Original URL Wednesday, January 25, 2023
Transcript
I just had a couple of comments brother x brother Jim boyko suggested that I just x give a brief outline of who I am because x there's a lot of folks in stone probably x don't have never heard of me and don't x know who I am but I met brother Jim a x few years ago at the Lakefield Bible x school and recently we reconnected on a x reading group that we hold in Ontario x and Jim I think he suggested that I try x the Stoughton class we were looking for x something kind of like a refresh x uh so it was through my wife Roberta x that I became acquainted with the hope x of the Gospel over 60 years ago we live x in Burlington Ontario we're members of x the Mountain Grove Ecclesia x we have two children our daughter was x friends with many years ago with brother x Bob Eagles x and our son and daughter-in-law are x friends of Matt and Amy Swift x and personally we spent many enjoyable x occasions visiting the New England area x over the years so it's one of our x favorite parts of the the world to go to x and Roberta and I we really enjoy the x class and have received encouragement x through participation and we plan to x continue to to be attending to the class x so that's just a little bit of a x background x uh I don't have a criminal record or x anything like that so x we're ready to go so this evening x uh the topic is the branch and you can x see on the screen the man whose name is x the branch x so we want to investigate is who who was x this man or who is this man x and a study of the name reveals God's x plan and purpose x with his creation x uh God's purpose with the creation it's x Understanding God's purpose builds our x faith and gives us hope peace x and comfort x um there are three classes to this Jim x asked me if I could do if I'd be willing x to do some multiple classes so this was x a series that I prepared a year or so x ago x so the first one is the branch and then x uh the role of a branch and the third x one will be the branch has the suffering x servant x and so we're first we're going to uh x excuse me the and the third one is the x body of the branch x so the first one we're going to look at x this evening is the branch x there are two Hebrew words for the the x word branch x the first one is SEMA x uh and it means a sprouter to spring x forward or spring forth and niser a x descendant or to Bud x uh these words essentially convey the x idea of of being a descendant x of of x so the branch uh I just got to move this x if I can x so x just a bit of a background on the on on x the branch the Hebrews and other Semitic x peoples use the term the branch in order x to show that a certain person belongs to x or descends from a particular family x line x to give the same sense we might use the x term Heir descended our seed like Hebrew x English links to sentence and such x phrases as a family tree of all the x branched passages Isaiah 1 11 1 shows x this usage the best as the context x reveals the Messiah will descend from x the line of Jesse look the the father of x David x so Isaiah 1 11 1 and there shall come x forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse in x a branch shall grow out of his roots x so the branch the word Branch here is uh x nesser x and it it is suggested of a descendant x or a sprout x and the NIV kind of gives a little bit x different x um x understanding a shoot will come up from x the stump of Jesse and from his roots a x branch x will bear fruit x so the x the descriptive words in the IV relate x to a branch x and this fruit is to fill the Earth with x God's glory through the work of the x branch and I like the idea that it it x brings out this idea that the branch x will bear fruit because it more or less x gives us an idea of the mission of the x branch or the mission of the Messiah x if you look at Isaiah 4 and 2. but in x that day the branch of the Lord will be x beautiful and glorious the fruit of the x land will be the Pride and Glory of all x who survive x in Israel x and this is the word x um Seema a sprout or a branch x and we see it springing Fork from the x from The Vedic tree x and the branch is undoubtedly x the Messiah x so we move on to Psalm 132 and 1. x there will there will I make the heart x of David to Bud I have ordained a lamp x for my anointed x I will make the bud x I will make and the butt are the same x Hebrew word which is Kieran x and are very close to meaning in the x word branch x and I will make means to Spring forth x and the horn indicates strength the x strength of a man is revealed in his in x his children x so the idea is to grow to to sprout or x to Bud suggesting the branch as a future x leader x the anointed applies to the Messiah x and the anointed excuse me they've x already done that x and the bud of David Wool but the branch x of David will bud and grow in strength x as king x so I have some new testament examples of x of all this bits together x Zacharias prophesied saying blessed be x the Lord God of Israel for he has x visited and redeemed his people and has x raised up a horn of salvation for us in x the house of his servant David so you x can see how there's the connection this x idea of raising up a horn or indicating x power the raising up is the springing x forth and of course it brings in the eye x the concept of the davidic family x so to raise up cause to be born or to x appear and sacrifices alluding to the x birth of Jesus as a fulfillment of Psalm x 132 that we looked at and then we have x this indication in Revelation 5 and 5. x weep not Behold The Lion the tribe of x Judah the root of David has prevailed to x open x the book so we see that there's a in the x New Testament there are connections x leading us back to what was we we looked x at in Isaiah x the root is to sprout to sheet that x brings forth from a root and the x metaphor suggesting Offspring or progeny x now there's a connection between the x branch x and the word uh Nazareth x many scholars today think that the name x Nazareth comes from the Hebrew word x netzer x the branch which we looked at in Isaiah x 1 11 and 1. x in Matthew 23 and he came and dwelled in x the city called Nazareth that he might x be but that it might be fulfilled which x is spoken of by the prophets he shall be x called x a Nazarene x this is the only reference to Jesus x being a Nazarene not to be confused with x a Nazarite x um x NASA was a was a town of no significance x it is only mentioned in the New x Testament and it is the place where x Jesus lived why mention it it must be x that Matthew wants to make a connection x between the branch x and Nazareth x it is possible that Matthew was playing x on the word x Nazareth and the word Nisa or Nasser he x is stating two conclusions that Jesus x was from Nazareth and that Jesus is the x nesser the promised Branch from the x stock of Jesse and of the Senate of x David the promised anointed king x so we move on to John uh 1 45 and 46 . x Philip from Nathanael and told him we x have found the one Moses wrote about in x the law and about whom the prophets also x wrote Jesus of Nazareth the son of x Joseph x Nazareth can anything good come from x there Nathaniel s come and see x Philip x so Nazareth is referred to as the town x of the branch x and Nazareth is inhabited a Nazarene is x an inhabitant of Nazareth x suggesting that Jesus x is the branch x there is another x um x suggestion or another example when Jesus x encounters a blind man this is in Luke x 18 3 5-39 x Jesus was nigh unto Jericho and a x certain blind man Sat by the wayside x begging and hearing the bullet had x passed by he asked what it meant and x they told him that Jesus of Nazareth x passes by x notice the man's response and he cried x saying Jesus the son of David have mercy x on me x and they rebuked him that he should hold x his peace but he cried so much the more x though son of David have mercy x on me x But Blind Man's determination shows his x confidence in the power and compassion x of Jesus that hit this heir to David's x Throne would heal him x was his faith based on the connection he x made between the name Nazareth the x branch town with the great Messianic x prophecy above the branch out of the x snap of Jesse x and I guess we have the question I have x but don't necessarily have an answer to x was was this a commonly held x understanding because it's interesting x that they said as Jesus of Nazareth and x he and he invoked the name the son of x David so it shows that he has some x understanding that that was somehow x connected x in any event his words were were a great x confession of faith and show that he had x some some understanding x so in order to consider some prophetic x references to both the branch and how x they intersect with Israel some have a x dual fulfillment x Isaiah 7 14 therefore the Lord himself x shall give you a sign Behold a virgin x shall conceive and bear a son and shall x call his name Emmanuel x Emmanuel God With Us a promise of God's x protection both physically and x spiritually x suggesting that the branch will have x will fulfill the mercy promised to the x fathers x Isaiah 40 1 2 Comfort Comfort my people x said your your God speak tenderly to x Jerusalem tell her her sad days are gone x and her sins are pardoned x Comfort e also means to repent and it is x if you check it's translated 41 times as x repent x so comfort and consolation will only x come after Israel's x repentance x and this of course is by God's x compassion x God Is providing an opportunity of x restoration at the appearance of the x branch x one thing that is common in all the x prophets is God's condemnation of x Israel's failure x followed by his offer of Hope x and restoration you quite often see x those two things uh coupled together x and then Isaiah 1 18 to 20 come now and x let us reason together saith the Lord x through your sin though your sins be as x scared of thee shall be as white as snow x though they'd be rigged like Crimson x they shall be as wool if he'd be willing x and obedient ye shall eat the good of x the land but if you refuse and rebel ye x shall be devoured with the sword for the x wealth of the Lord has spoken it x and so x only through repentance can we have hope x this applies to us of course but in in x particular it applies x to Israel x Isaiah 4 and 2 in that day the branch of x the Lord will be beautiful and glorious x and the fruit of the land will be the x Pride and Glory of the survivors x of Israel x in that day as a phrase of significance x used 50 times just in Isaiah x it is a day that foretells of an event x that is beautiful and glorious in the x eyes of God x Isaiah 60 21 x by people also shall be righteous and x they shall inherit the land forever the x branch of my planting the work of my x hands that I may be glorified x and that's the expectation of in that x day this is what we hope to see and and x God in his purpose and plan will make x that happen x so we asked the question how will the x how will he be beautiful and glorious x the fruit of the land it anticipates an x unequal prop of prosperity in the x Kingdom x survivors of Israel are praised for x telling the amazing rebuilding and x deliverance of Israel x the welfare of the nation of Israel is x dependent on the work of the Messiah the x branch until the coming of the Kingdom x foreign x quotation from x Jeremiah 23 verses 1 and 2. the Lord x says the leaders of my people are are x sure to be judged they were supposed to x watch over my people like Shepherds x watch over their sheep but they are x causing my people to be destroyed and x Scattered so the Lord God of Israel has x this to say about the leaders who are x ruling the over his people you have x caused my people to be dispersed and x have driven them into Exile you have not x taken care of them so I will punish you x for the evil that you have done I the x Lord affirm it x so a judgment here is referring to the x Captivity in Babylon and then later x because there was no improvement in the x behavior of those people the dispersion x of the Jews in A.D x 70. x Isaiah presents a picture of a nation in x crisis the Kings and Priests are frail x mortal men and the subjects are x rebellious Israel has failed to serve x God x in a righteous manner x so Isaiah 104 all what a sinful Nation x they are loaded down with a burden of x guilt they are evil people corrupt x children who are projected the Lord they x have despised the Holy One of Israel and x turned their backs x on him x this is the unfortunate history of the x children of Israel although chosen Jews x are no different than other people they x suffer for the effects x they suffer from the effects of a x fleshly Nation x and we know that nothing has really x changed since x 870 I'm sure there are some Jews that x would be considered righteous but I x think the mainstream is probably I've x heard uh Tel Aviv uh described as being x like in Las Vegas so it gives you an x idea of what goes on x uh but God is willing to re relieve this x burden of guilt x he says in Jeremiah 23 3 and 5 then I x myself will gather those of my people x who are still alive from all the x countries where I have driven them and x I'll bring them back to their Homeland I x the Lord promised that a new time will x will certainly come when I will raise up x for them a righteous Branch a descendant x of David and he will rule over them with x wisdom and understanding and will do x what is just and right x in the land x so we have this promise of restoration x which we have witnessed in the x re-establishment of the nation of Israel x and now we await the full restoration x and we await the king x as Believers of the Gospel of the x Kingdom we can rejoice in the sheer and x certain hope of its restitution we have x this assurance and the inspired words x of Isaiah x 26 one of the bar x in that day you shall the song Be Sung x in the land and Judah we have a strong x City Salvation will God appoint for x walls and bulwarks x open you the gates that the righteous x nation which keeps the truth may enter x in x that will keep him in perfect peace x whose mind has stayed on thee because he x trusts in the trustee in the Lord x forever for the Lord Jehovah is x Everlasting strength x and x this is what God's expectation is for x his people but it's a powerful x exhortation for us as well that that we x try to weave these principles into our x lives as we wait the second coming x of the branch x and we see here that Jehovah is the x enduring protector x is what he promises he will fulfill x without question x this is the Hope for all who place their x confidence in the branch who will be x king x and there is there had to be preparation x for the davidic Covenant to be fulfilled x the same uh probably Isaiah 43 a voice x of one crime in the wilderness prepare x the way for the Lord make straight in x the desert away for our God x when a king of the East proposed to tour x in his Dominion he sent a courier before x them to tell the people to prepare the x roads x so John the Baptist is regarded as The x Courier of the branch who