God’s Victorious Servant – Isaiah 52:13-53:12
Anzac Day
In a few days we remember the many who sacrificed for our freedom.
They showed us the brokenness of the world and its people.
Resurrection Day shows us far more. The book of Isaiah the prophet has been called the 5th Gospel, written 700 years before the birth of Jesus.
The great Rescue
God’s Servant is sacrificed
Yet it was the Lord’s will to crush him and cause him to suffer,
Isaiah 53:10
and though the Lord makes his life an offering for sin …
How do we deal with the consequences of sin in our lives?
No need to get a lamb and sacrifice it, as the ancient Israelites had to. “Behold the lamb of God who takes away the sin is the world!” (said by Jesus’ cousin John the Baptist)
It was part of God’s plan from from the beginning. It was God’s will. It was Jesus’ obedience that bound Him to the cross.
God’s Servant is satisfied
After he has suffered,
Isaiah 53:11
he will see the light of life and be satisfied;
Resurrection is implied. “He will see … and be satisfied”
Why do we need the resurrection? “If Christ did not rise your faith is futile.” What hope does a dead Jesus give you? His dying and rising are both essential to our forgiveness and peace. “But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.”
After men’s wars are over no one throws the weapons away. They are never (rightly) satisfied that they will not be needed again. The “war to end all wars” didn’t! But Jesus is satisfied – peace with God can be yours.
God’s Servant is Victorious
Therefore I will give him a portion among the great,
Isaiah 53:12
and he will divide the spoils with the strong,
This is a post-battle description. Death, sin and Satan are defeated. “Worthy is the Lamb who was slain” they sing in heaven.
Have you experienced God’s rescue from sin?
16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
John 3:16
