Prophecies by Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Amos, and others about a messianic figure who assists in restoring the house of Israel in preparation for Jehovah’s coming to reign on the earth agree with Jewish expectations of a “Messiah” or “anointed one” (masiah). A biblical precedent or type of this figure is King David: “Then Samuel took the horn of oil, and anointed him in the midst of his brethren, and the Spirit of Jehovah came upon David from that day forward” (1 Samuel 16:13). Isaiah predicts that this figure will release Israel’s captives, lead them in an exodus to Zion, appoint their inheritances, and rebuild their ancient ruins (Isaiah 49:8–12; 61:4).
Fulfilling Christian messianic expectations is Jehovah God of Israel. The key prophecy of Isaiah 53:1–10—of one who takes his people’s transgressions on himself in order to obtain their “peace” and “healing”—Jehovah himself fulfills. We know this from Isaiah’s structure that juxtaposes the King of Babylon in Isaiah 14 with Jehovah, the King of Zion, in Isaiah 52–53 in twenty-one parallel verses that characterize the King of Babylon as the opposite of the King of Zion. As “peace” and “healing” are synonyms of salvation (Isaiah 6:10; 52:7), Jesus’ fulfilling the prophecy of Isaiah 53:1–10 identifies him not only as Jehovah God of Israel but as its Messiah.