would be king x to proclaim the king is coming x repair not your your roads but your x hearts and your faith and repent this x was John's message x Hearts full of faith and repentance and x a reception receptiveness to the branch x going a step further in the New x Testament inquiry come to the birth of x Christ and we will consider the x following incident x Matthew 3 1-2 in those days came x John the Baptist preaching x in the wilderness of Judea and say x repent ye for the kingdom of heaven is x of hand x the kingdom in Greek x means uh royal power or king shepherd x not to be confused with an actual x Kingdom but rather the authority to rule x over a kingdom and I think this was the x message that John was bringing to the x people that they should prepare x themselves x for the for the the appearance of the x branch who eventually would be king x used in the New Testament to refer to x the reign of the Messiah x so John is heralding the coming of the x branch x the Future King x John 8 12 a verse we're all familiar x with when Jesus spoke again to the x people he said I am the light of the x world whosoever follows me will never x walk in darkness but will have the light x of life x Isaiah gives us a sample of the x teachings x of the branch the light that he would x bring x and Isaiah chapter 2 we read these x verses beginning of verse two and it x should come to pass in the last days of x the mountain of the Lord's house shall x be established in the top of the x mountains and shall be exalted above the x hills and All Nations shall flow onto it x and many people shall go and say Come Ye x and let us go up to the mountain of the x Lord to the house of the god of Jacob x and he will teach us of his ways and we x will walk in his path for art of Zion x shall go forth the law and the word of x the Lord x from Jerusalem x so we're just gonna briefly desect this x uh this verse or these verses his pass x would be moral instruction x his law would be righteous Behavior x his word from Jerusalem would be the x coming of peace x and this is what God desires for Israel x and for all people x and let's start again a strong x exhortation for us to Endeavor to Aspire x to these to these teachings of the x branch x in theory this is what should have x inspired the Wayward Nation but it did x not and Jesus was rejected by the people x he came x to save x a little bit ahead of myself here x so on John 1 and 11 this is his own x received him x not x in Isaiah 53 says x verse 2 for he grew up before him like a x young plant like a root out of dry x ground again you can see the illusion to x the idea of the branch in the wording of x that verse and he was despised and x rejected a man a man of Sorrows so this x verse sort of uh is fitting when we read x in John that he would they received him x not that it was a rejection x of the branch x and Jesus makes some unusual stays x statements causing his followers to x cause question his authenticity in John x 6. x he says uh Jesus said again I tell you x the truth unless you eat the fleship of x the son of man and drink his blood he x cannot have eternal life x I am the true bread that came down from x heaven anyone who eats this bread will x not die as your ancestors did x many of his disciples said this is very x hard to understand how can anybody x accept them x and verse 61 they say does this offend x you x and of course this resulted in rejection x verse 66 at this point many of his x disciples turned away x and deserted him x this was the leading question Jesus knew x those who were offended would leave him x giving them the opportunity x some went to the Pharisees betraying x Jesus and told them what he had done x John 11 x [Music] x verse 47 and so the chief priests and x the Pharisees gathered the council and x said what are we to do for this man x performs x many signs x 48. if we let him go x on like this everyone will believe in x him and the Romans will come and take x away both our place x and our nation you know you notice the x uricancy here that they they really were x concerned with their position and the x wealth that it brought them x 50. it is better for you that one man x should die for the people not the whole x nation should perish x and 53 so from that day on they made x plans x to put him to death x and so x I'm just going to now look at a a brief x chronology uh showing x what led up to Jesus being sacrificed x Luke 30 23-32 x and they began to accuse him saying we x found this fellow perverting the nation x and for beginning to give tribute to x Caesar saying that he have solved this x this Christ a king x John 6 15. and when Jesus therefore x received that he would come and take him x by force to make him King he'd be part x of the king into among himself alone x in Matthew 27-1 and when the morning was x come all the chief priests and Elders of x the people took counsel against Jesus x to put him to death x and when they had come to the place x which is called Calvary there are they x crucified him and the male factors one x on the right and in the other on the x left then said Jesus father forgive them x for they know not what they do and they x parted his agreement and cast lots x Zechariah 12 and 10. I wrote Pearl on x the kingship of David and the population x of Jerusalem a spirit of Grace and x Suffocation so that they will look to me x the one they have pierced they will x lament for him as one laments for an x only son and there will be a bitter cry x for him like the bitter cry for a x firstborn x together x uh in the authorized version you notice x it's from The Net Bible it would it says x they will look on me x but I think it's more accurately x portrayed here they will look to me x the emphasis then is not on looking on x or at but looking to the Messiah in x faith when the branch will restore the x kingdom and take his rightful place as x King on the throne of David x in Psalm 89 David meditated on God's x covenant made with him reading of the x psalm at your leisure is very profitable x but we only can we can only look at a x few verses x um x you know x in verse 27 of Psalm 89 it says also x I'll make him my first one higher than x the kings of all the Earth my Mercy will x I keep for him forever and my Covenant x shall stand fast x with him x the verse 27 I believe refers to x the branch x and we see in verses 46 and 47 this x citation oh Lord how long will this go x on will you hide yourself forever x remember now x how short my life is and how empty and x futile is this human existence existence x he asked a question how long before this x is fulfilled my life is short I will x experience this coming well I experience x is coming in my lifetime x is a question we should all be concerned x with x but not discouraged by scripture assures x us x along a way that promise will be x fulfilled enough I should have mentioned x that I think this is David speaking here x and he it's he is referencing making a x reference to the branch and he asked the x question how long will this go on x and will you hide yourself forever x and so he was longing for the x Fulfillment of the davidic Covenant and x that and that he would sometimes x experience the the appearance of the x branch x and of course we know that that cannot x happen until the resurrection x so I'll mark 13 and 32 x says however no one knows the day or x they are when these things will happen x not even the angels in heaven are the x son himself only the father knows x and I think when we think about this x brothers and sisters this