The prophet Isaiah not only foretold of the necessary sacrifice of Messiah on the cross, but also records that the He would afterwards rise from the dead to see the fruits of His life-saving act, His redeemed church, the labor of His soul.
10 …When You 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.
11 He shall see the labor of His soul, and be satisfied.
By His knowledge My righteous Servant shall justify many,
For He shall bear their iniquities.
12 Therefore I will divide Him a portion with the great,
And He shall divide the spoil with the strong,
Because He poured out His soul unto death,
And He was numbered with the transgressors,
And He bore the sin of many,
And made intercession for the transgressors. Isaiah 53:10b-12 (NKJV)
Presenting Himself as the innocent Lamb of God, Jesus Christ died a criminal’s death, beaten and crucified, as a sin offering for the world. He laid down His life of His own accord, and the Father raised Him from the dead on the third day. Like birth pangs, His painful suffering was behind Him now, and He could totally focus on the joy and delight of an eternal fellowship with His seed, the great crowd of sin-cleansed believers who will make up His global Church.
The resurrection of Jesus Christ was an event without parallel in human history, having generated so much life and hope for so many. The sting and scourge of death had finally been overcome, first with Christ, followed by all who would come to believe in Him in their hearts. Believers all around the world can rejoice at their new and eternal re-birth, sealed for eternal redemption as the Holy Spirit resides in their hearts, making up the global temple of God.
Before His suffering and death on the cross, Jesus comforted His disciples by telling them that He was going to prepare a place for them in the Father’s house. This was the prize for them to keep their eye on, the imperishable crown of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. He promised to return one day to receive them so that, wherever He was, there they may also may be, as well.
The same offer is still being extended to us today. It does not matter where we have been or what we have done. Jesus already carried the punishment for our sin on the cross. The bigger question is, where are we headed now, and Who will we rely on to get there? Will we believe in Jesus, claim His promises, and humbly reach out to Him for forgiveness? Are we willing to follow Him, and to forgive others in the same way that He forgives us? This is a very difficult thing to do and requires a lot of help from God. But if we are willing, Jesus will help us to make great strides and to enjoy the blessings and harvests of a joyful and peaceful life. The resurrection of our great Servant King guarantees it.
Reflection
This is the third of three meditations on Isaiah 53 that focus on the core of God’s redemptive plan for us, the heart of the gospel, given in the Old Testament. It tells us of His great love and sacrifice, and gives a great gift of hope for the future.
The genealogy of Jesus Christ focuses on His coming kingship, but Isaiah encourages us not to miss His suffering, lovingly done on our behalf. It is a great gift, done to satisfy the holy requirements of our kingdom citizenship, meeting requirements that we could never satisfy on our own, all now obtainable through faith in Him.
If you have not yet taken this step of faith and are ready, He is ready for you.
Lord, thank you for all the blessings of this day. We enjoy these good gifts as generous bounty from Your hand, made possible through the death and resurrection of Jesus. Help carry our heavy burdens for us as we seek to follow and serve You. In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen.
Have a beautiful and blessed day in the Lord today.
Daily Meditations from the Genealogy of Jesus 