Isaiah 53 is a great Messianic chapter that gives one of the best descriptions of prophecies in the old testament of the then coming Messiah, the Lord Jesus Christ. Isaiah was written about 700 years before the birth of Jesus in Bethlehem. Jesus fulfilled all things in this chapter exactly as they are written. The description actually starts in Isaiah 52:13-15. (Isaiah 52:13-53:12 ¶ Behold, my servant shall deal prudently, he shall be exalted and extolled, and be very high.
14As many were astonied at thee; his visage was so marred more than any man, and his form more than the sons of men:
15So 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 consider.
Isaiah 53:1Who hath believed our report? and to whom is the arm of the LORD revealed?
2 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; and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him.
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; he was despised, and we esteemed him not.
4 ¶ Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.
5 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.
6 All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.
7 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 shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth.
8 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.
9 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.
10 ¶ 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 his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in his hand.
11 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 iniquities.
12 Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he hath poured out his soul unto death: and he was numbered with the transgressors; and he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.)
Isaiah 53 is such a vivid description of the Lord Jesus that this chapter is never read in a Jewish synagogue during the weekly Haftarah readings or by Jews at all. The rabbis will end at Isaiah 52:12 and then the next week pick up at Isaiah 54, completely skipping these verses about Jesus. The leaders of Judaism do not want Jews to read this chapter since it reveals the truth about Jesus. Many Jews have come to realize that Jesus is their Messiah from reading this chapter. Many Jews believe since they are God’s chosen people that they are automatically saved. Unfortunately some in the church also believe this and therefore they do not witness to Jews. For Jews who may hear this sermon read Isaiah 53 and for those who know Jews who are lost, read this chapter to them.
Matthew 12:17-21 gives a similar description of Jesus as Isaiah 53. (Matthew 12:17-21 17 That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet, saying,
18 Behold my servant, whom I have chosen; my beloved, in whom my soul is well pleased: I will put my spirit upon him, and he shall shew judgment to the Gentiles.
19 He shall not strive, nor cry; neither shall any man hear his voice in the streets.
20 A bruised reed shall he not break, and smoking flax shall he not quench, till he send forth judgment unto victory.
21 And in his name shall the Gentiles trust.) These verses show Jesus will bring salvation to both Jews and Gentiles, but how most will never hear his voice. How sad that most reject Jesus. Matthew 12:18 shows God chose Jesus as his servant, rather than man and this is why many men (people) reject Jesus. This verse fulfills a prophecy from Isaiah, who was the most quoted in the new testament.
Isaiah 53 best shows Jesus as the suffering servant when he came in his first coming. Some say this chapter refers to the nation of Israel, rather than Jesus. I will show you that this chapter is clearly about a person, not a nation and that the person is Jesus Christ. The debate arises over the use of “my servant” in Isaiah 52:13. Many people in scripture were referred to as “my servant” by God including Abraham, Jacob, Moses, Caleb, David, Zerubbabel, and Job. God referred to Nebuchadrezzar the king of Babylon, a non-Jew as “my servant”, but God only referred to people as my servant, not nations including Israel. (Genesis 26:24 And the LORD appeared unto him the same night, and said, I am the God of Abraham thy father: fear not, for I am with thee, and will bless thee, and multiply thy seed for my servant Abraham’s sake.) (Numbers 12:7 My servant Moses is not so, who is faithful in all mine house.)
(Isaiah 52:13 ¶ Behold, my servant shall deal prudently, he shall be exalted and extolled, and be very high.) This verse shows Jesus will be the servant of God when he came as a man. We see Jesus also mentioned as the servant of God in other verses in the old testament. (Isaiah 49:5-6 5 ¶ And now, saith the LORD that formed me from the womb to be his servant, to bring Jacob again to him, Though Israel be not gathered, yet shall I be glorious in the eyes of the LORD, and my God shall be my strength.
6 And he said, It is a light thing that thou shouldest be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and to restore the preserved of Israel: I will also give thee for a light to the Gentiles, that thou mayest be my salvation unto the end of the earth.) These verses show Jesus was formed from the womb to be the servant of God and that he came to earth the first time to bring salvation to the whole world and not just the Jews. (Zechariah 3:8 Hear now, O Joshua the high priest, thou, and thy fellows that sit before thee: for they are men wondered at: for, behold, I will bring forth my servant the BRANCH.) Matthew 12:18 that I have already read shows Jesus was the servant of God. Jesus always did the will of God the Father just as we should do. Isaiah 52:13 shows Jesus will be exalted and extolled. This will be fulfilled as seen in Philippians 2:7-11 7 But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:
8 And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.
9 Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name:
10 That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth;
11 And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.) Other verses also show this being fulfilled in the new testament.
