Bible Reading: Isaiah 53

Our Father, we thank you for the dawn of the Lord's Day morning. We thank you, Our Father, it was on the Lord's Day morning that the blessed Savior, our Lord Jesus rose from out the tomb, triumphant over the grave. And a living man now sits at the right hand of God for us and for thee.

And we thank you, Our Father, that on the Lord's Day morning we can direct our hearts and believe thy spirit would cause us to think afresh of the one who triumphed over sin and death in the grave. It was our blessed Savior, our glorious Lord. And Father, here we are this morning to consider from thy word this precious passage that speaks to us so vividly, prophetically concerning him and all that he endured on our behalf.

And Father, how often we turn our hearts and minds to this portion of the word of God. And as we look at it this morning, our God, we pray that thou wilt give us help to see further glimpses of him. And that our study and our consideration of this passage might be more than just simply a dry theoretical consideration and study of these words, but the truth of it might enter into our hearts.

It might be very fresh and vivid and refreshing to us as again we consider the loveness of thy beloved Son and all they accomplished in the pathway of his obedience to thee. We pray thy help as we open thy word together. We pray thou wilt give guidance.

We pray thou wilt enable us to participate harmoniously and for the profit of thy people and for the honor of our blessed Lord. As we look to thee with thanksgiving and ask all in the name of the Lord Jesus. Amen.

Amen. Well, I will read this morning this section that really begins in chapter 52 of Isaiah. Sometimes chapter divisions are not perfect.

This is the last of what are called the servant songs in the book of Isaiah. The prophecy of Isaiah is a book of songs. There are some songs that have to do with the people.

There are songs that have to do with the servant. There are songs that are the expression of the nation that follow. Four servant songs we are identified in the book of Isaiah.

One is in chapter 42 which has the call of the servant. Call my servant who I have called. After 49 we have the commission of the servant.

After 49 verse 1 through 3. Chapter 50 in verse 4 we have the song concerning the commitment of the servant. Here we have the career of the servant. That is what we want to look at this morning.

We begin reading this precious portion of the word of God from chapter 52 in verse 13. Verse 13 says, Behold, my servant shall deal prudently. He shall be exalted and extolled and be very high.

As many were astounded at thee. His vision was so large more than any man in his form, more than the sons of men. So are yet shall he sprinkle many nations.

The king 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 or understand.

Who hath believed or abhorred? And to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed? 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. There was no beauty that we should desire here. He was or is despised and rejected of men.

The man of sorrows and acquitted with grief. And we did as it were our faces from him. She was despised and we esteemed him not.

Surely he had borne our griefs. So he bore our griefs and carried our sorrows. Yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God and afflicted.

But he was wounded for our transgressions. He was bruised for our iniquities. The chastisement of our peace was upon him.

And with his strike we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray. We have turned everyone to his own way.

The Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all. He was oppressed and he was afflicted. Yet he opened not his mouth.

He was brought as a lamb to the slaughter. And a sheep before her shearers is dumb. So he opened not his mouth.

He was taken from prison and from judgment. Who shall declare his generation? He was cut off out of the land of the living. For the transgression of my people was he stricken.

And he or they 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. Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise him.

He hath put him to grief. 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. He shall see the travail of his soul and shall be satisfied. By his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many.

For he shall bear their iniquities. Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great. And he shall divide his spoil with the strong.

Because he hath poured out his soul unto death. And he was numbered with the transgressors and he bared the sin of men. And made intercession for the transgressors.

I trust God will bless his word to our hearts even as we read it together. And enable us in our consideration of this passage. It's well accepted I believe that the prophecy of Isaiah can be rightly divided into three parts.

Primarily three parts. Some divide it into two and that's acceptable as well. The first part seems to be from chapter 1 to chapter 25 where primarily it's the power of Assyria that is the enemy.

And God's salvation, Jehovah's salvation to deliver them from that oppression. I think that would be prophetic as it looks to the future in relation to the king of the north. Chapter 36 through 39 we have certainly historical interlude that develops the transition from Assyria to Babylon.

