Video Transcript: The Messianic Hope

The complete restoration of God's people required much more than leaders  such as Ezra and Nehemiah and Zerubbabel could accomplish in their lifetimes.  It required a messiah. Hence our topic today, the Messianic hope. Looking back  at the Old Testament is we can't help but do from the perspective of people who  live after the incarnation of Jesus Christ. And you know all that the New  Testament says about his identity and purpose. It is difficult to put ourselves into  the shoes of those who lived before Jesus. And we might wonder to what extent  they expected someone like him, not just someone anointed for a special  purpose, but a particular Anointed One, a Messiah who would be the ultimate  savior and leader of God's people and bring them to a time of greater blessings  than they had ever experienced at this point. The biblical evidence is that this  expectation was well developed before Jesus began His ministry. When John  the Baptist began to preach, he was asked about who he is he was, John knew  that this question was really about whether or not he was claiming to be the  Messiah. And so he immediately denied that he was the one they were looking  for. And it wasn't only the Jews that were looking for the Messiah. So were the  Samaritans, whose religion had some things in common with that of the Jews.  The Samaritan woman whom Jesus engaged in conversation by a well in  Samaria, described in John chapter four, expressed her confidence that the  Messiah when He came, would clear up all the confusion surrounding worship  practices. By this time, the expectation of a coming Messiah had been growing  for many years. We'll look in a few minutes at what some of Israel's prophets  said about the Messianic hope. But first, let's take a look at earlier biblical hints  of a coming Messiah. Already in the time of Adam and Eve, God had promised  that a seed of the woman would deal a death blow to the serpent who  successfully tempted Adam and Eve to sin Genesis 3:15. And afterwards, we  see in the biblical story repeated instances in which God exercises his sovereign control. In order to ensure the survival of the line that eventually resulted in the  birth of Jesus. One of the first things God did was raise up Seth, to take the  place of the murdered Abel. Centuries later, he preserved alive Noah and his  family in the midst of worldwide destruction. Next, God singled out Abraham and Sarah as the couple whose descendants would be made into a nation given a  land and used to bless the whole world. After that promise, the whole story of  the Patriarchs is a story of God repeatedly performing his miracles to ensure the birth and then the survival of the Messiah's ancestral line in the miracles  continued with Israel's deliverance from Egyptian slavery, through the agency of  Moses. Furthermore, as God told Moses, this is in Deuteronomy 18:18-19. I will  raise up for them a prophet like you from among their fellow Israelites, and I will  put my words in his mouth, he will tell them everything I command him, the  context makes clear that Moses would have not only one successor, but that  God would actually raise up a series of prophets like Moses, this series of  prophets would usher Israel into its homeland, and give the people afterwards 

guidance on how to please God, there, and they would continue their all too  frustrating task throughout Israel loss of that homeland because of  disobedience, and their restoration by the grace of God. It was, especially in  these latter days, that the messianic expectation became stronger. It was clear  that not even the best prophets of Israel were able to adequately address the  problems of Israel's disobedience. So it became more and more clear that a  unique Messiah would be needed one who could really help Israel become all  that God intended it to be. The prophet Isaiah, is as clear Is any old testament  writer on the Messianic hope, among other places, he does this in four songs or  poems that deal with someone called the servant of Yahweh. Follow along in  your Bible as I read and make comments on these. The first is found in Isaiah  42:1-7, that's the first servant song. Here is my servant whom I uphold my  chosen one, in whom I delight, I will put my Spirit on Him and He will bring  justice to the nations, he will not shout or cry out or raise his voice in the streets.  A bruised reed he will not break and a smoldering wick, he will not snuff out in  faithfulness, he will bring forth justice, he will not falter or be discouraged, till he  establish his justice on Earth. In his teachings, the islands will put their hope.  This is what the Lord God says, The Creator of the heavens, who stretches  them out, who spreads out the earth with all that springs from it, who gives  breath to its people and life to those who walk on it. I, the Lord have called you  in righteousness, I will take hold of your hand, I will keep you and will make you  to be a covenant for the people and a light for the Gentiles, to open eyes that  are blind, to free captives from prison, and to release from the dungeon those  who sit in darkness. Notice several points about the servant of the Lord, the  servant of Yahweh. First, he has a relationship with God. God calls him my  servant. That means that God's strength and power uphold him that divine  support is especially necessary where identification with God results in suffering. Second, he is chosen by God and the object of God's affection. God's delight is  not limited to the act of choosing. It's not a one time or temporary thing, but  continues through the life of the servant. In God's choice of the servant is the  foundation for his honorable position in the faithful performance of his task.  Next, the servant is enabled. This is by the gift of the Spirit, the spirit's gifts can  involve many things. Micah 3:8 says this. But as for me, I am filled with power  with the Spirit of the Lord, and with justice and might to declare to Jacob his  transgression, to Israel, his sin. According to Isaiah 11, the gifts of the Spirit  entails wisdom and understanding, counsel and power and knowledge in the  fear of the Lord. All these things are characteristic of the age of salvation, and  they result in obedience to God and their direct relationship with God. Another  aspect the servant is anointed, anoint occurs throughout the scriptures in  connection with an induction into offices, for example, that happened with kings  and prophets. And also the servant is sent. His message is to be a covenant for  the people that is God's people, and to be a light and to bring justice to the 

