The Promise...Through Isaiah

Introduction: The Promise… Through Isaiah

Christmas is right around the corner and I am sure you have everything settled and your homes are like Hallmark cards now.  I’m pretty sure our tree needs some work but I have come to terms with the fact that this time of year is more of a decorating process than something to be crushed in a weekend.  It's a “season of deco, giving and receiving, attending parties, and eating all the baked goods”.  In all the holiday chaos that can exist this time of year, it's always good to reflect on the fact that God does not change, He is still in control today just like he has been since the beginning.

The past couple weeks we have been learning how the Old Testament in part is a prophetic library of scripture pointing to the coming Messiah, aka Jesus Christ.  Another term for this is Messianic Prophecy.  But why is this still important to us?  How can we apply this to our lives today?  We are going to look at that in a few minutes but first let me define what Messianic Prophecy is.

Messianic Prophecy is defined as a prediction or foretelling found in the Old Testament that pertains to the coming of the Messiah. The term "Messiah" means "anointed one" in Hebrew , more on that in a few, and refers to a future savior and king who would deliver and redeem the people of Israel.

These symbolic words and prophecies we have been looking at this month describe various aspects of the Messiah's life, mission, and the impact He would have. For example, they include details about His birth, lineage, ministry, suffering, death, and the establishment of His kingdom. All of this being foretold centuries before they would come to be. How incredible is  our God!!! 

Two weeks ago we discussed how the book of Genesis points us to Jesus and the “hints” even from the very beginning in the Garden.  Last week we took a look at David, and the covenant that God made with David through which God promises David and Israel that the Messiah (Jesus Christ) would come from the lineage of David.

This week we are looking at Isaiah.  Isaiah was a prophet in the 8th century, during the reigns of several kings of Judah. His name means "Yahweh is salvation" in Hebrew and he is believed to have prophesied for 60 plus years. Isaiah introduces God's plan of grace and glory.  One that will “ransom” the people of God. This is good news and provides hope for the sinners like me and like you.

Handout - You have on your tables a handout, like last week, that shows the related scripture in Isaiah to Jesus in the New Testament. We will touch on some of this today but  I highly encourage you to take this with you and check it out over the next week and learn even more. 

Now let’s focus our attention on verses from Isaiah, AND as mentioned the past two weeks…It all points to Jesus. Let’s open up our Bibles starting in Isaiah and look at a verse in Ch 7 and a couple in Ch 9.

The Virgin Birth and a Child is Born:

Prophecy: Isaiah 7:14: "Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel."

Prophecy: Isaiah 9:6-7: "For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end, on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time forth and forevermore. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this."

• Isaiah delivered this prophecy during a time of crisis for Judah. King Ahaz faced threats from neighboring kingdoms, and fear gripped the nation. It was in this moment of uncertainty that God, through Isaiah, offered a sign—not just for Ahaz, but for all humanity.  God's timing is perfect every time and it wouldn't be until 700 years later that this prophecy was fulfilled.

• I summarize it this way, God was communicating that He is in control and has a plan.  

• The name "Immanuel" means "God with us." This name embodies the heart of God's promise: His presence among His people. In Jesus, we see this promise fulfilled. He is The Gift, God incarnate, who came to dwell among us, share in our humanity, and be THE path of salvation.

• We also see a couple titles given. 

  • The title "Wonderful Counselor" indicates Jesus' exceptional wisdom and guidance. 

  • The title "Mighty God" affirms Jesus' divine nature and His omnipotent power. He is not just a teacher or prophet but God Himself, with the authority to perform miracles and overcome all forces of darkness.

  • As "Everlasting Father," Jesus embodies eternal care and protection. He is a compassionate and loving guardian who is always present, offering comfort and security.

Fulfillment: Luke 1:31-33 - “And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.” 

Luke 2:4-7 - “And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the town of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, to be registered with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child. And while they were there, the time came for her to give birth. And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn”

Now Let's have a look at Isaiah 53:3-5, titled the Suffering Servant and see what he had to say.

