II. TYPIFIED BY ISRAEL
Israel as a type of Christ is more subjective. As the ones chosen by God, they are God’s kingdom, God’s house, and God’s household. Israel as a type of Christ, the Servant of Jehovah, was chosen by Jehovah and upheld with the right hand of His righteousness. Like Christ, Israel overcame the enemies by Jehovah and rejoiced and gloried in Him, the Holy One of Israel (Isa. 41:8-16; 42:1a; Rom. 8:37; 1 Thes. 2:19-20). Israel also typifies Christ as the Witness of Jehovah (Isa. 43:10; Rev. 1:5a; 3:14). Just as the Spirit was poured out upon Christ, the Spirit of Jehovah was poured out upon Israel for the blessing of his offspring (Isa. 44:1-5, 21; Matt. 3:16; Luke 4:18-19). Also in Israel, Jehovah was glorified, just as God was glorified in Christ (Isa. 49:3; 46:13b; John 17:1; 12:28). Cyrus the king of Persia was working for Israel as Israel’s servant. He was not only serving God but also serving them. His pleasant service sent them back to their fathers’ land and provided for them on the way. In the ancient days, it was a long journey from Babylon, today’s Iraq, to Jerusalem. The returned captives needed a lot of protection on the way. Otherwise, people could rob them and kill them. Cyrus did everything for them, and they went back to their forefathers’ land, the Holy Land, safely. That was Cyrus’s service. Today, on the one hand, we are Cyrus, and on the other hand, we are Israel.
III. TYPIFIED BY ISAIAH THE PROPHET
Isaiah also worked as a type of Christ, the Servant of Jehovah, to accomplish God’s heart’s desire. His prophecy helped in the release of Israel and the rebuilding of the temple and the city. Cyrus, the Gentile king, Israel, God’s chosen people, and Isaiah, the prophet set up by God, all did the same thing to please God. They served to release God’s people, to build up God’s house, and to build up God’s kingdom signified by the city. When Jesus came, He did the same thing. Luke 4:18 says that Christ was anointed by God to release the captives. He also built up the church as the temple of God and established the church as the kingdom of God. By this we can see that Cyrus, Israel, Isaiah, and Jesus Christ were all servants of God doing the same thing. They are four-in-one, and the first three—Cyrus, Israel, and Isaiah—are wrapped up with the last One, Christ. In all the three you can see Christ. In Cyrus you can see Christ; in Israel you can see Christ; and in Isaiah you can see Christ.
Today we are the servants of God. We need a vision to see Cyrus, Israel, and Isaiah typifying Christ as the Servant of Jehovah. We need to have the realization that we are today’s Cyrus, Israel, and Isaiah because we are one with our Lord Jesus Christ. We all are God’s servants doing the same thing in the universe—to release God’s people, to build up His temple, the house, and to build up His kingdom, the city. Whenever I consider what I have been doing, am still doing, and will be doing to carry out God’s good pleasure in this way, I become happy. If we give ourselves to accomplish the desire of God’s heart, we are the wisest men on this earth. We have the best job with the best destiny. We need to realize that our job as God’s sent ones is the highest job.
Isaiah told us that he was sent with the Spirit of Jehovah by Jehovah (Isa. 48:16b). God did not send Isaiah alone. He was sent by God with God the Spirit. The New Testament tells us that when the Lord Jesus was sent by the Father, the Father sent Him with the Spirit of God (Luke 4:14). The Spirit was always with Jesus. Furthermore, the Father who sent the Son also came with the Son. Jesus also said that He was not alone, but the Father was with Him (John 8:29). When Jesus came, the three in the Godhead all came. We must have the assurance that when we go to people, the Spirit and Christ go with us. Moreover, Christ is the embodiment of the Father, so the Father goes with us. When we go out to preach the gospel, the Triune God goes with us. We need to experience this just as Isaiah did.
Isaiah typifies Christ as one made by Jehovah to be His mouthpiece to speak forth His word (Isa. 49:1-2; John 3:34a). I am happy because I am a mouthpiece to speak forth God’s word. All of us should be happy in the same way. All of us are mouthpieces to speak God’s word. If we are not mouthpieces, we are not servants of God. Every servant of God speaks for God. We must learn to speak Christ for God in many ways and in many aspects.
(Life-Study of Isaiah, Chapter 45, by Witness Lee)
