Isaiah 52:15
so He will sprinkle many nations. Kings will shut their mouths because of Him. For they will see what they have not been told, and they will understand what they have not heard.
so He will sprinkle
The Hebrew word for "sprinkle" is "נָזָה" (nazah), which often refers to the act of sprinkling blood or water in a ritualistic or purifying context. In the Old Testament, this term is frequently associated with the purification rites of the Levitical priesthood, where blood was sprinkled to atone for sin and cleanse the people (Leviticus 16:14-15). Here, the imagery suggests a messianic figure who will purify and cleanse many nations, indicating a universal scope of redemption and sanctification. This act of sprinkling signifies the transformative power of the Messiah's sacrifice, extending beyond Israel to all nations.

many nations
The phrase "many nations" underscores the expansive reach of the Messiah's work. In the Hebrew context, "nations" (גּוֹיִם, goyim) often refers to Gentiles or non-Israelite peoples. This prophetic vision anticipates the inclusion of the Gentiles in God's redemptive plan, a theme that is further developed in the New Testament (e.g., Romans 15:9-12). The Messiah's mission is not limited to Israel but is intended for the salvation of all humanity, fulfilling God's promise to Abraham that through his offspring, all nations of the earth would be blessed (Genesis 12:3).

kings will shut their mouths because of Him
The imagery of kings shutting their mouths conveys awe, reverence, and perhaps even astonishment. In ancient Near Eastern culture, kings were powerful figures whose words carried great authority. For them to be silent suggests a recognition of a higher authority and a profound respect for the Messiah. This silence may also imply a realization of their own limitations and the acknowledgment of the Messiah's divine wisdom and power. The fulfillment of this prophecy is seen in the New Testament, where the message of Christ reaches rulers and authorities, challenging their understanding and compelling them to acknowledge His lordship (Acts 26:28-29).

For they will see what they have not been told
This phrase highlights the revelatory nature of the Messiah's work. The Hebrew verb "see" (רָאָה, ra'ah) implies not just physical sight but also spiritual insight and understanding. The nations and their leaders will witness the unfolding of God's redemptive plan, which had previously been hidden or unknown to them. This revelation is a divine unveiling, where the mysteries of God's salvation are made manifest through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. It speaks to the transformative power of the Gospel, which opens the eyes of the spiritually blind and brings light to those in darkness (Isaiah 9:2).

and they will understand what they have not heard
The Hebrew word for "understand" (בִּין, bin) suggests discernment and comprehension. This phrase indicates that the nations will gain a deep understanding of God's purposes, which they had not previously heard or comprehended. The message of the Messiah transcends human wisdom and is revealed through the Spirit, enabling people to grasp the profound truths of God's love and grace. This understanding is not merely intellectual but transformative, leading to a change of heart and a new way of life. It reflects the fulfillment of the prophetic promise that the knowledge of the Lord will fill the earth as the waters cover the sea (Habakkuk 2:14).

Persons / Places / Events
1. The Servant
This passage is part of the "Servant Songs" in Isaiah, which prophetically describe the Messiah, Jesus Christ, as the suffering servant who brings salvation.

2. Many Nations
Refers to the Gentiles, indicating the global scope of the Messiah's redemptive work beyond Israel.

3. Kings
Represents the rulers and authorities of the world who will be in awe of the Servant's work and revelation.

4. Isaiah
The prophet who authored this book, delivering God's messages to the people of Israel during a time of impending judgment and future hope.

5. The Event of Revelation
The unveiling of God's plan of salvation through the Messiah, which was previously hidden or not fully understood by the nations.
Teaching Points
The Global Reach of the Gospel
The "sprinkling" of many nations signifies the cleansing and redemption available to all people through Christ. This challenges believers to embrace and support global missions.

The Power of Revelation
The passage emphasizes that understanding and revelation come from God. Believers should seek divine wisdom and insight through prayer and study of the Scriptures.

The Humbling of Earthly Powers
Kings and rulers will be silenced by the truth of the Gospel. This teaches us that God's wisdom surpasses human authority and power, encouraging trust in His sovereignty.

The Fulfillment of Prophecy
The fulfillment of Isaiah's prophecy in Christ strengthens our faith in the reliability of God's Word and His promises.

The Role of Witnessing
As the nations will see and understand, believers are called to be witnesses, sharing the Gospel so others may come to know the truth of Christ.
Bible Study Questions
1. How does the imagery of "sprinkling" in Isaiah 52:15 relate to the concept of purification and atonement in the Old Testament?

