Isaiah 53;1 “Who has believed our message
and to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?
This is one of the most important chapters in the whole Bible, laying out God’s incredible plan of salvation hundreds of years before Jesus’ birth. Verse 6 was one of the first verses I ever memorized, and rightly so. Verse 5 was rightly quoted by Peter as the basis for the healing we pray for today. (1 Peter 2:24) I have heard many testimonies of Jews realizing that Jesus was indeed the promised Messiah from reading this chapter, because it so undeniably lays out His life and what He went through to gain our salvation. That’s why it’s significant that the chapter starts with this question. It’s interesting that English translations generally say “our message” here, but the Japanese says “what we have heard.” It is indeed the message that Christians proclaim, but it doesn’t originate with us. No human being could have dreamed up what God planned from Creation to make a way for us to be His children indeed. It is the highest honor to proclaim this message, but we must not think we originated it, or change it in any way. Any such changes quickly make it “another gospel,” to use Paul’s terminology. (Galatians 1:7) It has always been interesting to me that it speaks of Jesus having no physical descendants (verse 8) and then turns around and says He will “see His offspring” two verses later. On the physical level that’s impossible, but every genuine believer has experienced it spiritually. That’s just a further reminder that the spiritual world, though invisible to our physical eyes, is very real indeed. All in all, this chapter is a prime example of why Scripture is to be digested, meditated on, and applied, rather than just read for the words on the page.
As I said, I was exposed to this chapter very early in my life, but it is still working its way into me and growing. I need to believe it in practical terms more and more, and I desire to be useful to God in sharing the message so that others may believe it as well. It is a message of such incredible love, grace, mercy, and glory that I will never be able to express it totally, but it is a joy to keep trying! I am currently at a leadership conference where the theme is Mission Advance, and I am surrounded by people who have the same goals I do. What a blessing! This morning and tomorrow morning I will have the privilege of providing simultaneous English interpretation for some brothers and sisters who are here from Singapore. It’s been a while since I’ve done that, and my brain isn’t as young as it once was. I need to rest, relax, and rejoice in my Lord so that His Word will not be distorted as it passes through me. Sequential interpreting is no big deal for me, but having to speak and listen at the same time is certainly taxing, particularly since word/sentence order in English and Japanese are often reversed. However, I know from experience that God can do it through me, because He can speak to me even as He is speaking to the person on the podium. I am not to be anxious, but rejoice to be useful to God for building up the Body of Christ.
Father, thank You for getting us here safely yesterday, and for the blessings You have already poured out. Thank You for the testimony from the pastor who was elected to the Diet just last year about how he is frequently asked outright to explain the Christian position, and the Gospel itself, to the national leaders with whom he works. I pray for a revival in the Japanese government! Thank You for the reminder that nothing is impossible for You, and that Your ways are indeed higher than anything we could dream up – just as this chapter in Isaiah demonstrates. May I indeed get my eyes off of myself and my limitations and trust You totally to do more than I could ask or think, (Ephesians 3:20) for Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!