Who has believed our report? and to whom is the arm of the LORD revealed?
who
John 1:7,12 The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men through him might believe…
John 12:38 That the saying of Esaias the prophet might be fulfilled, which he spake, Lord, who hath believed our report? and to whom hath the arm of the Lord been revealed?
Romans 10:16,17 But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Esaias saith, Lord, who hath believed our report? …
report.
Isaiah 51:9 Awake, awake, put on strength, O arm of the LORD; awake, as in the ancient days, in the generations of old. Art thou not it that hath cut Rahab, and wounded the dragon?
Isaiah 52:10 The LORD hath made bare his holy arm in the eyes of all the nations; and all the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of our God.
Isaiah 62:8 The LORD hath sworn by his right hand, and by the arm of his strength, Surely I will no more give thy corn to be meat for thine enemies; and the sons of the stranger shall not drink thy wine, for the which thou hast laboured:
revealed
Isaiah 40:5 And the glory of the LORD shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together: for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken it.
Matthew 11:25 At that time Jesus answered and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes.
Matthew 16:17 And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven.
And to whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed?
The "arm of the LORD" symbolizes God's power and intervention in human history, often associated with deliverance and salvation (Exodus 6:6, Psalm 98:1). In the context of Isaiah, it points to the divine action in bringing about redemption through the suffering servant. The revelation of God's power is selective, often hidden from those who are spiritually blind or hardened in heart (Isaiah 6:9-10). In the New Testament, this concept is fulfilled in Jesus Christ, whose life and works reveal God's power and salvation (Luke 1:51, Acts 13:17). The phrase challenges readers to recognize and respond to God's revealed power, which may not align with worldly expectations of strength and victory.
“Who has believed our message?” (Isaiah 53:1) sounds like a sigh from the prophet’s heart. The good news of the Servant’s coming sacrifice is announced, yet it is met with widespread disbelief.
• Isaiah’s lament is prophetic. Centuries later John records, “Even after Jesus had performed so many signs in their presence, they still did not believe in Him. … ‘Lord, who has believed our message?’” (John 12:37-38).
• Paul echoes the same concern when he writes, “Not all of them welcomed the good news, for Isaiah says, ‘Lord, who has believed our message?’” (Romans 10:16).
• Unbelief is never due to lack of evidence but to hardened hearts (2 Corinthians 4:3-4). Miracles, prophecies, and resurrection power all stood before Israel, yet many turned away.
• Today the identical gospel goes out. Some respond with faith; others dismiss it as “foolishness” (1 Corinthians 1:18). The verse reminds us that saving faith is a gift to be received, not a conclusion forced by argument alone.
The “arm of the LORD” is Scripture’s picture of God’s mighty, saving power on full display.
• Isaiah has already declared, “The LORD has bared His holy arm before the eyes of all the nations; all the ends of the earth will see the salvation of our God” (Isaiah 52:10). That arm is personified in the Servant—Jesus—whose life, death, and resurrection unveil divine power in human flesh.
• Mary celebrates the same truth: “He has performed mighty deeds with His arm” (Luke 1:51).
• From the Exodus (“I will redeem you with an outstretched arm,” Exodus 6:6) to the empty tomb, God’s saving strength is undeniable—yet it must be “revealed.” Revelation implies God opening blind eyes. Paul testifies, “God… made His light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ” (2 Corinthians 4:6).
• Therefore, the question is not whether the arm exists but whether it is seen. Those who believe the message perceive divine power; those who reject remain in the dark (Acts 13:41).
Isaiah 53:1 pairs two inseparable ideas: faith in the message and revelation of God’s power. Many missed the Messiah because they would not believe, yet where faith is granted, the Lord’s mighty arm becomes unmistakable. The verse challenges us to receive the Servant’s report and celebrate the revealed power of God that brings salvation to all who trust in Him.
LIII.(1) Who hath believed our report? . . .--The question has been variously interpreted as coming from the lips of the prophet or of Israel. The former view commends itself most, and the unusual plural is explained by his mentally associating with himself the other prophets, probably his own disciples, who were delivering the same message. The implied answer to the question may be either "None," or, "Not all." St. Paul (Romans 10:16) adopts the latter.
Verse 1. - Who hath believed? Isaiah felt that he spoke, mainly, to unbelieving ears (see above, Isaiah 28:9-15; Isaiah 29:10-15; Isaiah 30:9-11; Isaiah 42:23, etc.). The unbelief was likely to be intensified when so marvellous a prophecy was delivered as that which he was now commissioned to put forth. Still, of course, there is rhetorical exaggeration in the question, which seems to imply that no one would believe. Our report; literally, that which has been heard by us. But the word is used technically for a prophetic revelation (see Isaiah 28:9, 19; Jeremiah 49:14). Here it would seem to refer especially to the Messianic prophecies delivered by Isaiah. To whom is the arm of the Lord revealed? The "arm of the Lord," which has been "made bare in the eyes of all the nations" (Isaiah 52:10), yet requires the eye of faith to see it. Many Jews would not see the working of God's providence in the victories of Cyrus, or in the decision to which he came to restore the Jews to their own country. Unbelief can always assign the most plainly providential arrangements to happy accident.