His Word Today

In Isaiah 54:1-17, the Prophet Isaiah described the special relationship of God to His people. It is compared to a wife and her husband. It is a theme contained in other portions of the Scriptures (Hosea; Galatians 4:27; Ephesians 5:22-33). However, the LORD gives this theme great emphasis in Isaiah 54.

“Sing, O barren one, who did not bear; break forth into singing and cry aloud, you who have not been in labor! For the children of the desolate one will be more than the children of her who is married,” says the Lord. ² “Enlarge the place of your tent, and let the curtains of your habitations be stretched out; do not hold back; lengthen your cords and strengthen your stakes. ³ For you will spread abroad to the right and to the left, and your offspring will possess the nations and will people the desolate cities. ⁴ “Fear not, for you will not be ashamed; be not confounded, for you will not be disgraced; for you will forget the shame of your youth, and the reproach of your widowhood you will remember no more” (Isaiah 54:1-4).

Who is the barren wife? The image symbolizes Jerusalem. The City of God is pictured as a barren woman and a grieving widow because of youthful sins. However, the LORD commands Israel in general, and Jerusalem in particular to enlarge its house or habitation. This is because the LORD will bring into it a multitude of children which will be hers.

Within the historical context, Israel’s sins brought on the Egyptian captivity, the Babylonian exile, and her current dispersion. However, the glories of the future kingdom of God will be so great that it will overshadow Israel’s past failures and sin.

If Jerusalem is the barren wife, who is the faithful husband? He is none other than the Creator and Sustainer, the Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel, the LORD of heaven and earth. “For your Maker is your husband, the Lord of hosts is his name; and the Holy One of Israel is your Redeemer, the God of the whole earth he is called” (Isaiah 54:5).

What the will LORD do on behalf of Israel? Even though Jerusalem will be briefly punished for its sin, the LORD’s future blessings will be eternal. The LORD’s steadfast love will not leave Israel. “⁶ For the Lord has called you like a wife deserted and grieved in spirit, like a wife of youth when she is cast off, says your God. ⁷ For a brief moment I deserted you, but with great compassion I will gather you. ⁸ In overflowing anger for a moment I hid my face from you, but with everlasting love I will have compassion on you,” says the Lord, your Redeemer. ⁹ “This is like the days of Noah to me: as I swore that the waters of Noah should no more go over the earth, so I have sworn that I will not be angry with you, and will not rebuke you. ¹⁰ For the mountains may depart and the hills be removed, but my steadfast love shall not depart from you, and my covenant of peace shall not be removed,” says the Lord, who has compassion on you” (Isaiah 54:6-10).

The future Jerusalem will be likened to a precious jewel. It will possess unparalleled beauty. “¹¹ “O afflicted one, storm-tossed and not comforted, behold, I will set your stones in antimony, and lay your foundations with sapphires. ¹² I will make your pinnacles of agate, your gates of carbuncles, and all your wall of precious stones.” (Isaiah 54:11-12).

Dr. John MacArthur writes that, “The elaborate ornamentation will outfit Jerusalem to be the center of the future, eternal messianic reign following the millennium (Rev. 21:18–21). As magnificent as this is, it is not as important as the spiritual richness of the kingdom, when truth and peace (Isa. 54:13) prevail along with righteousness (v. 14). The Lord himself will teach everyone during the messianic kingdom, so everyone will know his righteousness (11:9; Jer. 31:34). Jesus gave this verse an additional focus, applying it to those with spiritual insight to come to him during his first advent (John 6:45).”

The LORD will protect and allow Jerusalem’s citizens to prosper. God’s government will be just and her enemies will be far away. “¹³ All your children shall be taught by the Lord, and great shall be the peace of your children. ¹⁴ In righteousness you shall be established; you shall be far from oppression, for you shall not fear; and from terror, for it shall not come near you. ¹⁵ If anyone stirs up strife, it is not from me; whoever stirs up strife with you shall fall because of you. ¹⁶     Behold, I have created the smith who blows the fire of coals and produces a weapon for its purpose. I have also created the ravager to destroy; ^17no weapon that is fashioned against you shall succeed, and you shall refute every tongue that rises against you in judgment. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord and their vindication from me, declares the Lord” (Isaiah 54:13-17).

Such are God’s promises for the future millennial kingdom of Jesus Christ.

Soli deo Gloria!

 

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.

“ 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 53:12).  

Isaiah 53:12 is the climatic verse, of the climatic section of this magnificent oracle concerning the Servant of Yahweh and the substitutionary atonement for sin which He alone provides. There is a sense of a resounding crescendo in this final verse.

