Isaiah 53:1 says, Who hath believed our report? and to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed? Though God had sent His word through the prophets, He asked who had believed His report. He had also revealed His work to the people, but He asked to whom was this revealed. God through His written word has revealed Himself to the world and through the work of the Holy Spirit. He makes Himself know to people, but the question is do we believe what God says. Matthew Henry says instead the prophesy of Isaiah this could becalled the gospel presented by Isaiah. The first three verses deal with the suffering of Jesus while He was here on earth.
Verse two adds, For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: he hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him. God said that He was going to raise up a deliverer Who would be like a tender plant growing out of the dry ground, and that people would see nothing in His physical appearance that would draw them to Him. We don’t really need to know what Jesus looked like physically but need only to acknowledge what He did for all mankind spiritually, even those who reject Him.
Verse three continues, He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not. Isaiah clearly stated what was going to happen to Jesus Christ when He came as a man. He was going to be known as a man of sorrows and would be well acquainted with grief. I believe most of His sorrow was caused by what the rest of this verse states. People turned away from Him and despised Him, ending with His crucifixion. He came as the only true Savior, and people rejected Him calling Him a fake. Too many people still do that today, even though He is the only way to salvation. I am sure that this still causes Him sorrow today.
Verse four states, Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. Matthew Henry says the rest of the chapter tells us about the rolling away of His reproach. This verse continues to speak about the way that people treated Jesus Christ while He was here on earth, and it was written well before He actually came. People of the world may have failed to esteem Him going so far as the crucify Him unjustly, but because He died on the cross for us, He is forever esteemed by the Heavenly Father.
Verse five adds, But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. Isaiah continued to speak about how Jesus Christ was going to be wounded and bruised, not for His transgressions but for ours. Even though it was horrible that this happened, it led to the only way to salvation for anyone and everyone. The key is that we have to put our faith in that fact and accept Him as our Savior and Lord. His reproach was rolled away when He arose again as the eternal Savior. He always was, still is, and always will be the only way to salvation, which is by His restoration of our relationship with the Heavenly Father.
Verse six continues, All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all. Isaiah gave the reason why Jesus Christ would have to die in our place. All we, or everyone, had gone astray, or sinned against God, when we followed our own will instead of God’s will. Jesus Christ took the iniquity of every person on Himself. Because of His living a life free of sin, He was able to do so, and He is the only One able to do so. Of course, for His sacrifice to do us any good, we have to put our faith in Him as our personal Savior and Lord. If we don’t, even though He died for our sins, we will never benefit from His sacrifice.
Verse seven says, He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth. Isaiah, still speaking about things that had yet happened, said that even though Jesus Christ was oppressed and brought like a sheep to slaughter, He did not open His mouth in protest. When we think of His power, He could have easily said He wasn’t going to do this and destroyed all His enemies with just His word. We should be eternally grateful that He didn’t but chose to accept His unjust execution.
Verse eight adds, He was taken from prison and from judgment: and who shall declare his generation? for he was cut off out of the land of the living: for the transgression of my people was he stricken. Isaiah said that Jesus Christ was taken from prison and judgment and died for the sins of His people, the Jews, and as we know, for the sins of everyone else as well. He asked also who would declare it to this generation, and as followers of Christ, we need to ask ourselves the same question, and the answer is that we are to carry the gospel to the people of our generation.
Verse nine continues, And he made his grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death; because he had done no violence, neither was any deceit in his mouth. Isaiah said that Jesus was to make His grave with both the wicked and the rich. Though it wasn’t His grave, He died between two thieves and was buried in a borrowed tomb that likely belonged to a rich man. What really matters is that Jesus Christ died for everyone, the rich and the poor, and if we accept His gift of salvation, we are all equals.
Verse ten states, Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hand. God allowed His only begotten Son, Jeus Christ, to die a physical death for the sins of everyone. He is the only sacrifice that will ever be acceptable because He, though tempted as all people are, lived without giving in to the temptation of sin. The Heavenly Father allowed His only begotten Son to take on the punishment for our sins. I can think of no greater act of love and grace than this.
Verse eleven adds, He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities. Isaiah said that when the Heavenly Father saw the suffering of His Son for the sins of mankind, He would be satisfied that the death penalty for sin had been satisfied. We can either accept the gift of salvation that He paid provides for us, or we can pay the penalty for ourselves by being separated from God and His mercy forever in the fires of hell.
Verse twelve continues, Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he hath poured out his soul unto death: and he was numbered with the transgressors; and he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors. Isaiah said that Jesus Christ would have a portion with the great because of His sacrifices for the sins of all humanity. He was seen as a sinner by the world, and they thought they had killed Him for it, but He was really the Savior of sinners Who willingly laid down His life for them. It is because of this that He now sits in a position of honor in heaven. If we accept His gift of salvation, we will one day be there with Him. If we don’t, we will forever be separated from Him.
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