Isaiah: Messiah will Live Again

When the risen Lord Jesus joined with Cleopas and his walking companion en route to Emmaus in Luke 24, He demonstrated to them the truth of the resurrection, not by showing them the nail prints, but showing them the scriptures. He did not refer to the New Testament, for it had not been written. Rather, he began with

‘…Moses and all the Prophets, He expounded to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself.’

One of the most obvious examples of the Jewish scriptures teaching the Messiah’s resurrection is Isaiah 53. After a moving summary of the Suffering Servant’s misery and death, the tone changes:

 

He shall see His seed, He shall prolong His days,

And the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in His hand.

 

He shall see the labour of His soul, and be satisfied.

By His knowledge My righteous Servant shall justify many,

For He shall bear their iniquities.

 

Therefore I will divide Him a portion with the great,

And He shall divide the spoil with the strong,

Because He poured out His soul unto death,

And He was numbered with the transgressors,

And He bore the sin of many,

And made intercession for the transgressors.

The emphases are mine. Once the reader accepts that the person described is the Lord Jesus, belief in the resurrection is inevitable. A dead man cannot ‘see his seed’. Seed usually refers to physical descendants, but instead it refers to his spiritual children, believers, the church. His days are ‘prolonged’ or extended, permitted to run beyond His death.

The justification of the sinner gives the once-dead Messiah great pleasure; seeing people like us call upon Him and be saved makes the agony of the cross worth it. Only a living one can derive pleasure from a mission accomplished.

Finally, this dead-man-brought-back has a great and glorious destiny; though recently oppressed and killed, He will plunder His foes. None of these statements can be applied to the dead, but the living.

I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death.

Revelation 1:18

Despite this wonderful exposition of law and prophecy, Cleopas and his friend were still unable to know the One speaking to them until after the journey’s close and bread was broken. This Eastertide, believe not just in Christ’s resurrection, but believe in Him and on Him:

And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.

Acts 16:31