Gazing at God's Righteousness -- 8/20/06 (Eternal Realities)

Sunday, August 20, 2006

GAZING AT GOD’S RIGHTEOUS SERVANT
Isaiah 52:13-53:12

We have been considering the eternal realities that God Himself presses upon us in His Word. We spoke of the holiness of God and the holiness of His Son Jesus. From there, we considered man and his sinful condition, even the truth that we have sinned in Adam, that we are sinners by nature. As stated in Is. 59:2, our sins have separated between us and our God. The gulf between man and God is so great, that if something isn’t done, man will be eternally separated from God in hell, for a holy God will not tolerate any sin in His presence. But praise God, the same Bible which speaks of hell also speaks of heaven, a glorious place for those whose names are written in the Lamb’s book of life.

Recently someone commented on how interesting that we would consider hell one week and heaven the next. That is quite a transition. Last Sunday we reminded ourselves that Jesus stated in no uncertain terms: "I am the way, the truth, and the life; no man comes to the Father but by me" (Jn. 14:6). Jesus is the great divide in the history of mankind. Every person either falls off on the side of judgment and ends up in hell forever and ever, or he falls off on the side of salvation and will spend his forever in heaven in the presence of God and the Lamb. There are no other alternatives.

So this morning we want to look closely at this Jesus, who is the Great Divide. We want to look at this Jesus, who stands between heaven and hell, He who is the determiner of our eternal destiny. Why is this Jesus so important? How could He have the audacity to claim that He is the only way into God’s presence? In order to answer those questions, we are going to turn in the Old Testament to Isaiah 53. Though this passage is in the Old Testament, the truths it conveys about Jesus are clear and powerful. The proclamation of such truth is all the more remarkable because it came some 700 years before Jesus, the Messiah, was born into this world. These prophesies are so precisely fulfilled in Jesus that they could never be a matter of coincidence. Neither could any man have gone about to deliberately try to fulfill them. Only an Almighty God could have spoken these truths and then fulfilled them in His Son.

If you have found Isaiah 53, let’s back up and begin in verse 13 of chapter 52. Many have understandably commented that chapter 53 should begin at 52:13. That is where we will begin this morning. Read Is. 52:13-53:12…
Behold, my servant shall deal prudently, he shall be exalted and extolled, and be very high. 14. As many were astonied at thee; his visage was so marred more than any man, and his form more than the sons of men: 15. So shall he sprinkle many nations; the kings shall shut their mouths at him: for that which had not been told them shall they see; and that which they had not heard shall they consider… Who hath believed our report? and to whom is the arm of the LORD revealed? 2. For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: he hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him. 3. He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not. 4. Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. 5. But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. 6. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all. 7. He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth. 8. He was taken from prison and from judgment: and who shall declare his generation? for he was cut off out of the land of the living: for the transgression of my people was he stricken. 9. And he made his grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death; because he had done no violence, neither was any deceit in his mouth. 10. Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt 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 of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities. 12. Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he hath poured out his soul unto death: and he was numbered with the transgressors; and he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.

"Behold, my servant…" Who is this servant of whom the Lord speaks through the prophet Isaiah? Some of you may not be aware that this is the last in a series of "servant passages," found in the latter part of Isaiah. Note Is. 42:1, "Behold my servant, whom I uphold; mine elect, in whom my soul delighteth; I have put my spirit upon him: he shall bring forth judgment to the Gentiles." Note that Is. 42 begins exactly as this verse does, "Behold, my servant…" And who is the servant in Is. 42:1? Notice that if Jehovah God is the speaker, He says His soul delights in this servant. Also, this servant shall bring forth judgment among the Gentiles. Does it sound like the servant might be God’s chosen people, the nation of Israel? The Lord certainly intended Israel to bring forth judgment among the Gentiles? But did they actually do it? Back in the 5th chapter of Isaiah, the Lord says that He will lay waste His vineyard. And then listen to 5:7, "For the vineyard of the LORD of hosts is the house of Israel, and the men of Judah his pleasant plant: and he looked for judgment, but behold oppression; for righteousness, but behold a cry." They didn’t bring forth judgment. But now come with me to the third chapter of Matthew, where we read of Jesus’ baptism. Matt. 3:16-17, "And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him: 17. And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased." These last words from heaven are taken right out of Is. 42:1, "…in whom my soul delighteth" (= "in whom I am well pleased). We see that the Servant is none other than the Lord Jesus. And He would indeed bring forth judgment (justice) to the Gentiles.

