Patrick Griffiths | Donna Siegesmund |Jacob Michalski ONE STORY - UNIT 4 | LESSON 4C The Major and Minor Prophets of Israel [and Post-Exilic History] [Fall 2019]
God is a Promise Keeping God God 1) PROMISES a KING who 2) RESCUES His people, 3) DEFEATS His enemies, and 4) RESTORES them to the LAND 5) so that His people shall be with Him for their JOY.
“The LORD Has Laid On Him the Iniquity of Us All” Isaiah 52:13-53:12
Them / Then
THE IMMEDIATE CONTEXT :
The victory that the people of God crave over her enemies will only come through the promised King. But this King will lay His life down for the victory of His people. He will do for them what they cannot do for themselves. This is unexpected and SHOCKING.
Literary Context (preceding and following paragraphs):
The first 39 chapters of Isaiah contain a message that is judgment mingled with hope towards the people of Jerusalem and the nations. The fuel for this hope is found in the promise of this perfect king from the line of David. As Isaiah interacts with Judah’s current kings (Ahaz and Hezekiah), it becomes apparent that the king has yet to come. The second half of Isaiah is incredibly hopeful as Isaiah continues to express the rule and reign of this coming king. Chapter 52 starts to say that Yahweh’s salvation is coming and He will rescue his people. The perspective seems to indicate that Yahweh’s covenant people will be taken into exile and need deliverance. Sounds like a good job for the coming king. Isaiah then will go on describing this king’s rescue plan in terms that are surprising. Instead of describing this rescue in terms of a king being victorious in conquering, Isaiah tells of a servant coming to suffer. Though this description is surprising, Isaiah doesn’t skip a beat and embraces the suffering servant coming to bring peace to the nations (Isaiah 54). The Section
• The Greatness Of God [40-48 {The Promise of Peace}] • The Key Text Is 44:8 • The Work Of God [49-57 {The Prince of Peace}] • The Key Text Is 53:5-7 • The Kingdom Of God [58-66 {The Program of Peace}]
1 • The Key Text Is 62:11, 12 (Cf. 65:17)
• Zion’s Peace and Prosperity (ch. 60) • The Lord’s Favor (ch. 61) • Zion’s Restoration and Glory (62:1—63:6)
Historical Context (what is happening to the nation and to the prophet):
Isaiah wrote during the stormy period marking the expansion of the Assyrian empire and the decline of Israel. Most of the events referred to in chs. 1–39 occurred during Isaiah’s ministry (see 6:1; 14:28; 36:1), so these chapters may have been completed not long after 701 BCE, the year the Assyrian army was destroyed (see note on 10:16). The prophet lived until at least 681 (see note on 37:38) and may have written chs. 40–66 during his later years. In his message to the exiles of the sixth century BCE, Isaiah was projected into the future, just as Ezekiel was in Eze 40–48.1
THE STRUCTURE or Outline of the Paragraph (What appears to be thought breaks in your paragraph?):
Notice the chiastic structure. The primary point are verses 4-6.
I. The Servant is Exalted (52:13-15) The prosperity of the servant is His exaltation (v. 13). The pathway of prosperity comes through suffering (v. 14). Because of the provision made by His suffering He will sprinkle many nations (v. 15).
The Christological element is seen in Philippians 2:1-11. Through suffering the Son of God will be given a name that is above every name and at the name of Jesus every knee will bow and every tongue confess that He is Lord to the glory of God the Father.
A. The Servant is rejected/misunderstood by man (53:1-3) The suffering servant of Isaiah 53 tasted the bitter dregs of rejection. What beauty He possessed came from who He was and did, not from His outward form. From every outward appearance He appeared to be normal until He spoke and acted. Although I believe Jesus had a sense of humor and enjoyed laughter, there was an aura surrounding Him that identified Him as “a man of sorrow.”
i. The Servant suffers on our behalf (53:4-6) Notice in the following paragraph the number of times it speaks of the servant taking upon Himself the sins and suffering of His people.
Also notice how we understood His suffering as just and deserving and not in our behalf.
2 4Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. 5 But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed. 6 All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned—every one—to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all.
B. The Servant does not reject or misunderstand his calling (53:7-9)
This is the second movement concerning His suffering. All that He endured was unjust.
II. The Servant is Exalted (53:10-12) A. The pleasure of the Father (v. 10; Consider Acts 2:23; 4:27, 28). B. The pleasure of the Servant (vv. 11, 12)
A “simpler” outline is as follows.