this is It's x comforting to know x that we don't know everything we only x know what we know x and we have to be patient and we have to x be faithful as we await the appearing of x the branch x so delays are not defeats but there are x opportunities there are opportunities x for us to to serve in a in a in a x faithful manner x uh x supporting one another and encouraging x one another to maintain x a steady path to the kingdom x foreign discouragement is alleviated by x our personal faith x Paul cites the resurrection of Jesus as x proof that the covenant made with David x is valid x and will be fulfilled x and this is this is the x the building up of our personal faith x when we understand and appreciate this x acts 13 verses 32 to 35. x and we bring you the good news x that what God promised to the fathers he x is for he has fulfilled To Us by reason x raising Jesus x as also it is written in the second x Psalm you are my son today I have x begotten you x and as for the fact that he raised him x from the dead no more to return to x corruption he is spoken in this way I x will give you thee that I will give you x the holy and sure blessing of David x therefore he said also in another Psalm x he will not let your Holy One see x corruption it's a powerful statement and x one that validates our faith x in God in his son and in the coming of x the Kingdom that he has promised x when Jeremiah 23 5-6 behold the day x comes saith the Lord that I will raise x unto David A righteous branch and a king x shall reign and prosper and shall x execute judgment and Justice in the x earth in this in his days Judah shall be x saved and Israel shall dwell safely and x this is my name and this is his name x whereby he shall be called the Lord our x righteousness x uh it's a powerful witness that x all the things that Israel has been x through God still promises to save them x and that Jerusalem will draw safely x this is obviously a Latter-Day prophecy x and we just move forward and Jeremiah x chapter 33 verse 17. this is what the x Lord says David will have a descendant x sitting on the throne of Israel x forever x uh like the two x The Logical Fork from Zion and the word x of the Lord x from Jerusalem this is what we all hope x for this is you know we just have to uh x bring this to mind when we listen to the x news each evening x you know this is a wonderful promise x that there will be righteousness and x peace emanating from Jerusalem x our righteous rule will be enforced x under the direction of the branch x God's promises will be fulfilled x in Jeremiah 33 20 21 thus saith the Lord x if you can break my Covenant with a day x and my Covenant with the night so that x day and night will not come into their x appointed time then also my Covenant x with David my servant may be broken so x that that he shall not have a son to x Reign on his throne and we know x that this is impossible that you know we x we go to bed each night and we wake up x to the sunshine in the morning x and so we know that the the davidic x Covenant is sure and fast and hopefully x will eventually soon to be fulfilled x although there is no King on the throne x of David for x excuse me although there has been no x King on the throne of David for x approximately 2500 years the promise to x David has never changed the coming of x the branch will fulfill the requirement x of the Covenant x and this is assured in these verses that x we just read in Jeremiah 33 20. and 21. x in second Peter 1-19 x it says so we have the prophetic word x confirmed which you do well to heed as a x light that shines in a dark place until x the day Dawns and the morning star rise x in your heart x Jesus is the light that shines in this x in in this darkened World The Morning x Star which prophecy has concerned now is x the time to prepare ourselves x for his appearing x and just to close off Isaiah 12 and 2 x behold God is my salvation I will trust x and not be afraid for the Lord God is my x strength and song and he has become my x salvationThe Servant Branch
Original URL Wednesday, February 22, 2023
Transcript
um tonight we're going to talk about the x servant branch x and in the previous class we established x that Jesus the son of God The Offspring x of David x is the branch x and x in Zachariah we had this promise x or prophecy whatever you wish soon I'm x going to bring my servant x the branch x and the Messiah as the servant is the x suffering servant and we have this x promise that Zechariah x has given us x and it was the promise was actually x fulfilled at the first appearance of of x the Lord Jesus x and the branch was which established the x source of Our Hope x and we will see x in as we go on that the completion of x our hope is at the second appearing x of the branch x uh in this class we will be considering x Messiah the servant x and we have a little bit more detail x here in Zechariah 3 8. x listen high priest Joshua you and your x associate seated before you who are some x who are men symbolic of things to come x soon I'm going to bring my servant x the branch x and it's not my intention to to dwell on x the historical background of Zechariah x but I'll just share a few comments to x with you to sort of set the the x background of the stage x uh it is in the period which deals with x the return from Exile under Ezra and x Nehemiah x and the Miracle of deliverance from x Exile shows that by the grace of God x Joshua and his priests are absolved from x their farmer behavior and are accepted x Again by God x he mentions that these are men symbolic x of things x to come x this points beyond the deliverance from x exile to a greater Act of Grace by God x which is still in the future x and in verse 10 of this chapter it says x in that day says the Lord everyone will x invite his friend to Fellowship under x his Vine and under his fig tree x this has an echo uh to Micah far and I x believe it's in the Kingdom age that x Michael 4 1 and 4 in the last days it x shall come to pass they shall set every x man under his Vine and under his fig x tree and None Shall make him afraid x this will be accomplished by the servant x branch in the age to come x in chapter 3 Zechariah experienced x Visions it is a vision of Joshua the x high priest and his companions as x typical men x Joshua Joshua's name means Jehovah is x salvation which suggests a parallel x between Joshua x and Jesus x in the vision Joshua represents Jesus x and Joshua's companions represent x Jesus's companions those who have x responded to his calling x this is seen in the words you and your x associate see it before you who are men x and symbolic of things to come soon I'm x going to bring my servant the branch and x when we see all of those factors put x together x it's given the picture of the coming of x Jesus the work that he will do and the x work that he will uh eventually x accomplish completely at his coming x uh soon x and we just take a look here at Isaiah x 429 and I think it kind of gives us x a picture similar to what x zachariah's promise x behold the former things have come to x pass and new things I declare before x they spring forth I tell you of them x that's from Isaiah 42 9. x Messiah the server Branch came into the x world to do his father's will to redeem x and to restore Israel to God's intended x purpose x and to be a light to the Gentiles x so the former things I think are x referring to the exile x and and the return x and the springing forth is the root word x for the branch x and we and we did look at that in the x last class x uh new things