Isaiah 53 (entire chapter)

Chapter 52:13 through 53. (I copied the whole chapter below so you could read it several times throughout the day) This Prophecy to me is like no other.  Each Scripture written of the coming Messiah.

Click here if you are a visual learner.  It is very hard for me to watch, but if it wasn’t-it wasn’t worth it.

The Suffering and Glory of the Servant

See, my servant will act wisely
he will be raised and lifted up and highly exalted.

¹⁴ Just as there were many who were appalled at him
his appearance was so disfigured beyond that of any man
and his form marred beyond human likeness—

¹⁵ so will he sprinkle many nations,
and kings will shut their mouths because of him.
For what they were not told, they will see,
and what they have not heard, they will understand.

¹ Who has believed our message
and to whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed?

² He grew up before him like a tender shoot,
and like a root out of dry ground.
He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him,
 nothing in his appearance that we should desire him.

³ He was despised and rejected by men,
a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering.
Like one from whom men hide their faces
he was despised, and we esteemed him not.

⁴ Surely he took up our infirmities
and carried our sorrows,
yet we considered him stricken by God,
smitten by him, and afflicted.

⁵ But he was pierced for our transgressions,
       he was crushed for our iniquities;
       the punishment that brought us peace was upon him,
and by his wounds we are healed.

⁶ We all, like sheep, have gone astray,
each of us has turned to his own way;
       and the LORD has laid on him
the iniquity of US ALL.

⁷ He was oppressed and afflicted,
yet he did not open his mouth;
       he was led like a lamb to the slaughter,
and as a sheep before her shearers is silent,
so he did not open his mouth.

⁸ By oppression and judgment he was taken away.
And who can speak of his descendants?
For he was cut off from the land of the living;
       for the transgression of my people he was stricken.

⁹ He was assigned a grave with the wicked,
and with the rich in his death,
though he had done no violence,
nor was any deceit in his mouth.

¹⁰ Yet it was the LORD’s will to crush him and cause him to suffer,
and though the LORD makes  his life a guilt offering,
he will see his offspring and prolong his days,
and the will of the LORD will prosper in his hand.

¹¹ After the suffering of his soul,
he will see the light of life  and be satisfied  ;
by his knowledge  my righteous servant will justify many,
       and he will bear their iniquities.

¹² Therefore I will give him a portion among the great,
and he will divide the spoils with the strong,
because he poured out his life unto death,
and was numbered with the transgressors.
  For he bore the sin of many,
and made intercession for the transgressors.

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Isaiah in chapter 6 saw God and said he was not worthy.  We are not worthy.  That unconditional love suffered as our substitute.  I don’t even think the movie clip could capture all that Jesus went through on that Passover as OUR substitute on the cross.  Hours before Jesus was crucified they brought out Barabbas:

Do you know who this represents in the Gospel?  Me! 

That is me- with all my sin and transgressions-deserving death.  And without opening his mouth and saying a word, He sets Barabbas free and takes his place on the Cross.

Oppressed and Afflicted in Hebrew means He was tormented, humiliated, belittled, mocked and shamed!  He was stripped down naked like a sheep being led to the slaughter, and He did not say a word!  Why??  He was giving Himself…they were not taking him.  Repeat that, He was GIVING himself to us.  Three men on the day of His sacrifice asked him to give words to defend himself:

1. Caiaphas
2. Pilate
3. Herod

Jesus knew he was fulfilling scriptures and the plan of Salvation.  In verse 8 it was over.  Finished.  Cut off from the living, for the sins of his people.

Jesus in verse 9 was assigned a grave with the wicked (the two criminals with Him) but was given the tomb of the Rich?  What?  Yes! Matthew 27:57

As evening approached, there came a rich man from Arimathea, named Joseph, who had himself become a disciple of Jesus. Going to Pilate, he asked for Jesus’ body, and Pilate ordered that it be given to him. Joseph took the body, wrapped it in a clean linen cloth, and placed it in his own new tomb that he had cut out of the rock.

Finally in verse 10 we read about how this was all the Lord’s will and He makes His offering on the altar And I have to stop and think…

How much does he Love us??  How much??