Lord Who Hath Believed Our Report? (Full) Series

INTRODUCTION

Outline.

1. Lord Who Hath Believed Our Report?

2. Israel Hath Rejected Isaiah’s Report

3. Gentiles Hath Received Isaiah’s Report

Introductory Remarks.

1. In our lesson, we will discuss the theme: “Lord who hath believed our report?” The question originates from the prophet Isaiah, in Isaiah 53:1. This was Isaiah’s report of the coming and work of the Messiah. He wrote: “Who hath believed our report? And to whom is the arm of 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; and when we see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him…Surely, he hath borne our griefs and carried our sorrows…But he was wounded for our transgressions and 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 way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all,” Isaiah 53:1-6. I have collapsed this text for brevity.

2. First, we will consider Isaiah’s question: “Lord, who hath believed our report?” In this text, Isaiah wrote of Christ, His beauty, betrayal, death, burial, and resurrection. And the results of his terrible suffering and sacrifice for sin. The report predicts the Messiah's coming, his being rejected, crucified, and raised from the dead to deliver his people and all nations from their sins: it is that “good news” that would be spread abroad to both Jews and Gentiles. What is later learned of this "good news" is Israel’s rejection of it and the Gentiles' reception of it.

3. Second, we will discuss how this question relates to Israel, who rejected Isaiah’s report. Isaiah was predicting the hearers of this report would not believe it. He was speaking of Israel, the people of God. They rejected it not because of the Messiah, Himself, but for the hardness of their hearts towards God’s words, spoken to them by the prophets and now by His Messiah. Jesus said: “Therefore, they could not believe, because that Esaias said again, He hath blinded their eyes and hardened their heart; that they should not see with their eyes, nor understand with their heart, and be converted, and I should heal them. These things said Esaias when he saw His glory, and spake of him,” John 12:35-41; Isaiah 6:10. The prophet Stephens said of Israel: “You stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears. Who always resisted the Holy Spirit; as your fathers did, so do you…Which of the prophets did your fathers not persecute…who foretold the coming of the Just One, of whom you now have become the betrayers and murderers…who received the law…and have not kept it?” Acts 7:51-53. Jehovah said of the people: “All day long I have stretched out My hands: To a disobedient and contrary people,” Romans 10:21; Isaiah 65:2.

4. Lastly, we will investigate how this question relates to the Gentiles, who gladly received Isaiah's report. Paul wrote: “But I say, did Israel not know? Moses says: ‘I will provoke you to jealousy by those who are not a nation; I will move you to anger by a foolish nation.’ But Isaiah is very bold and says: ‘I was found by those who did not seek Me; I was made manifest to those who did not ask for Me,’” Romans 10:19-20; Deuteronomy 32:21; Isaiah 65:1. The Gentiles had received Isaiah’s report gladly. Luke wrote: “So when the Jews went out of the synagogues, the Gentiles begged that these words might be preached unto them the next Sabbath…On the next Sabbath, almost the whole city came together to hear the word of God…Now, when the Gentiles heard…they were glad and glorified the word of the Lord. And as many as had been appointed to eternal life believed. And the word of the Lord was being spread throughout all the region,” Acts 13:42-49. With this brief introduction, let’s consider the first point in this lesson.

BODY OF LESSON

I LORD WHO HATH BELIEVED OUR REPORT?

A. Lord, who hath believed our report? And to whom hath the arm of the Lord been revealed? Isaiah 53:1. This entire chapter is so filled with the unsearchable riches of Christ that it may be called the gospel of the evangelist Isaiah rather than the prophecy of the prophet Isaiah. Isaiah no doubt was speaking of Israel then, regarding his preaching to them the report of the Lord. Their pending overthrow, capture, and being led into captivity by Babylon. However, it held the prophetic meaning to the coming Messiah, which was fulfilled in the coming of Jesus Christ unto the children of Israel during their yoke of bondage under Rome’s oppression in the city of Jerusalem and the entire world.