Isaiah is a special prophet. Not only because his book is enormous in length, but also because its content is incredibly broad and leads directly to Jesus. This is what distinguishes this prophet and makes him worth a closer look.
The prophets of the Old Testament were generally sent to Israel. They specifically identified where sin existed and called for repentance. This message was underscored by announcements of punishment (judgment). However, these were not God's final word. Therefore, the prophets also frequently conveyed promises of salvation. Ultimately, the prophets agreed that God's salvation awaited Israel—a remarkable prospect.
Some of the prophets also touch upon the nations in passing. In Isaiah, however, the perspective of nations is strongly pronounced; the prophet has a global horizon. This gives the book its breadth and grandeur. But there is another focus as well. The prophet speaks remarkably often of a coming person whom God will use in a very special way. This is an anointed one, a savior, a servant of God, indeed, a representative of God. The corresponding texts are frequently interpreted messianically. The New Testament also does this, relating these texts to Jesus. From a Christian perspective, this is obvious; for Jews, however, the question of who is meant remains open. I would like to discuss some of these texts. They reveal the person and ministry of Jesus in a unique way.
A child is born to us
The Gospels of the New Testament all recount Jesus' ministry in Israel. Two evangelists – Matthew and Luke – also discuss Jesus' childhood, birth, and conception. This makes it clear: Jesus is no ordinary man. Isaiah already speaks of this.
Look! The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and he will be called Immanuel, which means: God is with us. (Isaiah 7:14)
In Isaiah 7:14, a special, indeed unique, child is expected: one born of a virgin. The Hebrew word for virgin (calmah) is not entirely unambiguous. It can mean either virgin or young woman. However, the Greek translation of the Hebrew Bible, the Septuagint, already opts for "virgin" (Greek: parthenos), and it is in this form that the verse is taken up by Matthew and applied to Jesus (Matthew 1:23). That is to say: The birth of Jesus from the Virgin Mary is understood as the fulfillment of Isaiah 7:14.
What makes this child special, however, lies not only in his birth, but above all in his name: Immanuel. This name is a mission statement and means: God with us. Jesus is this Immanuel. Through him, God is truly "with us." Jesus ensures that the godless become children of God and that the distant God becomes our personal Father. The message: "Come to Jesus, and you will come to God." For Jesus is the way to the Father (John 14:6). That is what defines Jesus.
For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and on his shoulders will be the government. And his name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the greatness of his government and of peace there will be no end, and on the throne of David and in his kingdom. (Isaiah 9:5-6)
The newborn boy from Isaiah 7 is also mentioned in Isaiah 9:5-6. There, he is seen as a gift from God, for he holds dominion. Not a dominion, but dominion itself, the dominion of God. This, too, can be seen in Jesus. It is no coincidence that Jesus is the representative of God's kingdom; and the kingdom of God, which dawns through Jesus, is one of Jesus' major themes. The prospect is immense: eternal peace, in Israel as well as worldwide. Correspondingly impressive are the names given to this child: Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. These names express Jesus' uniqueness. But is anything known about his origins?
A shoot will spring up from the stump of Jesse; a new branch from his roots will bear fruit. The Spirit of the Lord will rest on him—the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord. (Isaiah 11:1-2)
Another messianic prophecy is found in Isaiah 11:1-2. There, the Messiah is traced back to Jesse, the father of David, the root of the greatest king of Israel. Jesse, however, is only a "stump" here, not a mighty tree. This is historically accurate. For in the centuries before Jesus, hardly anything remained of the royal line of David. Yet the stump lives! And it brings forth Jesus: a branch that will bear fruit, and what fruit it will be! The Spirit of the Lord rests upon Jesus. He is filled with God's Spirit; he acts from this Spirit and passes it on after Pentecost. From a Christian perspective, it is Jesus who is that descendant of David and who has the Spirit in its fullness. Thus, Isaiah 11:1-2 is also a reference to Jesus.
The Messiah is coming
Isaiah does not explicitly mention the Messiah. The expectation of a Messiah only arises in the period between the Testaments. However, the prophecies leading up to this messianic expectation are already found in the first part of the Bible and form its core. A particularly interesting passage in this context is Isaiah 40:3-5. This text is understood in all four Gospels as a prophecy concerning John the Baptist (Matthew 3:3; Mark 1:3; Luke 3:4; John 1:23). From a New Testament perspective, therefore, not only is Jesus prophetically foretold, but also John the Baptist—and by Isaiah, the greatest prophet of Israel! This may seem surprising, but as the forerunner of Jesus, John occupies a truly unique position.