And then we have the experience of Hezekiah you know when the king of Babylon sent his messengers to it. And commencing in chapter 40 through chapter 66 we have primarily Babylon is in the picture as the enemy. And again we have the salvation of the Lord that is emphasized.

The last part these 27 chapters comprise the third section of Isaiah. We very clearly can see that that divides into three parts. That's not just chapter divisions but it does turn out to be nine chapters each.

Each section ends with that repetitious expression. There is no peace my God to the wicked. So we have chapter 40 through chapter 48 and so on you have those three sections.

Now if you look at this third division there are three primary subjects that are in that division. The first one is the correction of Israel's idolatry. And he takes up in chapter 40 emphasizing the greatness of their God.

And then we have the comfort that God is giving to his people Israel. Comfort ye, comfort ye my people saith the Lord your God. Then primarily we have a comprehensive view of God's purpose to redeem his people.

We can go into that but we won't take the time to do it. Now coming down to this chapter I'm passing over for the sake of time. It seems to me that the theme of this entire passage comprised of 15 verses is primarily the exaltation of the servant.

And the career by which the pathway by which this servant is going to be brought to that position of highest exaltation. You see it begins with that. My servant shall deal prudently.

He shall be exalted and extolled and be very high. Kings shall shut their mouths at him. So we have the beginning that emphasizes exaltation.

His high preeminent position. And it ends that way as well. I will number him a portion with the multitudes.

He shall divide the spoil with the straw. The verses in between give us the pathway by which he is going to be brought to that place. The pathway of course by means of the cross.

The pathway of humiliation of suffering. Albert Einstein says the cross before the crown. That certainly was true in relation to him.

So when we look at these 15 verses they rightly divide. I take it into five different sections. Three verses each.

First of all commencing with that which has to do with his exaltation. One has called it the first of those three verses the startling appearance of the servant. Or more marred more than any man.

The startling appearance of the servant. And then in verses one through three we have the strange attitude of Israel. Strangely having had the report from the Old Testament time they have to acknowledge we didn't believe.

We despised, we rejected him. Despite all that he was and displayed they had no time for him. The strange attitude of his own people.

In verses four through six we have in view the substitutionary atonement of the servant. He was wounded for our transgressions. He endured the cross.

He suffered the weight of the burden of sin. The judgment of it. Substitutionary atonement.

Then in verses seven, eight and nine we have the sacrificial act of the Lord Jesus that is in view. What it cost him. Made his soul an offering for sin.

And then in verses ten through twelve we have primarily the successful achievement of the servant. That will end the chapter. So we have this portion to look at.

Brethren will give me a lot of help. I know and I expect that. Not only these brethren that are on the front row here but all the brethren that participate are welcome to do so.

Now last year I think it was that I had the responsibility as well of the Bible reading. I continually had to try to encourage our brethren not to speak to me like they're sitting right next to me here but to speak to the microphone. Because our brethren would like to record this.

But if you only speak to me nobody on the back row can hear you and it's not recorded very well. So speak to me if you have any questions and I hope you don't have any questions but if you do speak to me like you're speaking to someone over across the room on the back row and everybody will be able to hear you. And I hope I don't have to repeat that but let's try to speak up because the Bible reading is for the profit of all who are here not just a discussion of preaching rather.

So with the Lord's help let's look at this chapter and perhaps our brethren will expand it a lot more. There are verbs in this passage that emphasize to us the graphic reality of all that our blessed Lord passed through and the experience each one of us have had personally have come to realize the need it was for me. It was because of my sins and God helping us.

We'll have to keep moving. We have about three minutes to each verse on average. So we'll try to look at the entire chapter.

