Isaiah
53 reminds me of a phenomenon in our court system caused by the
numerous crime scene investigations shows on TV. Juries are
convinced that every crime should have indisputable evidence and
clear photographs proving every point of the case. In reality,
most crimes have to be proven on a few murky facts combined with the
testimony of witnesses. Contrary to the drama series, most
suspects do not confess on the stand. In today’s chapter
Isaiah writes about the events that would take place 700 years later
with such accuracy that nearly any court would conclude the composite
sketch is of Jesus of Nazareth. The chapter begins with a
question. “Who
has believed… to whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed?“.
In essence, Isaiah is saying, you decide. Our defendant was
born and was raised in a humble home. “He
grew up before Him
like
a tender shoot… He had no beauty or majesty“.
He did not look like a king, but instead he was born to fulfill the
dual role of sinless sacrifice and sinless Savior. There was
nothing in “His
appearance that we should desire Him.
He
was despised and rejected by mankind, a man of suffering, and
familiar with pain… and we held him in low esteem“.
So far we have a man of humble means that was far from the warrior
king the Jews were anticipating.
Isaiah
continues, “Surely
He took up our pain and bore our suffering… punished by God,
stricken
by Him, and afflicted“.
Isaiah explains God’s plan of salvation, “He
was pierced for our transgressions, He was crushed for our
iniquities“.
Isaiah reveals the case in full, “the
punishment that brought us peace was on Him, and by His wounds we are
healed“.
Isaiah
looks at the jury and makes another bold statement, “We
all, like sheep, have gone astray”
and adds, “the
LORD has laid on Him the iniquity of us all“.
Every one of us have fallen short of God’s perfection, yet
according to Isaiah, this one man would receive our penalty.
That does not seem fair! God is perfect in justice. From
the moment Adam sinned, this was God’s plan of rehabilitation.
The apostle Paul explained it this way, “For
just as through the disobedience of the one man (Adam)
the many were made sinners, so also through the obedience of the one
Man (Jesus)
the many will be made righteous”
(Romans 5:19).
Isaiah
describes the sacrifice of the Lamb of God, “He
was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before its
shearers is silent, so He did not open his mouth“.
Jesus did not waver in His responsibility. He alone could bear
the burden for all of us. “Yet
who of His generation protested?”
Which of us are worthy? Isaiah presents his summary, “for
the transgression of my people He was punished. He was assigned
a grave with the wicked… though He had done no violence, nor was
any deceit in His mouth“.
This was no random act, this was premeditated, “Yet
it was the LORD’s will to… cause Him to suffer… the LORD makes
His life an offering for sin“.
Isaiah then adds the key piece of evidence that points to only one
Man, “After
He has suffered, He will see the light of life“.
The empty tomb has confounded philosophers and skeptics for
millennium. Yes, Jesus rose from the dead and sits at the right
hand of the Father.
Isaiah
concludes, “For
He bore the sin of many, and made intercession for the
transgressors“.
What did Jesus say of this? In Luke chapter 4 after reading
from the scroll of Isaiah speaking of the Messiah, Jesus confessed,
“Today
this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing“.
Friend, look carefully at the evidence. Do you believe?