Isaiah 53 - Is it Israel or the Messiah? - The Case for Messiah

Shalom welcome to another pod for Israel I am really excited to be here with you my name is DrSeth postel I'm here with DrGolan boroshi really good to be together and we're actually starting a new series and we're very excited about it it's called the case for messiah and Old Testament defense for the New Testament Faith now I realize that there are a lot of different channels out there in YouTube where the Messianic interpretation of Prophecies of the Old Testament are being called into doubt Christians are are getting concerned that well maybe the Hebrew Bible doesn't really speak about Jesus maybe maybe my translation of the Old Testament has been corrupted and so the purpose of this series is to look at the Hebrew Bible and to provide really solid reasons for the Messianic interpretation of these passages that we know and love and show how how a careful interpretation actually strengthens our faith and so we're praying for you and we're praying that this new series will actually help solidify your faith and give you reasons more reasons to believe and more reasons to share your faith and so today I'm really excited we're going to be talking about Isaiah 53 Isaiah Isaiah 53 how exciting actually with 52 before it right that's right from 52. Isaiah 53 so it's it's a popular chapter because there's some objections lately actually not lately but there's some objections which are saying that this chapter is talking not about a singular servant not about the Messiah but about the Jewish people as a whole which is interesting because I think that maybe a lot of Christians that have heard about Isaiah 53 they you know for them they look at Isaiah 53 and it says and they say wow it's so simple this is about Jesus and then suddenly they hear arguments uh that this passage in context is not about the Messiah it's about Israel and I think the foremost The Interpreter was Russia Rashi that's right sarashi I mean obviously we have earlier interpretations but Rashi was one of these interpreters that he argued that Israel here is the servant and we could almost say well it makes sense right in some ways because Israel is the servant of the Lord if we look at the larger context Isaiah 40 through 55 is what I wanted to ask you about the context because they say the context is talking about the servant of the Lord being Israel so is it so is it well yes and no right yes and no so the servant of the lord it's interesting Isaiah 41 8 9 right Isaiah 41 verse 19 Isaiah 43 Verse 10 44 verses 1 and 2. I could go on so there are very clear verses that actually say that Israel is the servant of the Lord in singular right a servant in sigre in Hebrew singular and it refers to Israel as the people and so very often that's used as an argument you see every time in this this whole passage from chapter 41 onward Israel is a servant of the Lord and so of course Isaiah 52 verse 13 is you know the Israel is the servant of the Lord so that's that's one of the arguments we're gonna we're gonna talk about it many arguments there's another interesting argument that that actually Rashi used that I think is a very interesting argument and in order to show this argument I want to look at the context Isaiah 52 Isaiah 52 verse 13 we know this passage behold my servant will prosper now Rashi says this is Israel and he will be high and lifted up and greatly exalted just as many were astonished at you my people okay this is The New American Standard but just as many as were astonished at you so his appearance will be marred more than than any man and his and his form more than the sons of men now listen to verse 15.

