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¹⁰Yet 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. ¹¹ 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. ¹² 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)

Isaiah 53:10-12 is the fifth and final section in the prophet’s substantial Servant Song of Yahweh concerning the LORD’s substitutionary atonement on behalf of sinners. As was the case with the previous four sections, this final section contains three verses. Each of the verses will be individually examined.

^“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” (Isaiah 53:10).

The will of God the Father is predominately, and explicitly, stated in Isaiah 53:10. The prophet wants us to understand that the substitutionary atonement provided by the Servant of Yahweh was no accident. The virgin birth, sinless life, substitutionary death, and bodily resurrection of Jesus Christ were all within the sovereign plan of God the Father (Ephesians 1:3-11).

^“Yet it was the will of the Lord to crush him.” In light of all the suffering the Servant would endure (Isaiah 52:13-53:9), Isaiah made it clear that it was all within the plan of God. It was the will of God the Father to crush His Servant. The word will means to take pleasure or delight. The pleasure and delight of the Father was to crush the Son. To crush means to beat, bruise, humble and oppress. This is what historically and sovereignly occurred to Jesus Christ.

Matthew Henry writes, “It pleased the Lord to do this. He determined to do it; it was the result of an eternal counsel; and he delighted in it, as it was an effectual method for the salvation of man and the securing and advancing of the honour of God.”

“He has put him to grief.” There is an interplay between the two personal pronouns He and him. The pronoun He refers to God the Father. The pronoun him refers to the Servant, God the Son. Isaiah indicated that God the Father put God the Servant to grief. The word grief refers to affliction, pain and to suffer wounds.

“When his soul makes an offering for guilt, he shall see his offspring.” The phrase offering for guilt is the Hebrew word asam. It refers to an anointing sacrifice or a sacrifice offered to atone for sin (Leviticus 5:15; 6:5; 19:21). The sense here is that the Servant is the One who personally offered Himself as the guilt-offering. It is in this act that the Father sees, or examines, and makes His corresponding judgment.

“He shall prolong his days; the will of the Lord shall prosper in his hand.” The phrase He shall prolong his days indicates that the Servant must rise from the dead. He will do this and live to reign forever (2 Samuel 7:13-16; Psalm 21:1-4; 89:1-4; 132:12). God the Father raised the Servant from the dead in order to show His acceptance of the Servant’s sacrifice (Acts 2:22-28). Consequently, the will of Yahweh will succeed because of the successful and completed work of the Servant of Yahweh. .

Dr. R. C. Sproul comments that, “Only through the LORD’s will to crush the Servant can the LORD’s will prosper in His hand and give Him many spiritual offspring as the fruit of this prosperity.”

Soli deo Gloria!

^7”He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth; like a lamb that is led to the slaughter, and like a sheep that before its shearers is silent, so he did not open his mouth. ⁸By a perversion of justice he was taken away. Who could have imagined his future? For he was cut off from the land of the living, stricken for the transgression of my people. ⁹They made his grave with the wicked and his tomb with the rich, although he had done no violence, and there was no deceit in his mouth” (Isaiah 53:7-9).

God presents to the student of Scripture the definitive Old Testament text regarding substitutionary atonement (Isaiah 52:13-53:12). What the Old Testament previously illustrated with the sacrificial system centered in the tabernacle and temple, God now reveals in the person and work of the Servant of Yahweh: Jesus Christ.

As we begin to examine Isaiah 53:7-9, we should remember that it is the fourth stanza of five, and contains three verses. Take notice that all the verbs, unless otherwise noted, are in the perfect tense, which means a past completed action with continuing results. While the Prophet Isaiah was writing prophecy yet future in the 8^th century B.C., it was regarded then, as now, as a completed and historical truth. Today, we study vs. 9.

^“They made his grave with the wicked and his tomb with the rich.” There are skeptics who doubt that Jesus Christ actually died. They come up with astounding and silly alternatives seeking to dispute the reality of His death on the cross. Isaiah 53:9 affirms and prophesies that the Servant of Yahweh would die.