nations that is to help all the nations, in addition to those who are God's people,  to all the nations to live under God's rule. I'll come back to say more about this  first servant song. But first, let's take a look at the second passage. Isaiah 49 :1- 13. Here Isaiah speaks in the first person as if he were this special servant.  Listen as I read it to see if you think he's talking about himself or someone else.  Verse 1, listen to me, you islands. Hear me you distant nations. Before I was  born, the Lord called me, from my birth, he has made mention of my name. As in the first passage we looked at the servant is called set apart, chosen elected.  That's the first step nothing can happen prior to the calling of God or contrary to  God's call begins it all. Verse, The next verse, verse 2, he made my mouth like a sharpened sword. In the shadow of his hand, he hid me he made me into a  polished arrow, and concealed me in his quiver. So the servant gets weapons or rather is made into a weapon, his mouth like a sharpened sword, he becomes a  polished arrow. In other words, this servant is given the necessary strength for  his work. And that work is to become a vehicle for the Word of God. Before  which everything is exposed. Verse 3, he said to me, You are my servant Israel  in whom I will display my splendor. In verse 5 continues this theme of honor  here, the servant says, I am honored in the eyes of the Lord. Also, verse 7, this  is what the Lord says, the Redeemer and Holy One of Israel to him who was  despised and abhorred by the nation to the servant of rulers, kings will see you  and rise up princes will see and bow down because of the Lord who is faithful,  the Holy One of Israel who has chosen you. There's honor for the servant, at  least sometimes, but not always. Because the servant gets discouraged by the  opposition. But I said, verse 4, going back to verse 4, but I said, I have labored  to no purpose, I've spent my strength in vain, and for nothing, yet what is do me  is in the Lord's hand, and my reward is with my god, the servant is discouraged,  even so he confesses his sure confidence in God, even the midst of this, God is  my reward, I will trust in Him. Now as to the specifics of the job that God has  given the servant of verse 5. And now the Lord says, He will for me in the womb, to be a servant, to bring Jacob back to him and to gather Israel for himself, for  I'm honored in the eyes of the Lord, and my God has been my strength. He  says, it is too small a thing for you to be my servant, to restore the tribes of  Jacob and to bring back those of Israel I have kept, I will also make you a light  for the Gentiles, that you might bring my salvation to the ends of the earth. He  who formed me in his womb to be his servant, this, this refers again, to God's  choosing, and what is the task to restore Israel for one thing that's very tasked.  That's the very thing God called all his Old Testament prophets to do to keep his people faithful. Yes, but more often to call them back to faithfulness. But the job  is bigger than this. Isaiah says, that job of restoring Israel is too small, it's too  small a thing for you to recall Israel to recall Israel to faithfulness not too easy a  thing that's not what God says but too small thing. Salvation is bigger than that.  God wants His light to go out to the Gentiles His salvation to the ends of the 

earth. And the next verses flesh out what this salvation looks like. Verse 8, this is what the Lord says, in the time of my favor, I will answer you and in the day of  salvation, I will help you. I will keep you and make you to be a covenant for the  people to restore the land, and to reassign its desolate inheritances. Salvation is a home a resting place for God's people, a place without invaders where they  can kick off their shoes, so to speak, and put their feet up where they can  provide for their families without fear of being driven away or having their land  seized by corrupt officials. Going on verse 9, what God will do, I will just say to  the captives come out and to those in darkness be free. So salvation is freedom  from captivity, it's release from prison, no more dark holes and dirty cells and  forced labor its freedom to move about freedom to go home. It's also a light in  the darkness, dispelling shadowy fears and helping people to see where to go  helping them to see how to avoid stumbling. Continuing on in verse 9, they will  feed beside the roads and find pasture on every barren hill. They were neither  hunger or thirst, nor will the desert heat or the sun beat upon them. He who has  compassion on them will guide them and lead them beside springs of water. I  will turn all my mountains into roads and my highways will be raised up. See  they will come from afar some from the north, some from the West, some from  the region of Aswan. So salvation is food and water and shade its absence of  hunger and thirst and heatstroke, its leadership through hard places, it's clear  paths. Reading at verse 13 Shout for joy Oh heavens rejoice, oh Earth burst into song Oh mountains, for the Lord comforts his people and will have compassion  on his afflicted ones. Salvation is comfort in affliction. So that's the first two  Servant Songs. But But let me stop here to ask a question. Who do you think  Isaiah is talking about? Who is this servant of the Lord? Well, we're talking about the Messianic hope, so it must be the Messiah right? But not so fast could the  servant the more than one person, we must remember that often the Old  Testament prophecies have multiple fulfillments. And if they do, then we cannot  understand the fullness of their meaning unless we understand the intermediate  fulfillments. Where we actually have to begin is with Abraham and his  descendants. Actually, God worked with particular servants before the time of  Abraham, but it's on Abraham and his descendants, physical and spiritual, that  the whole Bible focuses. Abraham, God called Abraham and his descendants  into a special relationship with Himself. He chose Abraham. Just as Isaiah says  the servant was chosen. And God enabled Abraham he made him his partner  made a covenant with him in which he guaranteed not only his own  commitments to Abraham, but Abraham's to himself. I'll expand on this in the  lecture our covenanting God, what God promised to do for Abraham and his  descendants, give them a home where they could live at peace and in fellowship with God. He also wanted them to be instrumental in helping the rest of the  world to experience as they lived in the blessed state to which God was calling  them, they would be a witness to the surrounding nations who would then say, 

