Isaiah spoke of the birth and the life and sufferings and death of our Saviour as if they had already taken place, although the prophet had written seven hundred years before the Saviour was born. Hence, of our Saviour's birth, the prophet says, "Unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given." Of His sufferings, the prophet says that "He was led as a lamb to the slaughter, He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon Him." And of His death the prophet says, "He was cut off out of the land of the living; He made His grave with the wicked, and with the rich in His death."
And after the prophet Isaiah had foretold some of the blessings that should come to the people under the Saviour's reign, as he told them that "the wilderness and the solitary place shall be glad for them; and the desert shall rejoice, and blossom as the rose. It shall blossom abundantly, and rejoice even with joy and singing: the glory of Lebanon shall be given unto it, the excellency of Carmel and Sharon; they shall see the glory of the Lord, and the ex-