In the aftermath of the Servant’s disgraceful death on the cross, the Jews participating in the crucifixion wanted to ensure that the Servant’s burial was as ignoble as His death. He was to be buried with the two thieves (John 19:31). However, He received an honorable burial in the donated tomb of Joseph of Arimathea (Matthew 27:57-60; Mark 15:42-46; Luke 23:50-53; John 19:38-40).

“Although he had done no violence.”  The sinlessness of the Servant is affirmed in two statements. This statement states that He had done nothing wrong.

“And there was no deceit in his mouth.” This second statement affirms that the Servant did not say anything wrong. His words contained truth and not treachery.

I Peter 2:22-24 says, “²² He committed no sin, neither was deceit found in his mouth. ²³ 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. ²⁴ 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.”

The Servant of Yahweh, Jesus Christ, was deprived of justice in bearing the just punishment of our sins. The servant suffered the penalty of our sinful rebellion. He incurred the consequences of our sinful debt. He bore our guilt and shame. The wrath of God was poured out upon Him instead of us. The guiltless became the guilty so the guilty would be declared guiltless.

Soli deo Gloria!

^7”He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth; like a lamb that is led to the slaughter, and like a sheep that before its shearers is silent, so he did not open his mouth. ⁸By a perversion of justice he was taken away. Who could have imagined his future? For he was cut off from the land of the living, stricken for the transgression of my people. ⁹They made his grave with the wicked and his tomb with the rich, although he had done no violence, and there was no deceit in his mouth” (Isaiah 53:7-9).

God presents to the student of Scripture the definitive Old Testament text regarding substitutionary atonement (Isaiah 52:13-53:12). What the Old Testament previously illustrated with the sacrificial system centered in the tabernacle and temple, God now reveals in the person and work of the Servant of Yahweh: Jesus Christ.

As we begin to examine Isaiah 53:7-9, we should remember that it is the fourth stanza of five, and contains three verses. Take notice that all the verbs, unless otherwise noted, are in the perfect tense, which means a past completed action with continuing results. While the Prophet Isaiah was writing prophecy yet future in the 8^th century B.C., it was regarded then, as now, as a completed and historical truth. Today, we study vs. 8.

^“By a perversion of justice he was taken away.” The word perversion means oppression coercion and barrenness. The barrenness belonged to justice. This is a reference to the mock trials which the Servant (Jesus Christ) would endure. This is what He received on our behalf.  The Jewish Sanhedrin violated their own laws by (1) convening at the house of Caiaphas rather than the regular meeting place, (2) meeting at night rather than during the day, (3) convening on the eve of a Sabbath and a festival, (4) pronouncing the judgment the same day as the trial, and (5) ignoring the formalities allowing for the possibility of acquittal in cases involving a capital sentence.

“Who could have imagined his future?” In other words, who either considered or complained about His family and generation? The answer to this rhetorical questions is, no one.

“For he was cut off from the land of the living.” The text refers to the execution of the Servant. He was killed.

“Stricken for the transgression of my people.” However, the prophet reminds us that the Servant’s death was a substitutionary atonement. He was afflicted for the rebellion and crimes of Isaiah’s people: the Jews.

The Servant gave His life in order to be the substitute object of wrath in the place of the sinner, who by that substitution will receive salvation and the righteousness of God imputed to them (Romans 3:21-26; 2 Corinthians 5:21; I Peter 2:24).

Soli deo Gloria!

^7”He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth; like a lamb that is led to the slaughter, and like a sheep that before its shearers is silent, so he did not open his mouth. ⁸By a perversion of justice he was taken away. Who could have imagined his future? For he was cut off from the land of the living, stricken for the transgression of my people. ⁹They made his grave with the wicked and his tomb with the rich, although he had done no violence, and there was no deceit in his mouth” (Isaiah 53:7-9).

God presents to the student of Scripture the definitive Old Testament text regarding substitutionary atonement (Isaiah 52:13-53:12). What the Old Testament Scriptures previously illustrated with the sacrificial system, centered in the tabernacle and temple, God now reveals in the person and work of the Servant of Yahweh: Jesus Christ.

Today, we begin to examine Isaiah 53:7-9. It is the fourth stanza of five, and contains three verses. Take notice that all the verbs, unless otherwise noted, are in the perfect tense, which means a past completed action with continuing results. While the Prophet Isaiah was writing prophecy yet future in the 8^th century B.C., it was regarded then, as now, as a completed and historical truth.

^”He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth.” The word oppressed means to experience hardship and trouble. It also means to receive a required payment. The Servant was also afflicted, which is a synonym for oppression. The sinless Servant received the just payment and penalty for the sins of the sinner.

However, in spite of great physical, emotional, mental and spiritual oppression and affliction, He did not open His mouth. We know that Jesus spoke seven times from the cross (Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” — Luke 23:34; “Today shalt thou be with Me in paradise.” — Luke 23:43; “Woman, behold thy Son.” — John 19:26; “My God, my God, why hast Thou forsaken Me?” — Mark 15:34; “I thirst.” — John 19:28; “It is finished.” — John 19:30; and “Father, into Thy hands I commend My spirit.” — Luke 23:46). So what does Isaiah mean?

The prophet meant that 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 (Matthew 26:63; 27:14; 1 Peter 2:23). He was obediently willing to go to the cross because He knew it would benefit those who would believe.

“Like a lamb that is led to the slaughter, and like a sheep that before its shearers is silent, so he did not open his mouth.” The Servant’s behavior is compared to a lamb.

Dr. John Walvoord writes that, “the tendency of sheep is to follow others (v. 6), even to their destruction. In verse 7, the quiet, gentle nature of sheep is stressed. Seeing many sheep sheared for their wool or killed as sacrifices, Israelites were well aware of the submissive nature of sheep.”

I Peter 2:18-25 says, “¹⁸ Slaves, accept the authority of your masters with all deference, not only those who are kind and gentle but also those who are harsh. ¹⁹ For it is a credit to you if, being aware of God, you endure pain while suffering unjustly. ²⁰ If you endure when you are beaten for doing wrong, what credit is that? But if you endure when you do right and suffer for it, you have God’s approval. ²¹ For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you should follow in his steps. ²²“He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in his mouth.” ²³ When he was abused, he did not return abuse; when he suffered, he did not threaten; but he entrusted himself to the one who judges justly. ²⁴ He himself bore our sins in his body on the cross, so that, free from sins, we might live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed. ²⁵ For you were going astray like sheep, but now you have returned to the shepherd and guardian of your souls.”  

Dr. John MacArthur writes, “The word “example” (I Peter 2:21) lit. means “writing under.” It was writing put under a piece of paper on which to trace letters, thus a pattern. Christ is the pattern for Christians to follow in suffering with perfect patience. His death was efficacious, primarily, as an atonement for sin (2 Cor. 5:21); but it was also exemplary, as a model of endurance in unjust suffering.”

Soli deo Gloria!

⁴  “Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. 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. 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.” (Isaiah 53:4-6)

Isaiah 53:4-6 is the centerpiece of Isaiah’s song of the Suffering Servant of Yahweh. This is not only the case grammatically and structurally with this section being the third of five sections in the oracle, but it also the central focus theologically.

God presents the definitive Old Testament text regarding substitutionary atonement. What the Old Testament previously illustrated with the sacrificial system centered in the tabernacle and temple, God now reveals in the person and work of the Servant of Yahweh: Jesus Christ. Today, we examine vs. 6. Take notice that all the verbs, unless otherwise noted, are in the perfect tense, which means a past completed action with continuing results.

“All we like sheep have gone astray.” Like sheep without a shepherd, we tend to wander into danger and sin. We all stray from the correct way of life.  

“We have turned—every one—to his own way.” Additionally, all sinners have turned away in rejection of the LORD and His Word. Instead, everyone goes his own way. It is a way of rebellion and wickedness (Ephesians 2:1-3).

“And the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all.” Therefore, because God is just and He must punish sin, He laid or interceded on behalf of sinners by having the Servant bear the iniquity, guilt and sin of all of God’s people.

