Readings for today: Isaiah 50-53
The suffering of the Messiah has to be one of history’s greatest mysteries. A stumbling block to the Jewish people. Absolute foolishness to non-Jews. Why in the world would anyone worship a suffering Messiah? Why in the world would anyone respect a King who was crucified? Why in the world would anyone look to a man who died a criminal’s death in the most humiliating way possible? It makes no sense whatsoever. By every human measure, Jesus was a failure. His ministry career was brief. He was rejected by His own people. He was betrayed by one of His closest disciples. Abandoned by all His close friends. Denied by the one he called the “rock.” He was tortured brutally. He was mocked and spit upon and publicly humiliated. He was crucified on a cross with a crown of thorns on his head and a sign that proclaimed, “The king of the Jews”, leaving no doubt about what the Romans thought of Him. He was so poor that he had to borrow a tomb. Everything about the way He ended His life should have invalidated all He did and all He said. His teachings should have been lost to history. His life barely a footnote in some obscure historical text somewhere if it appeared at all. So how in the world did we get to a point where billions around the world today claim to believe in Him?
In part, it’s because of this ancient text out of Isaiah. Written hundreds of years before the Messiah was born. It predicts what will happen to the Lord’s servant. It prophecies what the Messiah will have to endure in order to accomplish the salvation of God’s people. It isn’t pretty by any stretch of the imagination but it is specific and detailed and it describes what happens to Jesus perfectly. “See, my servant, will be successful; he will be raised and lifted up and greatly exalted. Just as many were appalled at you — his appearance was so disfigured that he did not look like a man, and his form did not resemble a human being — so he will sprinkle many nations. Kings will shut their mouths because of him, for they will see what had not been told them, and they will understand what they had not heard. Who has believed what we have heard? And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed? He grew up before him like a young plant and like a root out of dry ground. He didn’t have an impressive form or majesty that we should look at him, no appearance that we should desire him. He was despised and rejected by men, a man of suffering who knew what sickness was. He was like someone people turned away from; he was despised, and we didn’t value him. Yet he himself bore our sicknesses, and he carried our pains; but we in turn regarded him stricken, struck down by God, and afflicted. But he was pierced because of our rebellion, crushed because of our iniquities; punishment for our peace was on him, and we are healed by his wounds. We all went astray like sheep; we all have turned to our own way; and the Lord has punished him for the iniquity of us all. He was oppressed and afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth. Like a lamb led to the slaughter and like a sheep silent before her shearers, he did not open his mouth. He was taken away because of oppression and judgment, and who considered his fate? For he was cut off from the land of the living; he was struck because of my people’s rebellion. He was assigned a grave with the wicked, but he was with a rich man at his death, because he had done no violence and had not spoken deceitfully. Yet the Lord was pleased to crush him severely. When you make him a guilt offering, he will see his seed, he will prolong his days, and by his hand, the Lord’s pleasure will be accomplished. After his anguish, he will see light and be satisfied. By his knowledge, my righteous servant will justify many, and he will carry their iniquities. Therefore I will give him the many as a portion, and he will receive the mighty as spoil, because he willingly submitted to death, and was counted among the rebels; yet he bore the sin of many and interceded for the rebels.” (Isaiah 52:13-53:12 CSB)
These are words are remarkable for their accuracy as well as their meaning. Yes, Jesus endured everything described in this passage but even more importantly, He did it all for us. He was disfigured so He could sprinkle many nations. He was despised and rejected by humanity in order to bear our sickness. He was pierced for our rebellion. He was crushed for our iniquities. He was punished in order to bring us peace and it is by His wounds that we are healed. He was cut off from the land of the living because of our sin. He was made a guilt offering to satisfy the justice of God. He was assigned a grave with the wicked so the Lord’s plan of salvation could be accomplished. And by humbly submitting to all the suffering and death. By allowing Himself to be led like a lamb to the slaughter. By refusing to open His mouth and call down legions of angels for His defense. He justified many. He made atonement for our sin. He saved us from hell and death. He was raised and lifted up and highly exalted and given the name above every other name. This is why the name of Jesus continues to ring out across the earth. Resurrection. The ultimate vindication of the Messiah. God’s victory over the powers of sin and death and the devil.
Readings for tomorrow: Isaiah 54-58