Today we read an astonishing foretelling of Christ that not only looks ahead to His arrival, but to His brutal death on the cross.
Isaiah 52:13-15 (ESV)
Behold, my servant shall act wisely; he shall be high and lifted up, and shall be exalted. As many were astonished at you— his appearance was so marred, beyond human semblance, and his form beyond that of the children of mankind— so shall he sprinkle many nations; kings shall shut their mouths because of him; for that which has not been told them they see, and that which they have not heard they understand.
Here, as in other places, for the confirming of the faith of God’s people and the encouraging of their hope in the promises of temporal deliverances, the prophet passes from them to speak of the great salvation which should in the fullness of time be wrought out by the Messiah. As the prophecy of Christ’s incarnation was intended for the ratification of the promise of their deliverance from the Assyrian army, so this of Christ’s death and resurrection is to confirm the promise of their return out of Babylon; for both these salvations were typical of the great redemption and the prophecies of them had a reference to that.
—Matthew Henery’s Commentary
Notice the picture of Jesus on the Cross; high and lifted up, His appearance marred beyond human semblance, and His blood will sprinkle many nations!
I hope you recognize that this baby Jesus born in a manger is much more than a baby, He is the Christ and the Savior of the World.
How will you acknowledge Jesus Christ as Savior into your Christmas plans and celebrations this year?