WHO HATH BELIEVED?
SCRIPTURE: Isaiah 53
Isaiah 53:1 “Who hath
believed our report? and to whom is the arm of the LORD revealed?” KJV
Isaiah 53:1 “Who has believed--trusted in, relied upon
and clung to--our message of that which was revealed to us? And to whom has the arm of the Lord been
disclosed?” Amplified Version
INTRODUCTION:
Of the many that hear the
report of the gospel there are few, very few, that believe it. It is
reported openly and publicly, not whispered in a corner, or confined to the schools,
but proclaimed to all; and it is so faithful a saying, and so well worthy of
all acceptation, that one would think it should be universally received and
believed. But it is quite otherwise; few believed the prophets who spoke before
of Christ; when he came himself none of the rulers nor of the Pharisees
followed him, and but here and there one of the common people; and, when the
apostles carried this report all the world over, some in every place believed,
but comparatively very few. To this day, of the many that profess to believe
this report, there are few that cordially embrace it and submit to the
power of it. Matthew Henry
The main design
of the prophet in all this portion of his prophecy is, undoubtedly, to state
the fact that the Redeemer would be greatly exalted (see Isaiah 52:13;
53:12). But in order to furnish a fair
view of his exaltation, it was necessary also to exhibit the depth of his
humiliation, and the intensity of his sorrows, and also the fact that he would
be rejected by those to whom he was sent.
Albert Barnes’ Notes
I. WHO HATH BELIEVED?
A. To Believe
1.
Believed Defined
0539 'aman {aw-man'} a primitive root; TWOT-
116; v AV - believe 44, assurance 1, faithful 20, sure 11, established 7, trust 5, verified 3,
stedfast 2, continuance 2, father 2, bring up 4, nurse 2, be nursed 1, surely be 1, stand fast 1, fail 1,
trusty 1; 108
1) to support,
confirm, be faithful
1a)
(Qal)
1a1)
to support, confirm, be faithful, uphold, nourish
1a1a)
foster-father (subst.)
1a1b)
foster-mother, nurse
1a1c)
pillars, supporters of the door
1b)
(Niphal)
1b1)
to be established, be faithful, be carried, make firm
1b1a)
to be carried by a nurse
1b1b)
made firm, sure, lasting
1b1c)
confirmed, established, sure
1b1d)
verified, confirmed
1b1e)
reliable, faithful, trusty
1c)
(Hiphil)
1c1)
to stand firm, to trust, to be certain, to believe in
1c1a)
stand firm
1c1b)
trust, believe
B. Those Who
Believed
1.
The Centurion
Matthew
8:13 “And Jesus said unto the centurion, Go thy way; and as thou hast believed,
so be it done unto thee. And his servant was
healed in the selfsame hour.”
2.
The Disciples
John
2:11 “This beginning of miracles did Jesus in Cana of Galilee, and manifested forth
his glory; and his disciples
believed on him.”
3.
The Nobleman
John 4:50 “Jesus saith unto him,
Go thy way; thy son liveth. And the man believed the word that Jesus had
spoken unto him, and he went his way.”
4.
Thomas
John 20:29 “Jesus saith unto him,
Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they
that have not seen, and yet have believed.”
5.
Abraham
Romans 4:3 “For what saith the
scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness.”
II. OUR REPORT
A. Report
08052 sh@muw`ah {sehm-oo-aw'} pass part of
08085; TWOT- 2412d; n f AV - rumour 9, tidings 8,
report
4, fame 2, bruit 1, doctrine 1, mentioned 1, news 1; 27
1) report, news, rumour
1a)
report, news, tidings
1b)
mention
B. What Is The
Report?
1.
Mankind (v. 6)
a. All we like sheep have gone astray;
b. We have turned every one to his own way;
c. The LORD hath laid on Him the iniquity of us all.
2. Christ
a. Born of a virgin.
b. Despised and rejected of men.
