53:1
There is a great message of salvation, but as Romans 10:16 says, not everyone has believed it, not all Israel accepted it. John 12:37,38 also sees a failure to believe on the part of many, despite seeing many miracles. One can even see here a foretelling of the failure of Israel to recognise the Messiah when He came.
53:2
Why was it so difficult for Israel to recognise the Messiah? This verse reveals much of the answer. He grew up like a tender shoot. Israel was under the power of Rome when He came, and He was born into humble circumstances.He was born in a manger, rather than in a palace. There was no military power associated with Him. He came from Galilee (can anything good come from Galilee, John 7:41). There was nothing in His outward appearance or circumstances that would lead one to say that He was the Messiah. Why did God make things so obscure? Was He just being awkward? No. Our human view of things is often so completely wrong. We judge by outward appearances, God judges by the heart. We value the outwardly appealing, even the boastful. God loves the humble and the downtrodden. And sin is our biggest problem. At the time of writing the general election in the UK is about ten days away. Parties are promising many things, none of them are looking to address the problem of sin! Victory would come, but not by means of human power, but via the sacrifice of the Son of God on a cross.
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