Messiah the Suffering Servant (2)—His Humble Origins - All The LORD is near Daily Devotionals for 2024

He shall grow up before Him as a tender plant, and as a root out of dry ground. He has no form or comeliness; and when we see Him, there is no beauty that we should desire Him.
Isaiah 53:2 NKJV

Messiah the Suffering Servant (2)—His Humble Origins
Messiah’s humble origins are predicted by Isaiah. Of course, when we say His origins, we mean His coming into the world in Manhood; He is the eternal Son. The apostle John wrote, “That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, concerning the Word of life” (1 Jn. 1:1). This is the “beginning” or origin which Isaiah is referring to here.

His holy humanity matured before God in all the various seasons of life—a true Man, spirit, soul, and body (Lk. 2:52). He grew up like a “tender plant” in harsh conditions; Satan tried to destroy Him at birth but it was not possible (Mt. 2:12–23). In the expression, a “root out of dry ground,” we observe His humble status. The tribe of Judah was but a remnant; His family, the house of David, had been reduced to a thread, nigh to extinction. His ancestors, returning from Babylonian captivity back to their ancestral home of Bethlehem, were but 123 souls (see Ezra 2:21).

There would be nothing visibly striking that would distinguish Messiah from others: “He has no form or comeliness,” meaning “majesty” or “lordliness.” Although He was a king, and royal in every sense, He would not appear as such. Blessed Lord! The prophet predicts in an explanatory way, that when His people would see Him there would be “no beauty” that would attract them. It is striking that in all four Gospels there is no description of His physical features. There was nothing in an outward way which would attract the eye of man. May we be more and more attracted to His moral beauty and glory!

-- Brian Reynolds