Our passage today from the prophet Isaiah is one that is familiar to many believers, as it foretells the suffering and death of the Messiah for our sins. The whole chapter concentrates on telling of the Suffering Servant, the Lord Jesus, and what He went through for love of us. It is frequently read around Good Friday to remind us of the sacrifice Jesus paid for us. It is good to look this passage over at other times, as well, so I’m glad the Lectionary brought it up today.
Though I have read this passage many times over, one thing that stuck out for me as I read it this time was in verse 10. God the Father willingly sacrificed His Son for us, “it pleased the LORD to bruise Him”. This wasn’t something that God had to debate over and over in His mind, and reluctantly agree to do, against His will. How much does God the Father love us? Enough to sacrifice His only Son. Some of you know I have two children. Could we sacrifice our child for people who despised and hated us? I could never willingly give either one up to be tortured and die for others. Not even for someone who loved me, let alone for someone who treated me terribly. Yet that is exactly what God did for us. We were rebellious sinners when Jesus died for us (Romans 5:8).
All throughout His ministry Jesus endured rejection and hatred from the majority of the very people He came to save (vs 3). Not only did He suffer physically when His enemies tortured and crucified Him, Jesus suffered internal grief over those who rejected salvation through Him. Even today our Savior grieves when the millions of mankind curse and reject Him. We all can probably think of a number of despicably wicked people, and when we hear that they die, we might not be too sorry that they’re gone and in hell. Jesus, though, grieves when people die having rejected Him, no matter how wicked they were. He came and died for all of us.
Those who crucified Jesus, and those who observed this, felt He was being punished by God and rejected by Him (vs 4). Why would God allow the Savior to suffer so? Jesus was our substitute (vs 5). Our sins demanded a sacrifice for us to be forgiven. However the blood of animals, the Old Testament sacrifices, could not truly forgive our sins (Hebrews 10:4). Though He never sinned Himself, Jesus was the substitute for sinners. He assumed the part of the sacrificial lamb. He was our scapegoat. Jesus took our sins and carried them away. He took the chastisement from God so that we would have peace with the Father. Though sinless, He took the wrath that we sinners deserved. God treated Jesus as if He had committed every sin ever done (vs 6). Could we do that to our child? Yet because He loves us so much, God was willing to do that. Because Jesus loves us so much, He willingly endured that for us.
God chose to save the world through a suffering and sacrificial Messiah, rathering than a conquering king, contrary to what the people of the day believed or would want. This is contrary to human pride and the way of the world. The Jews intended Jesus to be buried in disgrace with other criminals (vs 9). Instead, though, He was given the grave of the wealthy and honorable Joseph of Arimathaea (John 19:38-42). Jesus’s execution was totally undeserved. The Messiah’s strength was shown in humility, suffering, and mercy.
This one sacrifice of Jesus provided complete satisfaction in settling the penalty due for sin (vs 11). Jesus knew exactly what needed to be done to settle that penalty, and willingly provided it to justify the many who came to Him. His reward for His work will be to enjoy the “spoils” of His victory throughout eternity (vs 12).
Because Jesus was bruised for our iniquities we can be free from the debt of sin and its consequence, which is death. When we accept Jesus as Savior we have been given life - physical life, spiritual life, abundant life (John 10:10). This all because God loved us enough to sacrifice His Son.
Sarah, bless you and your work. In Jesus Christ’s name who taught us how to live and died for us, Amen.
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