It's interesting brethren that this was written this was written turn up that 700 years before the sufferings of the Lord Jesus and I'm sure Joel you've noted that these five sections that you pointed out correspond to the five books of the Pentateuch verses 13 through 15 reminds us of the seed plot of the Bible the book of Genesis of course and you mentioned I want to just elaborate on what you said verse 13 of his exaltation would you see in that verses resurrection being exalted his ascension being extolled and then his exaltation made very high that's a possibility brother Eric I would agree with that but I think it goes beyond that to indicate that in terms of the exaltation the increase, the greatness of his person there will never be an end it will continue to be that way not limited just to the event of his being taken back up to God's right hand but that's only the beginning of it it's forever it's an exaltation that will never cease never diminish his ultimate exaltation beginning of verse 13 my servant shall deal prudently or wisely so the logic of it seems to be that because of his wisdom this is what's going to happen so in what way does wisdom bring this about would you see Joseph in the picture here in view of the fact that he in his wise dealings and his ability ended up prospering God made him to prosper and it's the wise dealings in every aspect of the Lord's acts and his deeds that will ultimately result in the full display of his prosperity and greatness his exaltation God is drawing attention it's against the background it's against the background of the desperate condition of the nation who's going to deliver them and who's going to bring them out of this bondage and this terrible oppression that they're going to face it's going to have to have one that is indeed wise and prosperous and has the ability and only one who can meet that need is the Lord Jesus it would be in a way a contrast with what we have later on one that would open not his mouth wouldn't look at someone like that as acting wisely would you but it's all to accomplish God's great purpose and God has used these verses and I thought recently I met a man a Messianic Jew he called himself and he said Isaiah 53 settled it for me and he said God's still using these beautiful words even to fuel the nation they're going to be brought to him in the future but it's wonderful the way God uses this these things today so it's through his the results of attained by his successful action and he's going to show how that action has been taking place in his humiliation and his suffering that's why it is behold my servant perfect servant prior to this the term my servant is applied not only to the nation of Israel but Eliakim and different other ones so this is the servant that climaxes all the servants the only perfect servant that himself accomplishes great work and following this there's a plurality of servants not just one but many servants so verse 14 is a grammatical construction called the prothesis you want to use that word this is the basis of an argument that follows and then you have a parenthesis he says as many were astounded at thee were emphatical his visit was so remarkable than any man in his poor home or the sons of man and the result is that he shall strangle or startle many nations so that which has been so strangely contrasted with what they saw I was thinking this morning the last sight the nation saw of him was a crucified criminal being taken down from the cross and laid in the tomb yet they're going to see him they're going to be startled and amazed when they see this one in all of his power and glory I thought Joel we so often think of what man had done to him that's what causes the visage to be so marred the bruising the buffeting the blindfolding but I rather think this is God's appreciation of him his visage so marred more than any man in view of the future because the servant is never mentioned after chapter 53 in this book so it's a coming it's something that shall be remembered I was just meditating as you were speaking on that the beauty of the Savior in our minds and hearts and in him all fullness flow he was the perfect expression of all God's wisdom and grace and to think of him in terms of verse 14 is just astounding it ought to cause our hearts to fall and worship him at the cross they saw the badger skin but we see the gold that's the big difference I take it that they were astonished at the humiliation that he experienced what kind of humiliation was it his visage was so marred and your brother I take it that it's a totality of all that he endured not only from the hand of men but also the entire aspect of his suffering the buffeting from the hands of men but the awfulness of bearing sin and being made sin for us the depths to which he sank the reality of all that he experienced I think it goes beyond our ability to grasp his visage was so marred away from being recognizable as a man more than a son of man the thieves suffered on their crosses but not like this one it's more than any any man so it wasn't just what was outwardly afflicted on him but it was the totality as you say I should suggest that verse 14 the first phrase that I hear is Israel and then there's the contrast the nations were astonished by Israel that I may behold a servant through our Jesus maybe one of these ones so there's a contrast between them I'll speak I think it's addressed to the servant myself brother Abraham the thieves they suffered as brother Laverie has suggested just as the Lord Jesus did in those first three hours but then there were three hours of darkness that he endured what they knew nothing about his visage so marred more than any man I take that to be at the hands of God so yet in verse 50 it's yet really in spite of all of this in contrast to it he shall sprinkle the word really literally being sprinkled but in the context it seems to be the idea of start with astonishment as they will be astonished again I like the idea of both ways I like the thought of it sprinkling in the effective application of all that is accomplished in bringing redemption to the nation but the context seems to carry the idea of startling with astonishment springing up men will have to spring up with the astonishment that this is the one that was crucified marred who endured so much at the hands of man and at God but they'll look upon him and their attitude will be totally changed not only the nation of Israel but many nations the worldwide effect of it kings shall shut their mouths in the end Revelation 19 tells us that they'll be stunned in silence as they see this one glorified yeah in what way in verse 15 were they not told that which has not been told them shall they see what is your thought on that brother it's always safe to ask the question pardon it's always safe to ask the question it's always safe to the back it's the Irishman's way of saying that to you is there any sense in which the scriptures lack telling this truth no so it's just been a consideration in my mind in which way were they not told is it because our testimony to them was insufficient Or does this possibly apply to gentile nations that had not received the truth? But there certainly will be many who have never even heard the gospel after the Lord comes from the church, so there will be those who have not heard, and in parts of the world today, whether we're responsible for failing in our responsibility or not, but they have not heard this. I would take it it's just indicating the worldwide effect, it will go beyond the confines of that which has been embraced by the truth of the word of God. They'll learn something they've never seen before.

