12/24/11 11 PM Service   “Isaiah Foretells the Messiah”
Hebrews 12:1,2 ;  Isaiah 7:14; 9:1-2,6; 11:1; 28:16;; 40:9; 42:6-7; 53:2-3; 60:1

[Congregation reads each passage- and pauses while “Isaiah” explains its fulfillment- Dr. Sloan plays the part of Isaiah speaking of how his own prophesies were fulfilled. ]

1. Hebrews 11:37 They were…sawed in two; ³⁸ the world was not worthy of them… ³⁹ These were all commended for their faith, yet none of them received what had been promised, ⁴⁰ since God had planned something better for us so that only together with us would they be made perfect.
     ^12:1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, ² fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

This passage speaks of me- I was the one sawed in two during the time of Manasseh.  But it also speaks of the great cloud of witnesses.  That is what I am doing today- looking down from heaven- seeing the prophecies I made being fulfilled- some of them in your lifetime.  Let’s read some more of my words…

2. Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel. (Isaiah 7:14)

When I said this I was speaking of a conception when I was walking on earth.  But I also know the ultimate sign of the savior- of God being with us was fulfilled when the Virgin Mary had a baby boy who was born on Christmas day.  This prophecy was fulfilled, I am happy to say, at the first Christmas.

3. Nevertheless, there will be no more gloom for those who were in distress. In the past he humbled the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, but in the future he will honor Galilee of the nations, by the Way of the Sea, beyond the Jordan— ² The people walking in darkness have seen a great light;
on those living in the land of deep darkness
a light has dawned.
⁶ For to us a child is born, to us a son is given,
and the government will be on his shoulders.
And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
⁷ Of the greatness of his government and peace
there will be no end. He will reign on David’s throne (Isaiah 9)

The land of Naphtali and Zebulun that I spoke about is also called Galilee of the Gentiles.  The light I was speaking of is the light of the world- Jesus who came to give hope to people without hope.  The child and son who was born is the child Jesus- the ultimate son of the nation of Israel.  Only the Messiah- the Christ is called “Mighty God” “Everlasting Father” and the “Prince of Peace.”  Only God’s government will never end. This prophecy was fulfilled in His government concretely beginning at Christmas.

4.  A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse;
from his roots a Branch will bear fruit. ² The Spirit of the LORD will rest on him— (Isaiah 11)

People thought that Israel had completely lost its power and might.  I saw after my death the conquering of the land by the Assyrians, Babylonians, Persians Greeks, Egyptians, Syrians and Romans.  Yet despite all of our power being taken away- the most powerful person that ever came from our nation- that changed the world was born.  Out of the stump of Jesse- the righteous Branch of Jesus was born!

5.  say to those with fearful hearts, “Be strong, do not fear; your God will come, he will come with vengeance; with divine retribution he will come to save you.” ⁵ Then will the eyes of the blind be opened and the ears of the deaf unstopped. ⁶ Then will the lame leap like a deer, and the mute tongue shout for joy. (Isaiah 35)

Here I prophesied that God would come.  He did come to save us- in the person of Jesus.  Jesus showed who he was when he healed the blind and helped the deaf to hear and helped the lame to walk and mute to talk.

6.  Comfort, comfort my people,
says your God. ⁹ You who bring good news to Zion,
go up on a high mountain. You who bring good news to Jerusalem, lift up your voice with a shout,
lift it up, do not be afraid; say to the towns of Judah, “Here is your God!” (Isaiah 40)

Here I was telling the people where their help and comfort lies.  The comfort and the good news is that God did not leave us alone- but came to earth- so we can say, “Here is your God!”  and point people to Jesus.

7. I, the LORD, have called you in righteousness; I will take hold of your hand.  I will keep you and will make you to be a covenant for the people and a light for the Gentiles, ⁷ to open eyes that are blind, to free captives from prison and to release from the dungeon those who sit in darkness.
(Isaiah 42)

When I was alive, not too many were worshipping the true God- the one God, the invisible God who has no idols.  But here I was talking about the Messiah would even spread the good news about God to all people- the good news would break out- like the light of dawn.  Jesus is the Light to the Gentiles I was talking about.  This is one prophecy that has been fulfilled in your lifetime, for it was in your generation that for the first time in the history of the world there are believers in the true God in every country in the world.

8. He grew up before him like a tender shoot,
and like a root out of dry ground. He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him, nothing in his appearance that we should desire him. ³ He was despised and rejected by mankind, a man of suffering, and familiar with pain. ⁵ But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed.
⁶ We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to our own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all… ⁹ He was assigned a grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death, though he had done no violence, nor was any deceit in his mouth… He was led like a sheep to the slaughter…yet as a lamb is silent before its shearers, he did not open his mouth ¹¹ After he has suffered, he will see the light of life and be satisfied; by his knowledge my righteous servant will justify many, and he will bear their iniquities.
¹² Therefore I will give him a portion among the great, and he will divide the spoils with the strong,
because he poured out his life unto death, and was numbered with the transgressors. For he bore the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors. (Isaiah 53)

This was the most misunderstood passage by many of my countrymen.  The Messiah would not just be a general conquering Israel’s enemies- but a suffering servant.  The Messiah was to be the atoning sacrifice for our sins.  We all like sheep go astray- but God laid our sins on the scapegoat- the Messiah who paid the price that we deserved.  Yet I also prophesied that though he were to die, yet God would allow Him to see the light of life, and God the Father would elevate Jesus to a great place.

9. “Arise, shine, for your light has come,
and the glory of the LORD rises upon you. ³ Nations will come to your light,
and kings to the brightness of your dawn.
(Isaiah 60)

In some ways- the three wise men- the three kings from the Orient- the east- fulfilled this passage.  But it is also true that many kings over the centuries have bowed the knee to Jesus the Messiah.  Nations- many nations have come into the light of Jesus. 

Our task- as I just said is not just to sit there in light of all these words… Our task is to arise and shine for our light has come.  The candles you lift up tonight are a symbol of this- we need to lift up the light of the world so that all will see Jesus- the Messiah. 
In many ways that you are here this night…thousands of years from when I said these words of prophecy about Jesus… that you are lifting up your candles in praise to His light.  That you are shining tonight because His light has come- is my dream fulfilled.  You are a part of my dream, my prophecy, and I thank God for you.  But arise and shine for Christ, your light, has come!