is the springing forth of x the branch and his accomplishments x and then in Zechariah 3 and 8 we said x try to bring it back together all you x are a symbol of that I am about to x introduce my servant the branch all of x these things that transpire x are leading up to the appearing x of the branch x and the all here is referring to x Joshua and his companions x and this is x um zechariah's vision is symbolic of the x branch x in the future x now and these this these are ideas of of x Jesus x um coming x and with his associates is confirmed by x scripture if you look at we look at x revelation x um x verse 5 we've not Behold The Lion of the x tribe of Judah the root or the branch of x of David has prevailed x and in verse 10 x it says that and they have let's see if x I can move that x sorry and they have made us a kingdom of x priests x to our God and we shall reign x on the Earth x what the heck x I think a bit of difficulty here it x doesn't want to advance x I think I'm froze can anybody hear me x yeah why don't you why don't you stop x the program and restart it see see if x that works x okay x it's okay x okay now find your slide that you x yeah I'll just um x yeah I just started from there and just x click through x now I just have to uh open the x presentation x sounds good x okay well okay now we're x okay x so just to kind of recap x we're dealing here with the the promise x in in the Revelation and it says that x Jesus has prevailed and that uh there is x a kingdom of priests x and x these are pretty are the symbolic of the x of the things to come I'm trying to x relate this back to what Zechariah x promised x and the King James version uh has x that made him a kingdom or made us King x God no excuse me has made us unto God x Kings and Priests but I think the x the x um x quotation that I have on in verse 10 a x kingdom of priests is a better rendering x than uh Kings and Priests and the reason x for that there is only one king and that x is the branch x and the branch will unite the office of x King and Priests with his colleagues x when the kingdom age is established now x this is just as Zachariah had predicted x to Prevail and bring about this new x order the branch must complete his work x as the suffering servant this is the x focus of this class x so now we want to look at the the x concept of the branch as the suffering x servant x and we're just going to um x sort of do a paraphrase through x Philippians 7 to 11. and for chapter two x they um took upon him the form of a x servant which is established that he's a x servant and became obedient unto death x and illustrating his suffering and God x also had highly exalted him x and the name of Jesus every knee should x bow x and that every tongue should confess x that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory x of the father x so we see from looking at these uh x various quotations it it establishes x that Jesus is the branch that he is the x servant branch and that there are x in his future uh x um suffering that he'll have to x endure them x Jesus in his role as a suffering servant x had to have an unyielding disposition x to endure onto the end of his ministry x this dedication and flint-like x determination is evident in the words x first x recorded about Jesus x from Luke 2 49 and 52 x and he said to them why is it that you x have sought me did ye not know that I x ought to be occupied in my father's x business x and Jesus advanced in wisdom and stature x and favor with God and with man x so this determination that we see here x even at a young age is uh prophesied x by his eye Isaiah and x um 42 and 3. x yes x sorry I had a bar that I can't read x what's on the screen x so verse three and four we want to look x at in fullness he will in faithfulness x he will bring forth Justice he will not x father father falter or be discouraged x till he establishes Justice on Earth in x his teaching the aisles will put their x hope in him x again we'll just I'll just read verse 3 x again and faithfulness he will bring x forth Justice he will not follow her or x be discouraged he will x until he established Justice on the x earth in his teaching to the Isles x put their hope in him x and then Isaiah 50 verse 7 and the Lord x had helps me therefore I have been I x have not been disgraced I have set my x face like Flint or determination and I x know that I shall not be put to shame or x to failure x but again we see this quotation here x I've set my face like Flint suggesting x Supreme hardness x even in the face of death he did not x falter he was Victorious to the end x and this quotation from Luke 9 and 51 x and it came to pass when the time was x come that he should be received up he x steadfastly set his face to go x to Jerusalem x and so to be received up suggests that x he said his his course toward Jerusalem x knowing that in the end he faced the x cross x and so you can see from from the this x outline that x right from an early age Jesus had the x determination could do his father's will x and to not fail even in the face of x death x so sort of having established I would x take a look now at the background on on x a few quotations on on the servant in x Isaiah and we're going to be looking at x Israel as a servant and then the branch x as a servant x the prophecies relating to God's servant x found in Isaiah chapters 41-53 x in this section the national servant x Israel is compared with the individual x servant the Messiah branch x much to this to this credit of the x farmer x God called Israel as the national x servant x to an honorable position of service x but they despise the privilege and x failed miserably much to their shame for x this they are sharply rebuked and see x this in Isaiah 42 17-20 x those who trust in Idols will turn back x and be utterly humiliated and those who x say to metal images you are Gods listen x you deaf ones take notice you blind ones x my servant is truly blind My Messenger x is truly deaf my Covenant partner the x servant of the Lord is truly blind you x see many things but you don't comprehend x their ears are open but they do not hear x so it's a it's a description of the x failure of Israel to take the role of a x servant and be a witness x to God x Israel is described as totally blind and x deaf to the Commandments x of God x in this regard there is a comparison x drawn between the national servant x Israel and the Israel and the individual x servant the Messiah x it was have a look at Isaiah 50 verse 5. x the Lord God has opened my ear and I was x not rebellious nor did I turn away and x again again is an excellent example or x description of the of the Messiah or the x the branch servant x this is the obedient response of Messiah x and compared to what we just read about x Israel x in Psalm 46 and 8. sacrifice and x offering though did is not desire my x ears has thou opened burnt offering and x sin offering has thou not required I x Delight to do thy will o God day thy law x is within x my heart x so the opening of the year is a symbol x of the dedicated slave servant who x Delights to do the will x of his master x the national servant Israel was to be x God's obedient witness to the Nations x and unfortunately they failed God's x individual servant the branch would x accomplish with Israel could not x the work of the suffering servant would x usher in the Redemption of mankind and x prepare the Earth for the coming Kingdom x thus fulfilling the desire of his father x so God says to Israel behold my servant x an indication of a change of emphasis