Joel M Bradshaw

 34So the crowd answered him, “We have heard from the Law that the Christ remains forever. How can you say that the Son of Man must be lifted up? Who is this Son of Man?” 35So Jesus said to them, “The light is among you for a little while longer. Walk while you have the light, lest darkness overtake you. The one who walks in the darkness does not know where he is going. 36While you have the light, believe in the light, that you may become sons of light.”–John 12

Jesus’ crowd here struggled with the idea that the Messiah would die. In this time in history, the Messiah was expected to come and deliver. Remember Israel lived under the heavy administrative and military hands of the greatest Gentile Empire the world had ever seen. So what passages might they have been referring to from the Law? I will underline them for emphasis.

Of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end, on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it
with justice and with righteousness from this time forth and forevermore.
The zeal of the LORD of hosts will do this. (Isaiah 9:7)

They shall dwell in the land that I gave to my servant Jacob, where your fathers lived. They and their children and their children’s children shall dwell there forever, and David my servant shall be their prince forever. (Ezekiel 37:25)

Once for all I have sworn by my holiness; I will not lie to David. His offspring shall endure forever, his throne as long as the sun before me. Like the moon it shall be established forever, a faithful witness in the skies.” (Psalm 89:35-37)

What kind of Messiah would Jesus be if He died? How would that solve their problems and provide the eternal Kingdom that God promised? And Jesus’ answer seemed to challenge them to seek to understand who and what He is rather than imposing expectations on Him. And yet, read Isaiah 53. Again, I added emphasis.

But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed…when his soul makes an offering for guilt, he shall see his offspring; he shall prolong his days; the will of the LORD shall prosper in his hand. (Isaiah 53:5, 10b)

Jesus needed to die to fulfill Isaiah 53. On the cross his wounds brought peace and healing between a repentant sinner and the Holy God. And yet, this one crushed by God has hope of something new and lasting. I see the prospering of Isaiah 53 present in the everlasting Kingdom from the passages listed above. The Messiah first had to conquer the greatest enemy before He could fully reign. This is because sin leads to death and death must be dealt with if a kingdom is to be truly forever. Who would follow a forever Messiah if they couldn’t enjoy His forever Kingdom?

As you ponder the victories of God and the promises of God never forget the reality of your sin. God the Messiah first had to conquer your sin and the death that results. Who cares if God conquers all the outside enemies if he doesn’t conquer the more dangerous inside ones? Eternal life is great, but if I can’t experience it, what is the point?–JMB