The servant in Isaiah 52 and 53 is one of the most intriguing figures in the prophetic Scriptures. The questions about this passage are many, the interpretations are diverse, and the answers always seem to be different.

Some have looked to Isaiah 52 and 53 in search of Jesus, others to reclaim Israel’s role in the world, and some to find a historical explanation for this prophetic text that seems to have no precedence.

Here's my translation of part of Isaiah 53:10–11:

If she places his life a guilt offering, he will see offspring, he will prolong days ... From the trouble of his life, he will see light. He will be satisfied. In his knowledge, my righteous servant shall make many righteous and he will bear their iniquities.

What will the spiritual environment of the U.S. look like in the coming year? How will the world be different now that there is a new, African-American President sitting in the oval office? A man who has claimed that our country will see change: financially, diplomatically and even spiritually. Aside from your political allegiances (or lack thereof), you may be wondering the same thing. Let’s talk about the book—the Bible—the President-elect will place his hand on when he is sworn in, and what the voices of the ancient prophets, recorded in that book, tell us about this historic day.