Dr. John Walvoord wrote that, “The essence of sin is going one’s own way, rather than God’s way. That iniquity had to be punished, so the Lord … laid the punishment for that iniquity (cf. Isa. 53:11) not on the “sheep” (Israel and other sinners) that deserved it, but on the Servant who died in their place.”

Dr. R. C. Sproul wrote, “In Isaiah 53:4–6, we have atonement language. The terms for carrying sorrows and bearing griefs are used for the bearing of sin by animals and people under the old covenant (Lev. 5:1, 17; 10:17; 16:22; 17:16). Our Messiah does not carry a vague sadness that afflicts the human condition, but the grief and sorrow resulting from our guilt before the Lord. In God’s plan of salvation, the righteous Messiah provides a substitutionary sacrifice, dying in place of His people and receiving divine wrath for their sin.”

Believers in Christ were once God’s enemies. We once were also in bondage to our sin, guilty before the LORD and having a spiritual debt we could not pay, except in hell for eternity. Thanks be to God for the Servant, Jesus Christ, who paid and the debt, set us free, removed our guilt and reconciled us to God the Father.

Soli deo Gloria!  

⁴  “Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. 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. 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.” (Isaiah 53:4-6)

Isaiah 53:4-6 is the centerpiece of Isaiah’s song of the Suffering Servant of Yahweh. This is not only the case grammatically and structurally with this section being the third of five sections in the oracle, but it also the central focus theologically.

God presents the definitive Old Testament text regarding substitutionary atonement. What the Old Testament previously illustrated with the sacrificial system centered in the tabernacle and temple, God now reveals in the person and work of the Servant of Yahweh: Jesus Christ. Today, we examine vs. 5. Take notice that all the verbs, unless otherwise noted, are in the perfect tense, which means a past completed action with continuing results.

“But he was pierced for our transgressions.” The conjunction of contrast “but” begins verse 5. It indicates a contrast from the latter portion of verse 4 in which the perspective by many was that the Servant of Yahweh was stricken, smitten and afflicted for His own sins. On the contrary, Isaiah shared that the Servant “was pierced for our transgressions.” He received the piercing wound of execution because of, and on behalf of, the sinner’s rebellion, crimes and offenses (Matthew 27:32-37; Mark 15:21-32; Luke 23:32-49; John 19:16-38; Zechariah 12:10; Revelation 1:7).

“He was crushed for our iniquities.” The word crushed means to violently apply pressure in order to bruise and to harm an individual. The Servant was bruised on behalf of the sinner’s iniquities. The word iniquity means guilt and the punishment for sin.  

“Upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace.” Chastisement is corrective discipline or punishment for wrong behavior. The LORD’s punishment of His Servant on behalf of sinners brought us peace. Peace is completeness and soundness before God. It is the absence of hostility between two or more parties. In this context, it is the absence of hostility between the believing and sinner and God. Romans 5:1 says, “Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.”

“And with his wounds we are healed.” By the wounds, or the slashing stripes and injuries incurred by the Servant on behalf of sinners, we are in a right state or condition before God. The Servant has removed the penalty for sin that otherwise His people owe. As a result, the Servant alone undoes the effects of sin. Even death itself will be overcome.

Dr. John Walvoord wrote, “As a result those who believe in Him have inner peace rather than inner anguish or grief and are healed spiritually. Ironically His wounds, inflicted by the soldiers’ scourging and which were followed by His death, are the means of healing believers’ spiritual wounds in salvation. Jesus’ physical agony in the Crucifixion was great and intense. But His obedience to the Father was what counted (cf. Phil. 2:8). His death satisfied the wrath of God against sin and allows Him to “overlook” the sins of the nation (and of others who believe) because they have been paid for by the Servant’s substitutionary death.”

Soli deo Gloria!

⁴  “Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. 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. 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.” (Isaiah 53:4-6)

Isaiah 53:4-6 is the centerpiece of Isaiah’s song of the Suffering Servant of Yahweh. This is not only the case grammatically and structurally with this section being the third of five sections in the oracle, but it also the central focus theologically.

