Author: drthomasclothier

“Yet it was the will of the LORD to crush him; he has put him to grief; when his soul makes an offering for guilt, he shall see his offspring; he shall prolong his days; the will of the LORD shall prosper in his hand. Out of the anguish of his soul he shall see and be satisfied; by his knowledge shall the righteous one, my servant, make many to be accounted righteous, and he shall bear their iniquities. Therefore I will divide him a portion with the many, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong, because he poured out his soul to death and was numbered with the transgressors; yet he bore the sin of many, and makes intercession for the transgressors.” (Isaiah 53:10-12)

“Because sin touches even our best acts, we are incapable of making a sufficient sacrifice. Even our sacrifices are tainted and would require a further sacrifice to cover that blemish, ad infinitum. We have no gift valuable enough, no work righteous enough to atone for our own sins. We are debtors who cannot pay their debts.” Dr. R. C. Sproul

 We now arrive at the climax of the Fourth Servant Song of Yahweh (Isaiah 52:13-53:12). These final three verses in the fifth stanza, 53:10-12, provide a crescendo of praise for the person and work of Jesus Christ in providing atonement for sinners.

Today, we examine Isaiah 53:10. “Yet it was the will of the LORD to crush him; he has put him to grief; when his soul makes an offering for guilt, he shall see his offspring; he shall prolong his days; the will of the LORD shall prosper in his hand.”

 “Yet it was the will of the LORD to crush Him.” The phrase “it was the will” means to take delight in, to take pleasure in and to desire. This act and behavior belonged to Yahweh regarding His Servant: Jesus Christ.

The Prophet Isaiah then informs us as to what Yahweh took delight and pleasure with respect to His Servant: it was “to crush Him.” The Hebrew word dak’keo means to beat, oppress and to bruise. This is what  the Father’s will was for His Son, the Servant of Yahweh: Jesus Christ.

John Calvin writes, “In Christ there is no fault; why, then, was the LORD pleased that He should suffer? Because He stood in our room, and in no other way then by His death could the justice of God be satisfied.”

 Galatians 3:13 says, “Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us—for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who is hanged on a tree”—

2 Corinthians 5:21 says, “For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.”  

 “He has put Him to grief.” The pronoun “He” refers to God the Father. The pronoun “Him” refers to the Son of God, the Son of Man, and the Servant of Yahweh: Jesus Christ. The Father has afflicted and physically wounded the Son for the sake of the sheep. This act of love and justice was for sinners like you and me.

Romans 5:8-10 says, “but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God. For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life.”

 “When his soul makes an offering for guilt.” God the Father determined that the Son would be an atoning sacrifice. Dr. John Walvoord writes, “The statement, the Lord made the Servant’s life a guilt offering, does not mean that Jesus’ life satisfied the wrath of God but that His life which culminated in His death was the sacrifice for sins. As indicated in Isaiah 53:7–8 He had to die to satisfy the righteous demands of God. The word for “guilt offering” is ’āšām, used in Leviticus 5:15; 6:5; 19:21 and elsewhere of an offering to atone for sin.”

 What follows in the text are three prophetic statements of promise by the God the Father due to the atonement by His Servant, Jesus Christ. “He shall see His offspring; He shall prolong His days; the will of the LORD shall prosper in His hand.”

“He shall see His offspring” God the Father will see the offspring of God the Son: those who are believers in Jesus Christ. This is because the Son will rise from the dead. Jesus will have a people for Himself.

“He shall prolong His day.” As the risen Son of God, the Servant of Yahweh will live eternally thereby guaranteeing that His seed or descendants by grace alone, through faith alone in Christ alone will also live eternally.

“The will of the LORD shall prosper in His hand.” Those who belong and are the Servant’s possession will succeed or become many. The death, burial and resurrection of the Jesus Christ will not be useless or unprofitable but will yield an abundant fruit and a harvest of souls. It will be effective.

Meditate today upon the lyrics to the hymn Before the Throne of God Above.

Before the throne of God above
I have a strong and perfect plea:
A great High Priest, whose name is Love,
Who ever lives and pleads for me.

My name is graven on His hands,
My name is written on His heart;
I know that while in heaven He stands
No tongue can bid me thence depart
No tongue can bid me thence depart.

When Satan tempts me to despair,
And tells me of the guilt within,
Upward I look, and see Him there
Who made an end to all my sin.

Because the sinless Savior died,
My sinful soul is counted free;
For God the just is satisfied
To look on Him and pardon me
To look on Him and pardon me.

Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Praise the One,
Risen Son of God!

Behold Him there, the Risen Lamb
My perfect, spotless righteousness,
The great unchangeable I am,
The King of glory and of grace!

One with Himself I cannot die
My soul is purchased by His blood
My life is hid with Christ on high,
With Christ, my Savior and my God
With Christ, my Savior and my God.

 May God’s truth and grace reside here.

Soli deo Gloria!

