Jesus: The Focus of Prophecy

 

Welcome! Today we continue our series on Sound Doctrine, continuing our “mini series” on Jesus. Our drama had the surprise character “Holy,” that is, the Holy Spirit, who helped Riley to begin to live a life of grace and peace and, yes, joy, as she allowed Him to lead her life. Galatians 5:16 tells us to walk by the Spirit, and we will not gratify the desires of the flesh. A little later in Galatians 5 we are told of the fruit, or results, of the Holy Spirit: love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. A life yielded to God, a life seeking Him, wanting to know Him and follow Him, will be a life that demonstrates this fruit in increasing measure over time. I think of 2 Peter 1:3-4 –

His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and goodness. Through these He has given us His very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature, having escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires. – 2 Peter 1:3-4

Do you believe this? I have heard one of the longest serving pastors in our association of churches, Herschel Martindale, speak on this passage multiple times, so much so that I can no longer read verse 3 without hearing his voice saying the words! He would ask you, do you really believe this? His divine power has given us everything we need (not a few things only but everything) for a godly life (not just an average life, or even a better-than-average life, but a godly life) through what? Knowing Him. He has called you by name. He knows you, and you are precious to Him. He has called you by His own glory (that’s a lot of glory!) and His own goodness. A life truly yielded to God, truly seeking to know God, a life led by “Holy,” is a life that over time you yourself will know is a life displaying the miraculous power of God. This power of complete transformation is available to you, to every believer.

I want to talk today about promises, great and precious promises. Our message title is “Jesus: The Focus of Prophecy,” and prophecy is exactly this, promises. Prophecy is promises that have been kept. It is to my shame that I confess that I have not always kept my promises. But God has always kept, and will always keep, His promises.

The purposes of prophecy in the Bible are multifaceted and go beyond this; one purpose of prophecy is that it shows us that the Bible really is God-breathed (2 Tim. 3:16); or as 2 Peter 1:19-21 puts it,

We also have the prophetic message as something completely reliable, and you will do well to pay attention to it, as to a light shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts. Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet’s own interpretation of things. For prophecy never had its origin in the human will, but prophets, though human, spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit. – 2 Peter 1:19-21

I love the picture that comes to mind when I think of being “carried along by the Holy Spirit.” The Greek word translated “carry” in one Bible dictionary definition says this: “to move by bearing, or to be conveyed or borne, with the suggestion of force or speed.”  

One reason the promises of prophecy are always kept is that the prophecies in the Bible say exactly what God wanted them to say. God’s scribes were led to put down exactly what God intended, and the prophecies were God’s own promises. And God keeps His promises.

Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for He who promised is faithful. – Heb. 10:23

That God, Creator of everything, would come to Earth as a human child, was beyond remarkable – I have to think the early Jews thought they weren’t understanding something right. But this is exactly what Isaiah said:

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. Of the greatness of His government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David’s throne and over His kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever. The zeal of the Lord Almighty will accomplish this. – Is. 9:6-7

Let’s look at this passage in a little more detail. That word “wonderful” is not quite what we usually mean by wonderful. We say that was a wonderful meal, or a wonderful performance. But the Hebrew word used here is used in Psalm 78:12 where it says that God did miracles (wonders) in the ancestors in the land of Egypt. It is used in Judges 13, in the story of the birth of Samson. Do you remember this story? It is not mentioned in sermons very often. The story has significant parallels with the account of the births of Jesus and John the Baptist in that an angel visited a woman and told her that she would give birth to special son. He was to be a Nazirite, dedicated to God from the womb, and he would someday lead Israel out of the Philistine’s hands. Now the details differ – this angel appeared in human form so that she did not realize it was an angel. Also, she tells her husband Manoah who then prays that God would show this angel to him to teach them how to raise him. God answered this prayer on a later date, and together they talked to the angel and asked, in classic Eastern hospitality, if they could make a meal of one of their best goats for him. He said he would not eat, but that they could make a burnt offering to the Lord. Still not knowing this was an angel, they asked his name. He replied, “Why do you ask my name? It is wonderful.” (A common translation is “It is beyond understanding.”) I think this gives you a better idea of this word used, in “Wonderful Counselor.” By the way, Manoah did prepare the sacrifice, and as the flames blazed up, the angel ascended in the flame. At this point Manoah said, “We are doomed to die – we have seen God!” But his wife assured him that it must be OK because if the Lord had meant to kill them, He wouldn’t have accepted the offering or, through the angel, told them all these things. (Which goes to show that you should always listen to your wife.)

