(2) For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: he hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him.
Isaiah 53:2
Explanation:
The prophet goes on to talk about what would not be notable about this servant who we know to be Jesus Christ. What was notable about Jesus was not his physical appearance. He had two feet, two hands, a nose, armpits and hair. He grew. He aged. This prediction tells us that he was not particularly attractive. As we read the accounts of Jesus in the New Testament this is substantiated.
When he was being betrayed, he had to be pointed out by Judas through a kiss. He looked to those guards like every other man there.
When the woman at the well met him, she wasn’t struck that He was the Messiah by his appearance. He had to tell her that He was the Messiah.
(25) The woman saith unto him, I know that Messias cometh, which is called Christ: when he is come, he will tell us all things. (26) Jesus saith unto her, I that speak unto thee am he.
John 4:25-26
What was notable about Jesus to this woman?
(28) The woman then left her waterpot, and went her way into the city, and saith to the men, (29) Come, see a man, which told me all things that ever I did: is not this the Christ? (30) Then they went out of the city, and came unto him.
John 4:28-30
The Word He revealed to her, the truth that He gave to her, and the way that He treated her was what impacted her, not his appearance.
Application:
A principle in scripture that helps us understand how God views things is expressed in 1 Samuel 16:7.
(7) But the LORD said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the LORD seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart.
1 Samuel 16:7
Jesus did not emphasize the external over the internal and neither should we. Who we are on the inside should be primary, and it should affect the outside. As God regenerates us, and begins to change us it is always from the inside out.
Response:
Lord, help me to not worry about the external more than internal. Amen.
Like this:
Like Loading...