 

 

 

 

 

 

“He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth; like a lamb that is led to the slaughter, and like a sheep that before its shearers is silent, so he opened not his mouth. By oppression and judgment he was taken away; and as for his generation, who considered that he was cut off out of the land of the living, stricken for the transgression of my people? And they made his grave with the wicked and with a rich man in his death, although he had done no violence, and there was no deceit in his mouth.” (Isaiah 53:7-9)

“Both the Old and New Testaments make it clear that all human beings are sinners. Al our sins are against an infinite, holy God who cannot even look upon sin. An atonement must be made in order for us to have fellowship with God.” Dr. R. C. Sproul

Isaiah 53:7-9 is the fourth section of five in Isaiah’s Fourth Servant Song of Yahweh (Isaiah 52:13-53:12). In these three verses we witness The Obedience of the Suffering Servant. Today, we examine Isaiah 53:9: “And they made his grave with the wicked and with a rich man in his death, although he had done no violence, and there was no deceit in his mouth.”

 “And they made His grave with the wicked, and with a rich man in his death.” A place was set for the Servant of Yahweh, Jesus Christ, to be buried. We read of these efforts in all four of the New Testament Gospels (Matthew 27:57-61; Mark 15:43-47; Luke 23:50-56; John 19:38-42). The word “grave” means sepulcher, burial chamber, or burial site. It affirms that Jesus Christ would die on the cross and be buried. His grave was intended to be with the unrighteous, as was the situation with the other two criminals crucified with Jesus (John 19:31).

Roman executioners normally left the deceased bodies of crucified criminals on their crosses for days on end. The corpses would then become food for birds and wild animals. In the ancient world, to not bury a dead body was the ultimate act of dishonoring the deceased person (I Samuel 31:1-12) which God strictly forbid (Deuteronomy 21:22-23).

Why did the Romans do this? Since crucifixions normally occurred on high- traffic areas, the victim’s remains would be seen by many people. This proved to be a strong deterrent to those who thought and sought to oppose Roman law. Crucifixion was the fate which awaited those who disobeyed the Empire of Rome.

Eventually, the remains of the dead would be buried in a mass grave site. It was located south of Jerusalem. It was called the Valley of Hinnom. This was the place where babies were burned to death in sacrifice to Molech, the false god of the Ammonites (I Kings 11:1-7; 2 Kings 17:17; 21:6; Jeremiah 32:35). This detestable act was forbidden by God (Leviticus 18:21; 20:1-5; Jeremiah 7:31-32; 32:35).

The Valley of Hinnom became known in English as Gehenna. Other names used were Topheth, the Aramaic name for “fireplace.” Scholars believe Topheth could also refer to the word “drum” since drums were repeatedly beaten to drown out the cries of babies were who burned alive in the evil sacrifices.

During Jesus’ life on earth, the Valley of Hinnom was a garbage dump. The fires burned continuously (Isaiah 66:24; Matthew 3:12; Mark 9:48). The final remains of the crucified dead were thrown into that fire. The place became a fitting description of hell.

However, Jesus’ body would not be treated this way. Psalm 16:10 says of the Messiah, “For you will not abandon my soul to Sheol, or let your holy one see corruption.” Due to the efforts by a rich man, Joseph of Arimathea, Jesus was buried in the tomb of a rich man (Matthew 27:57-60; John 19:38-42).

“Although he had done no violence, and there was no deceit in his mouth.” The sinlessness of the Servant of Yahweh, and His substitutionary death on the cross for sinners, is again affirmed by the Prophet Isaiah. Yahweh’s Servant was not a person who committed wrong or who was deceitful. He was righteous and truthful (I Peter 2:22). This was the Fathers’ testimony of the innocence of His Servant, the Son of God.

Augustus Montague Toplady (1740-1778) was an Anglican cleric and hymn writer. He was a contemporary of John and Charles Wesley. He was the author of the familiar hymn Rock of Ages. He also wrote O Fountain of Unceasing Grace. I encourage you to meditate today on the words of this hymn.

O fountain of unceasing grace,                                                                                                            Your saints exhaustless theme.                                                                                                            Great object of immortal praise,                                                                                                Essentially supreme.                                                                                                                            We bless You for the glorious fruits,                                                                                            Your incarnation gives.                                                                                                                          The righteousness which grace imputes,                                                                                            And faith alone receives.

In You we have a righteousness,                                                                                                        By God Himself approved;                                                                                                               Our rock, our sure foundation this,                                                                                            Which can never be moved.                                                                                                            Our ransom by Your death was paid,                                                                                             For all your people giv’n.                                                                                                                      The Law You perfectly obeyed,                                                                                                      That they might enter heav’n.

 As all, when Adam sinned alone,                                                                                                       In his transgression died,                                                                                                                  So by the righteousness of One                                                                                                     Are sinners justified.                                                                                                                             We to Your merit, gracious Lord,                                                                                                         With humblest joy submit,                                                                                                                     Again to paradise restored,                                                                                                                  In You alone complete.

May God’s truth and grace be found here.

