Isaiah 53 -The sin bearing crucified Servant shall be exalted!

This passage contains numerous prophecies concerning the events leading up to and the crucifixion of our Lord Jesus Christ. This "Servant song" starts at 52v13 and culminates at 53v12. This demonstrates Jesus as the Lion and the Lamb, of whom David (kingship) was a type and also Joseph (suffering)!

This song is poetic in that many of the verses are written in couplets. However they clearly refer to literal events and Hebraic poetry involves writing the same thought twice using slightly different words, which in fact confirms the certainty of what is being said and so the interpretation is by no means ambivalent!

Isaiah prophesied these events more than 700 yrs before Jesus was crucified and rose from the grave.

Liberals and modern so-called Theologians dispute that Isaiah wrote the whole of this incredible book, but please note Isaiah is quoted as 'Isaiah' in all four gospels, as well as Acts and Romans and Jesus also quotes Isaiah so I'll take His word for it instead of the latest wisecrack! Furthermore I have counted sixteen occasions where Isaiah refers to himself in the third person, yes in this book!

Isaiah 52v14 tells us that Jesus was marred more than any man! I am not sure if anyone has seen 'The Passion' (Mel Gibson's version) but even though those with the strongest constitution would find this shocking and at the least sobering. For even non-believers to deny the crucifixion of Jesus would make as much sense as denying the existence of Julius Caesar or Alexander the Great!

JESUS SUFFERED ALL FIVE WOUNDS KNOWN TO MEDICAL SCIENCE...

Contusions - blows by a rod
Lacerations - scourging, whipped until almost dead
Penetrating wounds - crown of thorns
Perforating wounds - nails smashed into hands and feet
Incised wounds - spear plunged into Him

Having said all the above something we will never be able to comprehend was the temporary separation of Jesus from His Father, of whom He had eternal fellowship with, as he died for our sins, when it should have been us!

v15) Jesus blood sprinkles many nations. Blood is for the atonement of guilt and water for purification. Instead of blood sprinkled on the mercy seat, Jesus dies in place of many.

Kings shall shut their mouths at Him! In the literal 1000 year Messianic reign the Lion of Judah (Jesus) our passover Lamb shall reign in Jerusalem!

53v1) Who has believed our report? This links with John 12v37-41. Jesus performed miracles, confounded the wise and fulfilled prophecy, yet still many did not believe. Read Isaiah 53v1 and it will prepare you for that fact!

v2 )Jesus grew up as a tender shoot. (Like David) Jesus is the root of Jesse (Is 11v1) Jesus is the offspring of David of whom there will always be a ruler on the throne! Jesus is the BRANCH, the True Vine and we need to abide rest and remain in the vine (see John 15)

Jesus didn't adorn Himself excessively on the outside! Maybe we should consider that too! Jesus, like Samuel, when he chose David the youngest of the sons of Jesse, recognised that God looks at what is inside a person. God saw in David a man after His own heart! Are we men and women after God's own heart?

v3 a) Jesus was a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief! He knows what it is to endure every hurt and pain and He is currently seated at the right hand of the Father and able to intercede to the Father and pray for all of us right now! (see Heb 4v14-16)

b) He was despised and His persecutors did not esteem Him! The Jews were willing to let His blood be on them and their children (Matt 27v25). When He returns they will mourn as one mourns for his only son and look on Him who they pierced (see Zech 12v10) Sadly though we have all sinned and it is only by grace (GODS REDEEMING ACT AT CHRIST'S EXPENSE THAT THOSE WHO BELIEVE IN HIM ARE SAVED!)

v5) by his stripes we are healed. This refers not to our present physical healing but spiritual reconciliation
(please see 1 Peter 2v21-25)

v6) Are we like sheep that have gone astray? Time for some of us, myself included to bury our pride! The Good Shepherd though leaves the ninety-nine and goes searching for the lost sheep. Without Jesus in our lives we are like lost sheep and no better than a blind man stumbling in the dark. If someone backslides then we should bring them back to the Good Shepherd!

v7) Jesus was silent before His accusers! Can you imagine an innocent man, that had never done or said anything wrong, never sinned yet silent in a hearing being faced with an 'excruciating' slow and painful death (which is derived from crucify) and remain silent?

v8) Isaiah rightly predicted that Jesus was taken from prison and then cut off from the land of the living (killed). A decent study Bible will have a side reference to Daniel 9v26 which proves that Jesus had to be cut off before Jerusalem was destroyed in AD70. The Jewish folk often ignore this passage, but we need to kindly remind them that they need their Messiah as much as we do and it wouldn't hurt either to thank them for the Tanakh (The Old Testament too!)

THERE ARE FURTHER INCREDIBLE PROPHECIES!

Jesus was buried with the rich at His death - Joseph of Arimathea obtained His body fulfilling that.

There was no deceit in His mouth - (Matt 26v59-60) confirms false witnesses had to be used against Him.

Jesus was numbered with the transgressors. In the Gospel accounts Jesus was crucified alongside criminals.

He made intercession (prayed for) the transgressors (Luke 23v34) 'Father forgive them for they know not what they do.'

Let's not finish there.

Finally six wonderful outcomes that arose from Jesus dying on the cross.

Jesus died, saving many
He rose from the grave (greatest miracle)
Jesus accomplished His Father's will
Jesus was satisfied with the labour of His Soul
We (believers) are justified by His grace
Jesus shall divide the spoil with the strong. He will return and reign in His millennial kingdom.