Day 218: Isaiah 52-54

(The previous post covered prophecies primarily concerned with Christ's first coming to earth.)

Isaiah 52
1 Awake, awake, put on thy strength, O Zion; put on thy beautiful garments, O Jerusalem, the holy city: for henceforth there shall no more come into thee the uncircumcised and the unclean.
2 Shake thyself from the dust; arise, sit on thy throne, O Jerusalem: loose thyself from the bonds of thy neck, O captive daughter of Zion.

("Shake thyself from the dust": dust represented the fleshly nature.)

3 For thus saith Jehovah, Ye were sold for nought; and ye shall be redeemed without money.
4 For thus saith the Lord Jehovah, My people went down at the first into Egypt to sojourn there: and the Assyrian hath oppressed them without cause.

(The Israelites were oppressed in Egypt during Moses' time. The Pharaoh who knew not Joseph and afflicted the Israelites was a king of Assyria who had conquered Egypt. This could very well be why the Israelites were then oppressed.)

5 Now therefore, what do I here, saith Jehovah, seeing that my people is taken away for nought? they that rule over them do howl, saith Jehovah, and my name continually all the day is blasphemed.
6 Therefore my people shall know my name: therefore they shall know in that day that I am he that doth speak; behold, it is I.

("In that day" was the day when Christ revealed Himself to Israel.)

7 How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace, that bringeth good tidings of good, that publisheth salvation, that saith unto Zion, Thy God reigneth!

("Good Tidings" was Hebrew for the Gospel. The word Gospel meant "good tidings." This not only referred to those who proclaim the Gospel now but also during the Millennium when Christ will reign in Jerusalem. Paul referenced this verse in Romans 10:15.)

8 The voice of thy watchmen! they lift up the voice, together do they sing; for they shall see eye to eye, when Jehovah returneth to Zion.
9 Break forth into joy, sing together, ye waste places of Jerusalem; for Jehovah hath comforted his people, he hath redeemed Jerusalem.
10 Jehovah hath made bare his holy arm in the eyes of all the nations; and all the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God.

(During the Millennium, all the ends of the earth will see the Salvation of God.)

11 Depart ye, depart ye, go ye out from thence, touch no unclean thing; go ye out of the midst of her; cleanse yourselves, ye that bear the vessels of Jehovah.

(Paul referenced this verse in 2 Corinthians 6:17.)

12 For ye shall not go out in haste, neither shall ye go by flight: for Jehovah will go before you; and the God of Israel will be your rearward.
13 Behold, my servant shall deal wisely, he shall be exalted and lifted up, and shall be very high.

(Verse 13 was thought by many to be where Isaiah 53 ought to begin. It began a very detailed description of Christ's suffering…)

14 Like as many were astonished at thee (his visage was so marred more than any man, and his form more than the sons of men),

(Christ's appearance would be so disfigured that those who saw Him would be astonished.)

15 so shall he sprinkle many nations; 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 understand.

(Paul quoted the last half of this verse in Romans 15:21.)




Isaiah 53
1 Who hath believed our message? and to whom hath the arm of Jehovah been revealed?

(Isaiah foretold the few people who would believe in Christ. John 12:38 referenced this verse during John's explanation of Jesus' triumphal entry during "Palm Sunday." Paul referenced this verse in Romans 10:16.)

2 For he grew 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.

(Christ would grow "before him (God)"…not only physically but also spiritually, mentally, and emotionally.)

3 He was despised, and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and as one from whom men hide their face he was despised; and we esteemed him not.

(Christ would be despised and rejected by men. He would be acquainted with grief, literally as one acquainted with disease/sickness.)

4 Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows; yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.

(Christ bore our griefs (sickness) and was seen as one smitten of God, which alluded to the same affliction as if He had leprosy.)

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.

(The meaning of the key words in this sentence:
-Wounded meant "pierced."
-Bruised meant "broken in pieces/crushed."
-Chastisement was "correction inflicted upon Him."
-Healed meant "given life," which was "the ability to repair.")

6 All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and Jehovah hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.

(All of us as sheep have gone astray (Psalm 119:176) and turned to our own ways (fleshly). God laid upon Christ the iniquity of us all. Christ was given our punishment. 1 Peter 2:25 referenced this verse.)

7 He was oppressed, yet when he was afflicted he opened not his mouth; as a lamb that is led to the slaughter, and as a sheep that before its shearers is dumb, so he opened not his mouth.

(Christ was oppressed (to exert demanding pressure) and afflicted yet He still did not open His Mouth. Christ did not defend Himself - Matthew 26:63, 27:12; 1 Peter 2:23. This was the passage the Ethiopian eunuch was reading in the chariot when Philip witnessed to him in Acts 8:32.)