Soli deo Gloria!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth; like a lamb that is led to the slaughter, and like a sheep that before its shearers is silent, so he opened not his mouth. By oppression and judgment he was taken away; and as for his generation, who considered that he was cut off out of the land of the living, stricken for the transgression of my people? And they made his grave with the wicked and with a rich man in his death, although he had done no violence, and there was no deceit in his mouth.” (Isaiah 53:7-9)

“Martin Luther called Christianity a theology of the cross. The figure of the cross is the universal symbol of Christianity. The concept of atonement reaches back to the Old Testament where God set up a system by which the people of Israel could make atonement for their sins. To atone is to make amends, to set things right.” Dr. R. C. Sproul

Isaiah 53:7-9 is the fourth section of five in Isaiah’s Fourth Servant Song of Yahweh (Isaiah 52:13-53:12). In these three verses we witness The Obedience of the Suffering Servant. Today, we examine Isaiah 53:8: “By oppression and judgment he was taken away; and as for his generation, who considered that he was cut off out of the land of the living, stricken for the transgression of my people?”

 “By oppression and judgment he was taken away.” In the Hebrew, the phrase “By oppression (me’o’ser) means restraint and coercion. Within this text, it means a condition of hardship and trouble for someone. Judgement (mis’pat) means a legal action. Finally, “he was taken away” means to be seized.

Dr. John Walvoord says, “After His oppression (being arrested and bound, John 18:12, 24) and judgment (sentenced to die, John 19:16) Jesus was led to His death. He died not because of any sins of His own (for He, the Son of God, was sinless, 2 Cor. 5:21; Heb. 4:15; 1 John 3:5) but because of (for) the sins (transgression, peša‘; cf. Isa. 53:5) of others. To be taken away means to be taken to death.”

 “And for His generation.” The word generation (dor) means a class of persons. If refers in the immediate context to the Jews. It was Jesus’ human family line. This means that Jesus died and left no physical, human descendants. It could also mean that those who were related to Him (Matthew 13:53-58; Mark 6:1-6) considered His death important.

 “Who considered that he was cut off out of the land of the living.” This is an obvious description of Jesus’ death. However, “stricken for the transgression of my people” indicates that Jesus’ death was a substitutionary one on behalf of the people of God.

Dr. John MacArthur writes, “The Servant lost his life to be the substitute object of wrath in the place of the Jews, who by that substitution will receive salvation and the righteousness of God imputed to them. Similar terminology applies to the Messiah in Daniel 9:26.”

 Isaiah 53:7-8 was the portion of Scripture the Ethiopian Eunuch was reading when he encountered Phillip. This is the particular text Phillip explained was referring to Jesus Christ (Acts 8:32–33).

I encourage you to meditate upon the words from Matt Redman’s song Mercy.

I will kneel in the dust
At the foot of the cross,
Where mercy paid for me.
Where the wrath I deserve,
It is gone, it has passed.
Your blood has hidden me.

 Mercy, mercy,
As endless as the sea.
I’ll sing Your hallelujah
For all eternity.

 We will lift up the cup
And the bread we will break,
Remembering Your love.
We were fallen from grace,
But You took on our shame
And nailed it to a cross.

 Mercy, mercy,
As endless as the sea.
I’ll sing Your hallelujah
For all eternity.

 May I never lose the wonder,
Oh, the wonder of Your mercy.
May I sing Your hallelujah.
Hallelujah, Amen.

 I will kneel in the dust
At the foot of the cross,
Where mercy paid for me.

 May God’s truth and grace be found here.

Soli deo Gloria!

“He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth; like a lamb that is led to the slaughter, and like a sheep that before its shearers is silent, so he opened not his mouth. By oppression and judgment he was taken away; and as for his generation, who considered that he was cut off out of the land of the living, stricken for the transgression of my people? And they made his grave with the wicked and with a rich man in his death, although he had done no violence, and there was no deceit in his mouth.” (Isaiah 53:7-9)

“The Apostle Paul that he was determined to know nothing save Christ and Him crucified (I Corinthians 2:2). This was the apostle’s way of emphasizing the extreme importance of the cross to Christianity. The doctrine of the atonement is central to all Christian theology.” Dr. R. C. Sproul

Isaiah 53:7-9 is the fourth section of five in Isaiah’s Fourth Servant Song of Yahweh (Isaiah 52:13-53:12). In these next three verses we witness The Obedience of the Suffering Servant.

Scripture speaks not only of the active obedience of Christ, but also His passive obedience. The comments by Dr. Nicholas Needham, minister of Inverness Reformed Baptist Church in Inverness, Scotland, and lecturer in church history at Highland Theological College in Dingwall, Scotland, will prove most helpful.

“Passive” is not a complimentary word to apply to someone these days. It suggests an inert, sluggish, withdrawn soul that is lost in daydreams. So perhaps it sounds like a contradiction to speak of “passive obedience.” How can obedience be passive? I suppose if someone in authority commands you to be inert, sluggish, withdrawn, and lost in daydreams, then your passivity will be an act of obedience — although we are now descending into wild paradox with our talk of a “passive act”!