or x a change in in the style of of service x and so now when we enter in here in x verse 41. he's now talking about the x servant branch x behold my servant whom I uphold my elect x in whom I sold Delights I have put my x spirit upon him and he shall bring forth x judgment x to the Gentiles x the word behold suggests Wonder ah and x importance x behold to contemplate a person x especially remarkable or an impressive x one you pay attention to that person or x to observe that person x in this case a servant which would be x God's servant x it is not a coincidence that in chapter x 41 behold occurs six times drawing x attention to Israel's failure and the x seventh occurrence is in chapter 42 1. x this is the number of completion x indicating Divine Perfection has been x achieved with with greatness to follow x in the work of the branch x just look at Isaiah 42 1 and a different x uh in the NIV behold my servant whom I x uphold my elect and whom I sold the x lights I have put my spirit upon him and x he will bring forth judgment x to the Gentiles x and just sort of uh break this verse x down my elect is the chosen of God x a special ideal servant x one who accomplishes God's purpose by x bringing Justice to the Gentiles and x eventually to Israel x in whom I sold the lights this is my x beloved Son in whom I am well pleased x hear ye him these are the words that are x out of that the Transfiguration x and this requires x our righteous servant and God could not x Delight in one who was unrighteous and x we we've seen from the brief description x that we've we've talked about that the x unrighteousness of Israel would be x unacceptable x to God x Isaiah continues his description of the x servant's work in Isaiah 42 and 6. x by the Lord have called you to x demonstrate my righteousness x I will take you by the hand and guard x you and I will give you to My People x Israel as a symbol of my faithful x Covenant with them and you will be a x light to guide the Gentiles and and you x can see the two aspects of the Gospel x there that uh x the the branch is going to be a symbol x to the of the faithful Covenant that was x made with Israel and that he will be a x light to guide x the Gentiles x Isaiah 49 5 and 6. x though Israel did not gather yet shall I x shall I Emmanuel be glorious in the eyes x of the Lord x and my God shall be my strength x for you have for you to be my servant to x raise up the tribes of Jacob and to x restore the the preservative Israel and x I will give thee for a light to the x Gentiles that thou mayest be my x salvation unto the end of the Earth and x again we see this idea of x foreshadowing of the Gospel the x preaching of the gospel and the in the x gospel being fulfilled in the Lord Jesus x Christ and all men and women who x talk to him in in truth will be x incorporated into that glorious time x so this was the primary work of the x sermon Branch to fulfill the covenants x God had made with Israel and to bring x the light of salvation x to the Gentiles x Israel continued in Disobedience to God x and but God continues to offer Grace x to them that they have this reassurance x in the in these verses that we're going x to look at now Isaiah 51 1-2 and then x verse 11. listen to me you who pursue x righteousness who seek the Lord look to x the Rock which is Christ look to Abraham x your father and to Sarah who gave you x birth x when I called him he was only one man x and I blessed him and made him many x therefore the redeemed of the Lord shall x return and come with singing unto zion x an everlasting Joy shall be upon their x heads and they shall obtain gladness and x joy and sorrow and mourning shall flee x away x so the suffering servant is the focus of x Israel's hope x he is the assurance that God has not x forsaken him x the rock the servant of the Lord will x restore Israel from their waywardness x through instruction x and correction x and I was reminded of this verse that x the Lord is not slack concerning his x promises and I think it's an interesting x thing when you look at most of the x prophetic writings when when Israel is x being chastised those chapters always x end with God reassuring Israel that not x always is lost if they repent he will x remember his Covenant to them x and I think that's a very reassuring x thing for us that that even though we at x times falter and fail in the way we have x the Assurance through God's grace that x we can be forgiven and that not all x is lost x God's grace is extended to all who x associate themselves with his Covenant x of John 4 and 34 Jesus said to him onto x them x my meat or my energy is to do the will x of him who sent me and to accomplish his x work x to fulfill the will of the father and x accomplish the father's work would not x be without pain and suffering leading to x the sacrificial death of this obedient x servant x and we will discover this in Isaiah 53. x but before we do here's a sample of the x hardships x in his role as the suffering servant x verse uh x put in Isaiah 50 verse 6. x I offered my back to those who attacked x my jaws to those who tore out my bread x I did not hide my face from insults and x from spitting x Mark 10 and 34 x and they will mock him and spit on him x and flog him and severely x kill him x Jesus would endure the these hardships x because he finds his strength in his x father's promise he was able to go x through this and he was able to do the x father's will because he knew that x eventually the father would fulfill the x promises that he had made x yet after three days he will rise again x and of course this was the greatest x promise that was offered to him x his strength and resilience was rooted x in the resurrection x from the dead and we see this in Psalm x 16 verses 8 to 11. x I have set the lord always before me x because he is at my right hand I shall x not be moved therefore my heart is glad x and my tongue rejoices my body also x shall rest secure because you will not x abandon me to the to the realm of death x nor will you let your faithful one see x Decay you will show me the path of life x and in your presence is fullness of joy x and at your right hand are pleasures x forevermore x what a marvelous promise that Jesus had x to sustain him as he hung on the cross x and sure he x thought about the psalm and took great x comfort in it x and it's something that we we can take x comfort in because we know that we are x in line x for the same promises that was made made x to Jesus x the same are made to those that are x faithful to to the heavenly father x so now take a a look at Isaiah 53 x we're just going to make a few brief x comments in each verse x it is illustrative of the Suffering The x servant Branch endures on behalf of us x hopefully it will give us a better x understanding of his suffering and a x greater appreciation x of what he accomplished for us x it was a life devoted to compassion and x mercy culminating in a voluntary death x by his father's Grace the branch Rose to x everlasting life x so the suffering servant in Isaiah 53 x and 1. who has believed our message into x whom has the arm of the Lord x being revealed x column x quoting in Romans 10 16 said x they have not all obeyed the gospel and x so in some respects it must have been a x letdown for Jesus to realize that not x everybody accepted x his words x it would be x but it would be the filth faithful those x who respond to the message x what was the message x now Isaiah 50 x to x seven and ten how beautiful are the feet x of him who brings good news who x