(Isaiah 52:14 As many were astonied at thee; his visage was so marred more than any man, and his form more than the sons of men:) Isaiah 52:14 says Jesus was marred more than any man. This was fulfilled in his beatings prior to his crucifixion. He was so beaten that our Saviour and the Saviour of the world was unrecognizable. Satan so hated to look at the face of Jesus as the face of Jesus showed purity and innocence, both things Satan hates and which he is neither. The face of Jesus reminded Satan how evil he was compared to Jesus. (Matthew 26:67 Then did they spit in his face, and buffeted him; and others smote him with the palms of their hands,) (Matthew 27:30-31 30 And they spit upon him, and took the reed, and smote him on the head.
31 And after that they had mocked him, they took the robe off from him, and put his own raiment on him, and led him away to crucify him.) (John 19:1 Then Pilate therefore took Jesus, and scourged him.
(Isaiah 52:15 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 consider.) Jesus shall sprinkle many nations with his shed blood on the cross as he died for people of all nations. The blood of Jesus has been sprinkled by the spreading of the gospel throughout all nations. The phrase “for that which had not been told them shall they see; and that which they had not heard shall they consider” most likely refers to the lack of understanding by Jews and Gentiles of Jesus as the humble suffering servant and the gospel of his death, burial, and resurrection. Some eyes were opened and people were saved after the events happened as foretold in scripture here in Isaiah.
(Isaiah 53:1 Who hath believed our report? and to whom is the arm of the LORD revealed?) Isaiah 53:1 speaks of the many miracles that would be done by Jesus at his first coming, yet the people still did not believe. It takes faith to believe in Jesus, something most people lack. (Ephesians 2:8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:) This prophecy was fulfilled in (John 12:37-38 37 ¶ But though he had done so many miracles before them, yet they believed not on him:
38 That the saying of Esaias the prophet might be fulfilled, which he spake, Lord, who hath believed our report? and to whom hath the arm of the Lord been revealed?)
(Isaiah 53:2 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; and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him.) Israel was a dry ground before God, but he sent his Son Jesus as a tender plant and root out of that dry ground to be his suffering servant to bring salvation to Israel as well as all mankind. Jesus was just an ordinary looking man as seen in the phrase “he hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him”. He was from a poor family and no one desired him. He was normal height and was probably muscular since he was a carpenter, but nothing so great as to set him apart from the average man. Jesus had short hair as did most men so he blended in with the crowds. If he had long hair as is often falsely taught then he would have stuck out in the crowds from the rest of the men. Jesus was nothing special to look at that he should be desired. This can be seen in how he blended into crowds when the people desired to stone him to death. (John 8:59 Then took they up stones to cast at him: but Jesus hid himself, and went out of the temple, going through the midst of them, and so passed by.) Jesus had just been preaching, but he was still able to pass through the crowds unnoticed. He could not do this if he was a desirable person to look at. He also was marred so badly before his crucifixion that he was undesirable to look at.
(Isaiah 53:3 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; he was despised, and we esteemed him not.) Jesus was despised and rejected not only by the Jewish leaders of his day, but even by the common man as he made them realize they were sinners. They wanted a Messiah that would free them from Rome, not from sin so they hid their faces from him as it convicted them of their sins with all its innocence. This was fulfilled in (Luke 9:22 Saying, The Son of man must suffer many things, and be rejected of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be slain, and be raised the third day.) (John 1:11 He came unto his own, and his own received him not.)
(Isaiah 53:4 ¶ Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.) Jesus bore all our sins, griefs, and sorrows on the cross as our substitutionary death so that we might have eternal life, yet man still smites God with hatred. He was blasphemed by those who crucified him and by most of those who stood nearby. (Matthew 11:28 ¶ Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.)
(Isaiah 53:5 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.) Jesus was wounded for our transgressions (sins) from his scourging, crown of thorns on his head, piercing of his side, being spat upon in the face, and crucifixion, and taking on the sins of the world. Jesus did all of this so that we all might have everlasting life. (Mark 15:17 And they clothed him with purple, and platted a crown of thorns, and put it about his head,) (John 19:34 But one of the soldiers with a spear pierced his side, and forthwith came there out blood and water.) (Mark 14:65 And some began to spit on him, and to cover his face, and to buffet him, and to say unto him, Prophesy: and the servants did strike him with the palms of their hands.) We can be healed of our sins from what Jesus did for us on the cross if we receive him as Saviour. (I Peter 2:24 Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.) Our peace is only found when one receives Jesus as their Saviour. Our peace was upon Jesus by his willingness to go to the cross for us.