 “The passive obedience of Christ, however, doesn’t involve these contradictions and paradoxes. The word “passive” here suggests the older meaning of “suffering.” There was an aspect to Christ’s obedience to the will of His Father that embraced suffering, a submission to affliction and infliction. Hence the term “the Passion” is used to describe the last hours of the Savior’s life, from Gethsemane onwards.”

Dr. Needham continues by saying, “The counterpart to Christ’s obedience-as-suffering is His “active obedience.” This refers to the way He positively embodied in His character and deeds His Father’s precepts for human life. Since Christ is the True Man, and since God’s will for humanity is expressed in the Moral Law, Christ’s active obedience is His fulfillment of that Law. If we want to see the meaning of the Ten Commandments fleshed out in a human life, we must look at Christ.”

Dr. Nedham concludes by stating, “What theologians are trying to do when they distinguish between the active and passive obedience of Christ is point to a very real distinction between different aspects, or different dimensions, of the one life of Christ. Throughout His entire life, Christ fulfilled the Moral Law. But so would Adam have done if sin had not entered the world when he sinned. It’s the entrance of sin that brings in a new, darker dimension to the obedience required of Man: he must now submit to God’s holy judgment as a result of his transgression.”

Within these three verses, Isaiah 53:7-9, we witness what is referred to as the passive obedience of Christ while on the cross. Today, we examine Isaiah 53:7: ““He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth; like a lamb that is led to the slaughter, and like a sheep that before its shearers is silent, so he opened not his mouth.”

 “He was oppressed.” This three word phrase is one word in the Hebrew: “Nig’gas.” It means to cause hardship and trouble. It additionally means to demand or to obtain a payment for an incurred debt. This harkens us back to the biblical truth that sin is not only a crime against God, and an estrangement between sinners and God, but also a debt incurred by the sinner unto God. Jesus’ substitutionary death on the cross was the means by which our indebtedness to God was paid.

“And He was afflicted.” This phrase is also one word in the Hebrew: “Na’aneh.” It means to suffer, to be wretched, emaciated, and also oppressed. In other words, to be mistreated. It also means to bear patiently. One commentary defines the phrase to mean, “He was made answerable.”

“Yet He opened not His mouth.” Jesus did not respond to the taunts and mocking of the crowd who crucified Him. Matthew 26:63 says, “But Jesus remained silent. And the high priest said to him, “I adjure you by the living God, tell us if you are the Christ, the Son of God.” I Peter 2:21-23 says, “For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps. He committed no sin, neither was deceit found in his mouth. When he was reviled, he did not revile in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten, but continued entrusting himself to him who judges justly.”

“Like a lamb that is led to the slaughter, and like a sheep that before its shearers is silent, so he opened not his mouth.”  Dr. John Walvoord writes, “Seeing many sheep sheared for their wool or killed as sacrifices, Israelites were well aware of the submissive nature of sheep. Jesus, as the Lamb of God (John 1:29), quietly submitted to His death. He did not try to stop those who opposed Him; He remained silent rather than defend Himself (Matt. 26:63a; 27:14; 1 Peter 2:23). He was willingly led to death because He knew it would benefit those who would believe.”

 I encourage to meditate today upon the lyrics of this updated, classic hymn: Jesus Paid It All.

 I hear the savior say, thy strength indeed is small
Child of weakness, watch and pray, find in me thine all in all.

‘Cause Jesus paid it all
All to him I owe
Sin had left a crimson stain, he washed it white as snow.

Lord, now indeed I find thy power and thine alone
Can change the leper’s spots and melt the heart of stone.

‘Cause Jesus paid it all
All to him I owe
My sin had left this crimson stain, he washed it white as snow.

It’s washed away, all my sin
And all my shame.

And when before the throne I stand in him complete
“Jesus died my soul to save” my lips shall still repeat.

Jesus paid it all
All to him I owe
(Sin had left a crimson stain, he washed it white as snow)
(He washed it white as snow)

(O praise the one who paid my debt
And raised this life up from the dead)
(O praise the one who paid my debt
And raised this life up from the dead)
(O praise the one who paid my debt
And raised this life up from the dead)
(O praise the one who paid my debt
And raised this life up from the dead)
(O praise the one who paid my debt
And raised this life up from the dead)
Well praise the one who paid my debt and raised this life up from the dead
Jesus.

You are the one
The son of god
Conqueror of death
King of kings
The sacrificial lamb.

(O praise the one who paid my debt
And raised this life up from the dead)
Well praise the one who paid my debt and raised this life up from the dead
Jesus.

May God’s truth and grace reside here.

Soli deo Gloria!

 

 

“Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned—every one—to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all.” (Isaiah 53:4-6)

Isaiah 53:4-6 forms the middle section of the five portions of Isaiah’s fourth Servant Song of Yahweh (Isaiah 52:13-53:12). These three verses form what is arguably the most significant statement of substitutionary atonement contained in the Old Testament. Everything Isaiah has written thus far, and everything he will subsequently say, frames these three verses.

Today, we examine Isaiah 53:6. “All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned—every one—to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all.”

