When someone has done you wrong, do you just take it? Most of us would have to say that no, we don’t. Or at least we don’t want to. Society tells us to stand up for our rights, and don’t let anyone walk all over us. Perhaps if we know that we’ve done something to deserve what we’re getting, we might grudgingly take it, but not likely if we’ve done nothing wrong. That would make us look weak and like a loser. No one wants to be considered a loser, especially if nothing is their fault. Our Scripture today describes someone who is grossly mistreated, and not for anything they have done wrong themselves, and yet they endure that treatment. Are they weak and a loser? Let’s look and see.
In this 53rd chapter of Isaiah, the prophet gives us an account of a person who is going through some terrible treatment at the hands of others, and yet he is enduring it meekly, without any sign of fighting back, even though, as we read, it was not treatment that he deserved. We know through reading and studying Scripture that this account is a description of the Messiah, the Lord Jesus Christ, and the suffering He endured to obtain salvation for mankind. As the prophet brought his message, he relates that many refuse to believe him (vs. 1). So many times when we tell others about Jesus, and the sacrifice He paid for our sins to bring us salvation, we are not believed, either. Yet, like Isaiah, we need to keep telling the message.
What kind of abuse did the Messiah, the Lord Jesus suffer for us? Have you ever seen someone after they have been severely beaten? I’ve only seen depictions in movies or TV, not in real life. But it’s safe to assume it’s not a pleasant sight! Isaiah tells us the same, that there was no beauty or glory in how He looked throughout this ordeal. He was despised, and people didn’t even want to look at Him (vs. 2-3). I’m sure those hours were very gruesome to behold!
As we continue reading the account of Isaiah, we see that all that the Messiah went through was not because of anything that He did, and it was not somehow for His benefit. The Lord God tells us that it was for our transgressions and iniquities, our sins that Jesus suffered this (vs. 4-6). Verse 5 speaks it all - “He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement for our peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed.” All that Jesus suffered was for us!
Now if you were suffering all this excruciating, abusive treatment, especially if there was no fault of your own to merit such treatment, would you take this quietly? Most of us could honestly say that we would lash out at whoever was doing this to us. We would be shouting at them, and possibly even be trying to fight them off. However, that is not what the Lord Jesus did. Our Scripture says that just as a lamb or sheep being led to the slaughter is quiet, so He was, as well (vs. 7).
Sheep do not typically struggle and fight when they are being sheared, and they are compliant and easily led when they are taken to the slaughter. Jesus didn’t try to escape from the agony and shame that faced Him when He was led to the cross. He went willingly, silently, and with no verbal retorts to those who mocked and jeered while He was nailed to the cross. Jesus, the Son of God, sacrificed all He had for us. He took our place so that we could be forgiven and have a restored relationship with God.
So how would the world look at someone like this, someone who took all that abuse and didn’t fight back, someone who was executed with criminals (vs. 9, 12) ? They would call them weak losers. Yet that is not how God viewed Jesus. God was pleased with the sacrifice of Jesus. His sacrifice satisfied the justice that the Lord demanded for sin (vs. 10-12). On the third day Jesus rose from the dead, and several weeks later He ascended into heaven where He is seated upon His heavenly throne. As Isaiah said, He was given a portion with the great, and divided the spoil with the strong (vs. 12). That is not a picture of a weak loser! No, the Lord Jesus reigns as King forever more!
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