The nation should have known because of the sacrifices and so on that were offered, but that's the nation of Israel, but the nations would know nothing about that. But here, they're all, the nations would furiously rage together. They railed upon the Lord, but now, when they railed upon him, his mouth was silent.

And a future day when they realize and see in all his glory, then their mouths are going to be stopped. Linking in with that, and back to the thought of sprinkle or startle many nations, it's not just the fact, surely, that the Lord is seen in his majesty and his glory in that coming day that causes their astonishment. I'm thinking of Revelation 6, the kings of the earth and the great men and so on, hide us from the face of him and set us upon the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb, the one who could have been their redeemer, is now coming as a judge.

So there's that added dimension, not only of his greatness and majesty, but the fact that they have rejected him. This idea in verse 15 again, just linking it with your idea, brother, shall they see? There is going to be an overwhelming revelation to the nations, the dimensions of which, you know, we really don't understand. But when he is revealed, what a moment, what a sight.

Coming to chapter 53 and verse 1, we'd see the, I would take it, the confession of the nation of Israel in the day when they are brought to repentance, recognition of what they have done, and the realization that the one that they rejected and the word that they had received, it was a report that was theirs. I take it that the truth that God had given them, he says, who would believe it? Not only the nations around, but the nation of Israel itself is primarily responsible for this rejection. Who would believe this report that is ours? And as a result, to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed? So here are those that are acknowledging that when he came, we did not recognize him.

We did not receive him. We turned away from him. Let's look at verse 1 through 3 very quickly as much as possible and move on.

So this is more of the idea of their exclamation in a coming day when they're restored, as you suggested. Then they'll say, who hath believed our report? To whom is the arm of the Lord revealed? Israel will confess those. Pour upon them a spirit of mourning.

Yeah. Repentance. To mourn for me is one mourning for his only son.

So there will be a total change of attitude and the truth that is written by Isaiah and other prophets will become very real to them. They'll recognize him. They'll realize, why didn't we receive him? Why didn't we recognize him? When Paul quotes this in Romans 10, it's after a statement like there's no difference between the Jew and the Greek.

And he quotes this. So it certainly has an application today in the gospel. Perhaps so.

Verse 2 and verse 3 pick up the subject of his lowly humanity, his origin. I take it to indicate not only the uniqueness of this springing up as a root out of the dry ground, but almost in a sense of insignificance so far as they were concerned. Who would pay attention to a root springing up or a shoot? What greatness is there involved in that? And as if to say that if he had come in a different way, perhaps we'd have recognized him.

But as we looked upon him, he had no lovely form, no dignity, no outward expression of majesty that we should desire him. It's almost like an excuse perhaps, but indicating the mind that wasn't receptive. It didn't see value in him.

The Orthodox Jews to this day, they don't understand this. They're looking for two messiahs. One who will be exalted, sure, but they're looking for one that will suffer.

