| I learned something recently that blew my mind. To explain it, I’d ask you to please read this beautiful passage about Jesus. Take your time through it… “He grew up like a small plant before the Lord. He was like a root growing in dry land. He had no special beauty or form to make us notice him. There was nothing in his appearance to make us desire him. He was hated and rejected by people. He had much pain and suffering. People would not even look at him. He was hated, and we didn’t even notice him. But he took our suffering on him and felt our pain for us. We saw his suffering. We thought God was punishing him. But he was pierced for the wrong things we did. He was crushed for the evil things we did. The punishment, which made us well, was given to him. And we are healed because of his wounds. We all have wandered away like sheep. Each of us has gone his own way. But the Lord has put on him the punishment for all the evil we have done. He was beaten down and punished. But he didn’t say a word. He was like a lamb being led to the slaughter He was quiet, as a sheep is quiet while its wool is being cut. He never opened his mouth. Men took him away roughly and unfairly. He died without children to continue his family. He was put to death. He was punished for the sins of my people. He was assigned a grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death. He had done nothing wrong. He had never lied. But it was the Lord who decided to crush him and make him suffer. So the Lord made his life a penalty offering. But he will see his descendants and live a long life. He will complete the things the Lord wants him to do. He will suffer many things in his soul. But then he will see life and be satisfied. My good servant will make people right with God. He carried away their sins. For this reason I will make him a great man among people. He will share in all things with those who are strong. He willingly gave his life. He was treated like a criminal. But he carried away the sins of many people. And he asked forgiveness for those who sinned.” Ready for the stunner? That was written 700 years before Jesus was born. That’s Isaiah 53 from the Old Testament of the Bible. It’s the major Jewish prophet Isaiah predicting the coming Messiah who would save the world. Let that sink in. Jesus said he came not to abolish but to fulfill Old Testament prophecies. Here we have an Old Testament prophecy written 7 centuries before his birth, yet it reads like it could be Jesus’ biography! Mind… blown. The more I re-read it, the more the level of specificity amazes. God sure didn’t leave any room for doubt about who this is referring to. That’s our Savior! The Messiah. The King of kings. The Lord of lords. Jesus Christ. |