We remain in Isaiah 53 for a while.
As was mentioned in yesterday's post, Christians accept that this chapter's prophecies (written 700 years earlier) were fulfilled by the life, suffering and death of Jesus. Let's look more closely at those claims. Today we will be focusing on the fulfillments in Jesus' suffering and death. It will be helpful if you have your Bibles open to Isaiah 53 as I'm going to speak to the whole chapter.
In verse 2, the Bible says that this man grew up as a tender plant in dry ground. In other words, Jesus was born into a hostile environment, where ecclesiasticism was firmly entrenched. There had been no Jewish prophet for 400 years until John the Baptist came into the picture. Furthermore, the Jews were ruled by the Romans at this time. Dry ground, indeed.
Then, in the latter part of verse 2, there is an abrupt shift to describing Jesus during his suffering. (King James Version used below)
1. vs. 2 - - - His appearance was marred so as to inspire revulsion. He was not attractive.
Common sense would dictate that this occurred as a result of the abuse Jesus endured at the hands of the Romans, just prior to His crucifixion. Do you really think that crowds of people would have followed Jesus all over Judea if his appearance had been revolting? Certainly not.
2. vs. 3 - - - "despised, rejected, sorrowful, grief-stricken". Certainly these terms applied to Jesus as He grieved over Jerusalem (Luke 13:34), as He suffered in the Garden of Gethsemane, as He suffered scourging (John 19:1) and the dual horror of crucifixion and separation from His Father. What could be more of a rejection than for your own people group to scream for your death: "Crucify Him! Crucify Him!" (Luke 23:21) and then for your own Father to turn His back on you? "My God, my God! Why have you forsaken me?!" (Matthew 27:46) By the way, in speaking these words, Jesus fulfilled the prophecy of Psalm 22:1, which is practically word-for-word what He said. The utter holiness of God the Father required Him to turn away from His Son, as Jesus bore all our sins (Isaiah 53:11). Such rejection!
3. vs. 5 - - - "bruised", "stripes". Jesus was beaten during his scourging and received many "stripes" with the inhuman whips the Romans used. The ends of them contained small pieces of metal and sheep bone fragments so that when the whip (called a "flagrum") was applied to Jesus' back, the metal/bone pieces tore pieces of flesh out of his body. Stripes aplenty.
4. vs. 7 - - - "He opened not His mouth". (See Matthew 27:12-14, Mark 15:3-4) Make no mistake, Jesus' words moved Heaven and earth. The reason He had very little to say when "on trial", being questioned by Pilate, the chief priests and elders, and King Herod is that He
1) wanted to fulfill this prophecy and
2) did not want to say anything to derail the proceedings. He knew what had to take place.
5. vs. 9 - - - "And he made his grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death"
When Jesus died, His cross was centered between two criminals. He had no tomb of His own, not even a house of His own. But, one of His wealthy followers, Joseph of Arimathea, donated his own tomb for Jesus' use. So, the lifeless body of the Savior dwelled in the borrowed tomb of a rich man, until the incomparable power of God raised Him from the dead, three days later.
6. vs. 9 - - - The man referenced in this chapter was sinless. Who in all of history besides Jesus fits that description?
Other portions of Isaiah 53 describe why these dreadful circumstances have fallen upon this Man.
Here are the pertinent phrases: (from the NET Bible)
"But he lifted up our illnesses,
he carried our pain;
even though we thought he was being punished,
attacked by God, and afflicted for something he had done.
5
He was wounded because of our rebellious deeds,
crushed because of our sins;
he endured punishment that made us well;
because of his wounds we have been healed.
6
All of us had wandered off like sheep;
each of us had strayed off on his own path,
but the Lord caused the sin of all of us to attack him. (vs. 5-7)
...because of the rebellion of his own people he was wounded. (vs. 8)
...the Lord desired to crush him and make him ill...and the Lord’s purpose will be accomplished through him. (vs. 10)
What does all of this mean? Why would God be "pleased" (vs. 10 KJV, ) to put to death His "only begotten Son"?! (John 3:16)
God the Father, Who cannot inhabit the presence of even the minutest amount of sin, yet longed to restore His intimate relationship with fallen mankind, determined that the only way to cancel out our sin was for there to be a perfect, sinless Sacrifice. In Hebrews 9:22, we read this:
"Indeed, under the (Old Testament) law nearly everything is purified with blood, and without the shedding of blood, there is no forgiveness of sins."
To buy back, to redeem us, the sacrifice had to be perfect and complete. No amount of spilled blood of goats, bulls or other animals would accomplish this "once and for all". The only One who could fulfill God's requirements for a holy sacrifice was Himself, in the Person of His Holy, Sinless Son.
According to the testimony of the apostle Paul: (2 Corinthians 5:19)
"God was in Christ, reconciling the world to Himself, not crediting their sins to their account...."
Jesus "accomplished the Lord's purpose" (Isaiah 53:10), and we can now be reconciled to God through Him. I love verse 11, following:
"Having suffered, he will reflect on his work,
he will be satisfied when he understands what he has done.
“My servant will acquit many,
for he carried their sins."
Hallelujah!
Do you understand that THIS is the theme of the entire Bible, Old and New Testaments....the love story of God pursuing fallen mankind. It is a scarlet thread that runs through and unites the Holy Scriptures.
https://youtu.be/Wvvs2tk0RPU
Father, Savior, Holy Spirit - - - O such love! I cannot comprehend. Thank you for a love that will not let me go, that holds on to me, rescues me, keeps me...secure in Your arms forever. It is because of such great love that I endeavor to love You back, because You first loved us and sent Your Son (1 John 4:19). It is in response to Your great love that I walk....resplendent! I praise You and worship You, O Lover of My Soul. In Jesus' name, amen.
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