One of the most clear Bible prophecies that has already been fulfilled concerns Isaiah’s portrayal of the Suffering servant, found in Isaiah 52:13 – Isaiah 53. Written around 700 years before the time of Messiah, it is a fascinating description of One whose mission it would be to bear the sins of God’s people, be cut off from the land of the living and rise again from death.
The passage itself is extremely clear, yet it remains controversial for the simple fact that its implications are so radical. Many Jews see this passage as referring to the nation of Israel itself, while others see this as perhaps speaking of a second Messiah, for they cannot see (or refuse to see) how a victorious world conqueror could also be one who is shamed and despised in the way Isaiah decribes. However, Christians believe there is just one Messiah who fulfills every prophetic prediction in Himself by means of two comings into this world. In the first coming, He came to remove sin by means of His sacrifice, in the second, He comes to reveal the extent of His rule as King of Kings and Lord of lords. He already is the Lord; He already is the King, though earthly eyes still await the visible evidence of His rule. Yet just as certainly as the prophecies of Messiah’s birth, life, death and resurrection were fulfiled in His first coming, so the King will come again one day soon to claim what rightfully belongs to Him. Even so, come Lord Jesus.
Here’s my friend, Dr. James White as he walks us through Isaiah’s astonishing predictions, found in chapter 52:13 and following:
Part 1
Part 2
Did you know? Chapter and verse divisions were not part of the original Bible text but were added much later for reference sake. This is something of a mixed blessing. In one way, it is a very good thing because it enables people to find a specific text quickly (imagine a preacher today asking people to turn to a text in Isaiah or Jeremiah and the people having to read through each book until they came across the verse he was refering to). Yet in another way, it is not a good thing as it tends towards people reading only specific texts rather than seeing each verse in its original context. Nevertheless, the chapter divisions and verse numbers have become indispensable as technical references for Bible study.
VERSES: In 1551, Robert Estienne (a.k.a. Stephanus) added verse divisions to his fourth edition of the Greek New Testament, while en route between Paris and Lyons, France. Some scholars, critical of the way he divided verses, suggested he did so while on horseback.