proclaims peace who brings Glad Tidings x of good things who Proclaim salvation x who's his design your god reigns x the Lord has made bear his holy arm in x the eyes of all the nations and all the x ends of the Earth shall see the x salvation x of God x to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed x the arm of the Lord is a metaphor of a x military power the large Warrior servant x must fight a different battle the battle x the enemy of sin and of human x nature x this was the role of the servant branch x that he would battle the enemy of sin x and overcome his nature x but briefly consider some of the daily x obstacles Jesus experiencing x in Isaiah 53 and 2 for he shall grow up x before him as a tender plant and as I x wrote out of dry ground he has no farm x farm or comeliness but we shall see him x there is no beauty that we should desire x him x we see the some examples so x if one in Luke 52 and 52 and Jesus x increased in wisdom and in favor with x God x and we we already looked at that but I x just want to add the thought that it was x in the real world x you know x um Jesus lived in a world that we live x in the we're the things that we are x subjected to every day the trials the x challenges x and in in his strength and determination x was able to overcome them in his growing x up as the servant Branch x um x he will be like a plant growing out of a x dry land wispy struggling fighting for x life not growing in the surroundings of x wealth and opulence but in surroundings x where life is hard everything must be x worked for therefore he will be x struggling to survive physically and x spiritually x um Isaiah 11 and 1 and there shall come x forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse and x a branch shall grow x out of his roots x being despised Jesus was x and he was rejected he had no kingly x bearingly David who had a healthy x handsome appearance no one would admire x his outward appearance there will be x nothing of beauty to attract them to him x in fact he was the son of a carpenter x complete with bristers x and Harden hands surely this cannot be x the Messiah x and they had this sort of a derogatory x remark others said x this is the Christ but some said shall x Christ come out of Galilean x echoing nathanael's words can anything x good come from Nazareth Galilee a place x of law esteem x Jesus was a man who through Labor and x persecution at age prematurely John 8 57 x they said x then then said the Jews unto him Thou x Art not yet 50 years old and has thou x seen Abraham an indication of how worn x and weathered he was x from the work that he had performed and x so he x like every man and woman struggling in x this world to do the best that he could x Isaiah 53-3 he is despised and rejected x of man A Man of Sorrows and acquainted x with greed and we had as it were our x face from him and he was despised and we x esteemed him not x it was a transient existence but he had x no not a place to lay his head x he was opposed and Mel and menaced Psalm x 4 Luke 4 29 they thrust him out of the x city and led him onto the brow at the x hill that anyway cast him down headlong x he suffered the indifference of his x family x or even his brothers believed him not x he often worked himself into exhaustion x suddenly a pure storm struck the lake x with waves breaking into the boat but x Jesus was sleeping x and he he will grieve at the hardness of x men's hearts x and he sight deeply in his spirit and x said wiped out this generation seek x after a sign apparently I say unto you x there shall be no sign given unto this x generation x so the word here acquainted means to x know by experience and we can see from x these x these quotations that we've just gone x through that he experienced all of these x things the you know translating x existence being menaced in the uh the x indifference of his family exhaustion x and the hardness of men's hearts x but he learned obedience by the things x which he suffered and it's a wonderful x example for us you know sometimes we x bellyache about things that we have to x put up with but we have to endure x nothing like the Lord Jesus Christ x endured x on our behalf x from his personal experience he x developed compassion for my own kind x and Isaiah 53 and 4 he is born our x griefs x um thank you x when Jesus saw Peter's mother-in-law x lying in bed with a fever he touched her x hand and the fever left her one evening x came many who were demon-possessed were x brought to him and he drove out the x spirits of the word and healed the sick x you know it's a wonderful illustration x of his compassion for his for his men x for mankind x and x when you look at that you can see why he x was exhausted half the time because he x was just besieged by by crowds and x masses of people x looking for his help x he had to deal with the pressure of the x crowds who followed him this was to x fulfill what was spoken to the prophet x Isaiah he took up our infirmities and x bar our diseases x diseases he died for the sins x of man because this was the greatest x disease that mankind suffered from x foreign x we did esteem of stricken smitten of God x and afflicted x to remove the effect of sin and to save x others he had to endure sorrow unto x death x the servant of God suffers for the sins x of others and it's mentioned 12 times in x the in this the third chapter and I'm x not going to over the verses but x you'll find them there 12 of them x mentioning this x Johnny and 40 but now you seek to kill x me a man who has told you the truth x which I heard x from God x Afflicted a state of humiliation and x mental anguish at the hands of evil men x who believe Jesus should suffer because x he was especially sinful x you know they they considered him to be x the greatest sinner on Earth and they x were willing to put him to death x for the x Isaiah 53 and 5 but he was wounded for x our transgressions and he was bruised x for our iniquities and the chastisement x of our peace was upon him and with his x stripes we are healed x notice the the the verbs that are used x here wounded bruised x chastised and x encouraged x as we read these words it becomes clear x that Jesus excuse me clear that God's x servant would bear the sins of the world x through suffering both physically x and mentally x it is the ultimate x in punishment x and he was very much a Living Sacrifice x Romans 8 1-2 there is therefore now no x condemnation to them which are in Christ x Jesus for the law of sin and death x in Christ Jesus has made me free from x the law of sin x and death x we are the direct beneficiaries x of his suffering of this ultimate x punishment and this Living Sacrifice x that he be had he performed x on our behalf x and as we meditate on these words it x should truly fill us x with awe and with appreciation x he healed many from the sickness of sin x Isaiah 53 6 we like sheep have gone x astray and the Lord hath laid on him the x iniquity of us all x Prophet Zechariah said in 13-7 Smite the x shepherd and the Sheep shall be x scattered x you think about the the masses of people x that followed Jesus but on the end they x all x evaporated they all left him and x followed him no more x and on the night of Jesus's arrest he x warned the disciples x that that they would flee as well when x threatened and we see this in Matthew 26 x 31 and 56. then Jesus told them this x very night it will all fall away on x account of me bird is written I will x strike the shepherd and the Sheep x how the flock will be scattered in verse x 56. than all