From the viewpoint of Isaiah, the events of Christ’s ministry must have seemed unbelievable. Isaiah had known Jehovah as the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, as the co-creator of the Universe, and as the lawgiver to Moses. He is then shown the ministry of Jesus of Nazareth. That God himself should come down in the flesh only to be despised and rejected…stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted…wounded…bruised…and oppressed until he had poured out his soul unto death must have been an incredibly unbelievable tragedy to Isaiah. He must have said to himself, “I wouldn’t have believed it unless I saw it with my own eyes!” This seems to be the tone and message of incredulity found in the phrase, Who hath believed our report? Would anyone believe that the God of the Universe could be treated like this?
“The Fulfillment of the Words of Isaiah”
The content of this chapter so closely approximates the Savior’s life that it is useful to review each element of the prophecy and its fulfillment as in the following table:
(1) he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of dry ground
(Lu 2:40) the child grew, and waxed strong in spirit, filled with wisdom: and the grace of God was upon him.
(2) He is despised and rejected of men
(Mark 6:2) Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary, the brother of James…And they were offended at him
(3) a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief
(Lu 19:41-42) And when he was come near, he beheld the city, and wept over it, Saying, If thou hadst known, even thou, at least in this thy day, the things which belong unto thy peace! But now they are hid from thine eyes.
(4-5) he has borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows…he was wounded for our transgressions
(Lu 22:44) And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly: and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground.
(5) he was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.
(Jn 19:1-3) Then Pilate therefore took Jesus, and scourged him. And the soldiers platted a crown of thorns, and put it on his head, and they put on him a purple robe, And said, hail, King of the Jews! And they smote him with their hands.
(6) All we like sheep, have gone astray
(Matt 26:31) All ye shall be offended because of me this night: for it is written, I will smite the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock shall be scattered abroad.
(Mark 14:46,50) And they laid their hands on him, and took him…And they all forsook him, and fled.
(7) 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 opened not his mouth.
(Lu 23:8-10) Herod…questioned with him in many words; but he answered him nothing. And the chief priests and scribes stood and vehemently accused him.
(Matt 27:13-14) Then said Pilate unto him, Hearest thou not how many things they witness against thee? And he answered him to never a word; insomuch that the governor marvelled greatly.
(8) who shall declare his generation? For he was cut off out of the land of the living
(Matt 27:24-26) Pilate…washed his hands before the multitude, saying, I am innocent of the blood of this just person: see ye to it. Then answered all the people, and said, His blood be on us, and on our children.
(9) he made his grave with the wicked
(Matt 27:38) Then were there two thieves crucified with him, one on the right hand, and another on the left.
(10) and with the rich in his death
(Matt 27:57-58) a rich man of Arimathea, named Joseph…went to Pilate, and begged the body of Jesus. Then Pilate commanded the body to be delivered.
(11) Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise him; he hath put him to grief
(Matt 27:46) Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? That is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?
(12) when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin he shall see his seed
(Mosiah 15:11-12) those who…believed that the Lord would redeem his people…are his seed…For these are they whose sins he has borne; these are they for whom he has died, to redeem them from their transgressions. And now, are they not his seed?
(13) 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.
(DC 19:16-17) For behold, I, God, have suffered these things for all, that they might not suffer if they would repent; But if they would not repent they must suffer even as I ;
(14) Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong
(Matt 26:64) Hereafter shall ye see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven.