Bible Studies
God’s Glory Is Revealed in the Messianic Promise (Jn. 12:35-41)
Series: Glory of God from IsaiahIntroduction:
1. The passage just read quotes from two passages in Isaiah. The first from Isa. 53; the second from Isa. 6. 2. John says that “Isaiah saw His glory and spoke of Him.” Of course he is referring to Isaiah seeing the glory of Jesus. 3. It appears that John is saying that in his prophecies he saw the glory of Jesus’ coming. Indeed the book of Isaiah is filled with Messianic references. Already in the previous lesson we discussed the glory of God as revealed in the kingdom prophecies. These prophecies too are Messianic in nature. 4. Indeed the word “Messiah” means “the anointed” and refers to God’s anointed king. However, in this lesson we are going to look at some of the prophecies of Isaiah that overlay the kingdom concept but focus specifically on the King rather than the kingdom. They reflect the greatness of God’s glory in His plan to bring forth His Son into the world.Discussion:
I. The nation of Israel was in a gloomy circumstance in the days of Isaiah, but God promised to bring light to their darkness (8:21-9:6; Note: Matt. 4:12-17).A. They stood condemned by God.
1. They had forsaken His word and consulted mediums and spiritists instead (8:19). They had rejected the law of the Lord and despised His word (5:24).
2. God was hiding His face from them (8:17).
3. Judgment was inevitable. It would come at the hands of the Assyrians and the Babylonians.
4. The people had trusted in foreign armies: Egypt and Assyria and not in the Lord.
5. The day of reckoning had arrived (2:12ff).
B. But God did not leave them without hope.
1. He would bare his holy arm to bring restoration, comfort, redemption, salvation, (52:8-10).
2. God would do this because of the covenant He had with them (51:14-16; 43:1; Cf. Ex. 6:7).
3. This covenant was founded upon His livingkindness and compassion (54:9-10).
4. It would be according to the “faithful mercies shown to David” (55:3) and would be like waters flowing in the desert (55:1ff).
C. This hope may have been partially realized in their release from exile, but it was not fully realized until the coming of the Messiah. In Acts 13:32-39 Paul preached that Jesus was the fulfillment of Isa. 55:3.
D. Yes, their immediate circumstance was gloomy, but there was hope on the horizon.
II. Their hope would come through one God called “His servant.”A. God introduces His Servant in 42:1-8.
1. “I have put My Spirit upon Him.”
a. John saw the Spirit of God descending as a dove upon Jesus and heard the voice of God authenticating Him as the Son of God (Matt. 3:16-17).
b. In his hometown Jesus quoted Isa. 61:1 which refers to the Spirit of the Lord upon Him, and said, “Today this Scripture has been fulfilled” (Lk. 4:18-21).
2. Accomplished by the glory of God.
B. The Servant passages in Isaiah seem sometimes to refer to the nation of Israel as God’s servant; sometimes to Jesus (49:1-6; 50:4-9).
1. Indeed Israel becomes a type of which Jesus is the anti-type. Israel is the shadow/copy; Jesus is the reality. Cf. 52:13-14.
2. But through these texts we learn something of what it means to be God’s servant and there exists a challenge to us to be God’s servant, to serve His purpose, to accomplish His work. Apply to class on early church—the purpose of the people of God is God’s work of seeking and saving the lost.
3. God’s Servant is a light to the nations to open blind eyes and bring out prisoners from the dungeon (42:6-7; 49:6).
4. Indeed these are the passages Pau l quoted as he turned to take message of the gospel to the Gentiles (Acts 13:47).
a. We are recipients of the work of God’s Servant(s).
b. We become God’s servants in the work of proclaiming the word of His grace to others.
c. Oh, ladies and gentlemen you must understand your place just as Jesus (Israel and Paul) understood His.
C. Jesus is the ultimate Servant (52:13-53:12).
1. The arm of the Lord accomplishes this (53:1b).
2. Read with me 53:2-6, this passage that is so well know to us and yet so profound, well known because it is so profound.
3. Who could have believed it? The way of the Servant of the Lord is the way of complete and total subjection of oneself to the suffering demanded in the execution of His grace, a grace that saves His people by dying for them.
III. But there is a problem: “Who will believe the message?” (Isa. 53:1).A. Isaiah was sent to a people with ears that were dull, eyes that were dim and hearts that were insensitive (6:9-10).
1. His message was of the glory of God and how it would bring about great and magnificent things.
2. But who could believe it?
3. Nevertheless, God would act to help them (42:14-23).
B. He will not only open their eyes, but use them to open the eyes of the nations (42:6-7).
1. Listen to Paul as he speaks about the “stewardship of God’s grace (Eph. 3:1-13).
2. The gifts that have been given are for the carrying out of this purpose (Eph. 4:7-16).
C. But you must believe in the cornerstone (Isa. 28:16; Rom. 9:3; 10:11; 1 Pet. 2:6-7).
1. All those who believe in it will not be disappointed.
2. They will be built together as living stones built up as a spiritual house, a people for God’s own possession to proclaim the excellencies of Him who called us out of darkness and into His marvelous light (1 Pet. 2:4-10).
D. God graciously opens hearts with His powerful message of salvation through Jesus Christ. To those in gloom He proclaims light and why shouldn’t He? He is the God of light; the God of glory!
Conclusion:
1. Oh dear sinner do you see His glory? 2. Do you see His great plan for your redemption? 3. Do you believe the message?