They don't understand he's already come. So the root out of the dry ground, one thing that would show is that there was nothing in Israel for God when the Lord came. They were so against him.

This man, he being man, maketh himself God. But now they're going to see that this one, this tender one. It's a beautiful expression, isn't it? The tender plant.

He must have felt all of this that was against him, even in his life. The idea that tender plant growing up before him also indicates that everything he had was derived directly from dependence upon God. Not because of the greatness of his own person, but moving in subjection and submission and dependence.

Growing up, not before men so much, but think of him growing before God. God's eye was upon him. And while man didn't appreciate him, certainly his father in heaven appreciated and saw the value of a life of perfect submission to God.

So this dry ground was the nation, wasn't it? I would think so. And out of that dry ground there came his miraculous birth. A tender plant growing up before him, his life, his childhood.

And then he'll be presented to the nation in the coming day. And they'll say, there's no beauty in him that we should desire. But in that coming day they will accept him.

Interesting that the word tender plant is literally the idea of a tender twig that sprouts from the trunk of a tree. You could almost link that with the dead trunk of the family of David. But here comes one who is springing up out of what has almost ceased to exist.

And growing up as a root of it. That's a unique aspect of his person. It's not normal for a root to grow up out of dry ground.

There's nothing there to sustain it. Life in itself. In that verse 2 we have two views.

It begins with God's view of him. God's appreciation of him. Before him as a tender plant.

And then, he had no former common as to when we shall see him as man's view. No suggestion here of any thought of ugliness or unattractiveness about the Savior as far as physical appearance goes. But rather it's a thought, isn't it, that they were looking for a Messiah to deliver them from their difficulties.

And when he came in lowly guise, well that's not what they were expecting. And so there was no beauty in that for them. Because there was a lack of lordliness, perhaps is the word, the majesty.

Like David and others that were so attractive to men, there was no attractiveness so far as they were concerned. So as a result in verse 3, I'm looking at the clock. He is despised or was despised and rejected from among men.

A man who was a friend of sorrows and acquaintance of grief. So it depicts his sorrowful life as men rejected him alone, as he moved amongst men. Treated as an outcast.

I was thinking of the Ethiopian eunuch reading these scriptures. And where did he find the Lord? He found him in the desert. You know, there was nothing.

He could see the world. When we come to that point where we see the world is nothing, then that's when we see that he saw the beauty of the Lord. That was what he read to them.

This lack of appreciation was from a nation who had been enlightened with all the oracles of God. They had been privileged with all the prophets. And yet, when he comes to them, their response is so sad.

And brethren and sisters, just a little practical note here. We have been enlightened. And we have been given wisdom from God.

We've been given his truth. Let's not treat him casually. He is greater than human eyes could ever take a school.

Verse 4, we have the substitutionary atonement. Surely, in spite of what we thought of him, in spite of our lack of appreciation and proper evaluation of him, surely he had borne our griefs and carried our sorrows. I don't agree, and I don't think anyone here would agree that he bore them upon the cross.

Matthew makes it very clear that the sicknesses or his act of mercy, the display of his power to deliver men from the results of sin, he bore with them. He endured the reality of seeing men in their affliction. He exercised his mercy toward them.

He bore our griefs, carried our sorrows. Yet, in spite of all that he did in his miracles, in his mercy, in his kindness, in his love, yet we did not see him strictly. A number of times you have that little word, yet, in this chapter, showing a contrast.

Three times, didn't I tell you? At least three. The sinner's yet, the Savior's yet, Jehovah's yet. Verse 4, Joel, I would think we have the feelings of the people.

We esteem him, stricken, smitten, above, afflicted. When you come to the psalm, Psalm 22, we have the feelings of the Lord himself, the man of sorrows, appointed to preach. This idea of being stricken is the word that's used for one that had a claim as a judgment of God, like leprosy.

Mary was stricken with leprosy, so they saw him as one that was under God's judgment because of his blasphemy and because of his claiming to be God and all the different things that they saw as being wrong with him, they criticized for him. So, as they saw him being condemned and crucified, first is everyone that hangeth upon a tree, he was first of God in their eyes. They esteemed him stricken or plagued, smitten of God and afflicted, but contrast verse 5, he was wounded for our transgressions.