2. In what ways can we participate in the fulfillment of this prophecy by reaching out to "many nations" today?

3. How does the reaction of the "kings" in this verse challenge our understanding of power and authority in light of the Gospel?

4. What are some practical steps we can take to seek and understand the revelation of God in our daily lives?

5. How does the fulfillment of Isaiah's prophecy in the New Testament encourage you in your personal faith journey?
Connections to Other Scriptures
Isaiah 53
This chapter continues the theme of the suffering servant, providing a detailed prophecy of Jesus' sacrificial death and its implications for humanity.

Romans 15:21
Paul references this verse in Isaiah to explain his mission to preach the Gospel to those who have not heard, highlighting the fulfillment of this prophecy in the spread of Christianity.

Philippians 2:10-11
Connects to the idea of kings and nations acknowledging Christ, as every knee will bow and every tongue confess that Jesus is Lord.
Sprinkling the NationsA.B. Davidson, D.D.Isaiah 52:15
The Peculiar Doctrines of Christianity the Subject of Ancient ProphecyA. Mason, M.A.Isaiah 52:15
The Risen Christ Winning the NationsChristian AgeIsaiah 52:15
The Wondrous MonarchyJ. Culross, D.D.Isaiah 52:15
A Threefold View of the Person and Work of Jesus ChristJ. Stratten.Isaiah 52:13-15
The Character and Work of the MessiahG. T. Noel, M. A.Isaiah 52:13-15
The Face of ChristIsaiah 52:13-15
The Humiliation and Exaltation of ChristA. Mason, M.A.Isaiah 52:13-15
The Saviour's ExaltationF. Delitzsch, D.D.Isaiah 52:13-15
The Sure Triumph of the Crucified OneIsaiah 52:13-15
The Wisdom of Suffering ServiceW. Clarkson Isaiah 52:13-15
A Twofold WonderS. Bridge, M.A.Isaiah 52:14-15
Christ's Endurance and SuccessS. Bridge, M. A.Isaiah 52:14-15
The Abasement of Christ and its ConsequencesJ. Clayton, ,M.A.Isaiah 52:14-15
The Marred FaceW. K. Bryce.Isaiah 52:14-15
People
Isaiah
Places
Egypt, Jerusalem, Zion
Topics
Account, Astonish, Clear, Consider, Ears, Honour, Kings, Minds, Mouth, Mouths, Nations, Perceive, Quiet, Recounted, Shut, Sprinkle, Startle, Thus, Understand, Understood
Dictionary of Bible Themes
Isaiah 52:15

     5594   tribute
     7454   sprinkling
     7949   mission, of Israel
     8355   understanding

Library
Clean Carriers
'Be ye clean, that bear the vessels of the Lord.'--ISAIAH lii. 11. The context points to a great deliverance. It is a good example of the prophetical habit of casting prophecies of the future into the mould of the past. The features of the Exodus are repeated, but some of them are set aside. This deliverance, whatever it be, is to be after the pattern of that old story, but with very significant differences. Then, the departing Israelites had spoiled the Egyptians and come out, laden with silver
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture

The Great Revival
Now, leaving the figure, which is a very great one, I would remind you that its meaning is fully carried out, whenever God is pleased to send a great revival of religion. My heart is glad within me this day, for I am the bearer of good tidings. My soul has been made exceedingly full of happiness, by the tidings of a great revival of religion throughout the United States. Some hundred years, or more, ago, it pleased the Lord to send one of the most marvellous religious awakenings that was ever known;
Charles Haddon Spurgeon—Spurgeon's Sermons Volume 4: 1858

The Vanguard and Rereward of the Church
I shall first consider this as it respects the church of God; and then, in the second place, I shall endeavour to consider it as it respects us, as individual believers. May God comfort our hearts while considering this precious truth! I. First, consider THE WHOLE CHURCH OF GOD AS AN ARMY. Remember that part of the host have crossed the flood; a large part of the army are standing this day upon the hills of glory; having overcome and triumphed. As for the rear, it stretches far into the future; some
Charles Haddon Spurgeon—Spurgeon's Sermons Volume 5: 1859

"Take My Yoke Upon You," &C.
Matt. xi. 29.--"Take my yoke upon you," &c. Christianity consists in a blessed exchange of yokes between Christ and a pious soul. He takes our uneasy yoke, and gives his easy yoke. The soul puts upon him that unsupportable yoke of transgressions, and takes from him the portable yoke of his commandments. Our burden was heavy, too heavy for angels, and much more for men. It would crush under it all the strength of the creatures, for who could endure the wrath of the Almighty? Or, "what could a man
Hugh Binning—The Works of the Rev. Hugh Binning