What was the proceeding cause which resulted in the corresponding effect for the substitutionary atonement of Christ on the cross on behalf of sinners? The reason given in Isaiah 53:6 is the fallen state of the sinner’s soul.

“All we like sheep have gone astray.” “All” refers to everyone. No exceptions. Within the context, it specifically refers to Israel. Within the broader context of the Scriptures, it refers to all sinners: Jews and Gentiles. “Like sheep” is a simile comparing sinners to sheep. The comparison of humans to sheep is one of the most common images found in Scripture. How are sinners like sheep? “Sinners “have gone astray.” They wander, they deceive themselves and they travel from place to place without any specific goal.

From whom have sinners, like sheep, gone astray? From God and His Word. It is living a life in rebellion against God. It is being a criminal, a debtor and one who is estranged before God. This first occurred in Genesis 3:1-7 and it continues to the present day.

Romans 3:10-20 says, “As it is written: “None is righteous, no, not one; no one understands; no one seeks for God. All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one.” “Their throat is an open grave; they use their tongues to deceive.” “The venom of asps is under their lips.” “Their mouth is full of curses and bitterness.” “Their feet are swift to shed blood; in their paths are ruin and misery, and the way of peace they have not known.” “There is no fear of God before their eyes.” Now we know that whatever the law says it speaks to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be stopped, and the whole world may be held accountable to God. For by works of the law no human being will be justified in his sight, since through the law comes knowledge of sin.”

Isaiah continued by saying, “we have turned—every one—to his own way.” This statement infers a turning away from God while at the same time specifically stating that sinners have turned to their own way. This refers to their own way of living, believing, and worshiping, We see this every day.

Due to the fact that every person has sinned and is unable to redeem themselves before God, God chose before the foundation of the world (Ephesians 1:3-11) to redeem sinners.

“And the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all.” The LORD interceded by placing the penalty of our sin, the punishment for our iniquity, upon the sinless Lamb of God, the Servant of Yahweh. In other words, Jesus Christ.

2 Corinthians 5:21 says, “For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.”

Dr. John MacArthur writes, “Every person has sinned (Rom. 3:9, 23), but the Servant has sufficiently shouldered the consequences of sin and the righteous wrath deserved by sinners (cf. 1 Tim. 2:5–6; 4:10; 1 John 2:2). The manner in which God laid our iniquity on him was that God treated him as if he had committed every sin ever committed by every person who would ever believe, though he was perfectly innocent of any sin. God did so to him, so that wrath being spent and justice satisfied, God could then give to the account of sinners who believe, the righteousness of Christ, treating them as if they had done only the righteous acts of Christ. In both cases, this is substitution.”

This is what we are to celebrate each and every day, and especially each Lord’s Day. I encourage you to meditate today not only upon the words from Isaiah 53:6, but also from the lyrics to the song Jesus Messiah by Chris Tomlin.

He became sin, who knew no sin
That we might become his righteousness
He humbled himself and carried the cross
Love so amazing, love so amazing

Jesus messiah, name above all names
Blessed redeemer, Emmanuel
The rescue for sinners, the ransom from heaven
Jesus messiah, Lord of all

His body the bread, his blood the wine
Broken and poured out all for love
The whole earth trembled, and the veil was torn
Love so amazing, how can it be? Your love’s so amazing, yeah

Jesus messiah, name above all names
Blessed redeemer, Emmanuel
The rescue for sinners, the ransom from heaven
Jesus messiah, Lord of all

All I hope is in you, all I hope is in you
All the glory to you, God, the light of the world

All I hope is in you (no one else), all I hope is in you
All the glory to you, God, (you are) the light of the world

Jesus messiah, name above all names
Blessed redeemer, Emmanuel
The rescue for sinners, the ransom from heaven
Jesus messiah, Lord of all

Jesus messiah, lord of all
You’re the Lord of all
You’re the Lord of all

 May God’s truth and grace reside here.

Soli deo Gloria!

 

 

“Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned—every one—to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all.” (Isaiah 53:4-6)

Isaiah 53:4-6 forms the middle section of the five portions of Isaiah’s fourth Servant Song of Yahweh (Isaiah 52:13-53:12). These three verses form what is arguably the most significant statement of substitutionary atonement contained in the Old Testament. Everything Isaiah has written thus far, and everything he will subsequently say, frames these three verses.

Today, we examine Isaiah 53:5. “But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed.”

“But he was pierced for our transgressions.” Isaiah 53:5 begins with the conjunction “but.” The word indicates a contrast in what has been written prior to this verse. The prophet wanted to make sure that there was not misunderstanding as to why the Messiah, Jesus Christ, would die on the cross. It would be on behalf of the sinner. It would be on behalf of His people.

The phrase “he was pierced” literally means the penetration of a sharp object into the body which can harm, wound and even kill. The subject remains the Servant of Yahweh. The question is then asked: why was he pierced? The answer is given in the second half of the sentence: “for our transgressions.” The word “transgressions” means defiance to authority, rebelliousness, wrongdoing and the committing of a crime. Notice that these acts were ours, and not His.

