Isaiah 53 is a very well known prophetic passage about the Messiah. Even Jewish Rabbis before the time of Jesus said that this passage was Messianic. What does it teach concerning the Messiah? It shows that the Messiah would actually be rejected and suffer! But not for Himself… the punishment that servant Messiah would take upon Himself would bring us peace and healing, like Joseph.
Regarding the many seemingly contradictory verses regarding the Messiah, with some showing His righteous rule and reign and others showing his death, the Rabbis said there must be a double Messiah. A Messiah like David and a Messiah like Joseph. What they did not realize is that there was only one Messiah, but there would be two comings! Looking briefly at the life of Joseph we find the following pictures of Jesus in his life:
1. Joseph, like Jesus, was his father’s beloved son.
2. Joseph was despised by his brothers.
3. Joseph was betrayed for silver coins after his brethren plotted, betrayed and sold him.
4. Joseph was falsely accused and imprisoned.
5. Joseph was imprisoned with two criminals; one lives, one dies! Likewise Jesus was crucified with two criminals – one who found spiritual life and one didn’t.
6. Joseph was then exalted to the right hand of Pharaoh, authority given to Him over all Egypt. Likewise, Jesus was exalted to the right hand of the Father and given all authority.
7. Joseph then took a gentile bride. Like Jesus took a bride (spiritually) for Himself predominantly from the gentile nations.
8. Later, during 7 years of hard famine, Joseph’s brothers were forced to come to him. In the future, there is still seven years of hardship (called the day of Jacob’s trouble) that Israel as a nation will have to go through. They will at this stage be brought to the place where they will acknowledge Jesus!
9. At first they don’t recognise Joseph, and he treats them harshly to bring repentance.
10. Joseph reveals himself to his brothers and they are reconciled amongst many tears. Likewise, there shall be great weeping once Israel finally acknowledges their Messiah Jesus. See Zech 12:10-11.
11. Joseph treats his brothers with kindness saying ‘What you meant for evil, God meant for good, to accomplish… the saving of many lives.’ What a great picture of Jesus!
Isaiah 53 Who has believed our message and to whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed? He grew up before him like a tender shoot, and like a root out of dry ground. He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him, nothing in his appearance that we should desire him. He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering. Like one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not. Surely he took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows, yet we considered him stricken by God, smitten by him, and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed…
I find it sad the lack of interest Freepers have in Israeli news. Lack of comments.