Restoration of the Prophetic

I picked up something interesting from James Maloney. He was speaking about Isaiah 53, and explaining that everything that happened to Jesus, achieved something for us. He was pierced for our transgression. By his wounds we are healed. I knew this, but he went one step further. He says that Jesus face was punched and disfigured to restore the prophetic. He referred to Is 52:14-15.

His appearance was so disfigured beyond that of any human being
and his form marred beyond human likeness—
so he will sprinkle many nations,
and kings will shut their mouths because of him.
For what they were not told, they will see,
and what they have not heard, they will understand.

Jesus face was so disfigured that he looked ugly. The gospels explain how this had happened. Jesus had been taken before the Jewish Sanhedrin. They accused him of blasphemy and condemned him to death. Mark records what happened next.

They blindfolded him, struck him with their fists, and said, “Prophesy!” (Mark 14:65).

Then they spat in His face and beat Him with their fists; and others slapped Him, and said, “Prophesy to us, you Christ (Matt 26:67-68).

The Jewish leaders blindfolded beat his face with their fists. They also challenged him to prophesy. This ironic because the voice of prophecy had been silent in Israel for hundreds of year. Jesus had already restored the prophetic. He had prophesied against the Jewish leaders (Matt 23,24), but they had rejected his prophecy. They had now condemned him to death, which is what Jesus said they do in his prophecy (Matt 23:37).

The Jewish leaders disfigured Jesus while challenging him to prophesy. God saw it differently. Jesus face was disfigured, so that the prophetic ministry could be restored and prophets could stand before the face of God and speak his word to the people. Jesus was blindfolded, so prophets could see. Isaiah described the fulfilment in the verses quoted above.

Things that have not been written down will be seen.
Things that have not been heard will be understood.

This is the role of the prophetic ministry that was restored by Jesus. The Holy Spirit was poured out on the day of Pentecost and the gift of prophecy and the ministry of the prophet were put into action again.

There is something else that James did not mention. Isaiah gives a warning to kings.

Kings will shut their mouths because of him.

When the prophetic ministry is restored, kings and political leaders will be silent. In the modern world, political leaders have the voice that tells people what to think and what is right and wrong. When the Kingdom of God comes, kings and politicians will lose their place. The prophets have an important role in revealing the Kingdom of God and silencing all kings but Jesus.

The next verse describes the role of the prophet.

Who has believed our message
and to whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed (Is 53:1).

The stretching forth of God’s arm is revealed to his prophets. They proclaim his message to the powers of the world, but mostly they are not believed.