In our last article, we looked at how the Old Testament teaches the idea of resurrection, which we find out in the New Testament is only possible because of the resurrection of Jesus.
But was the resurrection of Jesus specifically mentioned in the Old Testament?
Again, the answer is yes. The prophet Isaiah is probably the best example. Isaiah lived about 700-800 years before Jesus, and wrote some of the most recognizable sections of the Old Testament—especially the one we find in Isaiah 53.
Who has believed our report? And to whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed? For He shall grow up before Him as a tender plant, and as a root out of dry ground. He has no form or comeliness; and when we see Him, there is no beauty that we should desire Him. He is despised and rejected by men, a Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. And we hid, as it were, our faces from Him; He was despised, and we did not esteem Him. Surely He has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed Him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement for our peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned, every one, to his own way; and the LORD has laid on Him the iniquity of us all. He was oppressed and He was afflicted, yet He opened not His mouth; He was led as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before its shearers is silent, So He opened not His mouth. He was taken from prison and from judgment, and who will declare His generation? For He was cut off from the land of the living; for the transgressions of My people He was stricken. And they made His grave with the wicked—but with the rich at His death, because He had done no violence, nor was any deceit in His mouth. (Isaiah 53:1-9)
So far, Isaiah is primarily concerned with the birth and death of Jesus. But then we get to verse 10.
Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise Him; He has put Him to grief. When You make His soul an offering for sin, He shall see His seed, He shall prolong His days, and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in His hand. (Isaiah 53:10)
The first part of the verse is shocking—how could it please a father to bruise his son and put him to grief? It would have to be something worthwhile to make this tragedy worth it. And, there is something worthwhile—because of the life-crushing punishment, the Son would have seed and prolonging of days, even though He had no offspring and would die.
Now, think about that for a second. If He died without offspring, how could He have seed and prolong His days? What we have here is a glimpse of the resurrection.
The Messiah would have seed, which are Old Testament saints and New Testament believers.
Isaiah continues a couple verses later…
Therefore I will divide Him a portion with the great, and He shall divide the spoil with the strong, because He poured out His soul unto death, and He was numbered with the transgressors, and He bore the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors. (Isaiah 53:12)
Again, how could He divide a portion with the great and divide the spoil with the strong after He died? It was because His death would only be temporary.
Somehow, 700-800 years before Jesus lived, Isaiah knew that He would rise from the dead, making it possible for others to rise also.
