Isaiah 53:1-12. Isaiah's prophecies were given during troubled times to the people of Judah and Jerusalem living under the threat of the Assyrian invasion, which God allowed due to Israel's rebellion against Him. (Isaiah 1:1-3). Isaiah's visions present both warnings and hopes. However, one part of the vision was mysterious and totally unexpected - Isaiah 53. "Who has believed our message? Who would have thought God’s saving power (the arm of the Lord) would look like this?" (v1) Isaiah prophesies about an unnamed servant who would rescue His people. The unnamed servant would succeed not by power but by surrender and suffering, bringing salvation and healing to His people and the world. He would be a man of suffering according to God's will (v3,10) - His punishment would bring peace, and his wounds, healing (v5) - some blessings of His sacrifice. Like a lamb, He will not resist suffering (v7) but w...
