Chapter 49 introduced the Messiah of Israel as God’s Servant, taking Israel’s place, for Israel had been God’s servant and was rejected because of unfaithfulness. But the Messiah is rejected by Israel (verses 4 to 7). In chapter 50, He, though Jehovah’s Equal (verses 2, 3) is the subject One, taught through suffering (verses 4-9). Chapters 51 and 52 (to verse 12) in seven striking exhortations treat of the redemption of Israel, leading the remnant on step by step in the knowledge of what God will have done for and in them, knowledge which must lead to the realization of their treatment of the Messiah, and what He did for them.
And now in the last three verses of chapter 52 which should be the first verses of chapter 53 had the chapters been rightly arranged, Jehovah’s Servant is again the subject of the prophetic word. “Behold, My Servant (it is God who speaks) shall deal prudently (or, shall prosper); He shall be exalted and extolled (or lifted up) and be very high.” For that day the redeemed wait with longing; they joy already in anticipation of the time when the Crucified One will be the Crowned Victor.
When He came into the world as a Man; when He passed through the years of His ministry to Israel; when the bearing of grief and sorrow caused that blessed face and form to appear marred than any man—then Israel, seeking their own glory, insensible to the grace and loveliness of their Messiah-King was "astonished;" they stumbled at that stumbling stone (Romans 9:32, 3332Wherefore? Because they sought it not by faith, but as it were by the works of the law. For they stumbled at that stumblingstone; 33As it is written, Behold, I lay in Sion a stumblingstone and rock of offence: and whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed. (Romans 9:32‑33)).
So—as the Son of Man—shall He sprinkle (cleanse) many nations; kings shall shut their mouths at Him, etc. In Psalm 2, verses 2 and 10, kings are seen in the day of the Lord's coming, and in Revelation 21:22And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. (Revelation 21:2)1 They are, in the peaceful years of the Millennium, subject to Him.
"Who hath believed our report?" Indeed the unbelief of Israel will seem marvelous to the believing remnant, themselves so long in stony-hearted unbelief. "Ye will not come to Me that ye might have life" (John '):40) is still true, and not of Israel only, but of Gentiles also.
The arm of Jehovah is His power (chapter 51:9). To whom has the knowledge of Him who is so soon to rise up in Israel's defense, been made known? O, how few! But this was declared in chapter 1, verse 9.
"Except Jehovah of hosts had left unto us a very small remnant, we should have been as Sodom, etc."
"He shall grow up before I4im as a tender sapling, and as a root out of dry ground" (verse 2); no appearance of grandeur, of glory in that heavenly Stranger was there for the natural eye to discern as He passed on His way to the cross. "He hath no form nor lordliness, and when we see Him, there is no beauty that we should desire Him," is the humbling confession of rebellious hearts of old.. Think not that this refers to 'Him in the day when we shall see Him,——-see Him as He is (1 John 3:22Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. (1 John 3:2); 1 Thessalonians 4-: 17); nor of the time when the remnant shall see Him (Isaiah 33:1717Thine eyes shall see the king in his beauty: they shall behold the land that is very far off. (Isaiah 33:17)). All of verses 2 and 3 (and verses 4 to 9) refer to what is now past, and never to be repeated in the experience of the Lord Jesus,
"He is despised and rejected (or left alone) of men, a Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief (or suffering), and like one from whom men hide their faces; and we esteemed Him not" (Verse 3), He came unto His own, and. His own received Him not (John 1:1111He came unto his own, and his own received him not. (John 1:11)). Such is the record concerning God's dear Son in the treatment He got when He spent His blessed life on this earth. Could any other than He ever have been treated as He was by His creatures, and His chosen people?
Love to man, obedience to God, held Him here, until the purpose for which He came—the death of the cross—was His portion.
Messages of God’s Love 3/4/1934