A friend told me about being in a boat hunting Canadian Geese in the dead of winter on a freezing lake. Bone cold the three of them in a 16-foot aluminum boat hold out for a few more minutes of light and the last chance at a goose. Sure enough their patience is rewarded. Overhead they hear a flight. Each of them fire their long goose guns straight up and two of the biggest birds come tumbling down out of the sky. For an instant they were exhilarated; then horror griped them. One of those birds was headed straight for the boat. 35 pounds of goose at 90 miles and hour. When it finally hit the boat it nearly sunk it and them with it. Sometimes you get what we want but it comes at you from a different angle.
That is what we noticed last week as we concluded our series in John’s Gospel. But it is also something that we see in our text this morning. For the next few weeks, we will be looking very closely at this passage. We are not going to skip through it in large chunks as we did in our study of the John, but rather we are going to look at it paragraph by paragraph. Today we will examine Isaiah 52:13-15: the Surprising Appearance. Walk with me as I set the stage for this morning’s reading and as we see A Violent Grace in the Prospering Servant, in the Overwhelming Servant and in the Disfigured Servant.
Let us open our Bibles and read Isaiah 52:13- 53:12:
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.
Who has believed our message and to whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed? He grew up before him like a tender shoot, and like a root out of dry ground. He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him, nothing in his appearance that we should desire him. He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering. Like one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not.
Surely he took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows, yet we considered him stricken by God, smitten by him, and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed. We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all.
He was oppressed and afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth; he was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is silent, so he did not open his mouth. By oppression and judgment he was taken away. And who can speak of his descendants? For he was cut off from the land of the living; for the transgression of my people he was stricken. He was assigned a grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death, though he had done no violence, nor was any deceit in his mouth.
Yet it was the LORD’s will to crush him and cause him to suffer, and though the LORD makes his life a guilt offering, he will see his offspring and prolong his days, and the will of the LORD will prosper in his hand. After the suffering of his soul, he will see the light [of life] and be satisfied; by his knowledge my righteous servant will justify many, and he will bear their iniquities. Therefore I will give him a portion among the great, and he will divide the spoils with the strong, because he poured out his life unto death, and was numbered with the transgressors. For he bore the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.
I. Setting the Stage
The entire Old Testament predicted that a King would come. But as we know it came at them from a different angle, an angle they did not expect. So also the prophet Isaiah. The nation was looking for a king, a deliverer. Ever since the garden of Eden men and women have looked for a promise. A promise that would restore what their sin had taken from them. Instead of paradise, they struggled - with weeds, with childbirth and with each other. And things didn’t get better.
Mankind became so corrupt that God eventually destroyed all human life, except for eight souls by a flood. But man even then didn’t learn. They built a tower to heaven to be like God. Reminiscent of Satan’s words in the Garden. And God destroyed the tower and scattered the people by confounding them with a variety of tongues. Speaking in tongues, always in Scripture is a sign of God’s judgment (Joel 2, Acts 2). But that is a subject for another place and time.
Yet God in his faithfulness called a man - Abram. And through this man and his seed he chose a people for himself. But that people, too, rebelled and he brought them into captivity in Egypt. God called them out, delivering them into the land of promise. He set up judges and kings to rule over them. Yet it is in the very nature of people, even people to whom God has been gracious, to rebel. And so was the case.
After King David established peace in Israel, his son Solomon built the temple. But Solomon taxed the people. Rehoboam, failing to listen to his counselors to relieve that taxation found the 10 Northern tribes in insurrection. They separated the nation and set up their own gods. Two Bulls, Jeroboam set up for the people to worship. One in Bethel and one in Dan for the people to worship.
But God was not pleased. And to keep the Kings accountable to himself as their suzerain he sent prophets. The prophets spoke as the messengers of the Almighty God. Because the ways of the northern tribes, God sent his prophets to admonish them to repent and turn to God. But for 200 years they would not listen. The first of these prophets was Samuel, then you will remember Elijah and Elisha. But of all the prophets, it was Isaiah who had the longest and most pervasive ministry.
God called Isaiah to prophesy to the nation of Judah. He declared to them that they should gain hope from Isaiah’s ministry during the Assyrian crisis and that all Israel (all 12 tribes) would be restored after the Babylonian trial. As the book of Isaiah unfold we see Isaiah prophesying about the threat of trusting in nations and not putting our faith in the One true God. In chapters 7-39 Isaiah confronts King Ahaz not to put his faith in Assyria, but Ahaz doesn’t listen and so Sennacharib crushes the ten northern tribes and destroys the capital city of Samaria in 722. And in chapters 40 to 66, Isaiah reminds King Hezekiah that he too should trust in the power of the Almighty God.
