Old Testament Reading: Isaiah 53-54
Poetry Reading: Psalm 85
New Testament Reading: Mark 16
Today’s Old Testament reading of Isaiah 53 actually starts mid-way in the last of four “Servant Songs” from the book of Isaiah. If you didn’t read Isaiah 52 already, you might want to back up to Isaiah 52:13 since that is often considered the start of this poem.
Recently, I learned a new word at a Bible class I was attending when the teacher mentioned the variations of “pericopes” Bible publishers use. For some reason the word entertained me enough to laugh, and while I couldn’t remember the word writing this and had to look it up and laughed again saying it to myself, it just means the heading at the top of the divisions of scripture. In my Bible, the pericope for Isaiah 53 is called The Suffering Servant, giving a good clue that this is a rather serious subject.
I have been enjoying a Christian historical fiction book recently set during the time of Jesus as a Jewish family is piecing together scriptures and promises as they are hearing what is going on near their “out of town relatives in Nazareth”. I have been struck by how much of Isaiah they knew and were waiting to see fulfilled and come clear, and how much what we know of our Messiah today is woven together throughout scripture. It brings such credibility and contextual understanding to have the Old with the New Testament and Isaiah 53 is certainly one of those linking passages. From what I can see, it is directly quoted at least eight times in the New Testament in a variety of writings including Matthew, Luke, John, Romans, Acts, and I Peter. Beyond these, we also see more New Testament references to the chapter’s concept referenced indirectly.
If you are doing the New Testament readings this week wrapping up Mark as well, you will certainly see the parallel to this concept that a blameless Messiah suffered torture and humiliation as an intercessor for the sins of all. It was prophesied about hundreds of years before Jesus came into existence in the womb of Mary, and it came true, bringing credibility to the well-preserved and passed down Hebrew scriptures. We have a mediator between God and us. We don’t have to sacrifice animals, recite chants, or come up with meaningless ways to “pay back” for our sins. We can’t fix the problem. But the son of God did:
“He poured out His blife unto death,
And was counted with wrongdoers;
Yet He Himself bore the sin of many,
And interceded for the wrongdoers.”
New American Standard Bible (La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation, 2020), Is 53:12.
Isaiah 54 starts with shouts for joy and continues on with an encouraging message that supersedes whatever brings shame, sorrow, and feelings of abandonment. While the main character in chapter 53 was the Servant, in this chapter we are reunited with a female character mentioned earlier in Isaiah. Earlier in Isaiah this woman was abandoned by her husband and then later reunited with him. (Side note: I know someone who had this happen in real life just like Israel did!) This woman seems to be a personified “Zion”, sometimes representing the city of Jerusalem, sometimes the nation of Israel, sometimes the descendants of Abraham. Whatever the case in chapter 54….she’s getting good news! While she’s felt abandoned and forsaken for a time, she is given a lot of beautiful promises. She doesn’t need to fear weapons, enemies, or past mistakes. She is promised everlasting comfort, compassion, peace, and some pretty cool gems (like maybe the ones in the New Jerusalem?!). I couldn’t even pick a favorite verse to pull out, but here’s one I liked and I’m sure you’ll find other words of encouragement in this chapter.
“For the mountains may be removed and the hills may shake,
But My favor will not be removed from you,
Nor will My covenant of peace be shaken,”
New American Standard Bible (La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation, 2020), Is 54:10.
-Jennifer Hall
Reflection Questions:
1. How does learning the Old Testament scriptures impact your understanding of the New Testament?
2. What message in the Suffering Servant poem might you need to be reminded of today?
3. What words of encouragement do you see in Isaiah 53 and 54 for yourself? Or for someone else you know?
Seek Grow Love 