THE SUFFERING SERVANT

THE SUFFERING SERVANT and OUR TRIUMPHANT LORD


There can be no rival to the Prophet Isaiah in his depiction of the life and suffering and triumph of Messiah in chapter 53 of his prophecy. With amazing accuracy he draws the picture of Christ and his redemptive work about 800 years before Jesus was born in Bethlehem. What transpired on earth had been determined before the foundation of the world in the divine counsels in heaven.


In the reference to his coming as a tender plant and root out of a dry ground, This may point to his peasant parentage, or else to the depressed and downtrodden condition of the nation at the time of his coming. By no stretch of the imagination could anyone think of our Lord as unattractive. The lack of beauty or comeliness perhaps speaks of the event of his brutal beatings. In chapter 52: 14 is the statement, "his visage was so marred." Surely this must have reference to when he was beaten in the face and his countenance was bespattered with spittle.


We are viewing the most amazing contrast of the ages. He came from the glory - crowned heights of the celestial realms to a dark world of sin and sorrow, to be despised, rejected and crucified as a common criminal. Men today may tell you that they do not despise Jesus, but if they refuse to accept him as Savior, they reject and deny him. Years ago, during the last World War, I was engaged in a revival. While there I was asked to visit a Jewish man who had come from Germany, before Hitler's purge of the Jews. He was distressed because he had received word that all of his relatives had been killed. I urged him to seek salvation, to trust Messiah for salvation. He cried excitedly, "I can't make up my mind." I reminded him, as I have others, that we are making up our mind when we fail or refuse to seek salvation.


This is vividly pictured in the verse, "All we like sheep have gone astray, we have turned every on to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all." In our imagination, we can see him climbing the hill of Calvary, carrying our load of guilt, and there dying to purchase our redemption. Perhaps we are puzzled by the expression in verse 10, "yet it pleased the Lord to bruise him." The word "pleased" comes from a Hebrew root that means "to incline", and perhaps can be rendered "permitted." Jesus did not die against the will of God, for he spoke of "the cup which my Father hath given me to drink." His death was part of the divine and deliberate will. For this purpose he came to earth.


In the last part of chapter 53 we see the triumph that followed travail. From the time Jesus cried "It is finished," It was all glory and victory! Redemption's price was paid. That which was planned before the foundation of the world had come to glorious conclusion. All heaven went into rejoicing, for the King was coming home! "He shall see ... and be satisfied". His perfect divine knowledge could foresee the centuries to come and the million times millions who would be redeemed from all nations and all parts of the world to join in heaven's endless celebrations and glory.


He would be satisfied: He would say, "It was worth it!"