And so Isaiah says this child would be named Wonderful Counselor, Miraculous Counselor, Counselor beyond Understanding. This passage clearly says He will be king – He will reign on David’s throne, but He will be unlike any king in the past in that He won’t need a group of counselors to help him make good decisions. He will be His own counselor, and a miraculous, wise beyond understanding, counselor at that. I would argue that this two-word phrase even points to His deity, because the only place else in Scripture “Wonderful” was used as a name, it was used of that angel in Judges.

The next phrase is Mighty God. That word Mighty has a root word meaning heroic. What is a hero? Someone who rescues people, someone who does things to save people, someone who does things that they could not do for themselves. All this is wrapped around this word! The next word in Hebrew is “El” and it only means God. Ironically, it is used in Numbers 23:19 where it says “God is not a man that he should lie.” This doesn’t mean that God could not take human form, but that God is not a mere man. And so He is Mighty God, divine rescuer.

Next is Everlasting Father. That word everlasting does not just mean never dying; it means having no beginning and no end. It is used of God. It means not getting older or weaker or frail, but also not needing to mature, to grow up. This promised child will be born but that will not be His beginning! As Jesus later says, “Before Abraham was born, I AM.” Who could the Everlasting Father be? There is only one answer.

And He is the Prince of Peace. No more wars. No more struggles for domination. No more internal wars in our souls. No more what Riley experienced before giving her life to Christ. That is the promise. He rules the world but He will also rules our hearts. And what is a prince? A son of a king. So He is a King and also the son of a king. 

But this passage really says this human child is God multiple times – He is called Mighty God and Everlasting Father. And it says that He will reign forever. That was not the description of a mere human. This was written by the prophet Isaiah, “carried along by the Holy Spirit,” 700 years before Christ. For 700 years people pondered over this passage, having no idea what it could mean. And about 2700 years after this passage, about 25 years ago, I pondered over this passage, and despite my desire to remain an atheist, or at least a skeptic, I couldn’t imagine what else it could mean other than a verification that this was no ordinary book, that God was real, and that what He says will happen will happen; in other words, that He always keeps His promises.

It is really ridiculous to argue that this passage is promising an earthly king. No earthly king could possibly deserve these names. No, this is God’s Son. A promise from God! And He is the last king. For if His reign is forever, none will ever need to follow Him.

I remember reflecting on some of these thoughts as an unsaved grad student at the University of Illinois, and I felt something like what I think Manoah felt – panic. What other explanation could there be for this passage? The only other possibility was that it was some cosmic coincidence.

But, as we all know, this was not God’s only promise, God’s only words about the future, carried along by the Holy Spirit. What about Isaiah 7:14?

Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel. – Is. 7:14

This passage, like many Old Testament prophecies, has an immediate fulfillment but it also has an ultimate fulfillment. The immediate context is pretty complex – the short version is that Judah and Israel are both in trouble.  It has been centuries since Judah and Israel separated (the separation goes back to the time of Solomon’s sons). Both have been suffering mostly under kings who are evil, who worship false gods and idols, and who lead their people to do the same. At the time of this passage, Assyria is the “big bad” – it is taking over everything, becoming a giant empire, and the non-God-following leaders of teeny Israel and Judah know they are completely outmatched. Israel comes up with the plan of joining with Syria (not Assyria) so that, joined, maybe they can stand. But they need Judah as a kind of buffer, so they plan to march in and take it over. In this passage they are at Judah’s doorstep. Ahaz king of Judah and his people know this and they are terrified. Through Isaiah, the Lord tells Ahaz that the invasion won’t happen, but for Ahaz personally to survive, He needs to have faith in God. The warning is, in effect, “If you do not believe, you will not stand.” God asks that Ahaz request a sign – anything at all, and God will do it so that Ahaz will believe. Good deal, right? Ahaz, however, says, no, he won’t ask for a sign. We aren’t told why, and there are several good theories, but I am giving you the short version. Ultimately it doesn’t matter.

God is not impressed. Isaiah, led by the Lord, speaks not to Ahaz, but to the Jews surrounding him – perhaps soldiers with the king – saying, “Is it not enough to try the patience of humans? Will you try the patience of my God also?” And this takes us right to the passage - Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel. – Is. 7:14

It goes on to say, “He will be eating curds and honey when he knows enough to reject the wrong and choose the right, for before the boy knows enough to reject the wrong and choose the right, the land of the two kings you dread will be laid waste. The Lord will bring on you and on your people and on the house of your father a time unlike any since Ephraim broke away from Judah—he will bring the king of Assyria.” So the immediate threat will pass, but the greater threat, the unthinkable threat, will be upon them – Assyria.

