By Tom Stephens

Isaiah’s Portrait of Jesus Christ

From Tom Stephens

ISAIAH’S MESSIANIC PROPHECIES: This prophet looked down the centuries and saw the coming Messiah. He has given us the most perfect picture of the history, mission, titles, and characteristics of Christ of any of the great Hebrew prophets.

I. HISTORY

A. Birth: “Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel” (Isaiah 7:14).

B. Family: “And there shall come a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots: And the spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him, the wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord....” (Isaiah 11:1).

C. Anointing: “And the spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him, the wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord” (Isaiah 11:2).

II. MISSION

A. Illuminator: “The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light: they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them heath the light shined” (Isaiah 9:2).

B. Judge: “And shall make him of quick understanding in the fear of the Lord: and he shall not judge after the sight of his eyes, neither reprove after the hearing of his ears” (Isaiah 11:3).

C. Reprover: “But with righteousness shall he judge the poor, and reprove with equity for the meek of the earth” and he shall smite the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips shall he slay the wicked” (Isaiah 11: 4).

D. Law Giver: “He shall not fall nor be discouraged, till he have set judgment in the earth: and the isles shall wait for his law” (Isaiah 42:4).

E. Liberator: “To open the blind eyes, to bring out the prisoners from the prison, and them that sit in darkness out of the prison house” (Isaiah 42:7).

F. Burden Bearer: “Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted” (Isaiah 53:4).

G. Sin Bearer: “All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all” (Isaiah 53:6).

H. Intercessor: “Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he hath poured out his soul unto death: and he was numbered with the transgressors, and he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors” (Isaiah 53:12).

I. Only Savior: “But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed” (Isaiah 53:5).

III. TITLES

A. Immanuel: “Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall con ceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel” (Isaiah 7:14).

B. Mighty God: “For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, the mighty God, the everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace” (Isaiah 9:6).

C. Everlasting Father: “For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, the mighty God, the everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace”(Isaiah 9:6).

D. Prince of Peace: “For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace”(Isaiah 9:6).

E. Righteous King: “Behold, a king shall reign in righteousness, and princes shall rule in judgment” (Isaiah 32:1).

F. Divine Servant: “Behold my servant, whom I uphold; mine elect, in whom my soul delighteth; I have put my spirit upon him: he shall bring forth judgment to the Gentiles” (Isaiah 42:1).

G. Arm of the Lord: “Who hath believed our report? And to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed?” (Isaiah 53:1).

H. Anointed Preacher: “The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me; because the Lord hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound; to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn” (Isaiah 61:1, 2).

I. Mighty Traveler: “Who is this that cometh from Edom, with dyed garments from Bozrah? This that is glorious in his apparel, traveling in the greatness of his strength? I that speak in righteousness, mighty to save” (Isaiah 63:1).

IV. CHARACTERISTICS

A. Wisdom: “And the spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and the fear of the LORD;” (Isaiah 11:2).

B. Spiritual Discernment: “And shall make him of quick understanding in the fear of the Lord: and he shall not judge after the sight of his eyes, neither reprove after the hearing of his ears” (Isaiah11:3).

C. Justice: “But with righteousness shall he judge the poor, and reprove with equity for the meek of the earth: and he shall smite the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips shall he slay the wicked” (Isaiah 11:4).

D. Righteousness: “And righteousness shall be the girdle of his loins, and faithfulness the girdle of his reigns” (Isaiah 11:5).

E. Silence: “He shall not cry, nor lift up, nor cause his voice to be heard in the street” Isaiah 42:2).

“He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth” (Isaiah 53:7).

F. Gentleness: “A bruised reed shall he not break, and the smoking flax shall he not quench: he shall bring forth judgment unto truth” (Isaiah 42:3).

G. Perseverance: “He shall not fall nor be discouraged, till he have set judgment in the earth: and the isles shall wait for his law”(Isaiah 42:4).

H. Radiance: “I the LORD have called thee in righteousness, and will hold thine hand and will keep thee, and give thee for a covenant of the people, for a light of the Gentiles” (Isaiah 42:6).

“The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light: they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath the light shined” (Isaiah 9:2).

I. Compassion: “Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted” (Isaiah 53:4).

J. Meekness: “He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth” (Isaiah 53:7).

K. Vicarious Suffering: “Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in his hand” (Isaiah 53:10).

“And many were astonied at thee; his visage was so marred more than any man, and his form more than the sons of men: so shall he sprinkle many nations; the kings shall shut their mouths at him; for that which had not been told them shall they see; and that which they had not heard shall they consider” (Isaiah 52:14).

L. Sinlessness: “And he made his grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death; because he had done no violence, neither was any deceit in his mouth” (Isaiah 53:9).

M. Greatness: “Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he hath poured out his soul unto death: and he was numbered with the transgressors, and he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors” (Isaiah 53:12).

N. Saving Power: “He shall see the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities” (Isaiah 53:11).