God presents the definitive Old Testament text regarding substitutionary atonement. What the Old Testament previously illustrated with the sacrificial system centered in the tabernacle and temple, God now reveals in the person and work of the Servant of Yahweh: Jesus Christ. Today, we examine vs. 4. Take notice that all the verbs, unless otherwise noted, are in the perfect tense, which means a past completed action with continuing results.

“Surely he has borne our griefs.” The primary subject throughout this section concerns Yahweh’s Servant. The secondary subjects are the ones for whom the Servant of Yahweh died therefore providing a substitutionary atonement. The word borne means to take up and to bear. What is borne by the Servant are our griefs. This refers to our sicknesses, illnesses, wounds and afflictions caused by our sins.  

“…and carried our sorrows.” The word carried means to bear or to be loaded down with a heavy load. The load which the Servant carried was our sorrows. This refers to our personal pain and anguish caused by our own sin, and by others who have sinned against us.

“…yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted.” However, even though the Servant bore the sinner’s grief and sorrows caused by sin and carried the resulting anguish and pain, sinners, and Isaiah includes himself in this category, determined, assumed and evaluated the Servant’s suffering as His own.

Isaiah at this point in the oracle employed three passive participles to describe the Servant’s suffering. To be stricken means to be violently touched and damaged. To be smitten means to be struck down, hit, injured and killed. To be afflicted means to be oppressed, wretched and emaciated. These words speak of God’s righteous wrath against sin.

Dr. John MacArthur comments that, “Even though the verbs are past tense, they predict happenings future to Isaiah’s time, i.e., “prophetic perfects” in Hebrew here and elsewhere in this Servant-song. Isaiah was saying that the Messiah would bear the consequences of the sins of men, namely the griefs and sorrows of life, though incredibly the Jews who watched him die thought he was being punished by God for his own sins. Matthew found an analogical fulfillment of these words in Jesus’ healing ministry (see Matt. 8:16–17), because sickness results from sin for which the Servant paid with his life (Isaiah 53:7–8; cf. 1 Peter 2:24).”

Take an opportunity today to thank Jesus for bearing your griefs, carrying your sorrows and enduring God’s wrath on your behalf.     

Soli deo Gloria!

¹³ Behold, my servant shall act wisely; he shall be high and lifted up, and shall be exalted. ¹⁴ As many were astonished at you—his appearance was so marred, beyond human semblance, and his form beyond that of the children of mankind— ¹⁵ So shall he sprinkle many nations. Kings shall shut their mouths because of him, for that which has not been told them they see, and that which they have not heard they understand” (Isaiah 52:13-15).

The Prophet Isaiah began his magnificent song of the Suffering Servant of Yahweh by calling his readers to attention. He said, “Behold.”  He used this word in order to emphasize an idea or doctrine. He wanted God’s people to pay attention and to take notice of what He was going to say.

To begin with, Isaiah emphasized three characteristics of Yahweh’s Servant. First, Yahweh’s servant “shall act wisely.” The LORD’s Servant would be prudent, would possess wisdom and understanding and He would succeed in His task. Additionally, the Servant “shall be high and lifted up.” This meant that He would continually be lifted up and elevated in praise and worship higher than anyone or anything else (Phil. 2:9; Col. 3:1; Heb. 1:3; 8:1; 10:12; 12:2; 1 Peter 3:22). Finally, He would be “exalted.” He would receive a high status of honor.

However, the exaltation of the Servant was not because of His regality or beauty. “As many were astonished at you—his appearance was so marred, beyond human semblance, and his form beyond that of the children of mankind” (Isaiah 52:14). Rather, this Servant was a source of astonishment. He would be deserted and abandoned. He was disfigured beyond any other human being. Notice the past tense state of being verbs which the prophet uses. The many “were” astonished and His appearance “was” so marred. Isaiah grammatically used what is known as the prophetic perfect tense. He was indicating that the work of the Servant, while in this context was yet future, was already accomplished in the sight of Yahweh.