we want that too. And that's the very thing that did happen in small ways. When  some of the Egyptians join the Israelites as they left Egypt, for example, and  when Rahab of Jericho threw her lot in with Israel, and when Ruth the Moabite,  left her home and family and religion to accompany Naomi to Israel, where she  could serve Yahweh, and so on. But alas, such things happen all too  infrequently, too often. It went the other way. As Israel turned its back on Yahweh to serve other gods, and then was brought to repentance, and relapsed and  then repeated the cycle in the end getting kicked out of the promised land and  sent into exile. Israel as a whole clearly failed as God's servant. But God always  maintained a remnant of the faithful. Some of them we know by name, people  like Moses, Joshua Samuel, David at the best of times, the prophets of Israel,  like Elijah and Isaiah and Ezekiel, and many others who preached to God's  people telling them to repent of their sin and come back to God. Then many we  don't know by name, like the 7000 in Israel, whom God told Elijah had not  bowed to Baal. The those included in the remnant of righteous Israel live lives of integrity and worked for justice. This righteous remnant certainly has many  characteristics of the servant of Yahweh of whom Isaiah speaks. Even so the  members of this righteous community also weren't all that successful in their  mission. And with a few exceptions, the Gentiles and nations of the world  apparently didn't benefit a whole lot from their ministry. And so while the  righteous people of Israel were indeed servants of Yahweh, what Isaiah says in  the Servant Songs applies only incompletely to them. And that's why that  righteous remnant kept looking for a more complete fulfillment and a messiah to  come. They wanted more. As the book of Hebrews puts it, in chapter 11, these  Old Testament saints were still living by faith when they died. They did not  receive the things promised they only saw them and welcome them from a  distance. They were longing for a better country, a heavenly one. Heavenly not  in the sense of an other worldly one or an other worldly experience, but this  worldly experience of life, lived in fellowship with their Creator as he had  intended from the beginning of time. Much more can be said about the  Messianic hope in the Old Testament far more than we have time for here. The  last two servant songs flesh it out a little more. The third song Isaiah 50:4-11  emphasizes the sufferings and patient endurance of the servant. The servant  declares that Yahweh who disciplined him will also vindicate him. In the obedient walk of the servants disciples as contrasted with the judgment to come on the  wicket and then the fourth song Isaiah 52-53 announces the exultation of the  servant because of His substitutionary sacrificial death, which offers satisfaction  for the sins of both his own guilty people and the nations, the Gentiles, the  servant will be supremely exalted and will both purify the nations and receive  their worship. Believing Israelites will mourn their past rejection of the servant  and seeing the true meaning of his death and the servant will be exalted,  because he did God's will in dying as a guilt offering. In closing, let me point you 

to just a couple other important passages that contributed to Israel's expectation of an ultimate Messiah. One is the first verses of Isaiah 61, quoted in part by  Jesus Himself as he began his earthly ministry. Luke in Luke 4:18-19. The Spirit  of the Lord is on me because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the  poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of  sight for the blind to set the oppressed free to proclaim the year of the Lord's  favor. Here, Jesus clearly identifies himself as the one who fulfills Isaiah's words, and the other passage is Psalm 110, which is generally held to be the most  directly prophetic of all the Psalms. In fact, Psalm 110 has the distinction of  being quoted or alluded to more often than any other Old Testament passage by the writers of the New Testament. They apply it mostly to teach the elevation of  Jesus the Messiah is in a position of authority over everything. Christ is on the  throne of the universe, where which He rules as eternal King of Kings, nor will  he turn from his purposes until everything is under his control, and there's no  more opposition. He is the one that there were other incomplete fulfillments  before him, but Christ is the one who completely fulfills all the Messianic hopes  and more of the Old Testament.