(v. 3)
c. He hath born our griefs, and carried our sorrows. ((v. 4)
d. He was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for
our iniquities. (v. 5)
The
word used here means properly to be broken to pieces, to be bruised, to
be crushed (Job 6:9; Psalm 72:4). Applied to mind, it means to break down or
crush by calamities and trials; and by the use of the word here, no
doubt, the most severe inward and outward sufferings are designated. Albert Barnes’ Notes
e. The chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes
we are healed. (v. 5)
f. Christ died a Sinless Sacrifice.
g. Risen from the grave as Lord and Savior.
h. Forgives us of our sins.
C. Haven’t You
Heard The Report?
Romans 10:16 “But they have not all obeyed
the gospel. For Esaias saith, Lord, who hath believed our report? 10:17
So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. 10:18 But I say, Have they not heard? Yes verily, their sound
went into all the earth, and their words unto the ends of the world.”
It is so clear. It is proclaimed worldwide.
Why haven’t you believed the report?
D. Reasons For
Not Believing The Report
1. Fell Short of Expectations
Isaiah 53:2 “For he shall grow up
before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: he hath
no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we
should desire him.” Albert Barnes’ Notes
a. Out of dry ground.
In a barren waste, or where there
is no moisture. Such a sprout or shrub is small, puny, and withered up. Such shrubs spring up in
deserts, where they are stinted for want of moisture, and they are most striking objects to represent that
which is humble and unattractive in its
personal appearance. The idea here is, that the Messiah would
spring from an ancient family decayed, but in whose root, so to speak, there would be life, as there
is remaining life in the stump of a tree that is fallen down; but that there would be nothing in his
external appearance that would attract attention, or meet the expectations of the nation. Albert Barnes’ Notes
b. No form.
(v. 2)
That
is, no beauty. He has not the beautiful form which was anticipated; the external
glory which it was supposed
he would assume. Here it means the same
as beautiful form or appearance, and refers to his state of abasement rather than to
his own personal beauty. There is no evidence that in person he was in any way deformed, or otherwise
than beautiful, except as excessive grief may have changed his natural aspect. Albert Barnes’ Notes
Saul I Samuel 9:2
“And he had a son, whose name was Saul, a choice young man, and a goodly: and there was not among the
children of Israel a goodlier person than he: from his shoulders and upward he was
higher than any of the people.”
David I Samuel 16:12
“And he sent, and brought him in. Now he was ruddy, and withal of a beautiful countenance, and goodly to
look to. And the LORD said, Arise, anoint him: for
this is he.”
ruddy --> reddish, of hair or
complexion
c. Nor comeliness. (v. 2)
It may be applied to
the countenance, to the general aspect, or to the ornaments or apparel of the
person. Here it refers to the appearance of the Messiah, as having nothing that
was answerable to their expectations. He
had no robes of royalty; no diadem sparkling on his brow;
no splendid retinue; no gorgeous array.
Albert Barnes’ Notes
d. No beauty that we should desire Him.
He does not appear in the form
which we had anticipated. He does not come
with the regal pomp and splendor
which it was supposed he would assume. He is apparently of humble rank; has few
attendants,
and has disappointed wholly the expectation of the nation. In regard to the
personal appearance
of the Redeemer, it is remarkable that the New Testament has given us no information.
Not a
hint is dropped in reference to his height of stature, or his form; respecting
the color of his hair, his
eyes, or his complexion. In all this, on which biographers are usually so full
and particular, the evangelists
are wholly silent. There was evidently design in this; and the purpose was
probably to prevent
any painting, statuary, or figure of the Redeemer, that would have any claim to
being regarded as
correct or true. Albert Barnes’
Notes
2.
Blinded Minds
II Corinthians 4:4 “In whom the
God of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest
the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should
shine unto them.”
3.
Pride Of Life
I John 2:16 “For all that is in
the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life,
is not of the Father, but is of the world.”
4.
Seared Conscience
I Timothy 4:1 “Now the Spirit
speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing
spirits, and doctrines of devils; 4:2 Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron;”
John 12:37 “But though he had
done so many miracles before them, yet they believed not on him: 12:38 That the saying of Esaias the prophet
might be fulfilled, which he spake, Lord, who hath believed our report?
and to whom hath the arm of the Lord been revealed? 12:39 Therefore they could not believe, because that Esaias said
again, 12:40 He hath blinded their eyes, and hardened their heart; that they
should not see with their eyes, nor understand with their heart, and be
converted, and I should heal them.”
