Bible.com.au: Reading Plan - Signposts to Christ from Isaiah

Reflections: As Christian readers, we can see in the book of Isaiah a whole lot of ‘signposts’ that point us to Jesus Christ. Though the prophet may not have understood these words as referring to Christ (1 Peter 1:10-12), the New Testament writers see connections between his words and Jesus. Isaiah speaks of a servant who is a ‘man of sorrows’. As Christian readers it is almost impossible to read these words and not immediately think of Jesus. The gospel of John tells us that his own community did not believe but rejected Jesus (12:38). We
tend to sacramental these words of Isaiah so that they only can refer to Christ. But they were meaningful for Isaiah’s time and ours. In following Christ we can risk rejection and sorrow. But in this suffering we can find meaning and joy.

Question: Have you ever experienced grief and sorrow for our faith?

Prayer: Lord, help us to be faithful to you even if it means rejection and grief.

Isaiah 53:1-12

1 The people reply,

“Who would have believed what we now report?

Who could have seen the Lord's hand in this?

2It was the will of the Lord that his servant

grow like a plant taking root in dry ground.

He had no dignity or beauty

to make us take notice of him.

There was nothing attractive about him,

nothing that would draw us to him.

3We despised him and rejected him;

he endured suffering and pain.

No one would even look at him—

we ignored him as if he were nothing.

4 “But he endured the suffering that should have been ours,

the pain that we should have borne.

All the while we thought that his suffering

was punishment sent by God.

5 But because of our sins he was wounded,

beaten because of the evil we did.

We are healed by the punishment he suffered,

made whole by the blows he received.

6 All of us were like sheep that were lost,

each of us going his own way.

But the Lord made the punishment fall on him,

the punishment all of us deserved.

7 “He was treated harshly, but endured it humbly;

he never said a word.

Like a lamb about to be slaughtered,

like a sheep about to be sheared,

he never said a word.

8He was arrested and sentenced and led off to die,

and no one cared about his fate.

He was put to death for the sins of our people.

9 He was placed in a grave with those who are evil,

he was buried with the rich,

even though he had never committed a crime

or ever told a lie.”

10The Lord says,

“It was my will that he should suffer;

his death was a sacrifice to bring forgiveness.

And so he will see his descendants;

he will live a long life,

and through him my purpose will succeed.

11After a life of suffering, he will again have joy;

he will know that he did not suffer in vain.

My devoted servant, with whom I am pleased,

will bear the punishment of many

and for his sake I will forgive them.

12 And so I will give him a place of honor,

a place among the great and powerful.

He willingly gave his life

and shared the fate of evil men.

He took the place of many sinners

and prayed that they might be forgiven.”

Good News Translation® (Today’s English Version, Second Edition) © 1992 American Bible Society. All rights reserved. Bible text from the Good News Translation (GNT) is not to be reproduced in copies or otherwise by any means except as permitted in writing by American Bible Society, 101 North Independence Mall East, Floor 8, Philadelphia, PA 19106-2155 (www.americanbible.org). LICENSEE shall reproduce the following trademark and trademark notice on the copyright page of each copy of the Licensed Products: ®

Signposts to Christ from Isaiah

Day 8 of 14

GNT

Isaiah 53:1-3

Days

Isaiah 53:1-12