“ Therefore I will divide him a portion with the many.” Isaiah 53:12 serves as a conclusion indicated by the word therefore. In light of all which Isaiah has proclaimed in the oracle, there is an appropriate closing. God the Father reveals that He will divide, distribute, and apportion the blessings of eternity with the many who are justified by grace alone, through faith alone, in the person and work of His Servant: Jesus Christ.

“And he shall divide the spoil with the strong.” God the Father goes on to disclose, in Hebrew parallelism, that the Servant will also divide, distribute and apportion the spoils of victory with the great number of converted souls.

“Because he poured out his soul to death and was numbered with the transgressors.” Why are the God Father and the Servant Son able to do this? It is because of the substitutionary sacrifice by the Servant Son, which is likened to a mass of liquid being poured out of a container. The Servant Son was counted as a transgressor and was therefore included with transgressors at His death. He took upon Himself the sinner’s defiance of God’s person and authority and received God’s just wrath for such defiance.

“Yet he bore the sin of many.” Once again, we have the doctrine of substitutionary atonement explicitly stated in Scripture. The Servant Son took away from a great number of people the penalty, power and presence of sin. This was our sin, shame and rebellion. Jesus Christ removed our guilt, freed us from our sinful bondage, paid our spiritual debt and restored us to a reconciled and right relationship with God the Father.

“And makes intercession for the transgressors.” This final statement presents a significant shift in tense. While the previous statements in the oracle have referred to the Servant’s past, completed work, this final clause reveals the Servant’s present and ongoing work on behalf of the converted. The Servant presently intercedes on behalf of justified sinners who still battle with the power of sin, even though delivered from the penalty of sin (I John 2:1-2; Hebrews 4:14-16; 7:25; 9:24).

This promise of Christ’s intercession belongs to all for whom He died. All those who have found forgiveness in Him have the assurance of His intercession (John 17:20–26). Rest in the promise that Jesus intercedes for you. You never need to fear losing your salvation. Memorize Hebrews 7:25.

Amazing love, how can it be? That Thou my God shouldst die, and intercede, for me.

Soli deo Gloria!

 

  

 

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.

“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” (Isaiah 53:11).

“Out of the anguish of his soul he shall see and be satisfied.” Once again the subject in this verse is the Servant of Yahweh: Jesus Christ. It is the Servant who will be filled with the anguish of the soul. Anguish means trouble, labor and toil. Soul refers to the inner being of the Servant. This anguish of soul which the Servant experienced was because He bore the wrath of God the Father on behalf of sinners. It was such expiation and propitiation (Romans 2:21-26; I John 2:1-2; 4:7-11) that satisfied God the Father’s righteous justice and wrath.

“By his knowledge shall the righteous one, my servant, make many to be accounted righteous.” The servant understood exactly what needed to be done to solve the sin problem, which still exists in the world today. Protests, peaceful or otherwise won’t solve the problem of sin. Government programs won’t solve it. The social gospel won’t solve it. The only solution is the substitutionary atonement by the Servant, His resurrection from the dead, and imputed justification by grace alone, through faith alone, in the person and work of Jesus Christ alone.

To be accounted righteous is God’s declaration that the justified sinner is legally and forensically declared righteous. They are in a right relationship and standing with God. This righteous standing is not because of any inherent righteousness the sinner may possess, but rather on the basis of Jesus Christ’s credited righteousness on the sinner’s behalf.

Galatians 2:16 says, “ Yet we know that a person is not justified by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ, so we also have believed in Christ Jesus, in order to be justified by faith in Christ and not by works of the law, because by works of the law no one will be justified.”

By the sacrifice of the One, the many were declared righteous (Romans 5:12-21; 2 Corinthians 5:21). Is the doctrine of justification by faith alone that important?

Dr. R.C. Sproul once commented that, “(Martin) Luther was excommunicated by Rome and declared a heretic for teaching justification by faith alone. Luther replied that the church had embraced a heretical view of salvation. The issue still burns as to who the heretic is. In Luther’s response to Erasmus’ Diatribe, he acknowledged that many of the points at issue were trifles. They did not warrant rupturing the unity of the church. They could be “covered” by the love and forbearance that covers a multitude of sins. When it came to justification, however, Luther sang a different tune. He called justification the article upon which the church stands or falls, a doctrine so vital that it touches the very heart of the Gospel. A church that rejects justification by faith alone (and anathematizes it as a deadly heresy) is no longer an orthodox church. Luther wasn’t shadow boxing on that issue; nor was the Reformation a mere misunderstanding between warring factions in the church. No teapot was big enough to contain the tempest it provoked.”

Justification by grace alone, through faith alone, in the person and work of Jesus Christ alone is the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Have you received the righteousness of Christ in exchange for your sin?

Soli deo Gloria!

 

 

 

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!