II Thessalonians 2:11 “And
for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a
lie: 2:12 That they all might be damned
who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.”
III. THE ARM OF THE LORD REVEALED
A. Arm Defined
02220 z@rowa` {zer-o'-ah} or (shortened)
z@roa` {zer-o'-ah} and (fem.) z@row`ah {zer-o-aw'} or z@ro`ah
{zer-o-aw'} from 02232: TWOT- 583a; n f AV- arm 83, power 3, shoulder 2, holpen
1, mighty
1, strength 1; 91
1) arm, forearm,
shoulder, strength
1a)
arm
1b)
arm (as symbol of strength)
1c)
forces (political and military)
1d)
shoulder (of animal sacrificed)
B. Arm Symbolic
The arm is that by
which we execute a purpose, and is often used as the emblem of power (see the
notes at Isaiah 33:2; 40:10). Here it denotes
the omnipotence or power of God, which would be exhibited through the Messiah. It refers not so much, as it seems
to me, to his power in working miracles, as to the omnipotence evinced
in rescuing sinners from destruction.
Albert Barnes” Notes
C. Arm Revealed
1.
Define Arm Revealed
01540 galah {gaw-law'} a primitive root;
TWOT- 350; v AV- uncover 34, discover 29, captive 28, carry away 22, reveal 16, open 12, captivity
11, shew 9, remove 6, appear 3, misc 18; 188
1) to
uncover, remove
1a)
(Qal)
1a1)
to uncover
1a2)
to remove, depart
1a3)
to go into exile
1b)
(Niphal)
1b1)
(reflexive)
1b1a)
to uncover oneself
1b1b)
to discover or show oneself
1b1c)
to reveal himself (of God)
1b2)
(passive)
1b2a)
to be uncovered
1b2b)
to be disclosed, be discovered
1b2c)
to be revealed
1b3)
to be removed
1c)
(Piel)
1c1)
to uncover (nakedness)
1c1a)
nakedness
1c1b)
general
1c2)
to disclose, discover, lay bare
1c3)
to make known, show, reveal
1d)
(Pual) to be uncovered
1e)
(Hiphil) to carry away into exile, take into exile
1f)
(Hophal) to be taken into exile
1g)
(Hithpael)
1g1)
to be uncovered
1g2)
to reveal oneself
2.
Arm Revealed
a. By speaking with authority.
b. By healing the sick and setting free those oppressed of the
Devil.
c. By raising the dead.
d. By raising from the dead.
e. By saving to the uttermost.
IV. TO BELIEVE IS TO ACT
A. If I believed:
1. My
house was burning while I was in it, I would escape for my life.
2.
That Jesus might return any moment to rapture the Church, I would act to
become part of that great moment.
3. In
life after death, with a judgment according to our works, I would be preparing for
that time.
4.
That Jesus Christ is God’s only begotten Son, I would repent and accept
Him as Lord and Savior of
my life.
5.
That Jesus Christ could deliver me from sin and set me free, I would act
now.
B. Faith without
works
1.
James 2:17 “Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.”
2.
What man or woman in their right mind will stay in a burning house when
given an opportunity to escape?
3.
What man or woman would put off the Savior knowing that the eternal
flames of Hell awaits them at their last
breath.
C. Faith Shown By
Works
1.
James 2:18 “Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew
me thy faith without thy works, and
I will shew thee my faith by my works.”
2.
James 2:19 “Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the
devils also believe, and tremble.”
D. You Are So
Close
1.
The word is nigh thee.
Romans 10:8 “But what saith it?
The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach; 10:9
That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that
God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. 10:10 For with
the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is
made unto salvation.”
2.
Whosoever
Romans 10:13 “For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall
be saved.”
Revelations 22:17 “And the Spirit
and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let
him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life
freely.”
CONCLUSION
Do you believe:
That you are going to die?
In life after death?
That Heaven and Hell are real places?
That Jesus Christ is the Son of God?
That Christ died for your sins?
That Christ is risen from the grave and now
sits at the right hand of God making intercession for you and I?
Do you really believe that the tomb is empty?
Then act now before it is eternally too late!!!!!!!!