Jesus bore our sin and shame
Isa 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.
Isa 53:4 Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted.
Isa 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?
The Chief priests and elders thought that Jesus was smitten by God and it was the fact. God turned His face away from Jesus during the agony of His death. So since they were the chosen children of God, they reasoned in their mind, “Why should we respect a man who is smitten by God?. Let us insult him, kill him brutally and give him the most humiliating miserable death punishment – crucifixion ” was their decision.”
This is where they went wrong. If in O.T. God chose a particular class of people for revealing Himself, in N.T. He revealed Himself to the whole humanity through Jesus Christ. He came to redeem the whole world. Not a particular class or nation.
This is where the Church also has gone wrong. Most of the Christian denominations believe that they are the chosen set of people and since their redemption is guaranteed through salvation, we should separate ourselves from others and mingle only with the chosen people. They are absolutely wrong in this.
Have you seen people smitten by God? Smitten because of their sins, because of their parents’ sins? What is your attitude towards them?
Isa 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.
Sometimes, in a family we come across the case of one member being crushed for other’s iniquities. Upon him/her will be the chastisement that will bring peace to that family. With his/her wounds the whole family/Church/Nation will be healed.
Eg. Charlie Kirk, Nelson Mandela
Isa 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.
In certain circumstances, preaching alone will not suffice for salvation; With preaching comes the knowledge about salvation. But for those who have already known about Jesus Christ and are back slided, a costly sacrifice at the altar of God becomes necessary. Any prayer offered at the Throne of heaven, if accompanied with a sacrifice brings immediate answer. When a whole nation, the whole group have gone astray from God, by disobedience, when there is no prophet to condemn them or to rebuke, when things have gone beyond correction, the only choice will be taking the case to the Court of Heaven. Sighing and crying will be left with those righteous people who are on the earth.
2Pe 2:8 for as that righteous man (Lot) lived among them day after day, he was tormenting his righteous soul over their lawless deeds that he saw and heard
God will take up this case and rectify the situation. Joseph did not join in doing wrong with his brothers. He used to report them to his father. He became the enemy of all his siblings.
Gen 37:2 These are the generations of Jacob. Joseph, being seventeen years old, was pasturing the flock with his brothers. He was a boy with the sons of Bilhah and Zilpah, his father’s wives. And Joseph brought a bad report of them to their father.
Hence Joseph had to bear all the iniquity on himself.
Isa 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.
Have you ever been pushed to such a situation of becoming a victim of revenge and hatred just because you tried to correct someone? As a result you were found fault with and your accusers justified? Becoming like a “sheep that before its shearers is silent” – Not able to open your mouth for justice? Thank God. You are given an opportunity to imitate Jesus.
Php 3:8, 10-11 Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ; that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead.
Isa 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.
There are people in this world who have done no violence, no deceit found in their mouth, but still justice denied to them till the end and they are removed from the earth as unrighteous people. Jesus is the perfect model for them. Dear soldier, think of the situations the Lord Almighty granted you opportunities to become a follower of His Son Jesus.
Isa 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.
There was no other option for the Eternal Judge other than handing over Jesus for such a judgment“ (to be crushed)” since he bore the sins of us all and offered himself in atonement and a propitiation for the sins of the whole world.
As a result He received an offspring in all the generations who will war with the enemy and be victorious. The promise given by God in Gen 3:15 was fulfilled by His sacrifice.
Gen 3:15 I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel.”
We are the offspring of Jesus Christ. If we do not take victory by bruising satan’s head by exercising the authority granted to us, we will bring dishonour to Jesus Christ who won victory over satan at Calvary. In all generations, the Church and believers should prove to the world the power of resurrection of Jesus Christ.
“The will of the LORD shall prosper in his hand”. Yes, for the first time in the world, after He created Adam, the perfect will of the Father was fulfilled on earth by Jesus Christ. That is Adam and his descendants can subdue the whole earth, have dominion over the earth and enjoy life, life in abundance on this earth.Jesus made it possible through His death on the cross.
Isa 53:11 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.
Even though His soul had to pass through the anguish at Gethsamene and Calvary, Jesus’s soul was satisfied. In heaven Jesus was worshipped with a new song. The heavenly choir started worshipping Jesus Christ also along with God the Father for the first time. What a great privilege! Yes He was elevated to such a high status.
(Php 2:9-11)……..“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.
….by his knowledge shall the righteous one, my servant, make many to be accounted righteous, and he shall bear their iniquities.
Since Jesus submitted His life as an atonement for others, through the very knowledge of Jesus Christ many will become righteous.
Joh 17:3 And this is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.
In the O.T. how stringent were the rules to enter into the Holy and Most Holy place of the Ark of the Covenant and the Temple of Jerusalem? But now a highway has been opened from the earthly courtyard to the Heavenly Most Holy Place! It is open all the 24 hours. Anyone who believes in Jesus can enter into the Most Holy Place of Heaven and eat the fruit of the Tree of Life which was denied to Adam and Eve.
Heb 10:19-20 Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus, by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh..
Sr. Angelica