Unstoppable! 'The Suffering Servant Prophesied by Isaiah Is Jesus!' — Acts 8:30-33

The Holy Spirit inspired the Scriptures (2 Timothy 3:16-17) and the words of the prophets (2 Peter 1:20-21), the Lord opens people's hearts (Acts 16:14), and the Spirit convicts them of their need for Jesus (John 16:7-10). The treasurer from Ethiopia read from the scroll of Isaiah — Isaiah 53:7-8 in our Bibles. This passage is part of one of Isaiah's "Servant Songs"!* The message tugged at the Ethiopian's heart. He longed to know about this servant of God who was prophesied and whose identity was foretold in Isaiah's prophecies. The risen Christ revealed the meaning of these specific Scriptures to his closest disciples after his resurrection (Luke 24:44-49). The followers of Jesus realized that their Lord's identity was best understood through the lens of God's "Suffering Servant." As described in the verses following today's passage, Philip was able to reveal this "Suffering Servant" to the Ethiopian man seeking God's truth. While Jesus' path to the cross was a shock to those who expected a Messiah who would conquer militarily rather than one who would conquer sin and death, Isaiah had revealed centuries before that the Messiah would give his life as a sacrifice for God's chosen people and the lost of every nation.

* The "Servant Songs" are usually identified as Isaiah 42:1–4, 49:1–6, 50:4–7, 52:13–53:12, and Isaiah 61:1-3. These servant poems of God's chosen "Suffering Servant" prophesied about God's coming servant-Messiah. Jesus used Isaiah's prophecies to explain the path of suffering his ministry followed. {Even though Jesus applied Isaiah 61:1-3 to himself in different situations (Luke 4:16-21, 7:20-23), it sometimes isn't included in the "Servant Songs" since the word "servant" is not used. Nevertheless, this passage describes a servant.}