I would see that as a realization that has dawned upon their souls. It wasn't for his own sins, it wasn't for anything that he had done wrong, it was for ours. Our sins, our transgressions.

We deserve to be wounded for our transgressions, but ours were the transgressions, but yet theirs were the wounds. Ours were the iniquities, theirs was the bruise. And the same, ours is the peace, the people, the wrath of the judgment of God, so that one may be healed.

These are words that indicate a very violent death. He was pierced through for our transgressions. He was crushed for our iniquities.

The chastisement of our peace was upon him. And with his strife, that's a singular word, not stripes, not the plurality, but the strife of God, the scope of God's judgment, we are healed. Ellen Sperl says in her beautiful translation, he was crushed for our transgressions.

That seems to even go beyond bruising. Crushed. Someone put it this way, the guilt of ours crushed him down.

Sometimes we try to divide up the sufferings of the Lord in terms of what was at the hands of man and what was at the hands of God. But this is written in very literal language. The atoning work and the sufferings that he received from God is spoken of here in very physical terms.

It was all necessary. It was all part of the work. It's safer simply to say that he suffered for our sins.

We bear our sins in his own body, not merely in the three hours of darkness, please, brother. On the tree. But the suffering from men was insufficient to secure the deliverance from ourselves.

That's all there was to it, but there was far more to it. There was the work of God behind it. That was the aspect that man can look upon and some measure appreciate.

But when it comes to the suffering endured at the hand of God, that goes beyond our capacity. Well, it's all we. The confession of the people and ourselves as well.

All we like sheep have gone astray. That goes back to Adam, doesn't it? And individually we have turned everyone to our own way. Yet or but the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all.

One is what we have done, what man has done. The other is what God has done. So these sufferings here in verse four through nine, they're vicarious.

They put away sin. But when you come to the end of the chapter, you'll notice they were victorious. In verse six, many would agree with the first expression, we're all gone astray.

You know, we're all sinners. But the prophet anticipated that and he narrows it right down. We have turned everyone to his own way.

The nation was guilty, but the individuals in the nation were guilty. And the second expression there emphasizes the individual responsibility. We turn a deliberate act to our own way.

But God answers that. He says the Lord has laid on him. That word laid on him is the idea that he interposed him between the judgment that we deserve.

It's the same word that we have in verse 12. We read that he made intercession for the transgressors. He interposed himself.

He put himself between us, the transgressors, and the judgment that sin deserves. He came in between and he bore in our place. And more than that, Joel, the tense of the word indicates it's something that's on board, that still continues.

The reality of his sufferings are astounding. The reason for his sufferings is even more amazing. There's a number of mentions here.

He speaks about how it was for our transgressions. And then he uses the word iniquity. And he speaks of our own way.

And again, he reminds us of that particular twisted character of our sin, iniquity. And how, in the mercy of God, the reason for our sufferings. To justify God and to bring man into a right relationship with him.

He mentions, time and again, the cause. Joel, allow me to suggest, too, that I refer again to Helen Sperl's translation. When she speaks about a sheep, let us a sheep to the slaughter.

She suggests that it was a ewe. Indicating the tenderness of a ewe. Not just a sheep, but the mother sheep.

I've enjoyed that. These verbs, as my brother's been indicating, indicate the forceful violence. Nor would have God doesn't minimize it.

In fact, even in the words that are used, they leave us incapable of fully appreciating and understanding what he passed through for us. The word laid on him is fairly weak, actually. It's the idea of something that is forceful and violent.

Fell down upon him with all the awfulness of it. And he was oppressed. He was afflicted.

He was ill-treated. Or, another translation in the New Version of the Bible says, it was exacted of him. And he became answerable for it.

And yet he opened up his mouth where he humbled himself. He had not a word of his own defense. For God reminds us of that in 1 Peter chapter 2. When you're vile, you're vile, not again.

