Looking at Isaiah 52:13 – Isa. 53:12 in Light of the New Covenant
Many lists of New covenant verses do not include Isaiah 52:13 to 53:12. But I believe there is justification for using it as at least a supporting passage for the study of the New covenant. Allow me to explain my reasons for this.
Firstly, I have already drawn attention to the soteriological focus of the New covenant texts such as Deut. 30:6; Hos. 2:19-20; Isa. 26:8-9; 42:6; 49:8; 59:20-21; 61:8-9; Jer. 31:31-34; 32:38-40; Ezek. 16:59-62; 36:22-28. There is no doubt about the fact that Isaiah 52 – 53 are about salvation. First, it is a messianic Servant song. Second, Isaiah 52:15 declares,
“So shall He sprinkle many nations.”
This is certainly soteriological since it comes right after the description of Christ’s visage as “marred more than any man” (Isa. 52:14), and right before the description of Christ’s passion in Isaiah 53. Isaiah 52:6 says,
Therefore My people shall know My name;
Therefore they shall know in that day
That I am He who speaks:
‘Behold, it is I.’ ”
These words resemble New covenant promises about knowing Yahweh in the eschaton. For example, Jer. 31:34; 32:37-41. Then the next verse is cited in the NT:
How beautiful upon the mountains
Are the feet of him who brings good news,
Who proclaims peace,
Who brings glad tidings of good things,
Who proclaims salvation,
Who says to Zion,
“Your God reigns!” – Isaiah 52:7.
Part of this text is quoted by Paul in Romans 10:15 and applied to the Gospel. Almost immediately after there is a promise of salvation to Jerusalem (Isa. 52:9), which is coupled with an equally clear prediction of salvation for the Gentiles: “all the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of our God.” (Isa. 52:10). Although there is a break with the introduction of the Servant in Isaiah 52:13, the theme is not broken up.
Please look again at Isaiah 52:15: “He sprinkle many nations.” With what would He sprinkle these nations if not His blood? Vlach connects this verse with the New covenant (The Old in the New, 259-260). He is certainly right to do so, and this would connect the Gentiles to the New covenant, just as in Isaiah 42 and 49. The Hebrew text runs straight into Isaiah 53 with its great verses about the Servant being ” bruised for our iniquities,” with “The chastisement for our peace [being] upon Him,” and “by His stripes we are healed.” (Isa. 53:5). The language of Isaiah 53 unmistakably includes sacrificial overtones (Isa. 53:7, 10, 11, 12), which would lead to the Servant’s blood being spilled.
I am not arguing for this passage to be considered a primary passage for the New covenant. But it ought to be used as a complementary text in discussions of the New covenant.
As an aside, I am persuaded that many dispensationalists do not approach the New covenant from the standpoint of a mature biblical theology. Instead, what one too often encounters is a question-begging approach which prioritizes Jeremiah 31:31-34 (see Part 2).
Excursus: Gentiles Keeping the Feast of Tabernacles in Zechariah 14
In Leviticus 23:43 the Feast of Tabernacles is to be kept for seven days as a memorial of Yahweh’s deliverance of Israel from Egypt. It therefore had covenant overtones. The Feast of Tabernacles in Zechariah 14 is in the future to be kept not only by Jews but also by Gentiles. No one would have thought of such a thing unless this one verse spoke of it. But if the Feast takes on New covenant significance in the Kingdom a rationale for Gentile inclusion is given. It is similar with New covenant references to the Gentiles in Isaiah 42, 49, and even 52. What this inclusion of Gentiles in a Jewish Feast tells us is that we cannot automatically run to a Israel-only passage for this Feast to maintain the Israel-only position. Zechariah 14:16-19 compels the interpreter to change his thinking.
And indeed, it is not without significance that Jesus announced “He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.” on the last day of the Feast of Tabernacles (Jn. 7:38. cf. 14, 37). John comments upon this announcement by referring to the work of the Holy Spirit, who is a central Actor in the New covenant.
But this He spoke concerning the Spirit, whom those believing in Him would receive; for the Holy Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified. – John 7:39.
Although the connection is not watertight, it is worth pondering.
Now we must not think that Zechariah 14 erases national identities, especially those between Jews and Gentiles. But it does mean that Zechariah 14 is an instance of how progressive revelation may bring in a further aspect in God’s plan which is added to what one might expect from earlier revelation. I maintain that this is what happens with the New covenant in the progress of revelation. A person who has no problem with Gentiles celebrating Sukkot in the Kingdom should have little difficulty with Gentiles being included within the New covenant – especially as there is plenty of scriptural support for it.
Gentiles and the New Covenant in the OT
There is no doubting the fact that the majority of the OT passages which concern the New covenant are about Israel. But not all. And here one has to highlight Isaiah 42:1-6 and 49:1-13. In those places the messianic Servant is made “as a covenant” – we cannot avoid identifying this covenant – for the purpose of redeeming Israel and the Gentile nations (cf. Isa. 49:6). Identification of the covenant in question is not difficult (See Part 3). We know that Christ’s blood is “the blood of the New covenant” (Lk. 20:22), so when we add in the promise that He will “sprinkle many nations” (Isa. 52:15) things begin to coalesce around the subject of New covenant salvation. And this realization opens our eyes to other passages which prophetically are part of the same covenantal work.
Take Isaiah 11 as an example:
They shall not hurt nor destroy in all My holy mountain,
For the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the LORD
As the waters cover the sea.
“And in that day there shall be a Root of Jesse,
Who shall stand as a banner to the people;
For the Gentiles shall seek Him,
And His resting place shall be glorious.” – Isaiah 11:9-10.
The context is certainly prophetic. I assert that one can legitimately refer to this text as a New covenant Kingdom text (see also e.g., Isa. 2:1-4; Mic. 4:1-5; Zeph. 3:9-20; and Mal. 3:1-4). That is to say, such prophetic passages set us down in the future Kingdom of God, which is vitally associated with the New covenant (Matt. 26:26-30).
One important ancillary passage in this regard is Isaiah 19:18-25, which speaks of Yahweh’s blessing on Egypt and Assyria. That is to say, these Kingdom passages, being salvation and redemption passages, are able to be understood as New covenant texts; at least in a secondary sense.
There are those who will balk at these connections. But as we venture into the NT it becomes harder to resist them.
