He was oppressed and treated harshly, yet He never said a word. He was led like a lamb to the slaughter. And as a sheep is silent before the shearers, He did not open his mouth. Isaiah 53:7
When talking about Jesus, Andy Stanley once said, "If a man can predict his own death and resurrection and pull it off, I just go with whatever that man says." According to Stanley, the fact that Jesus' death and resurrection were predicted is convincing evidence that He truly is the Son of God. Not only does the prediction of Jesus' death and resurrection provide proof that Jesus is who He said He is, but it also shows us that Jesus' death was not an accident. It was intentional.
There are a number of places where Jesus' death was predicted in the Old Testament and the New Testament. One of the places in the Old Testament where His death was predicted is Isaiah 53. In Isaiah 53, Isaiah wrote the words, "He was despised and rejected— a man of sorrows, acquainted with the deepest grief. We turned our backs on Him and looked the other way. He was despised, and we did not care." (verse three). The verses in this chapter predicted Jesus' death, prophesying that He would die an innocent death on a cross for sinful humanity. In Luke chapter 9, Jesus Himself predicted His death. He stated plainly in Luke 9:22, "The Son of Man… will be killed, but on the third day He will be raised from the dead." Jesus knew what was going to happen to Himself. He knew that He would die. His death was intentional. Not only that, but He proved His prediction when He actually died and actually rose from the grave. This is strong proof that Jesus is indeed the Son of God. He is who He claimed to be during His entire life. He can be trusted.
Can you imagine coming to earth, knowing that your mission was to die a criminal's death even though you are innocent? This was exactly what Jesus did. He lived intentionally so that His mission could be fulfilled. Do you ever find yourself wondering if Jesus is really all He claimed to be? You have only to look to the resurrection, meaning that He not only predicted His death and resurrection, He pulled it off. You can be confident in Him today.
Do you have someone who you are praying will come to know Christ? Today, tell that friend what you read in your Bible study. Tell them about the fact that Jesus' death and resurrection were predicted proves that Jesus' death was intentional and that Jesus is who He claims to be. Perhaps this conversation may spark interest and cause your friend or family member to ask more questions about God and the Bible.
Read Isaiah 53:1-12 (NLT)
Who has believed our message? To whom has the Lord revealed his powerful arm?My servant grew up in the Lord’s presence like a tender green shoot, like a root in dry ground.There was nothing beautiful or majestic about his appearance, nothing to attract us to him.He was despised and rejected— a man of sorrows, acquainted with deepest grief.We turned our backs on him and looked the other way. He was despised, and we did not care.
Yet it was our weaknesses he carried; it was our sorrows that weighed him down.And we thought his troubles were a punishment from God, a punishment for his own sins!But he was pierced for our rebellion, crushed for our sins.He was beaten so we could be whole. He was whipped so we could be healed.All of us, like sheep, have strayed away. We have left God’s paths to follow our own.Yet the Lord laid on him the sins of us all.
He was oppressed and treated harshly, yet he never said a word.He was led like a lamb to the slaughter. And as a sheep is silent before the shearers, he did not open his mouth.Unjustly condemned, he was led away.No one cared that he died without descendants, that his life was cut short in midstream.But he was struck down for the rebellion of my people.He had done no wrong and had never deceived anyone.But he was buried like a criminal; he was put in a rich man’s grave.
But it was the Lord’s good plan to crush him and cause him grief.Yet when his life is made an offering for sin, he will have many descendants.He will enjoy a long life, and the Lord’s good plan will prosper in his hands.When he sees all that is accomplished by his anguish, he will be satisfied.And because of his experience, my righteous servant will make it possiblefor many to be counted righteous, for he will bear all their sins.I will give him the honors of a victorious soldier, because he exposed himself to death.He was counted among the rebels. He bore the sins of many and interceded for rebels.
©2024 Sagebrush Church
