The Gospel is beautiful in presentation by Isaiah. The detail is so great that we need to remind ourselves again and again that this is God presenting the atonement 700 years before it was finished. It is an amazing and blessed text.
And they made his grave with the wicked and with a rich man in his death, although he had done no violence, and there was no deceit in his mouth.
Isaiah 53:9
No wonder the Ethiopian eunuch wanted Philip to explain this stuff (Acts 8:32-33). Outside the context we know so well it really isn't something that makes sense. We know that Christ died between two guilty men (the wicked) and was buried by Joseph of Arimathea (a rich man). We know that Christ did not have an earthly army and was not a physical threat to the rulers of His day. We also know He spoke the truth with authority and there was not one bit of deceit in His mouth. However, 700 years before His birth these words were behind the veil.
Yet it was the will of the LORD to crush him; he has put him to grief; when his soul makes an offering for guilt, he shall see his offspring; he shall prolong his days; the will of the LORD shall prosper in his hand. Out of the anguish of his soul he shall see and be satisfied; by his knowledge shall the righteous one, my servant, make many to be accounted righteous, and he shall bear their iniquities.
Isaiah 53:10-11
You can see why this was such an easy set of verses to use to explain the Gospel to the Ethiopian. Jesus was sacrificed by God and as a result saw offspring (the believers) and was resurrected (His days were prolonged). Out of His suffering and anguish He made many (the believers) to be accounted righteous and He bore their (the believers) iniquities. There is double imputation again. Our sins are imputed to Christ and His righteousness is imputed to us.
Therefore I will divide him a portion with the many, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong, because he poured out his soul to death and was numbered with the transgressors; yet he bore the sin of many, and makes intercession for the transgressors.
Isaiah 53:12-13
Think of the comfort to our Lord that these verses were. He asked if there was another way in the darkness of Gethsemane but He did not go to the Cross simply to open a door and hope that someone would walk though. He had these promises from God.
I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me, just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I lay down my life for the sheep. And I have other sheep that are not of this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. So there will be one flock, one shepherd. For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life that I may take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This charge I have received from my Father."
John 10:14-18
Jesus says a bunch in these few verses. As a good shepherd, He has a complete familiarity with those who are His. He lays down His life with purpose and certainty that it is being offered for the sheep that He knows as well as He knows the Father. This is why we call the atonement purposeful. It is also important to see that the Trinity was in accord over the atonement.
So what about the sheep that are not of this fold? Well that is all who are not Israel according to the flesh or by birth. Isaiah begins to address that in the next verse.
"Sing, O barren one, who did not bear; break forth into singing and cry aloud, you who have not been in labor! For the children of the desolate one will be more than the children of her who is married," says the LORD. "Enlarge the place of your tent, and let the curtains of your habitations be stretched out; do not hold back; lengthen your cords and strengthen your stakes. For you will spread abroad to the right and to the left, and your offspring will possess the nations and will people the desolate cities. "Fear not, for you will not be ashamed; be not confounded, for you will not be disgraced; for you will forget the shame of your youth, and the reproach of your widowhood you will remember no more.
Isaiah 54:1-4
This is a promised growth of the Church to possess the nations. We are blessed to be family when we were not family and it was a disgrace to not be a people of God. As Peter says, "But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. Once you were not a people, but now you are God's people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy (1 Peter 2:9-10). In our day we can trust God to bless if we trust Him and pray for an outpouring of the Holy Spirit.
For your Maker is your husband, the LORD of hosts is his name; and the Holy One of Israel is your Redeemer, the God of the whole earth he is called. For the LORD has called you like a wife deserted and grieved in spirit, like a wife of youth when she is cast off, says your God. For a brief moment I deserted you, but with great compassion I will gather you. In overflowing anger for a moment I hid my face from you, but with everlasting love I will have compassion on you," says the LORD, your Redeemer.
Isaiah 54:5-8
As the book of Revelation shows we, as the Church, are the Bride of Christ. The period leading up to Pentecost in approximately 34 AD was a hard time for the people of God. But the ingathering with everlasting love was (and has been) a remarkable thing.
If you want to see God gather with great compassion and display everlasting love then read Church history. Start with Acts but don't stop there. God has been faithful to this day and will be faithful to gather with great compassion until the last day.
"This is like the days of Noah to me: as I swore that the waters of Noah should no more go over the earth, so I have sworn that I will not be angry with you, and will not rebuke you. For the mountains may depart and the hills be removed, but my steadfast love shall not depart from you, and my covenant of peace shall not be removed," says the LORD, who has compassion on you. "O afflicted one, storm-tossed and not comforted, behold, I will set your stones in antimony, and lay your foundations with sapphires. I will make your pinnacles of agate, your gates of carbuncles, and all your wall of precious stones.
Isaiah 54:9-12
Peter tells us that baptism is like Noah's flood and the water represents God's anger and judgment of sin (1 Peter 3:20-21). Peter, speaking of the atonement, says, "because they formerly did not obey, when God's patience waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared, in which a few, that is, eight persons, were brought safely through water. Baptism, which corresponds to this, now saves you, not as a removal of dirt from the body but as an appeal to God for a good conscience, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ". So, as God says here, like the days of Noah, we enjoy the peace with God of having passed through the wrath of God by the atonement of Christ and we testify with water baptism. Thinking back to the Ethiopian with Philip, I'm guessing they read at least this far in Isaiah because the Ethiopian pointed to a body of water and said, "What prevents me from being baptized?" I think the testimony of baptism is especially rich in that both Philip and the Ethiopian went down into the water. The Ethiopian didn't baptize himself and neither do we. We need assistance to give the testimony and we are passive in the testimony as we are moved through the symbol of God's judgment. We owed a debt we could not pay. We appeal to God for right standing before Him because of the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
God is preparing a place for us. There will be no vacancies in Heaven. He will never leave you or forsake you. We have assurance of salvation. We see the preservation of the saints here. God says, "the mountains may depart and the hills be removed, but My steadfast love shall not depart from you, and My covenant of peace shall not be removed." My security is truly a blessed assurance that Jesus is mine. Oh what a foretaste of glory divine. God is not going to need to remove one mansion in glory. Each will be occupied and they are not just tract homes. He knows you better than you know yourself and is preparing a place that is beyond all you could ask for or think of. Think of your treasure and remember where your treasure is because it centers and keeps your focus and your heart in the right place.
All your children shall be taught by the LORD, and great shall be the peace of your children. In righteousness you shall be established; you shall be far from oppression, for you shall not fear; and from terror, for it shall not come near you.
Isaiah 54:13-14
This doesn't teach a form of universalism but rather that all of Abraham's children will be established and will be found in heaven. We do pray for our children with confidence but that is because of God's ability to save. Here we have promises for the Church.
If anyone stirs up strife, it is not from me; whoever stirs up strife with you shall fall because of you. Behold, I have created the smith who blows the fire of coals and produces a weapon for its purpose. I have also created the ravager to destroy; no weapon that is fashioned against you shall succeed, and you shall confute every tongue that rises against you in judgment. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD and their vindication from me, declares the LORD."
Isaiah 54:15-17
I think we see these verses fulfilled in the Church and Church History. Especially in the life of the Apostle Paul these verses have been fulfilled in a blessed way to establish the Church.
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