The Suffering Servant (52:13-53:12)
The Servant’s glory (52:13-53:2) o Glory through pain (52:13-15) o Glory through humility (53:1-2)
The Servant’s rejection (53:3-6) o Rejected by humanity (v.3-4) o Rejected to atone (v.5-6)
The Servant’s acceptance (53:7-12) o Accepted as innocent lamb (v.7-9) o Accepted as payment for Yahweh (v.10-12)
THE EMPHASIS / Primary Idea taught by the Paragraph (In a couple of sentences. You can take your lead from the heading the Bible provides):
3 The Servant of God [I.e. the woman’s seed {Gen. 3:15}] becomes the blood sacrifice [Gen. 3:21] in behalf of His people. He takes upon Himself their just suffering for their sin. It is through this substitutionary act that He secures salvation for His people. The injustice of our world shall only be answered and solved by the placating sacrifice of God’s king in behalf of His people .
Isaiah 52 and 53 show us that our understanding of this future king and Yahweh’s understanding are much different. Where we want a human king that will defeat our enemies in battle and overthrow nations through violence, Yahweh has a different plan. Yahweh’s version of a king is one that suffers and allows humans to commit acts of violence on Him. Gospel [If applicable, how does this New Testament use this passage?]
BIG PICTURE (Are any or all of the following concepts present? How so?)
Land – Garden
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Seed – JESUS [Must read – Acts 8:26-40]
The Servant of 52:13 is the SEED PROMISE [Gen. 3:15] and the BLOOD PICTURE [Gen. 3:21]. Acts 8 assures us that JESUS is the fulfillment of Isaiah 53. This passage refers to Jesus (Acts 8:32-33 – Philip and the Ethiopian Eunuch) Jesus applies this passage to himself (Luke 22:37 – numbered with the transgressors) Jesus alludes to this passage (see Mark 9:12 – suffer/contempt) Road to Emmaus (Luke 24) – suffer, then glory. Isaiah 53:12 “makes intercession” (see Heb. 7:22-25 “makes intercession” Isaiah 52-53 clearly describe the physical torture of crucifixion. See also 1 Pet. 2:22-24 which clearly attributes this passage to Jesus.
Blessing – Global
Isaiah 52:13-15 and 53:10-12 guarantee the global nature of the blessing. “many nations” (52:15); “iniquity of us all” (53:6); “transgression of my people” (53:8); “will justify many (53:11); “He bore the sin of many” (53:12).
The global peace covering the earth shall only be accomplished and secured through the sacrificial work of God’s King in behalf of His people.
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Us / Now
VISUALS:
The movement of Isaiah is one where he is describing one thing (a king) in order for all the expectations that we once had to be shattered (a suffering servant). Give someone a soap flavored jelly bean, in order for them to discover that it's actually blue raspberry. Play “CrossMan” [not HANGMAN ;-)] SPELL – Substitution MEMORY VERSE:
5 But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed. 6 All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned—every one—to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all .
Isa. 53: 11 As a result of the anguish of His soul, He will see it and be satisfied; By His knowledge the Righteous One, My Servant, will justify the many, As He will bear their iniquities .
APPLICATION (US/NOW ): (If you find no application, that is perfectly fine )
Acts 8:35 - “Preached unto him Jesus – Philip showed him that Jesus of Nazareth exactly corresponded to the description of the prophet, and that therefore he referred to the Messiah, and that the Messiah was Jesus of Nazareth. How far Philip detailed the circumstances of the life and death of Christ is unknown. What follows shows also that he stated the design of baptism, and the duty of being baptized.” 2
The challenge is to see Jesus in the two lights that Isaiah is describing. Jesus is the glorious king that will right all wrongs and make arrogant nations crumble. Jesus is also the servant willing to suffer and die in order to overthrow these nations. In a world full of pride, arrogance, and violence Jesus calls his followers to live differently. This is only possible when His people love the LORD their God will all their heart. As a consequence of this love for God, He causes them to love one another.
1. Do you believe Jesus is your Savior from sin and death? 2. If yes, have you been baptized as a public declaration before others of your personal faith in Messiah Jesus?
5 RESOURCES : (Articles or links that you found helpful)
1 https://www.biblica.com/resources/scholar-notes/niv-study-bible/intro-to-isaiah/ 2 Barnes' Notes on the Bible on Acts 8:35. Chart: Isaiah 53 in Letters of Peter, Paul, and John https://www.academia.edu/9929626/Isaiah_53_in_the_Letters_of_Peter_Paul_and_John Outline and Jesus’ use of Isaiah: http://www.jesuswalk.com/isaiah/09_suffering.htm Chiastic structure & pinnacle of the book of Isaiah (however his application is off): https://www.foundationsforfreedom.net/Topics/ADT/Courses/Isaiah-ADT0-52.13-53.12_Leadership.html Bible Project Poster—https://thebibleproject.com/view-resource/231/ Bible Project video—https://youtu.be/d0A6Uchb1F8 Tim Mackie Study Notes— https://www.dropbox.com/sh/sesbb4wzr468ukx/AAB1w738pspBesgjAw9ytNaSa?dl=0&preview=02a+Isaiah+- +Class+Handout-WordDoc.docx Isaiah and the Suffering Servant King|Tim Mackie—https://thebibleproject.com/blog/isaiah-and-the-suffering-servant-king/
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