But what it says in Luke 23, verse 32, it says, "And there were also two other male
factors led with him to be put to death."
It says that when they were come to the place which is Calvary, which is called Calvary,
there they crucified him in the male factors, one on the right hand and the other on the
left.
Then said Jesus' father forgive them for they know not what they do, and they parted
his raiment and cast lots.
So in Isaiah 53, when it says that he was numbered with the transgressors, it's referring
to those thieves and it says that he bared the sins of many and made intercessions for
the transgressors.
So as he's dying a transgressor's death, he is likewise praying for the transgressors.
How is he doing it?
Father forgive them for they know not what they do.
Now I believe that that prayer was answered because look at verse 39, it says that one
of the male factors which were hanged railed on him saying if thou be the Christ save thyself
and us but the other answering rebuking rebuked him saying does that not fear God seeing thou
are in the same condemnation we indeed justly for we receive the due reward of our deeds
but this man had done nothing amiss and he said unto Jesus Lord remember me when thou
comest into thy kingdom and Jesus said unto them barely I say unto thee today shalt thou
be with me in paradise man that guy dodged he dodged it because you got to think about
this he's on the cross what about the thief his buddy in just a couple hours is gonna
go to hell he's about to go to hell but in humility you know he basically asked the Lord
to be a savior he said well I don't see like the exact wordings yeah but Jesus Christ knew
what he meant though Lord remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom he's like today
thou shalt be with me in paradise oh you think people could just get saved at the last moment
uh yeah this guy got saved at the last moment for sure and you know obviously the stupid
example that people give so someone was just a mass murderer well first of all back it
up here a mass murder is probably a reprobate so that's a different category but you want
someone who just made a lot of bad decisions like this thief suffering the earthly consequences
of their actions and has no idea of the gospel but then sees the gospel hears the gospel
they get saved yeah they can for sure they will go to heaven well that's not fair well
guess what you're not god you know what's fair is that that guy goes to hell and so
do you that's what's fair what's fair is that you deserve to split hell wide open how
about that but you know in faith this man asked to be saved and he says today thou
shall be with me in paradise and you know what this thief one of us or someone throughout
history is gonna rule over him probably because he didn't do any works although there's a
possibility that because we use them as an example for so many you know thousands for
like two thousand years he might have gotten some good rewards from that you know that's
a possibility too I don't know but you know if all he got was salvation amen to that so
this prayer was definitely answered when he said father forgive them for they know not
what they do this man ended up coming to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ he got saved
and of course we know that means that he was forgiven of his sins Isaiah 53 is a powerful
chapter that really delves deep into the sufferings of Christ you know and you know we may not
be like the thief on the cross but we've we all share that same salvation though we
got saved you know what the Lord saved us and thank God for that and so let's pray
Father we thank you so much for Isaiah 53 and the powerful powerful imagery that we
get here thank you for our Savior Jesus Christ and for everything that he took upon himself
to save us Lord and it just never gets old it never gets old the message of the sufferings
of Christ never gets old and I pray that Lord you help us as your people to just ruminate
upon those things may you create within us a swelling joy of the fact that we're saved
Lord sometimes we just don't think about it enough the fact that our sins were forgiven
any one of us could have just slipped into hell before we heard the gospel and believed
it Lord thank you because many of them many people today went to hell there's a lot of
people today that just died and went to hell maybe they never got a clear presentation
of the gospel maybe they didn't they rejected it but yet here we stand as people who believe
the gospel someone came to us and I pray that you'd help us as your people out of a heart
of gratitude may we glorify you but we also take the responsibility to go out there and
tell someone else about it love you we thank you pray these things in Jesus name amen.