Bible Stories for Adults

Isaiah Prophesies About Jesus - Humiliation

Isaiah

Next Week - Psalms Tell About Jesus - Exaltation (Psalms 2; 16; 110; 118)
Bible Words to Remember:
Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made Himself nothing, taking the very form of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to death - even death on a cross! Philippians 2:5-8

What did God require of the kings of His people?
1 Kings 11:37-38 = Walk in my ways & follow my statutes and I will bless you
How faithful were the kings of Israel, the northern kingdom?
2 Kings 17:21-22 = They persisted in the sins of Jeroboam
How faithful was Judah, the southern kingdom?
2 Kings 17:19 = Judah followed the practices Israel had introduced
Did God give up on the people immediately after Jeroboam turned them away?
2 Kings 17:13-14 = No, He sent prophets to Israel & Judah to turn them back to Him

At what point in Jewish history did Isaiah serve as God's prophet and to whom did he prophesy?
Isaiah 1:1 = Prophesied to Judah while Israel was being conquered by Assyrians
How did God call Isaiah and how was the call accepted?
Isaiah 6:1, 8 = God asked Whom shall I send? Isaiah said Here am I. Send me!

How does Isaiah begin his ministry?
Isaiah 1:2-4 = Tells the problem: God's kids have rebelled & turned their backs on Him
Hadn't God tried to discipline them and turn them back to Him?
Isaiah 1:5-6 = Yes, but they still persisted in rebellion

What was the problem? Were the Jews not religious enough? = We're not just to go thru the motions
Isaiah 1:11-14 = He detests their meaningless worship rituals for the sake of religion
What did God want?
Isaiah 1:16-17 = Live in righteousness, not evil

How could they become righteous? What about their guilt of past evils?
Isaiah 1:18 = God will forgive them
What would happen if the people didn't return to God?
Isaiah 1:19-20 = you will be devoured by the sword

Knowing that the Jews would not repent and return, what did God say He would do?
Isaiah 1:21, 25 = He would specially discipline them to purify them
What hope would the Jews have after they were punished with exile?
Isaiah 1:26 = They would be restored and would live in Righteousness

How would the Jews know when this time of restoration and righteousness begins?
Isaiah 7:14 = The virgin will...give birth to a son, and will call him "God with us"
How would the news get out to everyone?
Isaiah 40:3-5 = A messenger would come and prepare the way, all mankind will hear
What did Isaiah tell them about this child?
Isaiah 9:6-7 = He would be a great & righteous ruler and would reign forever
What kind of a king would this child become?
Isaiah 11:1-5 = A righteous and faithful king like David, even better

What would this great king mean for Israel?
Isaiah 11:10, 12 = All exiles would return, the world will rally around
Why would the rest of the world rally around Israel? = Jews see world peace based in Israel
Isaiah 49:6 = This king would save not only Israel, but the whole world
How peaceful would things be under this king?
Isaiah 11:6-9 = All of creation would be at peace - The wolf will live with the lamb

Why would this king be so successful?
Isaiah 42:1 = He would be a servant to the Lord, God would be with him
How did this relate to Israel's original calling?
Isaiah 41:8-9 = God had called Israel to be His servant
How obedient would this chosen servant be?
Isaiah 50:4-7 = He will stand faithful even to beating, mocking, spitting, accusations
Isaiah's Four Servant Songs
. Isaiah 42:1-7 = Here is my servant, my chosen, he will establish justice on earth
. Isaiah 49:1-6 = It isn't enough to restore Israel, also save the whole world
. Isaiah 50:4-9 = Offer my back to be beaten, my cheeks to pull out my beard
. Isaiah 52:13-53:12 = He was despised, rejected, bore our sins, suffered to save many
While the Jews misunderstood what Isaiah was describing, how well did Isaiah understand?
1 Peter 1:10-12 = He didn't, he also longed to understand.

