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Day 122 – Thru the Bible
Today we continue Isaiah and Psalms.
Here’s a video talking about the Gospel of the Kingdom.
Video – Theme: Gospel of the Kingdom
Read more about the Gospel of the Kingdom – here.
Isaiah 52 & 53 – Sometimes called the “fifth Gospel” (see Psalm 22), this fourth “Servant Song” beautifully and movingly portrays a remnant vicariously suffering on behalf of others. Yet this remnant is narrowed down to One. He is an individual who is exalted through humiliation: His glory comes not through attractive physical appearance (52:14; 53:2–3), but by His willingness to experience the disgrace and judgment due to others (53:4–12). It was not for His sin, but for “our transgressions . . . our iniquities” that He suffered. He has “brought us peace” and by His pain “we are healed” (53:5). In a unique way, this coming servant would be “crushed” and would face “anguish” (53:10–11) in the process of offering Himself as an atoning sacrifice, bearing the sins of others and making “intercession for the transgressors” (53:12; cf. Hebrews 7:22–25).
Few passages in the Old Testament so clearly anticipate and give texture to the Person and work of Jesus. These verses helped the apostles make sense of the significance of Jesus’ death: He was condemned with sinners so that we might be pardoned (53:12; Luke 22:37). God providentially used this passage (53:7–8) to allow Philip to explain the gospel to the Ethiopian eunuch (Acts 8:26–40) and encourage his baptism (52:15). Peter appears to apply the passage (53:5, 9) to Jesus hanging on a tree: “by His wounds you have been healed” (1 Peter 2:22–24).
For both Isaiah and Peter, such grace transforms the receiver, so that having been healed, Believers are called to “die to sin and live to righteousness” (1 Peter 2:24).
How is your life revealing the Gospel at work within you?
Isaiah 54 – Three times the readers are reminded of God’s compassion, which is taken as His great “yes” to His people (2 Corinthians 1:19–20). While Israel had been disobedient, only for a brief time did they experience God’s chastisement. Such times always ended with His “great compassion” to gather His people, to draw them up again into His “everlasting love” out of which His “covenant of peace shall not be removed.”
This preservation and “vindication” of God’s people grows out of the substitutionary sacrifice made by the suffering Servant, the One through whom God achieves their redemption. As seen before, while God is confessed as Creator of the universe, He pledges Himself in particular to Israel: “your Maker is your husband,” and “the Holy One of Israel is your Redeemer.” God’s people should not be afraid, since God has made His covenant promise: “I have sworn that I will not be angry with you, and will not rebuke you.”
In the New Testament, these promises are applied to the church, the “children of promise” who are liberated by the gospel (Galatians 4:27–31). Set free in Jesus from sin’s condemnation, we are also freed to live in loving service to others. In this way our lives are conformed to the cross-shaped life of the suffering Servant (Galatians 5:1–15).
In the Gospels, Jesus too draws on this text (54:13) to make it clear that He has been uniquely sent from the Father. Receiving Jesus’ words is recognized as being “taught by God” Himself (John 6:42–46). The ancient promises and provision of God (e.g., manna) are now realized in Jesus’ very flesh and blood.
As the compassionate Servant, how does Jesus anticipate His sacrificial death and promises eternal life to those who trust in Him? Hint: John 6:47–59.
Psalm 119:97-128 – Reading Psalm 119 should bring Jesus to mind in at least two ways. First, He lived out the principles and commandments of this Psalm perfectly as He loved the law of the Lord and meditated on it day and night. Second, His very life gave the fullest expression possible of this Word, as He came as the very living Word of God Himself. Jesus is Himself God’s message to the world.
What other thoughts or questions does today’s reading bring up?
Some of these notes are from the ESV Gospel Transformation Bible study notes. We highly recommend this study Bible.
Videos produced by www.TheGospelProject.com.
All links you need to be a part of this are here – Thru the Bible in 2018.