Not When, Not How…But Who
The incessant references and foreshadows for Christ in Isaiah have quite shocked me. It seems that nearly every chapter and passage contain an inference about Christ. Over and over again the message is the same: Israel is going to mess up; Israel is messing up—but in it all, the Messiah is coming to rescue Israel. While living in the 21st century, many years after Jesus historical life on earth and the level importance his life held for human events, the constant reiterations of the Messiah seem appropriate. However, despite God’s insistence for Israel to hear the Gospel (the good news of the Messiah), Israel did not seem to care at the time. The need for a savior was viewed as merely physical. The savior was to rescue Israel from the nations that had conquered them. While an important facet of the savior’s actions—one that contemporary Christians minimize or ignore far too often—the Messiah was destined for much greater and more glorious achievements than ruling a united and free Israel.
“But there will be no more gloom for here who was in anguish; in earlier times [God] treated the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali with contempt, but later on He shall make it glorious, by the way of the sea, on the other side of the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles.
The people who walk in darkness will see a great light; those who live in a dark land, the light will shine on them. You shall multiply the nation, you shall increase their gladness; they will be glad in Your presence as with the gladness of harvest, as men rejoice when they divide the spoil. For you shall break the yoke of their burden and the staff on their shoulders, the rod of their oppressors, as at the battle of Midian. For every boot of the booted warrior in the battle tumult, and cloak rolled in blood, will be for burning, fuel for the fire. For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us; and the government will rest on His shoulders; and His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace, on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it with justice and righteousness from then on and forevermore. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will accomplish this.” – Isaiah 9:1-7
The first portion is laid out in the New Testament as fulfilled by the coming of Jesus to proclaim and grant the forgiveness of sins by his death and resurrection for all mankind. Yet, the second half is clearly not fulfilled yet. Jesus did not gather up cloaks covered in blood as fuel for fire nor does the government of Israel rest on “His shoulders” nor was there a battle like the one at Midian (a reference to Gideon the judge of Israel in Judges 7, where Gideon by Lord’s strength defeated an army with only 300 men). It is this struggle that divides Christians and practicing Jews. Often Christians try to find an explanation that limits these events into purely “spiritual” interpretations. While the spiritual implications of Jesus life, death and resurrection are absolutely true—such as His righteousness washing our sin that we might be granted citizenship and adoption into the Kingdom of Heaven—reducing the promises to the intangible are a copout explanation for the power of God. On the other hand, the Jews are looking for the physical fulfillment of these prophecies that will give them worldly power here and now (perhaps not literally today, but historically that is why the Jews have not accepted Jesus as the Messiah). Please note, I am generalizing about Christians and Jews to form a binary opposition so that we might seek the narrow road between them. Not all Christians “over-spiritualize” the Gospel message and not all Jews seek immediate worldly freedom and prominence. These are general archetypes to exemplify the tension and struggle we all face to balance the truth of our spiritual and physical existence.
There seem to be two overrated questions by both sides regarding Jesus. The first is “when did the events happen” and “how did the events happen?” While both questions are important, one needs to ask: “Who fulfilled the entire prophecy?” According to scripture, no one has fulfilled the entire prophecy…yet. The Revelation of Jesus Christ—the last book of the Biblical texts—identifies Jesus as the fulfillment in a distant future. Perhaps it is tomorrow, perhaps 1000 years from now. Regardless, contemporary Christians (including myself) must struggle to hold faith in a past we never saw and a future that isn’t here. Very similarly to the Jews of Jesus day, Christians look back at the wonders of the past in awe without considering the promises God will fulfill in the future. The Jewish leaders looked back at Moses, David and Solomon as the greatest times of Israel’s history when in truth, the greatest time of Israel’s history is still in the future. Christians look back at Jesus life and the early church as the purest period of church history when the most pure and faithful time of the church is in the future. Both futures are fulfilled at Jesus’ second coming.
The focus of God’s message has always been King Jesus the Messiah. The actions are simply the signs to help us identify (who) the King Messiah. Men desiring to play god have attempted and will continue to attempt to fulfill the actions, but all will fail. The requirements are too high, too numerous and span across time. The finite nature of man’s mind limits our ability to view God’s work in an eternal spectrum. The reason God himself is the only one capable to fulfill all the prophecies is because the requirements demand length of time. No man can live indefinitely except for Jesus who is both fully God and fully man. What man could have made a covenant with God during Abrahams life to accept the promise land (Genesis 15:12-21), spoken to Joshua before conquering Jericho (Joshua 5:13-15), been David’s heir and Lord (Matthew 22:41-46), suffer at the hands of Romans and endure the punishment of many, many sinful men although himself completely blameless (Isaiah 53:4-12), died yet lives to rule at the right hand of God (Mark 16:19 & Revelation 1:17-18) and justly judge all people at the end of time (Revelation 20:11-15)? Who could do all this?
“Behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to render to every man according to what he has done. I am the Alpha and Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end…I, Jesus, have sent My angel to testify to you these things for the churches. I am the root and the offspring of David, the bright and morning star.” – Revelation 22:12-13, 16.