Also notice the small word “for.” It means in behalf of, in lieu of, in place of, or instead of. In the Greek language of the New Testament, it is the word “huper.” The late Swiss theologian Karl Barth once remarked that, in his evaluation, the word “huper” was the single, most important word in all of the Greek New Testament. Isaiah was calling attention to the fact that Jesus Christ would die on the sinner’s behalf.

“He was crushed for our iniquities.” The Servant was bruised, beaten, and oppressed because of our misdeeds, sin and the resulting guilt caused by our wickedness.

“Upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace.” The Servant received the chastening, punishment and the judicial penalty which would bring to sinners completeness, soundness and safeness from the wrath of God.

Romans 5:1 says, “Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.”

Romans 5:7-10 says, “For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die— but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God. For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life.”

“And with his wounds we are healed.” The wounds and pain Jesus endured on His people’s behalf resulted in healing. Many take this verse to mean strictly physical healing. It becomes a proof text for health and wealth preaching. However, the word “healed” means to be put into a right state, eventually cured of the sickness of soul and the state of sinfulness, which is the core reason we physically die. It means to be justified.

I Peter 2:24 says, “He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed.”

Have you repented of your sins and received Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior? His work on the cross is the only means by which sinners can be justified and reconciled before God the Father. Trust in Him as the only One who can save you from the penalty, power and eventual presence of your sin.

Meditate upon the word by Keith and Kristyn Getty entitled Beneath the Cross of Jesus. 

Beneath the cross of Jesus
I find a place to stand,
And wonder at such mercy
That calls me as I am;
For hands that should discard me
Hold wounds which tell me, “Come.”
Beneath the cross of Jesus
My unworthy soul is won.

Beneath the cross of Jesus
His family is my own—
Once strangers chasing selfish dreams,
Now one through grace alone.
How could I now dishonor
The ones that You have loved?
Beneath the cross of Jesus
See the children called by God.

Beneath the cross of Jesus—
The path before the crown—
We follow in His footsteps
Where promised hope is found.
How great the joy before us
To be His perfect bride;
Beneath the cross of Jesus
We will gladly live our lives.

May God’s truth and grace reside here.

Soli deo Gloria!

 

 

“Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned—every one—to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all.” (Isaiah 53:4-6)

“All professing Christians know that the cross is important, but we often fail to grasp the all-encompassing significance of it—that the cross is not only at the heart of our faith, but it encompasses the entire existence of our faith, our life and our worship. In order for us to possess a proper theology of the cross, the reality of Christ crucified must possess us in all we believe, and in all that we do.” Pastor Burk Parsons

Isaiah 53:4-6 forms the middle section of the five portions of Isaiah’s fourth Servant Song of Yahweh (Isaiah 52:13-53:12). These three verses in this section form what is arguably the most significant statement of substitutionary atonement contained in the Old Testament. Everything Isaiah has written thus far, and everything he will subsequently write, frames these three verses.

I have entitled this section The Ordeal of the Suffering Servant. An ordeal is a setting or a circumstance of torment, suffering, tribulation, trouble and affliction. Isaiah described the ordeal the Servant of Yahweh, Jesus Christ, would endure. However, the prophet made it quite clear the ordeal Jesus encountered and experienced was not because of any sin He committed, but rather His ordeal was on our behalf because of our sins.

The Messiah’s humiliation and agony of being despised, rejected and not esteemed is explained in Isaiah 53:4-6. The text presents, as one author writes, “a staggering awakening” regarding the ultimate reason for the cross.

Today, we examine Isaiah 53:4. “Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted.” (Isaiah 53:4)

“Surely.”  This adverb means truly and certainly with a strong sense of emphasis on the truth of what is going to be said. What truth was so predominant in the prophet’s mind?

“Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows.” On the surface it may seem that this verse is saying that the Messiah, Jesus Christ, helps people through their griefs and sorrows. While this is biblically true (Hebrews 4:14-16; I Peter 5:7), this is not what this particular text means.

On the contrary, the sure truth is that the Messiah, has borne and carried something on behalf of sinners. The word borne means to carry, to lift and to bear. The word carried means to carry a heavy load. What is it that Jesus has borne and carried?

The text says, respectively, our griefs and our sorrows. The word “griefs” means illnesses, wounds and afflictions. “Sorrows” means pain, anguish and suffering.

Israel in particular and the world in general, often tend to evaluate Jesus’ death as the result of Him being stricken, smitten and afflicted by God for His own sin. Stricken means to be violently struck. Smitten means to be destroyed or to be struck resulting in death. Afflicted means to be mistreated, oppressed and to suffer.

However, the text is saying that Jesus took upon Himself the humiliating death on the cross not only because of the griefs and sorrows we experience because of other people’s sins, but also the griefs and sorrows we have caused other to experience because of our own sin. It was on our behalf, and because of our sin, that God the Father struck, smote and afflicted the sinless Son of God.

The pain the Servant bore was our own. The affliction He endured was because of the affliction we have caused others and others have caused us. It was the price to be paid for our sins and for our salvation.