The Suffering Servant:

Prophecy: Isaiah 53:3-5: "He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief; and as one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not. Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. 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."

• This passage describes in amazing detail what the Messiah would go through, but most importantly it captures the heart of the Gospel and the depth of God’s love for us.

• The Messiah’s, or Jesus', experience of rejection and suffering is a powerful reminder that He understands our pain and sorrow. He was rejected by those He came to save, experiencing the depths of human suffering and isolation.

• The Messiah’s willingness to take on our pain and suffering reveals His deep compassion and love. The scripture tells us that He bore the weight of our sins and sorrows.

• The heart of the Gospel is found in these verses. Jesus was pierced and crushed for our sins. The punishment He endured was meant for us, for you, for me, yet He took it upon Himself to bring us, you, myself peace and healing. His sacrifice provides the way.

Fulfillment: John 19:1-37 

1 Peter 2:24 - “He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed.”

The Anointed One:

Prophecy: Isaiah 61:1-2: "The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me to bring good news to the poor; he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound; to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all who mourn;"

• The anointing of the Spirit signifies divine empowerment and authority. Jesus declared this prophecy as fulfilled in Luke 4:18-19, demonstrating that He was the One chosen and empowered by God to bring His message of salvation. 

  • Protip - As believers, we are also anointed by the Holy Spirit, equipped to carry out God's work in our lives.

• The good news, or Gospel, is the message you hear almost every Sunday.  It is the fact that God solved our sin issue.  He provided a way through His son, Jesus Christ for us to be redeemed.  The good news is just that.  That Jesus came to us, born of a virgin, led a sinless life and took the punishment for you, for me, for all of us on the cross.  BUT, the really good news?  His life, death and resurrection were all foretold since the beginning of time.

Fulfillment: Luke 4:16-21 - And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up. And as was his custom, he went to the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and he stood up to read. And the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was given to him. He unrolled the scroll and found the place where it was written, “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor.  He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor.”

And he rolled up the scroll and gave it back to the attendant and sat down. And the eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on him. And he began to say to them, “Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.”

So how do we apply this to our lives today?

Application: The virgin birth prophecy reminds us of God's miraculous power and His plan to bring salvation through Jesus. We can apply this by trusting in God's ability to work in our own lives and by remembering that He has a plan for our salvation and well-being.

Application: The suffering servant prophecy highlights Jesus' sacrifice and the healing it brings. We can:

• Embrace Forgiveness: Accept the forgiveness offered through Jesus' sacrifice.

• Offer Compassion: Show empathy and kindness to those who are suffering, reflecting Jesus' love.

• Seek Healing: Trust in Jesus for emotional, spiritual, and physical healing. He is still in the business of healing!

Application: The anointed prophecy reminds us to follow Jesus' example in:

• Proclaiming Good News: Share the message of hope and salvation with others.

• Healing the Brokenhearted: Offer support and comfort to those who are hurting.

• Freedom: Help others break free from spiritual, emotional, or physical bondage.

So, YES!  We can learn from and apply the prophecies found in the Old Testament to us today.  If simply for the fact that it reinforces the truth of God’s plan for redeeming mankind.

While it was a small glance into the The Old Testament, we are reminded that it is an incredible journey to get us to who Jesus is, the Messiah, for all mankind!  

Back in the Old Testament the people were a mess and had fallen into worldly ways and beliefs.  Wait… does that sound familiar today?  Well, today, we have the benefit of the written word and thousands of years of “proof” of God’s faithfulness.  We hold God’s word in our hands right now and have access to His word.  Will you apply it to your life today?

Additional Discussion and Study:

1. When you think of these past three weeks, the prophecies, the way everything in scripture points us to Jesus, what is something that has grabbed your attention? 

2. As we move into Christmas, what are ways we can shift our focus to the true meaning of the celebration for the Believer?