8 By oppression and judgment he was taken away; and as for his generation, who among them considered that he was cut off out of the land of the living for the transgression of my people to whom the stroke was due?

(Because of the transgression of people Christ was stricken. John 6:27 stated people in Jesus' presence used this verse to claim they would not know where the Messiah came from.)

9 And they made his grave with the wicked, and with a rich man in his death; although he had done no violence, neither was any deceit in his mouth.

(The oppressors made His grave with the wicked (Abraham's bosom - Luke 16:19-31). He had done no violence (wrong) and there was no deception in His Mouth. Christ always spoke a Right what with a Right how/why - truth.)

10 Yet it pleased Jehovah 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 Jehovah shall prosper in his hand.

(It pleased God to bruise Him because it would result in long term creation. Without Christ's death, God's plan (Marriage supper in heaven) would not be possible.)

11 He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by the knowledge of himself shall my righteous servant justify many; and he shall bear their iniquities.

("He shall bear their iniquities": Christ took our punishment.)

12 Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he poured out his soul unto death, and was numbered with the transgressors: yet he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.

("Numbered with the transgressors" meant Christ was treated as a sinner although He never sinned. This verse was fulfilled and referenced in Mark 15:28 and Luke 22:37. Christ made intercession for us on the cross and continues interceding for us now in heaven: 1 John 2:1.)




Isaiah 54
1 Sing, O barren, thou that didst not bear; break forth into singing, and cry aloud, thou that didst not travail with child: for more are the children of the desolate than the children of the married wife, saith Jehovah.

(This verse predicted the Salvation of the Gentiles during the rejection and dispersion of Israel. Paul quoted this verse in Galatians 4:27.)

2 Enlarge the place of thy tent, and let them stretch forth the curtains of thy habitations; spare not: lengthen thy cords, and strengthen thy stakes.
3 For thou shalt spread abroad on the right hand and on the left; and thy seed shall possess the nations, and make the desolate cities to be inhabited.
4 Fear not; for thou shalt not be ashamed: neither be thou confounded; for thou shalt not be put to shame: for thou shalt forget the shame of thy youth; and the reproach of thy widowhood shalt thou remember no more.

(Israel would forget the shame of her youth (when Israel was an adulteress) and would not remember the reproach of her widowhood (when God divorced Israel). Through Christ's sacrifice, Israel will be converted…in the Millennium.)

5 For thy Maker is thy husband; Jehovah of hosts is his name: and the Holy One of Israel is thy Redeemer; the God of the whole earth shall he be called.

(God's Covenant (husband) with Abraham was everlasting. Israel was God's wife.)

6 For Jehovah hath called thee as a wife forsaken and grieved in spirit, even a wife of youth, when she is cast off, saith thy God.
7 For a small moment have I forsaken thee; but with great mercies will I gather thee.

(God forsook Israel for a short time when He divorced her. However, Israel will be regathered to Him during the Millennium.)

8 In overflowing wrath I hid my face from thee for a moment; but with everlasting lovingkindness will I have mercy on thee, saith Jehovah thy Redeemer.
9 For this is as the waters of Noah unto me; for as I have sworn that the waters of Noah shall no more go over the earth, so have I sworn that I will not be wroth with thee, nor rebuke thee.

(When God's people are regathered to Him, His wrath will cease.)

10 For the mountains may depart, and the hills be removed; but my lovingkindness shall not depart from thee, neither shall my covenant of peace be removed, saith Jehovah that hath mercy on thee.

(God's Covenant with Israel was eternal.)

11 O thou afflicted, tossed with tempest, and not comforted, behold, I will set thy stones in fair colors, and lay thy foundations with sapphires.

(Jerusalem will be restored in the Millennium. This was not referring to the new Jerusalem.)

12 And I will make thy pinnacles of rubies, and thy gates of carbuncles, and all thy border of precious stones.
13 And all thy children shall be taught of Jehovah; and great shall be the peace of thy children.

(Jesus referenced this verse in John 6:45 after Jesus had fed the 5000 and before He drove them away by telling them they must "eat His flesh and drink His blood.")

14 In righteousness shalt thou be established: thou shalt be far from oppression, for thou shalt not fear; and from terror, for it shall not come near thee.

(Israel will be founded by righteousness. The Millennium will be a time of peace.)

15 Behold, they may gather together, but not by me: whosoever shall gather together against thee shall fall because of thee.

(If any people do go against the Israelites, they will fall.)

16 Behold, I have created the smith that bloweth the fire of coals, and bringeth forth a weapon for his work; and I have created the waster to destroy.
17 No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of Jehovah, and their righteousness which is of me, saith Jehovah.

(The heritage (inheritance) of the servants of God and their righteousness is from God.)

(This post covered prophecies that were primarily focused on the Millennium.)

Day 219

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