Dr. R. C. Sproul writes, “Jesus acts as the Substitute, taking our place at the bar of God’s justice. For this reason, we sometimes speak of Jesus’ work on the cross as the substitutionary atonement of Christ, which means that when He offered an atonement, it was not to satisfy God’s justice for His own sins, but for the sins of others. He stepped into the role of Substitute, representing His people. He didn’t lay down His life for Himself; He laid it down for His sheep. He is our ultimate Substitute.”

This truth is beautifully expressed in the song His Robes for Mine by Chris Anderson and Greg Habegger. May it be our testimony on this Good Friday.

His robes for mine: O wonderful exchange!
Clothed in my sin, Christ suffered ‘neath God’s rage.
Draped in His righteousness, I’m justified.
In Christ I live, for in my place He died.

Refrain:
I cling to Christ, and marvel at the cost:
Jesus forsaken, God estranged from God.
Bought by such love, my life is not my own.
My praise-my all-shall be for Christ alone.

His robes for mine: what cause have I for dread?
God’s daunting Law Christ mastered in my stead.
Faultless I stand with righteous works not mine,
Saved by my Lord’s vicarious death and life.

His robes for mine: God’s justice is appeased.
Jesus is crushed, and thus the Father’s pleased.
Christ drank God’s wrath on sin, then cried “‘Tis done!”
Sin’s wage is paid; propitiation won.

His robes for mine: such anguish none can know.
Christ, God’s beloved, condemned as though His foe.
He, as though I, accursed and left alone;
I, as though He, embraced and welcomed home!

May God’s truth and grace reside here.

Soli deo Gloria!

 

 

 

 

 

“Who has believed what he has heard from us? And to whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed? For he grew up before him like a young plant, and like a root out of dry ground; he had no form or majesty that we should look at him, and no beauty that we should desire him.  He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief; and as one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not.” (Isaiah 53:1-3)

“If we fail to understand what God is saving us from—namely wrath, judgment and hell—we will never understand His mercy. If we are not confronted with the wretchedness of our sin, we will not be able to rest in His amazing grace. For it is only when we grasp that we in our sin put Jesus on the cross that we can begin to see what God did for us at the cross.” Burk Parsons

As we examine the servant song of Yahweh from Isaiah 52:13-53:12, today’s theme title is taken from Isaiah 53:1-3. It is the second of five sections in Isaiah’s Fourth Song concerning the Servant of Yahweh. Today, we examine Isaiah 53:3: “He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief; and as one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not.”

Three words stand out in this verse regarding the reaction of the people towards the Servant of Yahweh: Jesus Christ. He was (1) despised; (2) rejected; and (3) not esteemed.

As we begin examining this verse, please notice that Isaiah used the state of being verb “was” to describe the people’s reaction to Jesus Christ. While Isaiah is writing about events which will take place hundreds of years in the future at the time of this prophecy, he presents it from the perspective of eternity and the people’s realization of what Jesus did in history.

“He was despised.” Literally it reads, “He was the One who was despised.” Yahweh’s Servant, Jesus Christ, received nothing but contempt, ridicule and hatred by the masses. He became the object of their scorn and ridicule.

“He was despised and rejected by men.” Not only was the people’s attitude toward Jesus one of contempt, ridicule and hatred, but ultimately this resulted in rejection. He was forsaken and deserted by the people for whom He came to die. Jesus was not the political leader they had hoped He would be, but rather was the suffering servant who provided atonement which the people did not feel they needed Him to be.

“And as one from whom men hide their faces he was despised.” Because the people despised and rejected Jesus so much, they literally turned away from Him. What a contrast it will be when Jesus is eternally exalted before everyone because of the rejection and scorn He received while suffering on behalf of His people.

“Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” (Philippians 2:9-11)

“And we esteemed him not.” It is interesting to note that the prophet includes himself in this evaluation. He does not deny the sinful condition of his own soul when examining the Servant’s substitutionary atonement (cf. Isaiah 6:1-7).

The verb esteemed is an accounting term meaning credit, to impute, or to determine value. It means to think in a detailed logical manner regarding a particular object.

Dr. John MacArthur explains that, “The Hebrew word “esteemed” is an accounting term—the Hebrew equivalent of the Greek word logizomai meaning “imputed” or “reckoned.” It’s a vital word in the biblical doctrine of justification.” The English Standard Version translates the word as “counted.”

Genesis 15:6 says, “And he (Abraham) believed the LORD, and he counted it to him as righteousness.”

Romans 4:3 – “For what does the Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness.” Now to the one who works, his wages are not counted as a gift but as his due. And to the one who does not work but believes in him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted as righteousness, just as David also speaks of the blessing of the one to whom God counts righteousness apart from works: “Blessed are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven, and whose sins are covered; blessed is the man against whom the Lord will not count his sin.”