In the immediate context, the “virgin” could simply be a young woman – for the word can be translated either way, and the “Immanuel” name, meaning “God with us” could have been taken in an abstract sense, meant to remind the Jews that God was with them. Often people were named at that time by prophets to indicate truths or situations. “Eating curds and honey” likely meant that he was still super young (these are soft foods you don’t need teeth to eat with). So very soon, what they worried so much about would go away. But God would allow Assyria to come and ransack them.

But God had a double meaning. As He often does with prophecy, this had an immediate fulfillment, but it also had a second meaning, speaking of something yet future, something so astounding that nobody would have even considered it, let alone believed it. In the second, final fulfillment, the woman would literally be a virgin, someone who had never been with a man. Of course such a person couldn’t possibly become a mother. But the event that was to come would be precisely that – impossible, a miracle. Not only that, but the name she would give her son would again be “Immanuel,” but this time, it would be literally true. Jesus really is “God with us.” Who could have even imagined such a thing? Nobody! But God made it happen. God in the flesh, really with us!

Another passage from Isaiah, this time Isaiah 11:1-4. There isn’t really much context; this passage is purely messianic, speaking of the future (to them) Messiah. The promised peace and goodness of this future time is in sharp contrast to the harshness of being dominated by Assyria.

A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse; from his roots a Branch will bear fruit. The Spirit of the Lord will rest on Him—the Spirit of wisdom and of understanding, the Spirit of counsel and of might, the Spirit of the knowledge and fear of the Lord—and He will delight in the fear of the Lord. He will not judge by what He sees with His eyes, or decide by what He hears with His ears; but with righteousness He will judge the needy, with justice He will give decisions for the poor of the earth. – Is. 11:1-4a

This is fulfilled by Jesus on so many levels – He is descended from Jesse. As for “fruit,” no one has ever impacted history more than Jesus. Millions upon millions of lives have been forever changed because of what He has done. The Spirit of the Lord, in the form of a dove, did literally rest on Him. He was able to know and discern things that He did not physically see or hear; repeatedly the gospels say how Jesus knew others’ thoughts. He shocked one disciple by saying He “saw” him under the fig tree, though that were impossible from the laws of physics. He told the Samaritan woman at the well things she had done without her ever telling Him. Those are just a few examples. And His heart for the poor and needy was demonstrated again and again. From “Blessed are the poor at heart – for they will see God” to His concern for the poor woman who gave her one small coin, Jesus’ heart for people like this was evident for all to see.

One more thing, the word “Branch” is nezer in Hebrew. He was called Jesus of Nezeret! Jesus of the branch!

These are just a few of the hundreds of examples of passages that point to the Messiah and that either already are fulfilled by Jesus or will be. Just in Isaiah, we could have also talked about Isaiah 2:3-4 that says He shall teach all nations and judge between the nations, Isaiah 6:8-12 that calls Him the one sent by God, that He would speak in parables but they would fall on deaf ears, that the people would be blind to Messiah, Isaiah 8:14 that calls Him a rock of stumbling, a stone of offense, Isaiah 9:1-2 that says His ministry would begin in Galilee, Isaiah 11:10 which says that the Gentiles would seek Him and find their rest in Him, Isaiah 12:2 that  says God Himself would become the people’s salvation (Jesus – Yeshua means God will save me), Isaiah 12:22 which says that He would be given total, complete authority to govern everything, Isaiah 25:1-8 which says, among many other things, that He would destroy death forever, Isaiah 26:19 which predicts the power of resurrection (which happened with Lazarus and with many others at the crucifixion), and Isaiah 28:16 which calls Him the laid cornerstone, tested (think of the crucifixion and the temptation to avoid it) and precious (the Son whom I love, God says), for a sure foundation (because of His going through with the crucifixion, all who trust in Him will be saved). 

There is Isaiah 29:13-14, which says that He would point out others’ hypocritical obedience to the Law and that the wise would be confounded by what He taught. There is Isaiah 32:2, which calls Him, a man, a refuge, a hiding place, a phrase previously only used for God. There is Isaiah 35:4-6, which says He will come to save you and that He will have a ministry of miracles, and there is Isaiah 40:3-4, which says that He will be preceded by a forerunner. There is Isaiah 40:9-11, which says “Behold, your God!” and also says He will come to reward and that He is a shepherd and a compassionate life-giver.

