In John 12, the Apostle John has two quotations from the Book of Isaiah. The first reference in Jo. 12:38 is from the Suffering Servant Song passage in Isaiah 52:13-53:12: “Lord, who has believed our message and to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?” (Is. 53:1). This verse appears in a song which prophesies the first coming of Jesus Christ.
Isaiah Saw Jesus’ Glory
After making reference to another prophesy from the Book of Isaiah, the Apostle John proclaims in John 12:41: “Isaiah said this because he saw Jesus’ glory and spoke about him”. Isaiah prophesied about 700 years before Christ. Today’s reading in Isaiah begins with a passage that Jesus used in Luke 4:16-21 to introduce his public ministry:
The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me, because the LORD has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom from the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners, to proclaim the year of the LORD’s favor (Is. 61:1,2).
This prophesy from Isaiah regarding Jesus is only one of many that we have already seen in this great Book. For example, in Is. 9:6, we have the great prophesy of Christ’s birth: “For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” And then in the Suffering Servant Songs of Isaiah 42:1-9; 49:1-7; 50:4-9 & 53:12-53:12, we have the prophecies of Jesus’ humble and self-giving life, culminating with his death on the cross. Even Jesus’ resurrection is prophesied in Is. 53:10-12. So certainly, the Apostle John knows what he speaks of when he says that Isaiah saw Jesus’ glory and spoke about him.
In Jesus, All Of God’s Promises Are Yes And Amen!
As we read of the Suffering Servant’s ministry in Isaiah 61, we see that it is through his ministry that God will finally fulfill His purpose of having a righteous people who will walk faithfully in covenant with Him. “They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the LORD for the display of his splendor” (Is. 61:3b). And this planting of the LORD will not only include Jews but Gentiles as well:
For as the soil makes the sprout come up and a garden causes seeds to grow, so the Sovereign LORD will make righteousness and praise spring up before all nations (Is. 61:11).
It is by the ministry of the Suffering Servant, Jesus, that God’s promise to Abraham to bless the whole world through his descendants will be finally accomplished (Gen. 12:3).
In Isaiah 62, we read of the consummation of God’s ‘marital’ covenant with His people. God is pictured as a bridegroom in Is. 62:2-5, who is rejoicing over a renewed Jerusalem, His bride. I believe the prophesy of Isaiah 62 is ultimately fulfilled in Revelation 21& 22. In Revelation 21:2, we read these words: “I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband.” These promises regarding Jerusalem would have been a great encouragement to the Jews who had seen the Jerusalem Temple destroyed and then seen many inhabitants of the city exiled to Babylon. Isaiah is saying that this judgment of exile will not be the final word in their lives.
Isaiah prophesies that their Savior will come and He will redeem His people in holiness and with great reward (Is. 62:10-11). In the meantime, the faithful remnant of God are to pray unceasingly for these divine plans to come to fruition (Is. 62:6-7). We are to recall God’s faithfulness in the past to encourage us in the present, in order that we not lose hope in the midst of difficult circumstances (Is. 63:7-19).
QOTD: As we live in the great interval, between King Jesus’ first and second coming, are you faithfully and fruitfully serving the LORD, until He comes again?