(Isaiah 53:6 All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.) All people are born with a sin nature and like sheep will go astray without a leader. A person must stay on the narrow path to Jesus for salvation. Sin has caused all people to turn away from God and to try to enter heaven by another way without Jesus such as by one’s works. God placed the sins of every person for all time from Adam to the last person born upon Jesus so that his death may free all from sin who choose him as their Saviour. (I Peter 2:25 For ye were as sheep going astray; but are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls.)
(Isaiah 53:7 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 shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth.) The Ethiopian eunuch asked if this referred to Isaiah who wrote this or someone else. Philip then told him about Jesus whom this verse applies to. (Acts 8:32-35 32 The place of the scripture which he read was this, He was led as a sheep to the slaughter; and like a lamb dumb before his shearer, so opened he not his mouth:
33 In his humiliation his judgment was taken away: and who shall declare his generation? for his life is taken from the earth.
34 And the eunuch answered Philip, and said, I pray thee, of whom speaketh the prophet this? of himself, or of some other man?
35 Then Philip opened his mouth, and began at the same scripture, and preached unto him Jesus.) Jesus did not open his mouth before his accusers. Most people would want to defend themselves from attack and would have burst out shouting at the accusers. Jesus could easily have defended himself since he was innocent, but he was willing to endure the false accusations so that he might be able to go to the cross of Calvary for you and me. To many people his silence would seem an admission of guilt, yet Jesus remained silent to fulfill prophecy and to be obedient to his heavenly Father. This was fulfilled in (Matthew 27:12 And when he was accused of the chief priests and elders, he answered nothing.) (I Peter 2:23 Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously:)
(Isaiah 53:8 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.) Jesus was cutoff from the living when he was crucified on the cross. Daniel had predicted this when he was given the vision of the seventy weeks in Daniel 9:24-27. (Daniel 9:26 And after threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off, but not for himself: and the people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary; and the end thereof shall be with a flood, and unto the end of the war desolations are determined.) Sixty Nine weeks have been fulfilled with the final week coming during the seven year tribulation. Jesus died for the transgressions (sins) of the people, including yours and mine, not his. (II Corinthians 5:21 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.)
(Isaiah 53:9 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.) Jesus died on the cross with two thieves and was buried in a rich man’s tomb, the tomb of Joseph of Arimathaea, a Jewish leader and member of the Sanhedrin. It was also the wicked Jewish leaders who condemned Jesus to death. (Matthew 27:38 Then were there two thieves crucified with him, one on the right hand, and another on the left.) (Matthew 27:57 When the even was come, there came a rich man of Arimathæa, named Joseph, who also himself was Jesus’ disciple:) (Matthew 27:60 And laid it in his own new tomb, which he had hewn out in the rock: and he rolled a great stone to the door of the sepulchre, and departed.)
(Isaiah 53:10 ¶ 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 his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in his hand.) The LORD bruised Jesus when he was beaten and crucified as the perfect sin offering for us. God prolonged his days by resurrecting him from the grave which pleased God.
(Isaiah 53:11 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 iniquities.) God through his righteous servant Jesus bore all of mankind’s sins on the cross in order to bring salvation and reconciliation with God. God the Father was satisfied with the sacrifice of his perfect Son Jesus travailing on the cross as he bore our sins and with his death as the completion of our reconciliation with him to all people who will call upon Jesus to be their Saviour. Jesus will “justify many” refers to those who call upon him for salvation.
(Isaiah 53:12 Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he hath poured out his soul unto death: and he was numbered with the transgressors; and he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.) This verse again shows how Jesus was crucified with thieves (numbered with the transgressors) and how he bare the sin of many people as billions have lived on the earth. (Hebrews 9:28 So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation.) Jesus interceded on the cross for the thief who repented and called upon him for salvation and asked God the Father to forgive those who crucified him. This intercession was possible because of what Jesus was doing on the cross and because he is God. (Luke 23:34 ¶ Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. And they parted his raiment, and cast lots.) (Luke 23:43 And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise.)
These verses clearly show that Jesus bore our sins on the cross, suffered and died for us on that cross. It is clear from the fulfillment of these verses that the “greatest Jew who ever lived”, the suffering servant, was none other than the Jewish Messiah, the Lord Jesus Christ. This chapter clearly refers to a man in Jesus and not the nation of Israel as Israel was never cut off from herself as seen in verse 8 and Israel did not die on a cross and bear the sins of all mankind. Tell your Jewish neighbors or friends about Isaiah 53. For any Jews watching this video, realize that Isaiah 53 is kept hidden from you by your Jewish rabbis in order to keep you from the truth of Jesus being your Messiah. You may go to jesusisgodandlordministries.com for more information on Jesus as God and your Messiah as well as salvation. For anyone else listening who is not saved, today is the day to receive Jesus as your Saviour so his suffering will not be for nought.
