“Attention! May I have your attention, please!” That’s what we say when we want everyone to hear what we’re going to say. First of all we get people’s attention. Then we tell them what it is we want them to hear.
Polycarp, one of the early church fathers, called Isaiah 53 “The Golden Passional of the Old Testament.” Nowhere in all of the scriptures is the passion of Messiah more beautifully set forth – His passion to redeem those who are lost in sin. Yet many people are not aware that this servant-song actually begins three verses earlier in chapter 52, verse 13. There, it begins by saying, “Behold, My Servant will prosper; He will be high and lifted up and greatly exalted.” Whenever the Old Testament prophets wanted to get the people’s attention, they said “behold!”
Behold is the Hebrew word hinneh, and it literally means “See!”— “Behold me!”— “Here I am!” It’s a word used to draw attention to the subject. It means, note this well! This is very important.
Whenever I read a book for the purpose of study, I use a highlighter to emphasize the important points. Sometimes it’s yellow – sometimes it’s hot pink or iridescent green. I use it to make certain things stand out because they’re important. Then if something is really important I put an asterisk by it, or two asterisks. Then I know to pay special attention to that part. Well, Isaiah does all of that with the word, “Behold.” He says, get your highlighter out, and mark what I’m going to say; then you may want to put an asterisk by it. This is really important. “Behold, My Servant will prosper; He will be high and lifted up and greatly exalted.”
Say – you’d better listen-up here! God is about to speak of His Son.