Within the context of Isaiah 53:3, the prophet is saying that Jesus’ Messiahship did not add up or make sense to the people. They wanted a Messiah like the kings of the world rather than the King of kings and the Lord of lords. They counted Him to be worthless. However, His apparent worthlessness would result in sinners being counted righteous. What irony!

Therefore, it is said the Yahweh’s Servant that He was truly “a man of sorrows.” He was a human being who experienced pain and anguish. This not only applies the physical pain Jesus experienced while on the cross, but also the extreme mental anguish associated with that pain. Along with being a man of sorrows, Jesus was also “acquainted with grief.” He knew what it was like to experience the wounds of afflictions.

As Dr. MacArthur states, “Isaiah is writing this prophecy with an eye to the cross, and his focus is on the profound agony—both the physical pain and the soul-shattering grief—that Jesus endured. The torment of his body and soul was so appalling that he literally became “one from whom men hide their faces.”

Hymn writer Phillip Bliss expressed it this way.

“Man of Sorrows,” what a name
For the Son of God who came
Ruined sinners to reclaim!
Hallelujah! What a Savior!

 Bearing shame and scoffing rude,
In my place condemned He stood;
Sealed my pardon with His blood;                                                                                              Hallelujah! What a Savior!

 Guilty, vile, and helpless, we,
Spotless Lamb of God was He;
Full redemption—can it be?
Hallelujah! What a Savior!

 Lifted up was He to die,
“It is finished!” was His cry;
now in heaven exalted high;
Hallelujah! What a Savior!

 When He comes, our glorious King,
To His kingdom us to bring,
Then anew this song we’ll sing
Hallelujah! What a Savior!

May God’s truth and grace reside here.

Soli deo Gloria!

“Who has believed what he has heard from us? And to whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed? For he grew up before him like a young plant, and like a root out of dry ground; he had no form or majesty that we should look at him, and no beauty that we should desire him.  He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief; and as one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not.” (Isaiah 53:1-3)

“If we fail to understand what God is saving us from—namely wrath, judgment and hell—we will never understand His mercy. If we are not confronted with the wretchedness of our sin, we will not be able to rest in His amazing grace. For it is only when we grasp that we in our sin put Jesus on the cross that we can begin to see what God did for us at the cross.” Burk Parsons

As we examine the servant song of Yahweh from Isaiah 52:13-53:12, today’s theme title is taken from Isaiah 53:1-3. It is the second of five sections in Isaiah’s Fourth Song concerning the Servant of Yahweh. Today, we examine Isaiah 53:2: “For he grew up before him like a young plant, and like a root out of dry ground; he had no form or majesty that we should look at him, and no beauty that we should desire him.” There are three metaphorical statements contained in vs. 2 pertaining to the Servant of Yahweh: Jesus Christ. All three contain statements regarding why Israel had such contempt for the Servant of the LORD.

First, “For he grew up before him like a young plant, and like a root out of dry ground;” Isaiah begins to focus on the servant’s humble beginning. He grew up in His humanity before Yahweh like a sapling or a sucker branch. A sucker branch is, as one commentator explains, “a useless , uncultivated, unwanted parasitic shoot off the main plant.” Gardeners remove them in order so that they will not drain resources from the main trunk. These type of shoots are prevalent on olive trees.

The Servant was not distinguishable from any other infant. He appeared to be ordinary. When Jesus Christ was born, very few recognized Him for who He was. There were the shepherds (Luke 2:8-18), Simeon (Luke 2:25-32), Anna (Luke 2:36-38) and others who were looking for the redemption of Jerusalem (Luke 2:38). That was pretty much it.

The Servant grew in favor with God and man (Luke 2:52). John the Baptist recognized Jesus for who He was at His baptism (Mark 1:11; John 1:29) as few others did (Matthew 13:53-58).  His beginning was ignoble and insignificant (John 1:46).

A root out of dry ground closely parallels the first statement. No one plants a root in dry ground. If it does appear, it is because it is a weed that no one cares for and would rather eliminate.

Second, “he had no form or majesty that we should look at him.” Jesus had no physical appearance or positon of wealth and power which would attract people to Him. He looked like any other common man.

Third, “and no beauty that we should desire him.” Jesus had no particular appearance or facial features that were necessarily outstanding. He did not attract people because of His beauty. No one took pleasure in wanting to look upon His face. He probably would have not qualified as a male model.

Dr. John MacArthur writes, “The Servant will arise in lowly conditions and wear none of the usual emblems of royalty, making his true identity visible only to the discerning eye of faith.”

Dr. Don Carson writes, “The gulf between God’s message and man’s opinion is very plain, in the contrast between what is revealed (cf. v 1 with Rom. 10:16–17, 21) and what is naturally attractive (2) or impressive (3). Cf. the reaction to the humiliated Jesus in e.g. Mt. 27:39–44 and to the preaching of the cross (1 Cor. 1:23).”

I Corinthians 1:18 says, “For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.”

Have you been drawn by the Holy Spirit to see and understand the significance of the cross of Jesus Christ. Take this moment to repent and remember all which He accomplished on the cross for His people.

May God’s truth and grace reside here.

Soli deo Gloria!