There is, however, an even more wonderful thought, the Saviour Who suffered the death of the Cross with all the

accompanying shame, He too will be `satisfied'! If this be so, we might well say `That will be glory for me'.

We turn to that wonderful chapter of Isaiah which contains this truth, namely Isaiah 53. While we find the

chapter and verse division of the Scriptures most useful when using concordance and lexicon, we must remember

that chapter divisions are artificial, and sometimes misleading. So important is this of Isaiah, we believe the reader

would wish us to spare no pains in exhibiting its structure and teaching, and so before we focus our wondering

attention on the words of Isaiah 53:11, `He shall see of the travail of His soul, and shall be satisfied', we consider the

section of Isaiah that contains these words.

THE LAMB OF GOD (Isa. 52:13 to 56:8)

Isaiah 40 opens with the words `Comfort ye' and the section before us provides the only solid basis for true

comfort. To Israel, and indeed to us all, are addressed the words:

`O thou afflicted, tossed with tempest, and not comforted ... ` (Isa. 54:11);

and where shall the `afflicted' look for comfort, but away to Him Who was `afflicted' as their substitute? (Isa. 53:7).

This portion of Scripture includes Isaiah 53, the `holy of holies' of all the prophets. Whenever we open the sacred

page we are on holy ground; whenever we read the Law and the Prophets we read the Scriptures that speak of

Christ, but there are some passages that stand out prominently in this blessed particular, and the chapter before us

was written in the foreknowledge of Calvary, of its suffering and of its triumph.

The section we are to study is 52:13 to 56:8 and it divides into four parts.

A 52:13 to 53:12.

He bare the sin of many. His soul an offering.

B 54.

Restoration. Seed inherit Gentiles.

No weapon shall prosper.

A 55:1-7.

He will abundantly pardon. Your soul - fatness.

B 55:8 to 56:8.

Gathering `others' `all people'.

Word shall prosper.

The subject is so vast and our means so small that we will concentrate all our attention for the time being on the

first section 52:13 to 53:12.

Before studying any passage in detail we seek the literary structure, for by so doing we discover the scope and

the argument of the passage, and without either structure, scope or argument, our comments must degenerate to a

mere list of unconnected notes on individual words. The desire to present to the reader the structure of this great

passage, and our ability to satisfy that desire are, however, two widely differing propositions. We do not propose

asking the reader to share with us in this arduous task, neither can we expect any who have not pursued this path to

be able to enter into the joy of its discovery. We give a few indications as to how the structure grew, and leave it

with the earnest reader to test, to use and to enjoy as grace may be given. In the first place we noted the passage

opens with the words, `Behold My Servant' (Isa. 52:13) and we remembered that after the record is given of His

substitutionary sufferings, this blessed Servant is again brought before us.

`By His knowledge shall My righteous Servant justify many; for He shall bear their iniquities' (Isa. 53:11).

A moment's meditation brought another feature to light. The Hebrew word translated `to bear' is nasa and

means primarily `to lift up'. The word `extolled' is also a translation of nasa. Concerning these and other Hebrew

words we do not offer any explanation, we are but noting the beginnings of the structural arrangement of material,

and record our first note.

`My Servant'. `Extolled'. nasa.

`My Righteous Servant'. `Bear'. nasa.