The Suffering Servant (Part II)
- Rev. Jerry Lepasana
- Mar 27, 2005
- Series: The Suffering Servant
SUFFERING SERVANT (Part II)
Isaiah 53:13-15
- See, my servant will act wisely; he will be raised and lifted up and highly exalted.
- Just as there were many who were appalled at him--his appearance was so disfigured beyond that of any man and his form marred beyond human likeness--
- so will he sprinkle many nations, and kings will shut their mouths because of him. For what they were not told, they will see, and what they have not heard, they will understand.
The life of Jesus brings so much hope to everyone who chooses to believe in Him. Though His life on earth could generally be characterized with sufferings and shame, ultimately it would end in victory and glory.
Last Friday, we have taken the time to expound Isaiah 53, and talked about Christ’s crucifixion. This was the cruelest event that had taken place on earth. However, we should not dwell on the crucifixion too long. We should move on to His resurrection. Why? His resurrection vindicates the success of His work on the cross. The apostle Paul captures this truth in 1 Corinthians 15: 17:
And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins.
Yes, the cross is a valid message because Jesus did not remain in the grave.
In Isaiah’s predictions concerning the suffering of Jesus; he also had foreseen Christ’s resurrection or exaltation. It would surely benefit us when we have a more complete picture of the work our Savior had accomplished.
There were three truths we have studied last Friday:
- HIS REJECTION
- HIS REPRESENTATION
- HIS REDEMPTION
Let’s back track to the closing verses of Isaiah 52, and emphasized the last truth which is:
IV HIS RESURRECTION:
After the Lord died and was buried, all His followers had lost their hope. Many of them succumbed to their fears, and went into hiding. Obviously, they fail to comprehend the predictions of Isaiah concerning the resurrection of Messiah. There are three facets in these prophecies that we can consider:
A. THE SEED: (v. 13a)
“My servant will act wisely”
The servant acted wisely by doing exactly what the Lord wants Him to do. Despite all the sufferings involved, the attitude of the servant was, “Yet not my will, but Yours be done (Lk. 22:42).” Being a servant, Jesus surrendered His will to the Father. This kind of surrender brought about His resurrection and exaltation. He was always committed to do the will of God.
For I have come down from heaven not to do my will but to do the will of him who sent me.
So many times, we miss out on God’s promotion or exaltation because of our failure to incorporate obedience in our lives. Just like Jesus, we need to recognize our real master.
"The first duty of every soul is to find not its freedom but its Master". (Peter T. Forsythe)
B. THE STAGES: (v. 13b)
“He will be raised and lifted up and highly exalted”
Isaiah predicted that the resurrection would be accomplished in three specific stages:
1. “He will be raised”
In the King James Version, this phrase is translated He shall be exalted. As this phrase is literally referring to the resurrection of Jesus, there is in essence an implication of exaltation in the resurrection since no man had ever accomplished this before.
Throughout the Bible, there were also several occasions of people coming out from the dead like:
- Jairus Daughter (Mark 5:22-43)
- Lazarus (John 11:1-44)
- Tabitha (Acts 9:36-43)
Yet, the resurrection of Jesus was unique. He is the only one who continues to live.
I am the Living One; I was dead, and behold I am alive for ever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades.
This is the same kind of resurrection that all who dies in Jesus will experience. Jesus resurrection made Him the firstborn from the dead.
And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy.
2. “He will be lifted up”
After his resurrection, Jesus took his disciples to the Mount of Olives and while He was speaking to them He ascended into the heavens until a cloud received Him out of sight. So He was physically and literally “Lifted up.”
For the early believers, the ascension of Christ before them would solidify all claims of resurrection and exaltation. Even if anyone comes along and discredit the resurrection, the believers who saw Christ ascend doesn’t have to be shaken – they saw Jesus go back to heaven. According to Acts 1, there were about 120 believers who saw this significant event. 120 witnesses would be overwhelming to establish a factual event.
3. “He will be highly exalted”
After the ascension comes the ultimate exaltation. We are reminded of what the apostle Paul recorded in Philippians 2:9-11:
- 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 confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
The message is very clear that because of what Jesus had accomplished for us, He deserves to be the Lord of our lives. No one will escape the sovereign authority of Jesus. If people will not bow to Him today, they will still bow down before Him when judgment day comes. One day all will be made to acknowledge that Jesus Christ is all He claimed to be—very God of very God. Unfortunately, for many it will be too late for the salvation of their souls.
C. THE SPRINKLING: (v. 15)
We read in verse 15, “So will he sprinkle many nations.” At first, this phrase seems strange. However, people who were reading this, and were familiar of the sacrificial system of the Jews would know exactly that this is associated with the cleansing by the priest under the Mosaic Law. Notice these verses:
He is to dip his finger into the blood and sprinkle some of it seven times before the Lord, in front of the curtain of the sanctuary.
He sprinkled some of the oil on the altar seven times, anointing the altar and all its utensils and the basin with its stand, to consecrate them.
The Lord Jesus, whom many have rejected and despised, will actually provide the most important blessing, which is the cleansing from sin for nations and their kings. This is the reason why they will shut their mouths. Realizing they have miscalculated the real person of Jesus, they will nothing to say. Eventually, when they see Him exalted in His Second coming, they will finally understand and see clearly.
The Bible clearly teaches that part of Christ’s exaltation will be His earthly reign over all nations.
- I will proclaim the decree of the Lord: He said to me, "You are my Son; today I have become your Father.
- Ask of me, and I will make the nations your inheritance, the ends of the earth your possession.
- You will rule them with an iron scepter; you will dash them to pieces like pottery."
- Therefore, you kings, be wise; be warned, you rulers of the earth.
- Serve the Lord with fear and rejoice with trembling.
Christ will surely be vindicated. If people continue to reject Him as Lord today, they will inevitably be forced to do it. I just hope all of us will surrender our lives to Him. For Jesus Christ, He was willingly humble Himself, and became a servant to all humanity. On account of this, He is highly exalted. When we choose to be His servant and even suffer for Him, we will also be exalted with Him.
if we endure, we will also reign with him.
If we disown him, he will also disown us;