You suffer the threat of nothing. But he was raw as a lamb to this water in his submission. And in his silence, he opened not his mouth.

The chief of horse-shears was done, so he opened not his mouth. There wasn't another person ever crucified that this could be said of. Everyone protested their innocence, whether they're guilty or not.

Must have been quite a thing just to think of the silence of the Lord. Spoke the words of the being. But he couldn't speak redemption.

It had to be the suffering. Someone said about that expression, Brother Bill, there never was a time when silence was more eloquent than when before his accusers, he opened not his mouth. That was evidently before Pilate was there.

And the scourging, think of the scourging. Prisoners were scourged so that they would admit to the crime that they were accused of. But he opened not his mouth.

Actually, emphasis laid on that fact. We have it in verse 7 and verse 9. It says, neither was any deceit in him. A remarkable word of the Lord Jesus.

And the lack of full attention. It's precious. They tried their best to humble him.

But he humbled himself. Became obedient to his Father. To the extent of death, even the cross.

Better for God for all. So, focused for a moment still on this opening not his mouth, that would have spoiled the voluntary aspect of his talk. If he would have said a word even in his own defense, it would not have been fully voluntary.

But his breath indicates how voluntary it was. As a lamb, it emphasized it was vicarious for our sins. And the sacrifice of slaughter indicates the violence of the experience.

But we have ten more minutes at the most. We need to move on. So, he was taken from prison of judgment.

Or, indicating I would take him, he was hurried away. Never was in prison, actually. Never had a proper judgment.

He was hurried away from legal procedure that was proper. An offensive sentence. A perverted judgment.

But it primarily has the idea he was hurried away to death. It was an act they were going to accomplish as quickly as possible. So, it was not the real procedure.

So, as far as they were concerned, that was the end. Who shall declare his generation? And yet, when we go down the chapter, we can see he shall see the trouble of his soul and shall be satisfied. Behold, I am the children that thou hast given me.

Who among that generation understood the reason? Understood what was taking place? The reason for that short life and the violence of the death? And yet, you and I as believers today, we can appreciate it some measure. I hope we can appreciate it more. Paul was involved in what was a tale of what his purpose was.

Voluntarily allowing men to be the instruments to lead him away from the cross. To execute that act that was in God's purpose. And what a wonderful thing it is.

Amazing. Where are we now, Paul? We are down to verse 9. Can you give us some help on the idea of mainstreamed with the wicked, that was the plural, with the rich, a singular word, in this death. Now, the death in the Hebrew text is a plural word.

What were the deaths? I think that in the Hebrew language, I don't know Hebrew of course, but Hebrew language, when it uses the plural, it's indicating the vast expression of it. The expanse. Paul was involved in this death.

It was not just a physical death. It was a death beyond all deaths. I think that's what it is.

It's the complete comprehension of all that was involved in his sufferings and his shame. He was a rich, singular. Laid in the rich man's tomb.

Then pointed out how God altered man's purposes a number of times we see in this chapter. This is most definite. They intended to cast his body in with the place where they buried him.

He was going to be with the wicked in his death. It's amazing the accuracy of Scripture. One can't take it for granted with the benefit of hindsight, but all of this is predicted, as you said, like more than 700 years B.C. One has said that the details are so minute that no human could have predicted them by accident and no imposter could have fulfilled them by cunning.

But it has been suggested that Joseph of Arimathea decided by the Spirit of God, recognizing the Word of God, that he had been involved. And he acted upon it. God had his man with him.

Yeah, I was just going to say that. It was a Joseph at the beginning of the Lord's life to take care of him. And it was a Joseph at the end to take care of his father.

He was somehow persigned. And he made his grave. He made his grave for the wicked.

Who's going to keep that? Any time for us to lose. He made his grave for the rich. I think Joel pointed that out.

The opening is they made his grave. It's primarily they made his grave. It's the idea that that was the intention of the man to make his grave for the wicked.

But he was with the rich in his death. Joseph, that was from Arimathea. He had no reason to have a tomb in Jerusalem.

