"Because He hath poured out His soul unto death, And was numbered with the transgressors, And bare the sin of many, And made intercession for the transgressors." For the glory and kingdom of Christ is twofold. There is "the glory which He had with the Father before the world was" (John xvii. 5), and into which He ascended; the kingdom which He now rules as "seated with the Father in His throne" (Rev. iii. 21). And there is the kingdom and throne which is emphatically "His" (Ib.)—his kingdom as "Redeemer" and "Son of Man", and more especially the result of "the travail of his soul" by which He established the title to it-and which He is yet to receive "at His appearing and kingdom" inasmuch as the theatre of it is, not heaven, but this world, man's original inheritance recovered by Him. And be it repeated-to be recovered, (as here again predicted) by power, and not by grace, owing to its usurpation by an Enemy who is not to be so overcome; and an opposition which-instead of gradually yielding before the preaching of the Gospel (as generally expected)-will gather strength as the Advent of Christ draws nigh, and shall then be matured and at its height. And thus this prophecy-most distinctively of all the Messianic Prophecies a Prophecy of Christ's humiliation and sufferings-ends with the glory which is their great theme. A Prophecy of His first Advent, but terminating, with all the preceding that we have considered, in His Second, as the following up of the work which He then accomplished: the "bruising of the Serpent's head" and actual abolishing of Satan's power, following up his moral defeat by the cross, and the frustration there of the legal power over man which he had obtained by his fall: and so, in a word, THE PER FECTING OF REDEMPTION. In conclusion:-We believe in the fulfilment of this Prophecy as far as fulfilled. We believe in the Messiah, Christ, as "wounded for our transgressions", and, in His death and sufferings, the atonement for our sin : and-(may it be true of all who hear these words!)—we rejoice, in the experience of "the peace with God" thus made for us, with the joy of him of whom we read that, when Jesus was preached unto him from this Text, "he went on his way rejoicing". (Acts viii. 35, 39.) Are we, then, looking for what remains? As instructed by the concluding verses of it, believing in Christ as "having appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself," are we looking for Him to "appear the second time, without sin, unto salvation"-perfected salvation? And not only so -but as the day of His special triumph as Saviour; when, indeed, "He shall see of the travail of His soul and shall be satisfied"? When His glory— now "hidden" and seen only to faith-shall be manifested and seen by all: and there where He was abased and dishonoured. There, where He was despised and mocked, praised and exalted. There, where rejected with the cry "Away with Him, crucify Him", welcomed and greeted, and by the same people, with "Hosannah, Blessed is the King of Israel that cometh in the name of the Lord". There, where denied, confessed, and by all : when" at the Name of JESUS every knee shall bow -of those in heaven, and in earth, and under the earth and every tongue confess Him LORD to the glory of God the Father" (Phil. ii. 10, 11). Again let us respond-Amen : So be it: “Come, Lord Jesus, come quickly". |