There is Isaiah 42:1-7 which says, where do we begin? He is a servant, meek and lowly. He is faithful. He is patient. He is a redeemer. He brings hope for the hopeless. He is a light of salvation for the Gentiles. His is a worldwide compassion. The eyes of the blind will be opened (which He fulfilled literally but fulfills figuratively every day).

Isaiah 43:11 says He is the only Savior. Isaiah 44:3 says He will send the Holy Spirit after Him. Isaiah 45:21-25 says He is Lord and Savior, and will one day be Judge. Isaiah 46:9-10 says He declares things that have not yet come to pass (think of His prophecies as well as how He told them where to find the donkey). Isaiah 48:12 calls Him the First and the Last (or to use another language, the Alpha and Omega). Think about not only the words used, but what that really means – it is saying He is eternal, doubly eternal – past and future. Isaiah 48:16-17 says He came as a teacher (rabbi). Isaiah 49:1 says He was called from the womb.

Isaiah 49:5-7 is another fantastic passage that says so much! He is a servant from the womb. He will restore Israel. He will be salvation for Israel. He will be the light of salvation for the Gentiles. He will be despised of the Nations. Isaiah 50:3-6 is another great passage. Heaven is closed in black at His humiliation (think of the literal darkness at the crucifixion plus the obvious symbolism at what it meant for God to witness this happen to His Son). He is a learned counselor for the weary. He is the Servant willingly bound to obedience (whatever it costs Him). He gave His back to those who smote Him. He was struck on the cheek. He was spat upon. Isaiah 52:7 says He would proclaim good news among the mountains. When He fed the 4000, it says in Matthew 15 He went up on the mountainside and sat down.

And then we have Isaiah 52:13-53:12. This passage affected me in the days before I came to Christ probably more than any other. I even looked it up in a “Jewish Publication Society” translation of the Old Testament because I was convinced those rascally Christians must have totally doctored Isaiah. What I found was perhaps even more vivid, more clearly pointing to Christ, than what I read in the NIV. Well, yesterday, I found this version online – the wonders of modern technology – and here it is:

52:13 Behold, my servant shall deal prudently, he shall be exalted and extolled, and be very high. 52:14 As many were astonied [filled with dismay] at thee; his visage [face] was so marred more than any man, and his form more than the sons of men: 52:15 So shall he sprinkle many nations; the kings shall shut their mouths at him: for that which had not been told them shall they see; and that which they had not heard shall they consider. 53:1 Who hath believed our report? and to whom is the arm of the LORD revealed? 53:2 For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: he hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him. 53:3 He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not. 53:4 Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. 53:5 But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. 53:6 All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all. 53:7 He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth. 53:8 He was taken from prison and from judgment: and who shall declare his generation? for he was cut off out of the land of the living: for the transgression of my people was he stricken. 53:9 And he made his grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death; because he had done no violence, neither was any deceit in his mouth. 53:10 Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in his hand. 53:11 He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities. 53:12 Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he hath poured out his soul unto death: and he was numbered with the transgressors; and he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.

I’ll let that incredible passage speak for itself. We are not even done with Isaiah, but we are out of time. Let me be as quick as I can. 55:3-5 says He is resurrected by God. He is a witness. He is a leader and commander. 59:16 says He an intercessor between God and man, and He would come to provide salvation. 59:20 says He would come to Zion as their redeemer. 60:1-3 says He would be a light of salvation to the Gentiles. And 61:1-2 says the Spirit of God is upon Him, that He would preach good news (the gospel), and provide freedom from the bondage of sin.

Wow. That’s just Isaiah! There are many more prophecies about Him in Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy, Joshua, Ruth, 1 and 2 Samuel, 2 Kings, 1 Chronicles, Job, nearly countless references to Him in the Psalms, He is in Song of Solomon, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Daniel, Hosea, Joel, Jonah, Micah, Haggai, Zechariah (many in here, some of my favorites), and Malachi.

The Holy Spirit carried these men along, vastly different men, separated by thousands of miles, separated by many centuries, to write of God’s Son. Each added a few more brushstrokes to a glorious portrait of Jesus. You can fully know the gospel without even opening the New Testament, if you know what to look for and where to look. This is what our God has done. Praise to Him!