We know the result. Hezekiah refused to listen as well. And in a series of painful intrusions, Nebuchadnezzer, the King of Babylon, came and destroyed Jerusalem in 586. But here in this glorious passage, Isaiah records for us and for the faithful remnant under King Hezekiah a promise. A glorious promise. But this promise was confusing for it promises a surprising appearance and a violent grace. God would send a servant. And this servant would restore Israel to her Edenic glory.
II. The Prospering Servant
Many of you may be wondering why I began our study of Isaiah 53 by beginning in the last verses of chapter 52. And that is a very good question. How many of you write letters and put numbers before each of the sentences? I didn’t think so. How about books? Do you read very many books with numbers marking the sentences? Probably not. Maybe some of you remember your English literature classes in High School or college. Remember reading Milton or Shakespeare and in the margin every fifth line or so there was a number. Those numbers were placed there so you could find your place. Musicians do the same thing with music. Every fifth measure or so you might find a square box with a number in it marking the measure. That is so you and quickly find your place when the director wants to work on a particular section of the work.
Well that is what the ancient theologians did to mark the verses in the Bible. But unfortunately they didn’t always do such a marvelous job. And so we find a problem as we begin our text. Calvin states of this particular section of Isaiah, “This division, or rather dismemberment (we was often less than kind with unfaithful scholarship) of the chapter, ought to be disregarded; for it ought to have begun with the thirteenth verse of the former chapter, and these words ought to be connected with what goes before.” Why does he say that? I think Calvin is correct, and basically because of one little word. It is funny how one little word, a word we often skip over both in the Old Testament as well as the New can cause great confusion. That word in the King James is “Behold.”
It is a favorite literary device of Isaiah and for that matter many of the writers in the Old and New Testament. In the Old Testament the word is hinneh (HNH), in the New it is idou ( jIdou). When the author of a book uses this word it is to change the point of view from what precedes it. It is like beginning a new paragraph. So too, here Isaiah begins a new point. Previously Isaiah has been talking about the oppression of God’s people.
Notice the movement Isaiah has preceded this section with. Turn to chapter 51 look at verse 1, then verse 4. Isaiah speaking to God’s people tells them “Listen to me.” He has repeated this phrase constantly since chapter 44. Then in verse 7 of chapter 51 he says “Hear me.” It is as if the people are sleeping and he is trying to rouse them from their slumber. Then look at verse 9, verse 11, then chapter 52 verse 1. Isaiah is saying “Awake, awake!” Pay attention you guys!. You can almost hear him raise his voice until now in verse 53 he shouts at the top of his voice “Behold!!!!”
And then he describes why. Why should the people listen, why should they awake. The Servant will come. But who is this servant? Isaiah uses this reference repeatedly. Isaiah uses this imagery four times in his book (Isaiah 42:1-4; 49:1-6; 50:4-9; 52:13-53:12). In three of these the word “servant” is translated “slave” in the LXX but here it is translated pai`~ , or child. And this word child occurs in the Greek Old Testament over 500 times to translate the word “slave, servant or subordinate.” And when it does it refers to the chastisement which a father has to inflict upon his son. Isaiah here is using this word to draw attention to the fact that God’s child will be the afflicted by his father’s wrath for the salvation of his people. I am sorry that you can’t see the impact of these words from the Hebrew. For it is startling. “Behold my servant.” “Behold my child.”
Notice too that this servant is identified by four verbs. My servant will act wisely, he will be raised and lifted up and he will be highly exalted. We have for the last four weeks looked at the Kingship of Christ. In these four words again we see two things. In the first three words we see how he exercises his office. He will act wisely, he will be raised and he will be lifted up. Notice these. He will act wisely. He will be prudent. As we have seen in Jesus life - each and every word he spoke was measured. Never did he act in vein, he always had a purpose. Even when in righteous indignation he scattered the money changers in the temple or called the Pharisees hypocrites and white-washed sepulchers, it had a heavenly measured purpose.
He was raised and lifted up. We live in an age of double-entendre. A world where words have double meanings. Here we find a scriptural double-entendre. Not only is Christ the God-man, the servant of God in his position of man elevated to the position of God. .
The last verb is “exalted” and is modified by an adverb “highly.” When reading the Hebrew as well as the English, it appears we are saying the same thing over and over again. Often times, I have been accused of semantics, making too much use of word games and word plays. But that is because the Word of God does it. For Isaiah wants us to see, in as many ways as words can portray that the servant of Jehovah is raised and humiliated on a cross. He is high and lifted up physically, for all the world to see. On that hill he was raised - the God-man raised in our place to be evermore exalted as the atoning sacrifice for our sins.
