Reflecting on John 12:37-43“Isaiah said this because he saw Jesus’ glory and spoke about him.” (John 12:41)
John quotes Isaiah 53:1 and Isaiah 6:10 to explain the peoples’ unbelief.
Isaiah 6 explains how God reveals His glory to Isaiah when He calls him as a prophet.
Isaiah 53 describes the suffering, death and resurrection of God’s Messiah.
John is connecting the glory of God to the suffering love of Jesus.
As I said earlier, God’s willingness to suffer for love is what makes God glorious.
When we read the OT, we need to read it through the lens of God’s suffering love.
“Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails.” (1 Corinthians 13:4-8)
This is what Isaiah sees in the temple (Isaiah 6) and the Suffering Servant (Isaiah 53).
A God that humbly, graciously and compassionately submits to a stubborn, rebellious people.
A God that willingly relates with, works with and suffers for a wayward. sinful people.
The question is, will we believe this crazy, radical idea… that God loves like this?
Believing this glorious vision of God changes how we view everything and everyone!
PRAYER
Lord Jesus, Your radical love is what makes You glorious to me. Help me to share and to show this glorious vision with other stubborn, rebellious sinners like me, so they can see it too!