One of the most powerful prophecies, I believe in all of the Bible is Isaiah‘s vision of the crucifixion of Jesus Christ found in Isaiah 53. Isaiah‘s eyes were opened as he saw 700 years into the future. He describes a picture of Jesus’ suffering on the cross as a ransom payment for our sins and sicknesses.
Verse 1… Who has believed our report? And to whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed?
The report Isaiah speaks of is the Gospel. The arm of the Lord speaks of God’s power to deliver. The Gospel is the power of God over sin, sickness and disease, and death itself. The big question for all of humanity is “will you believe the Gospel?”
Verse 2…. For he (the Messiah) grew up before Him (God) as a tender plant and as a root out of a dry ground. He has no form or majesty that we should look upon him nor appearance that we should desire him.
Jesus came out of obscurity, born in a manger, taken to Egypt, raised up in Galilee, ministered for 3 1/2 years, and then completed His mission as He was taken to the cross to be crucified. There Isaiah says we saw nothing attractive.
Verse 3…. He was despised and rejected of men, a man of sorrows and pain* (mak’ôb) and acquainted with grief and disease* (chŏlîy). And we hid, as it were, our faces from him; he was despised, and we did not esteem him.
There at the cross, he was rejected and deserted, the religious leaders mocked him, he was beaten and publicly humiliated. The site of him was probably repulsive to look at considering the beating he took. But he went to the cross to ransom us, to redeem us, to save us!
Verse 4,5…. Surely he has borne our grief and sickness and carried our sorrows and pains; Yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement of our peace was upon him, and by his stripes we are healed.
Isaiah says surely! Jesus carried our sins and sicknesses to the cross that we might be made whole. The events of the cross look like defeat, but it was necessary for Christ to suffer that we might go free! Because of Jesus radical obedience, God exalted him to the highest place of authority in the universe. The cross looked like defeat but it was actually a display of God‘s power to strip Satan of his power over the human race! Praise God!
The good report says we are forgiven! The good report says we are healed! Isaiah asks, “who has believed?” I do! If you believe the good report you will experience God’s power to save, to heal, and to restore your life to wholeness! Let’s share the good report with our family, friends, and community with the hope they will believe and experience God‘s saving power!
Finish Strong! 