“‘Sing, O barren, thou that didst not bear; break forth into singing, and cry aloud…for more are the children of the desolate than the children of the married wife,’ saith the Lord.” Isaiah 54:1
In Isaiah’s description of the Suffering Servant, the Lord Jesus Christ, there is associated with the very vivid picture of what it cost the Son of God to save us, certain promises of God the Father. One of these promises had to do with His seed (those who would follow in the same faith, being born of God by the Spirit. (Is. 53:10) He goes on to write that He, the Lord Jesus, “…shall see His seed,” adding that “He shall prolong His days,” speaking of His eternal power and presence. There is then the promise that “…the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in His hand.” There is in that “prosperity,” that successful accomplishment of the will and purpose of God in redemption, the certainty that the Son of God would “…see the travail of His soul, and shall be satisfied; …justify many, bearing their iniquities.” Not only did Isaiah reveal to us the certainty of Christ’s work on Calvary being perfectly accomplished and successful, but that the Son of God would see the result of His sacrifice. That “result” was His seed, that great company of justified, saved, forgiven and cleansed souls, who would believe in Him. In bearing the sin of this great company, the “many” according to Scripture, He also interceded for them, and continues to do so till this very day. When Christ went to the cross, he had a “joy set before Him,” that of the Father’s fellowship. There was also the joyful anticipation of seeing the “great cloud of witnesses,” the redeemed of all ages, from every kindred, tongue, people and nation, those for whom He sacrificed His all. In this the Father took pleasure with the Son by the Spirit. What then should this mean for the believer as He sees “…the bleeding Prince of life and peace?” It should mean that the purpose and will of God is fruitfulness, first of all in the revelation of the nature and person of Christ, the very fruit of His life by the Spirit. Then secondly, it should mean, that the will of God is for the “much fruit” of Christ’s intended objective, the salvation of many souls. On one occasion, when Jesus was with His disciples, after leading the Samaritan woman to faith in Him, He directed their attention to the multitudes who were approaching. He said to His disciples: “Behold I say unto you, ‘Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields; for they are white already to harvest.'” (Jn. 4:35) Why did He say this? It was because of a reality, that being that the Son of God had come as a servant, to minister, and to give His life as a ransom for many. When He looked upon the multitudes, He saw His seed, those for whom He would die, but also justify. From that very day to this one, He is still looking over the fields of the world, seeking whom He can and will save. What should be the attitude of His church, His body, in whom dwells His Holy Spirit? Should it not be the same?
As to the quantity of fruit, and the great number of His seed, Scripture reveals to us how much He is willing to work in and through His church to reach the most. In John’s gospel, in the context of abiding in Him, the Lord Jesus says: “He that abideth in Me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth MUCH FRUIT: for without Me ye can do nothing.” (Jn. 15:5) Later John will write, “Herein is My Father glorified, that ye bear MUCH Fruit, so shall ye be My disciples.” (v.8) It is true that Christ is speaking primarily here of the fruit of His life, the manifestation of His character and nature. However, in the bearing of this fruit will be the revelation of Christ to the world.
Dear Father, Fill us with Christ. In Jesus’ name, Amen.