Or consider Isaiah 49. Read Is. 49:1-3…
Listen, O isles, unto me; and hearken, ye people, from far; The LORD hath called me from the womb; from the bowels of my mother hath he made mention of my name. 2. And he hath made my mouth like a sharp sword; in the shadow of his hand hath he hid me, and made me a polished shaft; in his quiver hath he hid me; 3. And said unto me, Thou art my servant, O Israel, in whom I will be glorified.

Surely the servant spoken of here is the nation of Israel, for we read in verse 3, "And said unto me, ‘Thou art my servant, O Israel, in whom I will be glorified.’" Surely nothing could be clearer. It would be clear, if we were to stop there, but that isn’t the end of the passage. Now read Is. 49:4-5…
Then I said, I have laboured in vain, I have spent my strength for nought, and in vain: yet surely my judgment is with the LORD, and my work with my God. 5. And now, saith the LORD that formed me from the womb to be his servant, to bring Jacob again to him, Though Israel be not gathered, yet shall I be glorious in the eyes of the LORD, and my God shall be my strength.

The servant is speaking, and he begins to speak about Jacob and Israel. Now the servant can’t be Israel, for He is speaking about Israel. All doubt is removed when we go to verse 6, "And he said, It is a light thing that thou shouldest be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and to restore the preserved of Israel: I will also give thee for a light to the Gentiles, that thou mayest be my salvation unto the end of the earth." Now God the Father speaks and says that His servant will not only restore the preserved of Israel, but that He will also be a light to the Gentiles. Indeed, He will be the Lord’s salvation unto the end of the earth. We know the rest of the story. This can be none other than Jesus, the name by which men must be saved (Acts 4:12). And yes, He is Israel, but He is the holy remnant of Israel, Israel in its truest sense, the seed of Abraham in which all nations will be blessed.

So with that background, we now come to the servant of Isaiah 52:13. Just as we would expect and as we will see clearly, the servant is none other than the Lord Jesus Christ. Again, though this passage was written over 700 years before the birth of Christ, as it unfolds before us, we will see that no one fits the description other than the Lord Jesus.

As we read it this morning, I will be reading other scriptures as well. Let’s allow God’s Word itself to throw light upon this glorious passage.

52:13, "Behold, my servant shall deal prudently, he shall be exalted and extolled, and be very high." Because of the wise actions of God’s Servant, that Servant will be exalted and praised. We read in Phil. 2:5-11…
Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: 6. Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: 7. But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: 8. And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. 9. Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: 10. That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; 11. And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

52:14, "As many were astonied at thee; his visage was so marred more than any man, and his form more than the sons of men…" People were astonished at the sight of this Servant, for His appearance was marred more than that of any man. In that Messianic Psalm, even Psalm 22, we here the Servant say, "But I am a worm, and no man; a reproach of men, and despised of the people" (Ps. 22:6). We read in Mat 26:67, "Then did they spit in his face, and buffeted him; and others smote him with the palms of their hands…" And again in Mat 27:29-30, "And when they had platted a crown of thorns, they put it upon his head, and a reed in his right hand: and they bowed the knee before him, and mocked him, saying, Hail, King of the Jews! 30. And they spit upon him, and took the reed, and smote him on the head."

52:15, "So shall he sprinkle many nations…" Just as surely as He was viewed by the people with horror because of His appearance, so He shall sprinkle many nations. When we read of this sprinkling, how can we possibly escape the association with the blood that was sprinkled throughout the Old Testament. Lev 4:6, "And the priest shall dip his finger in the blood, and sprinkle of the blood seven times before the LORD, before the veil of the sanctuary." Though it would seem that this suffering Servant doesn’t have the dignity of a priest, don’t miss the truth that He shall sprinkle many nations. Heb. 9:12-14…
Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us. 13. For if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh: 14. How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?

52:15, "…the kings shall shut their mouths at him." We would think that this suffering Servant would be forced to shut His own mouth in the presence of kings, but note that the kings shall shut their mouths in His presence. And we read in another of those Messianic Psalms, the Royal Psalm, even Psalm 2. Read Ps. 2:1-5…
Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing? 2. The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the LORD, and against his anointed, saying, 3. Let us break their bands asunder, and cast away their cords from us. 4. He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh: the Lord shall have them in derision. 5. Then shall he speak unto them in his wrath, and vex them in his sore displeasure.

52:15, "…for that which had not been told them shall they see; and that which they had not heard shall they consider." In this Servant mighty kings saw and heard things they would have never expected, even as the Pilate’s and Herod’s would not know what to do with the humble man of Nazareth. The last part of Is. 52:15 is quoted by Paul in Romans 15. Let’s read Rom. 15:20-21, "Yea, so have I strived to preach the gospel, not where Christ was named, lest I should build upon another man's foundation: 21. But as it is written, To whom he was not spoken of, they shall see: and they that have not heard shall understand."
So we see that these last three verses of chapter 52 give us an introduction to the Lord’s Servant by summarizing His work and the effect He would have on people, even upon kings of the earth. Now we come to the glorious details in chapter 53.

