I doubt I’ve ever seen a full commentary on Isaiah 53 (that great prophetic Chapter about our Lord’s Suffering on the Cross) that did not include Isaiah 52:13-15 in the discussion!

In fact, Isaiah 52:13-15 (today’s Bible Study Text) is the introduction to the whole of Isaiah 53. Its very “prelude.”

Thus, de facto (automatically) … these three verses are all about Jesus! At least from the Christian point of view. (By the way, “de facto” is pure Latin, literally translated as “of fact.” We’d often say today: “matter of fact.”)

Here they are, those verses: “Behold, my servant shall deal prudently, he shall be exalted and extolled, and be very high. As many were astonied at thee; his visage was so marred more than any man, and his form more than the sons of men. So shall he sprinkle many nations; the 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 consider.” With the Lord God, the Father, obviously speaking!

Jesus, God’s “SERVANT!”

The Gospel of Mark particularly introduces our Lord as this Servant! As in: “The Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister (serve), and to give his life a ransom for many.” Mark 10:45

“Deal prudently” means “to be wise, to act wisely.” (Paul claimed for Jesus, in Colossians 2:3: “In Whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom.”)

And Jesus is to be “exalted and extolled.” (Paul again, after Jesus died on the Cross, post Resurrection and Ascension … “Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” Philippians 2:9-11)

But before this Exaltation, necessarily comes Jesus’ Humiliation! Calvary, the old rugged Tree! Isaiah 52 says more, shifting mid-Text from second person to third: “Many were astonied (amazed) at Thee; His visage (appearance) was so marred (disfigured) more than any man, and His form (shape) more than the sons of men.” Verse 14, so beaten and scarred during His Passion, during His arrest, trial(s) and beatings!

Yet, cryptically … “So He shall sprinkle many nations.” I believe this to be a “hint” of the Blood Jesus freely sheds on Calvary! (The scholars, some of them, believe the verb just means “to startle.” But, to me, that detracts from the Glory of the Cross! Jesus’ BLOOD washes away sin!)

And Jesus’ great Feat, Accomplishment, Victory on that Cross … impacts everyone! Even Royalty! “The 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 consider.” The whole wide world … amazed at Jesus!

Revelation 1:7 just might fit here, Jesus’ Second Coming to earth: “Behold, he cometh with clouds; and EVERY EYE SHALL SEE HIM, and they also which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen.”

Wow!

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

What an Introduction!

Isaiah the author!

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What a chapter, Isaiah 52!

“Break forth into joy, sing together, ye waste places of Jerusalem: for the LORD hath comforted his people, he hath redeemed Jerusalem. The LORD hath made bare his holy arm in the eyes of all the nations; and all the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of our God.” And verses 9 and 10 here prove it!

Does God have “redemption” in Israel’s future?

And “comfort?”

Yes, according to the Apostle Paul, there is coming a day when … “And so all Israel shall be saved.” Romans 11:26, alluding to Isaiah 45:17, at least. (At the end of the Tribulation, beginning of the Millennium!)

And what is the result of such salvation/redemption/comfort?

Israel/Jerusalem … “breaking forth into joy!”

And … “singing together!”  

Then comes the “word picture” of the day. For this Friday, April 19, 2019. In other words, for our Bible Study thought.

“The Lord hath made bare His Holy Arm.”

Now that might not sound too impressive to you. What does it even mean? Clearly, it’s an anthropomorphism. (The attribution of a human characteristic or behavior to God.)

It’s a depiction of God … “rolling up His Sleeve” and really “going to work!”

As in … “Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and shew thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not.” Jeremiah 33:3

As in … “Unto Him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think …” Ephesians 3:20

I had a beloved college teacher years ago (who later became our Pastor for a short while, not long before the Lord opened a little Church for me to serve) who was a man of prayer!

Oh, a “prayer warrior” indeed!

And I can hear him now, as we prayed together each day at school … “Lord, make bare Thy Mighty Arm” in this particular situation, I beg.

Wow!

I have used that plea time and time again since. “Lord, make bare Thy Mighty Arm.”

And I am delighted to report … He (our great God) has done so, repetitively!

Now, may I invite you to …

Add this “arrow” to your “quiver” of prayer pleas!

“Oh Lord, make bare Thy Mighty Arm.”

Then, watch what God will do!

Amen.

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

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Mid-chapter, Isaiah 52, the Prophet has written this little Piece of Beauty: “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!” Verse 7

Israel, after much tribulation, is about to get some good news!

A runner (the pronoun is singular) approaches, bearing news of peace, victory … and (metaphorically) he is said to have “beautiful feet!”

“Good tidings” in Hebrew, the “Gospel” in Greek!

The verb “publisheth” (occurring twice in our little verse, translates a single verb, “shama.” Meaning “to show forth, to sound out, to report, to tell,” even “to noise abroad!”

And “salvation,” spelled “yeshuah” in Hebrew, means “help, deliverance, welfare, health,” but here eternal soul salvation is in view.

The ultimate fulfillment of the verse is, I suspect, during the Millennium. Look at that last clause: “THY GOD REIGNETH!” He is King!

What a precious Passage today.

Earth-shaking, for future Israel, that little remnant in the last days!

The Apostle Paul, also preaching salvation (not for the Jews only this time, but for the Gentiles as well) quotes our Text, as shown below:

“12 For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him. 13 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. 14 How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher? 15 And how shall they preach, except they be sent? AS IT IS WRITTEN, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!” Romans 10:12-15

See the formula? “It is written,” always meaning an Old Testament allusion or quotation is “on the way.”

Then he uses Isaiah 52:7, nearly word for word: “How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!”

Wow!

By the way, thank God this morning for the one (or ones) who brought YOU the Message of Salvation!

Their feet too, in the same way, are beautiful!

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

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One short verse this afternoon: “Hearken unto me, ye that know righteousness, the people in whose heart is my law; fear ye not the reproach of men, neither be ye afraid of their revilings.” Isaiah 51:7, the Lord Himself obviously speaking!

The “heart,” the very “center” of this great verse seems to be: “The people in whose heart is My Law!”

This whole Passage/Text is written to those (few in number) who so adore God’s Word!

Who … “meditate therein day and night,” in the Bible!

Who … “delight in the Word of God!”

Who … do not let the Scripture “depart out of his or her mouth!”

(All three quotes above are allusions to Psalm 1:2 and Joshua 1:8.)

Now, the rest of the verse … gives us two results of such a Scripture saturated lifestyle.

First, they (we) will know Righteousness! (The Bible will work such godly living into our hearts!)

Maybe even they will (better and better) know God/ Jesus … Who is Righteousness personified!

Second, they will not fear men, not even when the heathen are reproaching them, persecuting them!

1 Righteousness!

2. Fearlessness!

Both great traits derived from loving intently (with all one’s heart) the precious Scriptures of Truth!

Wow!

Let’s go study the Bible, folks!

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

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Due to an earlier than usual morning preaching engagement, the Lesson will be written later today.

Plus … I preach again tonight! The Lord willing.

Quite a busy day.

I trust your who follow the Website, studying Scripture here with us, will understand.

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

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