I'm looking at the Hebrew you speak Hebrew a little bit okay good thus he will sprinkle many nations Kings will shut their mouths on account of him for what they had not for what had not been told that them they will see and what they had not heard they will understand so here's what Rashi says verse 15 is the reaction of the Gentiles It's the reaction of the Kings they're in shock we didn't realize that Israel we we hated Israel we didn't realize that Israel was was was the servant of the Lord and now verses 1 through 6 you've got this confession who has believed our message to whom is the arm of the Lord been revealed Rashi says that that's the confession of the Nations so that's the context the immediate context so now the nations are saying right what are the nation saying he was despised and forsaken of men that is Israel right like one from whom men hide their face he was despised and we didn't esteem Israel and just for the record you know when in in verse in chapter 52 verse 13 my behold my servant just for the record we have to say that ancient Jewish Telugu main translations to Aramaic and ancient midrashim says it talks about the Messiah so actually we have to defend right but but listen here it's it's very interesting because verse 4 surely surely our griefs he himself bore in other words this whole confession that he was smitten that he was stricken that he died for our sins this is the Nations I'm actually saying this is the nation this is the Nations that are talking and they're actually confessing Israel died for us and so that's so we're going to talk about that we of course we're going to need to talk about it and then another argument I've heard right another argument that this is that that the servant of the Lord in Isaiah 53 is Israel's because well if you look at the context Isaiah 52 is about Israel Isaiah 54 is about Israel and so of course Isaiah 53 is about Israel the the servant songs right the servant songs from 41 42 well the servant songs interestingly enough not the whole passage is the servant songs we actually have four servant songs in the context of Isaiah 40 through 55. so maybe yeah maybe we can tackle this did this talk about the context and the servant of the Lord who is who is the servant of the Lord beginning from 41 or 42 yeah so let's start by talking about context because obviously the the bottom line is when we come to Isaiah 53 and I think this is where many times Christians get a little bit stumped is they've not considered the context and so I think that the New Testament has very good reasons for identifying Isaiah 53 as an individual servant who suffers for the nation of Israel and also some of the inner biblical commentary but let's just take a step back and say well what is the context Isaiah 40-55 this many scholars many scholars call this section of Isaiah Isaiah's new Exodus wow Isaiah's new Exodus you see Exodus in Isaiah well the prophets when they studied the the Torah and they studied the narratives of the Torah there's an expression the Deeds of the fathers are assigned to the sun reject on the sun correct so Israel's Exodus out of Egypt became for Isaiah not just the good thing that God did in our past but the amazing thing that God will do in the future is going to be a theme so it's a theme so let me read some verses okay Isaiah 42 16 I will lead the blind by by a way they do not know and pass they do not know I will guide them I will make Darkness into light you hear that before them in rugged places into planes these are the things I will do and I will not leave them undone Isaiah 43 verses 15 through 19 I am the Lord your Holy One the creator of Israel your king thus says the Lord who makes a way through the sea and a path through the mighty Waters who brings forth The Chariot and the horse the Army and the mighty man they will lie down together and not rise again they have been quenched and extinguished like a wick do not call to mind the former things in other words don't think about the first Exodus or Ponder the things past behold I will do something new now it will Spring forth you will not be aware or will you not be aware of it I will even make a roadway in the wilderness Rivers into the desert a couple more verses just to show you that this is a new Exodus they did not this is Isaiah 48 verse 21 they did not thirst when he led them through the deserts he made the water flow out of the rock for them he split the Rock and the water gushed forth and finally Isaiah 51 verse 10 was it not you who dried up the sea the Waters of the great deep who made the depths of the Sea of pathway for the redeemed to cross over so let's make it clear the Hebrew is really clear I mean you're looking at the Hebrew right and so it is so clear that in order to understand Isaiah 40-55 in the context of the book we have to realize that Isaiah is presenting Israel's Redemption and it's important Israel Israel not the nation the Nations will be blessed by Israel's Redemption but the focus is a future Exodus a Redemption of Israel of Israel and they are in Exile why because of their sins and so the book that the the the whole beginning listen to this Isaiah Isaiah 40. let me read it Comfort or Comfort my comfort my people says your God this is Isaiah 40 verse 1.

speak kindly to Jerusalem and call out to her that her Warfare has ended that her iniquity has been removed that she has received from the Lord's hand double for all of her sins the whole context is about Israel's slavery not just to foreign Nations but to her sins it's a story about Redemption Redemption of Israel correct so are we agreed Golan yam you're looking at the Hebrew here right are we agreed that Isaiah the context of Isaiah 40 through 55 is Israel's Exodus second Exodus Israel Exodus and projecting for a second Exodus a Redemption for Israel and that's the point that you're making Redemption for Israel for Israel we'll see why that's so important in a minute now we talked about the fact that this there are many passages here that God does refer to Israel as the servant of the Lord but [Music] there are four passages that Scholars call uh the servant songs the servant songs Okay singular singular now well the servant of the Lord the other place is a singular however and here's what's really important in these four places Isaiah 42 49 50 and 52 13-53-12 there are four places where a singular servant is highlighted as the key to Israel's Redemption the Redemption of Israel in other words second Moses it's you took the words right out of my mouth there Golan exactly in other words Isaiah 42 presents this Spirit-filled servant who will lead out the captives out the blind right Isaiah 49 you have a servant that will re-gather the tribes of Israel okay Isaiah 50. you have this servant who is spit on who's despised whose beard is plucked out Isaiah 52 13-53-12 this despised figure through whom the nation receives Redemption now you nailed it yeah and by the way when when it says my servant it's exactly how Moses is portrayed God God called him my servant so the illusion is really strong especially if you read it in Hebrew my servant my servant you're picking on you're peeking on my notes no peeking Golan listen I Exodus 14 verse 31. Exodus 14 verse 31 when Israel saw the great power which the Lord had used against the Egyptians the people feared the Lord and they believed in the Lord and in his servant Moses exactly Deuteronomy 30 34 Verse 5.

so Moses the servant of the Lord died in the land of Moab Joshua 1 1 I could keep going on now it came about after the death of Moses the servant of the Lord and so there's no question that that Israel has referred sometimes in this story of this Exodus as God's servant but when God speaks to this this servant right blind sinful rebellious he's a specific servant but then there's another servant who does a lot of Moses type stuff but if we have a new Exodus we need a new Moses there it is and if I'm going to understand Isaiah 53 correctly in its context it's about the the Redemption of Israel through God's servant this new Moses right with Isaiah in in entire entire book is rebuking Israel from from their sins so we need the second Exodus we need a second Moses right let me read a few more verses that are just so amazing right it's just so amazing so context context context they say in real estate what location location right so if we look at Isaiah 52 verses 10 through 12. right we're going to look at that Isaiah 52 verses 10 through 12. and I'm going to kind of read each of these verses and I'm going to show you that the context of the servant of the Lord in the very next chapter is a new Exodus here's Isaiah 52 verse 10.

