Cut Off and Stricken

Read Isaiah 53
 
Isaiah 53:8-9 By oppression and judgment he was taken away. Yet who of his generation protests. For he was cut off from the land of the living, for the transgressions of my people he was punished. 9 He wa assigned a grave with the wicked, and with the rich in death, though he had done no violence, nor was any deceit in his mouth.
 
WE are often prone, especially in difficult situations, to wonder about God’s presence and influence in our daily lives. Is it not common to ask, “Why, God?” wondering the reason we are walking through dark valleys? But have you ever asked, “Why, God?” when it comes to your salvation?
    This is the primary reason we’ve stopped for several days to dwell on Isaiah 53. When you thoughtfully know each point of Isaiah’s prophecy, do you ask, “Why, God, would your Son experience such great tribulation? Why, God, would Jesus die for me, unworthy in my wickedness?”
    Hopefully, this is your response. Remember, grace is undeserved merit. I’m not being cruel to say you don’t deserve salvation. But it’s true. None of us do because God hates sin. He does not want sinners in his presence.
    That is why God’s mercy is so far beyond our understanding. Until we realize the depth of our sins, we will never begin to know how high, far and wide the Father’s love is for us. Indeed, God so loved the world (John 3:16a) must be a testimony of his grace to save, spoken in wonder and joy. Your only response must be, “I so love you, LORD God! I am in awe you so passionately love me to save me from wickedness and death. I want to die in Christ, so I will live with you!”
    Isaiah draws a detailed picture of Jesus’ work here with some very specific prophecies. For example, by oppression and judgment he was taken away points to the Jews, who oppressed and judged his teachings. They mocked Jesus with “untrained”, “magician”, “troublemaker” and “law-breaker”. Jesus could never do enough to please those who should have been greatly pleased God was with them. John 6 records Jesus feeding one miraculous meal to 5,000-plus people. Still, the Jews asked him for more signs. They contrasted this one meal to 40 years of manna in the desert (John 6:30-32). Jesus chided the people, too, for coming for physical bread while rejecting his eternal bread. In response, from that time many of his disciples turned back and no longer followed him. (John 6:66) Then Judas “judged” Jesus to betray Jesus to the temple authorities who oppressed him to the cross.
    And who opposed Jesus’ trial? No one went to speak for him. Only opposition raised its voice that dark morning. What happened to the voices of those who said, “We have come to believe and to know that you are the holy one of God.” (John 6:68b) Who of his generation protested? Even the murderer and rebel Barabbas received more gracious treatment. It is not a new thing that the innocent is persecuted and the guilty go free. This is evil’s work.
    Another specific prophecy is the very direct words relating to Jesus’ death. He was cut off from the land of the living for the transgressions of my people he was punished. Then, we know he wa assigned a grave with the wicked. His burial was as any other person, for we are all wicked in God’s holiness. Then the prophecy points specifically to the garden tomb of Joseph of Arimathea. Only a man of wealth could have such a tomb.
    The Father’s judgment on our sin was transferred onto the Son, even though he had done no violence, nor was any deceit in his mouth.
    There is the common phrase, WWJD, that is interpreted as What Would Jesus Do? You cannot truly know what Jesus would do until you answer WWJD this way: Why Would Jesus Die? When you know in your heart the answer is: The Lord of Life died that I will have life with him. Your daily life will be a habit to be – to love, to give, to teach, to sacrifice, to serve, to forgive, to die for the ungodly – as Jesus is.
 
John 6:28b-29 “What must we do to do the work God requires?” 29 Jesus answered, “The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent.”