“So shall he sprinkle many nations. Kings shall shut their mouths because of him, for that which has not been told them they see, and that which they have not heard they understand” (Isaiah 52:15). The Servant would not be viewed as important. Yet, He would accomplish the most important work on behalf of sinful mankind: the salvation of sinners.

The word “sprinkle” is associated with ceremonial cleansing by the priest under the Mosaic Law (Leviticus 4:6; 8:11; 14:7). This Servant, who many did not considered important at all, would provide the most important thing for individuals, nations and their kings: cleansing from sin (John 1:29; Hebrews 10:1-14).

That is why they will eventually shut their mouths. They will have nothing to say about, and to, Him who they did not understand, comprehend or want.

Dr. John MacArthur writes that, “Ultimately, when the Servant rules over his kingdom, he will receive international recognition for the effectiveness of his reign (cf. Philippians 2:9). The Servant must undergo inhuman cruelty to the point that he no longer looks like a human being. His appearance is so awful that people look at him in astonishment (53:1–3; Psalm 22:1-6; Matthew 26:67; 27:30; John 19:1-3). At his exaltation, human leaders in the highest places will be speechless and in awe before the once-despised Servant (cf. Ps. 2). When he takes his throne, they will see the unfolding of power and glory such as they have never heard. Paul applied the principle in this verse to his apostolic mission of preaching the gospel of Christ where Christ was yet unknown (Rom. 15:21).”

Soli deo Gloria!

Dr. R. C. Sproul explained that, “Mark Twain once wrote that “forgiveness is the fragrance that the violet sheds on the heel that has crushed it.” Though this man was by no means a Christian, this quote does depict the biblical truth that true forgiveness never comes without a cost to the forgiver. Though crushed, the violet refuses to withhold a good gift but absorbs the crushing blow, blessing the heel that has injured it. The same thing happens every time forgiveness is offered — the offended person, while not overlooking or denying the hurt, refuses to hold the hurt against the offender over the offender’s head permanently. The offended blesses the offender with the promise of real reconciliation and fellowship when the offending party repents and asks for pardon.”

“Such costly acts of forgiveness among violets and heels and people do not even barely approximate the cost the Suffering Servant paid to forgive us. Isaiah 52:13– 53:12, the best known of Isaiah’s “Servant Songs,” depicts this cost most vividly. For the Lord to finally forgive those men and women who trust in His promises of redemption, the offended party must incur a cost. In this case, the offended party is God Himself, who incurred the cost of the death of His only begotten Son. The Suffering Servant of Isaiah, had to be “cut off” for our forgiveness (53:8). Being cut off is a biblical way of referring to divine judgment (Num. 9:13), and so we see the glory of Isaiah’s prophecy and the work of the Suffering Servant. It is one thing not to charge the offender the full cost that forgiveness requires but quite another for the offended person, who has done no wrong, to pay the cost himself. This is what our Father did for us — He paid our cost by sending His Son to be the Suffering Servant so that we might be accounted righteous (Isa. 53:11).”

 Isaiah presents the oracle contained in Isaiah 52:13-53:12 in five stanzas of three verses each: (1) 52:13-15; (2) 53:1-3; (3) 53:4-6; (4) 53:7-9; and (5) 53:10-12.  It begins and ends with the Servant’s exaltation (first and fifth stanzas). Framed within this is the story of his rejection in stanza two and four, which in turn frames the third stanza (53:4–6). This is where the atoning significance of the suffering of Yahweh’s Servant is expounded. The third stanza functions as the centerpiece of the oracle.

I encourage you to begin memorizing this song of the suffering of the Servant of Yahweh, beginning with the first stanza, Isaiah 52:13-15. It is this first stanza which we will examine when next we meet.

¹³ Behold, my servant shall act wisely; he shall be high and lifted up, and shall be exalted.

¹⁴ As many were astonished at you—his appearance was so marred, beyond human semblance, and his form beyond that of the children of mankind—

¹⁵ So shall he sprinkle many nations. Kings shall shut their mouths because of him, for that which has not been told them they see, and that which they have not heard they understand.

 Soli deo Gloria!