the Lord Has beared His holy arm in the sight of all the nations that the ends of the Earth may see the salvation of our God whose salvation Israel salvation where does that come from Exodus 14 13 but Moses said to the people do not fear stand by and see the salvation of the Lord which will which he will accomplish for you today for the Egyptians whom you have seen today will never see them again forever again you would expect the proclamation of seeing the salvation of the Lord in the context of this new Moses Isaiah 52 verse 11 depart depart go out from there right that's Exodus language Exodus 12 31 rise up get out depart from among my people both you and the sons of Israel notice verse 52 verse 12. but you will not go out then wow it's Isaiah is reading Exodus it's exactly that comes exactly putting Exodus here it is Exodus 12 verse 11. now you shall eat in this manner with your loins girded your sandals on your feet your staff and your hand and you shall eat in haste it is the Lord's Passover now I find this amazing in the context of this language of new Exodus in the Lord's Passover Isaiah 53 is talking about a lamb for Israel's Redemption exactly the lamb Isaiah 52 verse 12.

for the Lord will go before you sound familiar Exodus 13 21 the Lord was going before them in a pillar of cloud by day to lead them on the way notice this the last part of 52 verse 12 and the god of Israel will be your rear guard Exodus 14 19 and the pillar of cloud moved before them and stood behind it's copy paste but again today is trying to tell us something whose Redemption are we speaking about it has to be Israel right that is the context of course Israel's Isaiah 52 Isaiah 54 but it's not just Israel generally it's Israel's Redemption it's Israel's Redemption so if Isaiah 53 is speaking about the Redemption of the nation the atonement of the Nations context context exactly right you know so so it seems like Isaiah was reading The Exodus he was expecting a second Exodus and a second Moses and the only question is who is this who is the second Moses and of course we think that Isaiah 52 and Isaiah 53 are describing it yeah you know it's interesting again when I hear some of the people speaking on YouTube and they kind of mock they take this and we're not going to do that we're going to be respectful but this kind of almost making Christians feel like they're they're they're dumb for actually saying hey this is about an individual servant but you know what here's what's really interesting what's the best commentary on scripture scripture are you sure yep of course why is that the best commentary it's inspired it's inspired so not only do we have the context where the best way to read Isaiah Isaiah 40-55 and the servant songs is in the context of an exodus and a new Moses I want to yeah we have to let scripture interpret scripture okay I have proof from the text I have proof from the book of Jeremiah of an interpretation that that does not see Isaiah 53 as the nation but sees it as an individual watch this okay you're going to be amazed Jeremiah 11. you should put on your seat belt yeah okay here we go we're in Jeremiah 11 verses 18 through 23. we're in Jeremiah 18 uh Jeremiah 11 verses 18 through 23 and what's really important here we see it in the English but the Hebrew is so much more clear so I'm going to read the passage and then we'll talk about it and why it's so important um so Jeremiah finds out that the people of anatot where he was from they were the Priestly tribe right there the priests a Priestly City just outside of Jerusalem the Lord reveals to him that they're going to assassinate him Jeremiah was this despised weeping prophet nobody liked him like many other prophets that's the cultists because the destiny of a visiting card right so here we go Verse 18 chapter 11 moreover the Lord made it known to me and I knew it then you showed me their deeds ready for this but I was like a a gentle lamb led to the slaughter that's almost word for word Isaiah 53 verse 7 and I did not know that they had deceived plots devised plots against me saying let us destroy the tree with its fruit and let us cut him off from the land of the living again that quote that his name would be remembered no more listen that's Isaiah 53 verses 7 through 8.

he was oppressed and he was afflicted yet he did not open his mouth like a lamb that was led to slaughter like a sheep that is silent before cheers so he did not open his mouth but by oppression and judgment he was taken away in his first generation who considered that he was cut off out of the land of the living for the transgression of my people to whom the stroke was due hmm you know what's interesting go on right from the 10th Century right before Rashi he argued that Isaiah 53 was about Jeremiah wow why did he say it because Jeremiah actually takes this passage and he he he finds application to the fact that he identifies with it he is within his Nation a suffering servant that is despised and rejected they want to cut him off they want to kill him now but you're going to argue it couldn't be Jeremiah Jeremiah well exactly so like anti-missionary but at least at least this Rabbi is saying it has to be an individual a prophet he thinks it's Jeremiah but it couldn't be Jeremiah it has to be a different do you know why it can't be Jeremiah why context context context I want you to notice Jeremiah takes this verse and he applies it to himself right I was a lamb like the slaughter they said to him let us cut off cut him off from the land of the living I'm going to keep reading okay starting in verse 19 20.