Jesus, the Great Object of Astonishment.
A COMMUNION ADDRESS AT MENTONE. "Behold, My Servant shall deal prudently, He shall be exalted and extolled, and be very high. As many were astonied at Thee; His visage was so marred more than any man, and His form more than the sons of men; so shall He sprinkle many nations; the kings shall shut their mouths at Him: for that which had not been told them shall they see; and that which they had not heard shall they consider."--Isaiah lii. 13-15. JESUS, THE GREAT OBJECT ASTONISHMENT. OUR Lord Jesus
Charles Hadden Spurgeon—Till He Come

If Then the Prophets Prophesied that the Son of God was to Appear Upon The...
If then the prophets prophesied that the Son of God was to appear upon the earth, and prophesied also where on the earth and how and in what manner He should make known His appearance, and all these prophecies the Lord took upon Himself; our faith in Him was well-founded, and the tradition of the preaching (is) true: that is to say, the testimony of the apostles, who being sent forth by the Lord preached in all the world the Son of God, who came to suffer, and endured to the destruction of death
Irenæus—The Demonstration of the Apostolic Preaching

Elucidations.
I. (Princes and kings, [154]p. 13.) How memorable the histories, moreover, of Nebuchadnezzar [1609] and his decrees; of Darius [1610] and his also; but especially of Cyrus and his great monumental edict! [1611] The beautiful narratives of the Queen of Sheba and of the Persian consort of Queen Esther (probably Xerxes) are also manifestations of the ways of Providence in giving light to the heathen world through that "nation of priests" in Israel. But Lactantius, who uses the Sibyls so freely, should
Lactantius—The divine institutes

That the Ruler Should be Pure in Thought.
The ruler should always be pure in thought, inasmuch as no impurity ought to pollute him who has undertaken the office of wiping away the stains of pollution in the hearts of others also; for the hand that would cleanse from dirt must needs be clean, lest, being itself sordid with clinging mire, it soil whatever it touches all the more. For on this account it is said through the prophet, Be ye clean that bear the vessels of the Lord (Isai. lii. 11). For they bear the vessels of the Lord who undertake,
Leo the Great—Writings of Leo the Great

The Awakening of Zion
'Awake, awake, put on strength, O arm of the Lord; awake, as in the ancient days, in the generations of old.'--ISAIAH li. 9. 'Awake, awake; put on thy strength, O Zion.'--ISAIAH lii. 1. Both these verses are, I think, to be regarded as spoken by one voice, that of the Servant of the Lord. His majestic figure, wrapped in a light veil of obscurity, fills the eye in all these later prophecies of Isaiah. It is sometimes clothed with divine power, sometimes girded with the towel of human weakness, sometimes
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture

Remaining Books of the Old Testament.
1. The divine authority of the Pentateuch having been established, it is not necessary to dwell at length on the historical books which follow. The events which they record are a natural and necessary sequel to the establishment of the theocracy, as given in the five books of Moses. The Pentateuch is occupied mainly with the founding of the theocracy; the following historical books describe the settlement of the Israelitish nation under this theocracy in the promised land, and its practical operation
E. P. Barrows—Companion to the Bible

Councils of Ariminum and Seleucia.
Part I. History of the Councils. Reason why two Councils were called. Inconsistency and folly of calling any; and of the style of the Arian formularies; occasion of the Nicene Council; proceedings at Ariminum; Letter of the Council to Constantius; its decree. Proceedings at Seleucia; reflections on the conduct of the Arians. 1. Perhaps news has reached even yourselves concerning the Council, which is at this time the subject of general conversation; for letters both from the Emperor and the Prefects
Athanasius—Select Works and Letters or Athanasius

Place of Jesus in the History of the World.
The great event of the History of the world is the revolution by which the noblest portions of humanity have passed from the ancient religions, comprised under the vague name of Paganism, to a religion founded on the Divine Unity, the Trinity, and the Incarnation of the Son of God. It has taken nearly a thousand years to accomplish this conversion. The new religion had itself taken at least three hundred years in its formation. But the origin of the revolution in question with which we have to do
Ernest Renan—The Life of Jesus