53:1, "Who hath believed our report? And to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed?" There is quite a bit of speculation about who is speaking here? Is it simply the voice of the prophet? Perhaps it is Israel, who had both heard the report and was commissioned to publish the report. Surely the Lord had revealed His might arm to Israel, but they had been slow to understand His ways.

53:2, "For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of dry ground…" First of all, we must deal with the "he" and the "him." Who shall grow up as a tender plant before whom? As we read on, the context will help us understand that it is the Servant growing up before Jehovah God. How vulnerable is the first tender shoot that comes up and the root out of dry ground? So with the Servant. He was not laid in a palace bed, but in a barn’s feed trough. Jesus did not come with royal fanfare, but we welcomed to the stable by the lowly animals.

53:2, "…He hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him." Contrary to what people often say, there was nothing about Jesus’ appearance to attract people to Him. Someone might say, "Well, that was after the strains of dealing with opposition, but surely as a young man, he was more handsome than anyone. His eyes must have shone with extraordinary beauty." No, we are told that the exact opposite was true. They was no beauty in Him that would cause us to desire Him. Listen to the words of Jesus in Heb 10:5, "Wherefore when he cometh into the world, he saith, Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not, but a body hast thou prepared me:" Yes, God the Father prepared Him a body, but it was not a body that was attractive and beautiful. God gave Him no special advantages at birth.

53:3, "He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief…" The conditions of the Servant did not get better, but they got worse. Listen to these words, if you can. Bear in mind where this Servant came from. "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him, and without him was not anything made that was made" (Jn. 1:1-3). This suffering Servant was none other than the eternal Son of God. How would you expect the son of an earthly King to be treated? He would be treated with dignity and respect. But the Son of the God who created all things, who sustains the universe… that Son was despised and rejected of men.

He is described as a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. Please hear me. If you listen to the religion of our society, it will tell you that a godly man ought to be a man of happiness and laughter. How many assemblies have you been in and heard the music leader say, "Smile. We’re Christians; we ought to be happy." Jesus, the Son of God, the Servant here described, was a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. Let that weigh on you today, and tomorrow and long after that.

53:3, "And we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not." The NASV reads, "And like one from whom men hide their face He was despised, and we did not esteem Him." We have read accounts from the big cities, where an elderly man is attached by a bunch of thugs. And the attack is witnessed by many in the neighborhood, but they are afraid to do anything. The man attacked was our Lord Jesus. "But we did not regard Him." If this is the voice of Israel speaking, we can certainly understand. Jesus came unto His own, and His own received Him not (Jn. 1:10). But can you hear the Lord speaking to us through these words. Have we heard the words of the Spirit saying to us, "Wherefore Jesus also, that he might sanctify the people with his own blood, suffered without the gate. Let us go forth therefore unto him without [outside] the camp, bearing his reproach. For here we have no continuing city, but we seek one to come"? (Heb. 13:12-14). Are do we feel more comfortable in a setting where Jesus is lightly regarded? Do we remember what He Himself said, "If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you" (Jn. 15:18).

Jesus did not walk along the easy path. He was not a happy man, as our world describes happiness. He was an offense and a stumblingblock. The most respected religious leaders of His day hated Him. And nothing has changed. While it may seem that the world has high respect for Jesus, it is only because the world has chosen to view a different Jesus, not the Jesus of the scriptures.
53:4, "Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows…" But now the truth dawns upon the conscience. Now the eyes are opened, and we see the reality of who this Servant is and what He did. Yes, men hated Him. They hated Him to the point that they nailed Him to a cross. Outwardly, it would appear that His enemies had their way with Him. But half the story has not yet been told. "Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows."

There was no reason for Jesus to die a criminal’s death. Look at Him. He did nothing wrong. Even a cynic like Pilate could find no fault in Jesus. He never took anything from anyone. Nor did He lie to anyone, or covet anything that belonged to another. Why did they treat Him as they did? Why did they press the crown of thorns on His head? Why did they mock Him and spit in His face? Why did they hang Him there to die?

"Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows." I could understand it, if they had hung me there and left me to die. If they could know what is in that deceitful heart, they would know there is nothing they could do that would be more than I deserve. I could understand that, but not Jesus… Can we see it? He bore our griefs and sorrows. Those griefs and sorrows should have been ours, because we should have been punished in that way. Instead, He bore them for us.