Isaiah's fourth servant song (52:13-53:12) points directly to Jesus
It can convince Jews that Jesus is the promised Messiah - Called The Doubter's Chapter

How does Isaiah begin his fourth servant song that accurately describes Jesus?
Isaiah 52:13 = He will be raised and lifted up and highly exalted
How was Jesus highly exalted? = Raised & lifted on cross, from grave, into heaven
Philippians 2:9 = God exalted Him to the highest place
How did Isaiah's next verse confuse the Jews' picture of this great king?
Isaiah 52:14 = Many were appalled at him - his appearance was so disfigured
How did this describe Jesus?
Mark 14:65; 15:17-19 = He was whipped, beaten, crown of thorns, hit on head

How would this king save the whole world? = Sacrifice blood sprinkled on people
Isaiah 52:15 = He would bring nations to God, they could be atoned with sacrifices
How did this reference to the sprinkling of blood off the atoning sacrifice point to Jesus?
1 Peter 1:2 = Jesus was the ultimate atoning sacrifice and sprinkled His blood on us
What other sprinkling did Jesus bring to us?
Hebrews 10:22 = The waters of baptism

How would the true message of this servant be accepted?
Isaiah 53:1 = People wouldn't believe what would be revealed to them
How was this fulfilled with Jesus?
John 12:37-38 = The Jews didn't believe in Jesus, despite his miraculous signs

Would this great king look like a great king?
Isaiah 53:2 = He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him
Didn't Jesus attract people by His greatness wherever He went?
Matthew 13:54-57 = No, He was rejected in His hometown, People came for message

Besides his looks, how well would this great king of the Jews be accepted by people?
Isaiah 53:3 = He'd be despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows & suffering
How clearly was Jesus despised and rejected by men?
Mark 15:29-32 = He was mocked and insulted while being crucified

Although despised and rejected, what would this servant do for mankind?
Isaiah 53:4a = He would take away our pains and troubles
How did Jesus take away pains and troubles?
Matthew 8:16-17 = He drove out demons and healed the sick

How would this servant be supported by God during his thankless work for mankind?
Isaiah 53:4b = We considered him stricken by God, smitten by Him and afflicted
How was this played out in Jesus?
Matthew 27:43, 46 = Let God save him ... My God, why have you forsaken me?

Why would God strike, smite and afflict this great servant?
Isaiah 53:5a = He was pierced for our transgressions...crushed for our iniquities
How directly was this fulfilled by Jesus?
John 19:33-34, 36 = He was pierced by the soldiers to make sure He was dead

Would the servant do this because mankind would be so deserving?
Isaiah 53:5b-6 = Man turned his own way like sheep; by his wounds we are healed
How does Peter explain this was fulfilled by Jesus?
1 Peter 2:24-25 = He quotes from these verses to show how Jesus died for our sins

How willingly would this servant go through this suffering?
Isaiah 53:7 = He wouldn't even defend himself, like a lamb to the slaughter
Did Jesus fit this description?
Matthew 27:12-14 = He gave no answer to the accusations thrown at Him

Would people recognize what was happening when this was carried out?
Isaiah 53:8 = Read footnote translation - Who considered he was their substitute?
How was Jesus our substitute?
2 Corinthians 5:21 = God made Him who had no sin to be a sin offering for us

How would this great king be treated in his death? = See v12 regarding "with the wicked"
Isaiah 53:9 = He was assigned a grave with the ... rich
How did this describe Jesus?
Matthew 27:57-60 = He was buried in the fresh grave of rich Joseph of Arimathea

Why would this servant go through all of this suffering?
Isaiah 53:10-11 = He will see the light of life and be satisfied that he justified many
How did Jesus see the light of life?
Matthew 28:6 = He rose from death
How does knowledge of this justify many?
Romans 10:9 = If you believe Jesus is Lord & that He died & rose, you will be saved

How does Isaiah summarize his song on the suffering servant?
Isaiah 53:12 = He was numbered with sinners and bore their sins
How was Jesus numbered with the transgressors?
Mark 15:27-28 = He was given a criminal's death with robbers on each side

Besides being forever thankful of what Jesus did for us, what should we learn from this?
Philippians 2:5-8 = Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus ... humility