But that's not all. Even the baptism of Jesus is found in Isaiah. In Isaiah 42:1 it says: “Here is my servant whom I uphold, my chosen one in whom my soul delights; I will put my Spirit on him, and he will bring justice to the nations.” God refers to this passage when, in connection with Jesus' baptism, he says that he is “well pleased” with him (compare Mark 1:11 and parallels). The word “well pleased” forms a key phrase.
God himself indicates that what happens at Jesus' baptism corresponds to Isaiah 42:1. And what happens there? God's chosen one receives God's Spirit ("I have put my Spirit on him"); he receives a spiritual anointing, a spiritual equipping, or endowment with the Holy Spirit, which is unique. This is precisely what happens at Jesus' baptism: Jesus receives the Spirit of God, who descends upon him in the form of a dove. It is the anointing of Jesus as the Messiah, the spiritual equipping for messianic ministry. Therefore, after his baptism, Jesus does not return to his previous job but begins to minister as the Messiah. It is remarkable that Isaiah already speaks of this spiritual equipping, this unique anointing. In light of this, it is hardly surprising that the messianic ministry of Jesus is also found in Isaiah.
The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to heal the brokenhearted and to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners. (Isaiah 61:1)
These words are well-known. Jesus quotes them in his inaugural sermon at the synagogue in Nazareth, where he has the honor of reading from Scripture (Luke 4:16-21). Jesus has the scroll of Isaiah handed to him and unrolls it to Isaiah 61 (that's several meters of parchment). Then he reads: "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me." This is precisely what happened at Jesus' baptism! Jesus is anointed with the Holy Spirit, and consequently, God's Spirit (the Messianic anointing) rests upon him. That is why Jesus can say unequivocally: "Today this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing" (Luke 4:21). In early Judaism, there was no unified view of the Messiah. For Jesus, however, it was clear that Isaiah 61:1 contained the program that was decisive for him. His ministry reflected this. But what this ultimately meant is incomprehensible and leads to the lowest point in Jesus' journey.
He took our diseases and bore our pain. Yet we considered him condemned by God, stricken by him, and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; he was punished that brought us peace, and by his wounds we are healed. (Isaiah 53:4-5)
Even the very heart of Jesus' messianic mission is addressed by Isaiah: Jesus' vicarious death on the cross. Jesus' death is not merely a miscarriage of justice. It happens for us, for our salvation. On the cross, Jesus bears our sicknesses and our pain; our sins and transgressions rest upon him; he takes our punishment upon himself. What plagues us, he takes upon himself. He—for us. For us, this brings peace and salvation; for him, it brings death. Here is revealed the greatest love imaginable. But it is not only for Israel, but for the whole world (John 3:16). Isaiah speaks of this as well.
It is not enough for you to be my servant merely to restore the tribes of Israel and to lead Israel to repentance. I will also make you a light for the nations and a salvation for the whole world. (Isaiah 49:6)
At first glance, this text seems to contradict Jesus' self-understanding. For Jesus states unequivocally: "I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel" (Matthew 15:24). Jesus focuses on Israel and, in a sense, ignores the Gentiles. But what Jesus did on the cross is not only for Israel—it is for all people! As much as Jesus focused on Israel during his earthly ministry, the Gospel has an impact on all nations of the world. It is Jesus who—as Isaiah 49:6 expresses it—is "a light to the nations" and "salvation for the whole world." This has now been proven millions of times over. However, there is a problem here: How do the nations learn about Jesus?
Some of those I save I will send as ambassadors to the nations that have not heard of my praise or seen my glory. They will proclaim my glory to the nations. (Isaiah 66:19)
It has always been Jewish practice to separate oneself from the world in order to serve God. But in the Messianic age, this must change. For how can the nations learn about God and his Messiah if no Jew comes to them and tells them? How can the Gentiles come to faith in the Gospel if it is not proclaimed to them? God also considers this and announces his plan in Isaiah. God sends "ambassadors to the nations" who tell of him: of God himself and what he has done through the Messiah Jesus. Paul sees himself as such an ambassador. At the risk of his life, he brings the Gospel to the nations. Since then, it has spread around the world and reached you and me.
A glimpse into the future
It remains to take a look into the future. Isaiah does this as well, speaking of an eternal kingdom of peace, a new earth, the destruction of death, and the future glory of Israel (Isaiah 2; 9; 11; 25; 49:60-61; 65-66). These promises connect well with the return of Jesus (compare Romans 8; 1 Corinthians 15) and show what future God has prepared. Isaiah leaves nothing out. His pronouncements reach into eternity. What began at Christmas will become the future of the world and was promised centuries before. This is the conclusion one reaches when reading Isaiah as a Christian. Nothing can give us more hope than the messages of this exceptional prophet.
With that in mind: Merry Christmas!
This article first appeared in our newspaper "Israelaktuell," issue 135. You can order the newspaper here . We would also be happy to send you several copies for distribution.