Christ all and in All.
(Colossians iii. 11.) Christ is all to us that we make Him to be. I want to emphasize that word "all." Some men make Him to be "a root out of a dry ground," "without form or comeliness." He is nothing to them; they do not want Him. Some Christians have a very small Saviour, for they are not willing to receive Him fully, and let Him do great and mighty things for them. Others have a mighty Saviour, because they make Him to be great and mighty. If we would know what Christ wants to be to us, we
Dwight L. Moody—The Way to God and How to Find It

Bunsen's Biblical Researches.
When geologists began to ask whether changes in the earth's structure might be explained by causes still in operation, they did not disprove the possibility of great convulsions, but they lessened necessity for imagining them. So, if a theologian has his eyes opened to the Divine energy as continuous and omnipresent, he lessens the sharp contrast of epochs in Revelation, but need not assume that the stream has never varied in its flow. Devotion raises time present into the sacredness of the past;
Frederick Temple—Essays and Reviews: The Education of the World

The Gospel Message, Good Tidings
[As it is written] How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the Gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things! T he account which the Apostle Paul gives of his first reception among the Galatians (Galatians 4:15) , exemplifies the truth of this passage. He found them in a state of ignorance and misery; alienated from God, and enslaved to the blind and comfortless superstitions of idolatry. His preaching, accompanied with the power of the Holy Spirit, had a great and marvellous effect.
John Newton—Messiah Vol. 2

First Ministry in Judæa --John's Second Testimony.
(Judæa and Ænon.) ^D John III. 22-36. ^d 22 After these things came Jesus and his disciples into the land of Judæa [That is, he left Jerusalem, the capital of Judæa, and went into the rural districts thereof. We find him there again in John xi. and Luke xiii.-xviii. He gained disciples there, but of them we know but few, such as Mary, Martha, Lazarus, Simeon, and Judas Iscariot]; and there he tarried with them [It is not stated how long he tarried, but it may have been from
J. W. McGarvey—The Four-Fold Gospel

Appendix viii. Rabbinic Traditions About Elijah, the Forerunner of the Messiah
To complete the evidence, presented in the text, as to the essential difference between the teaching of the ancient Synagogue about the Forerunner of the Messiah' and the history and mission of John the Baptist, as described in the New Testaments, we subjoin a full, though condensed, account of the earlier Rabbinic traditions about Elijah. Opinions differ as to the descent and birthplace of Elijah. According to some, he was from the land of Gilead (Bemid. R. 14), and of the tribe of Gad (Tanch. on
Alfred Edersheim—The Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah

"For what the Law could not Do, in that it was Weak through the Flesh, God Sending his Own Son in the Likeness of Sinful Flesh,
Rom. viii. 3.--"For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin condemned sin in the flesh." For what purpose do we meet thus together? I would we knew it,--then it might be to some better purpose. In all other things we are rational, and do nothing of moment without some end and purpose. But, alas! in this matter of greatest moment, our going about divine ordinances, we have scarce any distinct or deliberate
Hugh Binning—The Works of the Rev. Hugh Binning

Covenanting Predicted in Prophecy.
The fact of Covenanting, under the Old Testament dispensations, being approved of God, gives a proof that it was proper then, which is accompanied by the voice of prophecy, affording evidence that even in periods then future it should no less be proper. The argument for the service that is afforded by prophecy is peculiar, and, though corresponding with evidence from other sources, is independent. Because that God willed to make known truth through his servants the prophets, we should receive it
John Cunningham—The Ordinance of Covenanting

How Christ is to be Made Use Of, as the Way, for Sanctification in General.
Having shown how a poor soul, lying under the burden of sin and wrath, is to make use of Jesus Christ for righteousness and justification, and so to make use of him, go out to him, and apply him, as "he is made of God to us righteousness," 1 Cor. i. 30, and that but briefly. This whole great business being more fully and satisfactorily handled, in that forementioned great, though small treatise, viz. "The Christian's Great Interest," we shall now come and show, how a believer or a justified soul
John Brown (of Wamphray)—Christ The Way, The Truth, and The Life

Isaiah
CHAPTERS I-XXXIX Isaiah is the most regal of the prophets. His words and thoughts are those of a man whose eyes had seen the King, vi. 5. The times in which he lived were big with political problems, which he met as a statesman who saw the large meaning of events, and as a prophet who read a divine purpose in history. Unlike his younger contemporary Micah, he was, in all probability, an aristocrat; and during his long ministry (740-701 B.C., possibly, but not probably later) he bore testimony, as
John Edgar McFadyen—Introduction to the Old Testament

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