But I believe he prepared that in view of the burial of the Lord Jesus. Mr. Biles points that out. It's the lawlessness of the wicked.

The lawlessness of the wicked. Verse 10, this word, please. I'll look at that, brother.

I would take it that it's primarily, maybe, it was pleasing to God because it fulfilled his purpose. It was the will of the Lord to prove his iniquity. That's right.

And I said it would please the court. For so long, I've never spoken of the court, not a courtroom before, but if it pleased the court, they're asking you to do something. So it was the pleasure and sense that it was according to his will, fulfilled his purpose, but the salvation of mankind and the entirety of God's entire future purpose was to depend upon this one great word.

This leads to the Lord. And it was God's act that ruined him, but it's not what men did. See, at the end of the verse, the pleasure of the Lord fell across from his hand.

He has subjected him to suffering, put him in grief, and he was made his soul an offering for sin. That's the guilt offering. I take it to be the offering that deals with sin completely.

He said, he shall see his seed. So the resurrection is in view. It's all the way pending.

And the results of it are going to be seen because of what he invented in Calvary. For he shall see his seed from all his days. Verse 8, who shall declare his generation? Naturally speaking, no offspring, but he shall see his seed.

There will be all nations of the earth will be blessed. Pleasure of the Lord will be the accomplishments of God's purposes in his act. Not only the work of the cross, but also all that applies to the future, bringing the church to the glory, and thus restoring the nation of Israel, bringing order to the nations, and so on.

It's not a human system here. It's a pleasure of the Lord will prosper. There's an interesting structure in the Hebrew language in this section.

It's put this way. Thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin. He shall see his seed.

That's his vicarious sufferings. Then he hath put him to grief. He shall prolong his days.

That's his inward sufferings. And then it pleads the Lord to bruise him. The pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hand.

That's what he suffered outwardly. So, it gives us something to the insight of what brought pleasure to God. One of the verbs we need to close this, the middle of verse 10 are primarily the past tense.

Now we have the future. He shall see. And he shall see the travail of his soul.

I take it to be the Lord himself. Realizing and experiencing the results of what he's accomplished on the cross. And it seems like it's not God satisfied here.

Oh, you can take that back to Ephesians. It's primarily the Lord Jesus himself. Satisfied in view of what he experienced and what he accomplished.

And all the rest in terms of his glory, the position, numbering of fortune with the multitudes of the great. You will have that position. It's all based on the fact that he poured out his soul on the day.

You can see the burnt offering here, Joel. Bearing away their iniquities. There's a scapegoat carrying their sins into an uninhabited place.

We're trying to accept the idea that they shall bear their iniquities. I mean, iniquities have been borne, but they've been delivered on the day of atonement. So I think that, as you say, he shall see, the Lord shall see.

Because it's by his knowledge and the knowledge of him that it will be justified. For he, the Lord, shall bear their iniquities. Verse 12.

This portion will be the great for itself as one split. So it's the reward of the victor. One whose triumph moved the heads of any nation, as we read in Psalm 110.

And here he is coming back to his triumph and his glory. Receiving the place of preeminence. And accomplishing all this for God.

Dividing the small into the strong. So it suggests that the portion will be great for the multitude. What it has to do with the Gentiles primarily.

Dividing the small into the strong. For freedom of all people. So we need to close.

Time is gone. Would you put the Greek offering in here at the end? Yeah. Word of the soul unto death.

Very good. Thank you very much, brother. Thank you.

Amen. Our Father, we thank thee for this time that we have had together. In thy words, we thank thee for these beautiful verses that we have been considering.

For the help that's been given to our brother to lead us through these verses. We pray that they may have a definite effect on our lives. That we be brought into a greater appreciation of our blessed Lord.

That we would be more thankful for all that he accomplished. We can't fathom the depths of his suffering. Neither can we understand the greatness of his love.

But we thank thee that we can enjoy it. And we do pray that this will help us as we gather together soon to remember our blessed Lord. We do thank thee for temporal blessings as well.

For refreshment that has been provided. And we do ask a blessing to each one in the living name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.