To me Isaiah´s prophecy in chapter 53 is one of the most wonderful texts in the Bible. For it is spoken to the world by the Jewish people, just after they have accepted Jesus as their Messiah. “To whom has the power of the Lord been revealed?” they ask (verse 1). And thereafter they confess that they, who had seen Jesus and heard what he said – renounced him: “We despised him, we held him of no account, a thing from which men turn away their eyes.” verse 3.

Why did this happen? The apostle John has explained it to us: “They could not believe, for Isaiah has sad: He has blinded their eyes and dulled their minds, lest they should see …” 12:39-40. The Jewish priests, who were chosen to kill all the sacrificial lambs – which were symbols of Jesus – also had to kill the perfect lamb, our Saviour. If they had known who Jesus was, they would have denied to sacrifice him. Therefore God had to blind them.

But there was also another reason for Jesus to blind them. Isaiah says: “WHO could have believed what WE have heard?” 53:1. And John says it in this way: “The prophet Isaiah´s utterance had to be fulfilled: Lord, WHO has believed what WE reported.” 12:38. There were another group of Israelites who were selected to tell the story about Jesus. He said to the Jews: “The kingdom of God will be taken away from you, and given to a nation that yields the proper fruit.” Matt.21:43. And it was to these people he sent his apostles. He said to them: “Do not take the road to gentile lands … but go to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” Matth.10:5-6. And it of course were to the countries which in the beginning accepted Jesus as their Messiah, Jesus had sent his apostles – namely Europe. They therefore have to be “the lost sheep of the house of Israel”.

Today the Christian countries say Jesus goodbye, and God therefore is going to reject them. “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge : because you have rejected knowledge, I will also reject you from serving me as priest. You have FORGOTTEN THE LAW OF YOUR GOD, I will also forget your children.” Hos.4:6.

Thereafter will God choose the Jewish people anew. And they will cry out to the whole world: “We had all strayed like sheep, each of us had gone his own way ; but the Lord laid upon him the guilt of us all.” Isai.53:6. And then Isaiah 2:2-3 will be fulfilled.