the disciples forsook him x and fled x that must have been a heartbreaking x moment even though he knew it was coming x first Peter 2 25. x for you were like sheep going the street x but now you have returned to the x shepherd and and the overseer x of your souls x even the apostles were weak and fearful x as strange sheep and in the time of x their testing but now at this point in x history x where Peter's writing that they had now x returned to their master x we need Jesus in our lives for consoling x and strengthening x and we need to return him to him when we x need him x let us take heart in times of trial and x failures and return to the shepherd of x our sheep for healing for strength and x for encouragement x a fuller expectation is now given on how x the servant would suffer Messiah faced x depression from the authorities and was x treated cruelly by them yet he was not x humiliate himself before them neither x did he complain by speaking or asking x for mercy x Isaiah 57 53-7 he was oppressed and x treated Percy yet he never said a word x he was led like a lamb to the slaughter x but a sheep x is silent before the shears he did not x open his mouth x before the Sanhedrin and when he was x accused of the chief priests and the x elders he answered nothing x before Herod Herod asked Jesus question x after question but Jesus refused to x answer x before Pilate pilate entered his x headquarters and again said to Jesus x where are you from but Jesus gave him no x answer x Jesus was on trial being silent was a x most amazing Act of resistance x he was beset by evil men intent on doing x him harm x and Jesus was not powerless he could x have shouted down their false x accusations he could have used his power x to hurt them and Destroy them and Escape x he was right and they were wrong and x Jesus x was silent x how do we react do we remain silent when x we are rebuffed or face hostility or do x we lash out defensively x when we are attempted to react in such a x way let us think about the reaction of x Jesus x foreign x led to a Slaughter x and Hebrews 10 and 7. then I said here x am I it is written about me in the x scroll I have come to do your will x oh my God x Isaiah 53 and 8 and he was taken from x prison and from judgment and who shall x declare this his generation for he was x cut off out of the land of the living x for the transgression of my people x was he strickened x he was led away after an unjust trial x the purpose of his pressures oppressors x was that he might be cut off out of the x land of the living no more Vivid x description of death could be given x in Daniel 9 and 20 26 it's predicted x that the Messiah x shall be cut off x predicting a violent death x cut off x means to divide literally to cut and two x this is taken from an ancient custom of x sailing the Covenant x and you know and we won't we won't read x this we're getting running out of time x but you look at Genesis 15 it gives a x description there of God ratifying his x Covenant with Abram x suggest so this idea of being cut off is x suggesting that Jesus was x a covenant victim x Isaiah 53 and 8 and he was taken from x prison and judgment and who shall x declare this his generation where he was x caught up out of the land of the living x for the transgression of my people x was he stricken or the word means x wounded x making the cutting off of Messiah as a x covenant victim necessary x uh in verse 9 in his death x messiah's death was intended to be cruel x and punitive x but he had nothing to fear x Isaiah 49 and 8 I will protect you and x give you the to the people as my x Covenant with them x Psalm 16 9-10 my body also will rest x secure because you will not abandon me x to the Realms of to the Dead x nor will you let your faithful one see x decay x and so we can see that x Jesus had even though he x died of violent death he had nothing to x fear he knew that x it was a temporary thing in the grave x and that he would be raised by his x Heavenly Father x Isaiah 53-9 and he made his grave with x the wicked and with the rich in his x death x it states in verse 9 he made his grave x with the wicked and with the rich x it is not possible to be to bury someone x in two different tombs how then is this x phrase explained x I think the translation in the net x version is a little clearer than the x intended to bury him with criminals but x he ended up in a tomb in a rich man's x tomb because he had committed no violent x Deeds nor had he spoken x to see flee x what was intended here is Jesus will be x numbered among the sinful the wicked and x and the rich x and with no one we could claim his body x Jesus and death would have experienced x the same fate of the two criminals x if not for the intervention of Joseph of x armathea who assumed responsibility for x the burial of Jesus and a rich man's x tomb x and you know we can see that in Matthew x 27 verses 57 x to 60. x the final section of this property shows x the death of Jesus to have been the will x of God x Jesus sacrifice was essential to fill x the role of the branch and to produce x the promise seed x yet it pleased the Lord to make his soul x an offering for sin x uh and this was the the bruising process x the Healer Messiah will crush sins x the sin of the Serpent's head x and when we know this from Genesis 3 and x 15 and you're you're all familiar with x that but the interesting thing here is x is that God shall prolong his days again x a promise of the resurrection and and to x be raised up into Glory with the father x because of this non-fatal blow Messiah x will be resurrected and as days shall be x prolonged and he shall see x is seed x so x this this promise of being prolonging x his days and and that he would see a x seed it is found in Genesis 22 and 18 x and I see each of all the nations of the x earth be blessed because thou has obeyed x my voice Paul speaks about it in x Galatians 3 and 16 and you know we were x familiar with that verse 29 that x Galatians 3 of where Abraham seen there x were heirs to the promises x and Ephesians 9 2 19 and 20. x consequently you are no longer x foreigners and strangers but fellow x citizens with God's people and also x members of his household x to build on the foundation of the x Apostles and Prophets with Christ x himself as the Chief Cornerstone x in Christ we become fellow citizens with x all the rights and privileges x citizenship x provides x without Jesus x without Jesus's life death and x Resurrection we would be in a condition x to describing of Paul as aliens from the x Commonwealth of God's people strangers x from the covenants of promise x when we see that this has been x fulfilled in Isaiah 53 and 10. x yet it pleased the Lord to bruise him x he hath put him to grief x when thou shall make his soul an x offering for sin he shall see his seed x and the pleasure of the Lord shall x prosper in his hand x how fortunate we are that God finds x pleasure in in loving us by providing x his son so we can be part of his Plan of x Salvation and the renewal of the Earth x Jesus has accomplished his perfect work x by offering himself for the sins of many x mankind can now reach out in faith and x grasp The Hope offered to them and x become a part of his promise x seed x in his work Jesus goes on building his x house it is a continual process x and as we will see in the next class x the body of the branch we will explore x what it means to be his seed and to be x members of the house that he is building x for the futureThe Body of the Branch
Original URL Wednesday, March 22, 2023