Seeing, Hearing, Believing?

Good morning!

Isaiah 53 is one of the most treasured chapters in the Old Testament for Christians because it prophetically describes our suffering Messiah, Jesus.

It is interesting to me that the chapter begins in verse 1 by taking note that not everyone will believe that Jesus is the Messiah.  Of course, Jesus' name was not known in Isaiah's day.  But, God says through His prophet that some will not believe when the Messiah appears.

"Who has believed our report and to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed?"

When John the Baptist (not to be confused with John the Apostle) came on the Judean scene, shortly before 30 A.D., there had not been a prophet of God in approximately 400 years.  In all that time, significant theological misunderstandings had developed.  In John's day, there was a sect of Jews called the Pharisees, another called the Sadducees, another called the Zealots, to name a few.  They all believed different things and had different goals.  It was what we today would call "a hot mess".

Then, here comes John the Baptist, "guns blazing" - - -
"Prepare ye the way of the Lord!"  (Isaiah 40:3; Mark 1:3)  and "Repent!  For the kingdom of God is at hand!" (Matthew 3:1-4).  

"In those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judaea,

2 And saying, Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.

3 For this is he that was spoken of by the prophet Esaias, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.

4 And the same John had his raiment of camel's hair, and a leathern girdle about his loins; and his meat was locusts and wild honey."

The people of that day did not know what to think!  They were probably thinking that Judah was about to be delivered from the hands of the Roman conquerors that ruled over them at the time. Hoped so, anyway.

John the Baptist was Jesus' cousin in that His mother, Mary, and John's mother, Elizabeth, were cousins.  John began his ministry in the desert, a sparsely populated part of the country.  He lived there a life of extreme deprivation, eating only locusts and honey, preparing for his broader earthly ministry.   The point I want to make here is this:  when you read about John the Baptist in Scripture, he refers to Jesus as the suffering Messiah, not as a ruling conqueror or king.  Listen to his words, recorded by John the apostle, at Jesus' baptism:  (John 1:28-32)

These things were done in Bethabara beyond Jordan, where John was baptizing.

29 The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.

30 This is he of whom I said, After me cometh a man which is preferred before me: for he was before me.

31 And I knew him not: but that he should be made manifest to Israel, therefore am I come baptizing with water.

32 And John bare record, saying, I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and it abode upon him.

There is a more direct account of Jesus' baptism in Matthew 3, if you want to read about there as well.

At His baptism, Jesus' earthly ministry was confirmed by the Holy Spirit descending on Him in the form of a dove.  Notice that Father (who spoke), Son, and Holy Spirit were all present at Jesus' baptism.  I believe that this was supposed to be the first time Jesus drew attention to His deity.  But, the marriage in Cana happened previously; the hosts ran out of wine.  Mary begged Jesus to do something; and so, being a loving son, He did His first miracle there.

I seem to have wandered far afield of Isaiah 53.  So, let me return.  There was a group of Pharisees watching John baptize the day He baptized Jesus.  John was already rocking their boat, so to speak, and now.... here was a new wrinkle!  (The Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world....whahhht??)

The upshot of it all, as we know, is that the religious leaders of that day totally missed it.  Most of them totally missed who Jesus was.

It is still happening today.  Last night, I was reading Josh and Sean McDowell's updated, Evidence that Demands a Verdict.  There is so much out there to "prove" that the Bible is the most accurate and accurately preserved historical document of all time.  Yet, there are so many who refuse to examine the evidence, choosing to dismiss it as "just a book".

"Who has believed our report and to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed?"

Has He revealed Himself to you?  If so, what will you do with Jesus?  This is life's most important question, and your answer will determine your eternity.

Father God, please open our eyes and reveal Yourself to us.  We cannot know You unless You do.  I am so burdened for loved ones who walk in darkness today.  I pray that You will make Yourself known to them in such a way that they will not be able to make any other decision but to choose You. For those of us who already know You through a heart-changing belief in Your Son, please give us more of You.  And, I pray that, as You do, we will respond by letting Your Spirit mold us, change us, shape us more fully into Christ's image.  I pray that each of us will be faithful to the revelation we have been given so that we can walk....resplendent!  In Jesus' name, amen.