III. The Overwhelming Servant
As Isaiah continues his description, he again uses some complex literary devises. In doing so he contrasts the language in verse 14 against the language in verse 15. Here the many of verse 14 are set against the kings in verse 15. The people, the many were appalled and the kings dumbfounded.
But was the reason for this awe? One of Joshua’s favorite activities is reading Calvin and Hobbes. Perhaps you remember the cartoon strip. Calvin is a little boy with an overactive imagination and a stuffed tiger, Hobbes, who comes to life as his imaginary friend. In one cartoon strip, Calvin turns to his friend Hobbes and says, "I feel bad I called Susie names and hurt her feelings. I’m sorry I did that." Hobbes replies, "Maybe you should apologize to her." Calvin thinks about it for a moment and then responds, "I keep hoping there’s a less obvious solution."
Could there be a less obvious solution? The people where waiting for a Messiah. A King who would deliver them from their bondage. They had been enslaved to Egypt, carried away to Assyrian and Babylon. They were now under the cruel rule of Rome. They waited for God’s promise. And now when he arrives before them He has no stately form or appearance.
We aren’t amazed. We come from a land of paupers and immigrants. Our families moved to this country as refugees. We wouldn’t recognize royalty if it starred us in the face. But to those in the middle east, life shows a different story. Imagine the difference between a Bedouin and a sheik. One drives sheep the other a Mercedes. One dresses in rags, the other silken robes. This is the culture into which Jesus was born. A culture where the haves and the have-nots are clearly distinguished. And in no other way than in appearance.
IV. The Disfigured Servant
Have any of you been to another country? If you have you will notice one thing immediately. Dental Care. Dental Care? Yes, Dental care. When we were in Britain, it was noticeable. And friends who have traveled more than I have stated the same thing. Countries of lower means have no access to dental care. Now imagine looking into the face of a Bedouin. Then glance into the face of the sheik. Notice the skin, notice the eyes. Now look at his teeth.
This is the appearance of our Lord. He was not born to wealth and affluence. He was of humble means. We lose sight of that. But even more, Scripture tells us that his visage, his face was marred more than any man in his torture that day in Jerusalem. So much so that the people were appalled at his disfiguration.
Christ was disfigured for you and for me. His appearance was marred beyond human likeness. Those pictures we see replicating Christ on that cross are mild compared to the words of Scripture. And often Scripture downplays the graphic quality of the silver screen. There is no way we can get the picture with words that we can get with icons. A picture does paint a thousand words.
In the midst of this contrast we find these strange words “...so will he sprinkle many nations...” I want you to note something right here. The Jew is not allowed to read Isaiah 53 today. This passage can only be interpreted to them by their Rabbi. And this is not a new thing. If I took you to a copy of the Greek Old Testament in my Library, and we pulled the book off the shelf and looked into it, you would not find this statement. Think about that for a moment. In this beautiful classic passage of God’s word. A passage about the suffering servant - Jesus Christ, there would be nothing about this sprinkling.
And as we think about it, what is it all about anyway. This sprinkling in the text is contrasted against his disfiguration. Not only was his face bruised and cut, but his whole body. And as his body was pierced, the blood ran. Those of you who butcher know the picture. Those of you who have been to an accident have seen the blood spurt from the wounds. The heart acts as a pump and the blood gushes forth like water from a hose. This blood Isaiah says, spinkles the nations.
It is this blood shed for us that brings forgiveness. It brings salvation. It covers our sins. Christ sprinkles the nations with his atoning blood. It is his blood that is the propitiation for our sins. It is this blood that is the payment, the purchase price of his people. That is why the author is so appalled by the Hebrews in 10:29. How could anyone by their rejection of the church, by their remaining in their sin “treat as an unholy thing the blood of the covenant that sanctified him” insulting the Spirit of grace?
What about you this morning? Are you treading underfoot the blood of Christ by your behaviors. Oh, I know you talk righteously. But where would you rather be? In God’s house or just about any where else? And when you go home, do you pick up God’s word, keeping it fresh in your memory or does it gather dust on your shelf.
Look for a moment how Isaiah closes this section. “[A]nd 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.” Does what Christ has done for you confound you. Have you seen in your heart what you have not been told. Do you understand what you did not see with your eyes or your ears.
This was the passage the Ethiopian Eunuch was reading. It stopped him in his tracks. Does it stop you in yours? You think about that.