53:4, "…Yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted." Again, I wonder if this is first of all Israel looking back with deep regret, as they realized that they considered His punishment just, that surely He was afflicted by God Himself as just punishment for His criminal activity? But it is just as applicable to us. Only after our eyes are opened by the grace of God can we see the truth of what really took place. Even if we did not specifically regard Jesus to have been afflicted by God, we might as well have done so. His suffering did not move us. We were hardened to His pain.

53:5, "But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed." Notice the words "we" and "our" throughout this verse. Jesus had no transgressions, no iniquities, of His own. Yes, there is a real sense in which He was afflicted by God, but it was not because of His own sins. Rather, it was on account of our wrongdoing that He was wounded and bruised. He was chastised in order that we might have peace. He endured the beatings in order that we might be healed from the dreadful wound that would lead to our eternal death.

Now the prophet Isaiah is looking squarely at the cross, though it is doubtful he understood much of what he wrote. It was their that Jesus was chastised in order to bring us peace.

53:6, "All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all." This is a kind of understatement. He speaks rather kindly of us, picturing us as sheep which have lost their way. In Romans 3 we find a much stronger statement, as Paul looks back at our rottenness and summarizes through the words of the Old Testament prophets. Read Rom. 3:10-18…
As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: 11. There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. 12. They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one. 13. Their throat is an open sepulchre; with their tongues they have used deceit; the poison of asps is under their lips: 14. Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness: 15. Their feet are swift to shed blood: 16. Destruction and misery are in their ways: 17. And the way of peace have they not known: 18. There is no fear of God before their eyes.

Now with that indictment in mind, listen to those faithful words: "And the Lord hath laid on Him the iniquity of us all." Paul said of Jesus, "He (God) hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin…" (II Cor. 5:21). The world can look at Jesus and consider Him afflicted by God, consider it right that He would be punished as a criminal. But surely the most criminal thing in all of history is the crucifixion of the One innocent man who ever walked this earth. Peter said it like this: "For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God…" (I Pet. 3:18).

Perhaps we might think of it something like this. Consider the worst deed that you have ever done. Think about it. Let your mind go back over it again. Now realize that that deed, with all its guilt, was laid squarely on Jesus, as He hung there on that cross. Add to it every other sin that you ever committed—every lie you have told, every act of revenge that you have perpetrated, every evil word that ever came out of your mouth. But don’t stop there. Now consider the ugliest thought that you ever entertained. Perhaps it isn’t easy to single out one among the many, but try. Now realize that your ugly thought was laid on Jesus. Yes, you put that thought into Jesus’ mind, with all its guilty. He bore it completely at the cross.

How would He react to such perversity? Surely He would rise up and demand justice from His Father. 53:7, "He was oppressed and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth." Peter would later say of Jesus… 1 Pet 2:21-23
For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps: 22. Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth: 23. Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously:

The one who had every right to strike back did not even open His mouth. When in the presence of the high priest two false witnesses testified against Him, we read, "But Jesus held his peace" (Mt. 26:63). He said nothing.

53:7b, "He is brought as a lamb to the slaughter; and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth." Don’t miss this. Isaiah speaks of Jesus as a lamb brought to the slaughter. Speaking of the beast in Revelation 13, John says, "And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world" (Rev. 13:8). This lamb which was led to the slaughter is the Lamb that was slain from the foundation of the world. Long before they nailed Jesus to the cross, God Himself had already ordained His death for the sins of the world. While it seemed that the architects of Jesus’ death were in control, listen to the words of Peter in Acts 2:22-23…
Ye men of Israel, hear these words; Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God among you by miracles and wonders and signs, which God did by him in the midst of you, as ye yourselves also know: 23. Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain

Notice again how Jesus responded. "And as a sheep before her shearers is dumb (makes no cry), so he openeth not his mouth." Jesus acted as if there were nothing He could do, yet He Himself said, "Thinkest thou that I cannot now pray to my Father, and he shall presently give me more than twelve legions of angels?" (Mt. 26:53). He was not at the mercy of His enemies, for He had said, "Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again. 18. No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father" (Jn. 10:17-18). Jesus was the Lamb of God, and He chose to respond even as a lamb that is brought to the slaughter.

53:8, "He was taken from prison and from judgment; and who shall declare his generation? He was cut off out of the land of the living; for the transgression of my people was he stricken." The Hebrew of this verse is rather difficult, and translations will differ some. What is clear is that Jesus was cut off out of the land of the living by the oppression of His enemies. But even through the cruelty of men, God had a purpose. The "my" of the last part of the verse might refer to the writer "Isaiah." Or perhaps Isaiah is putting these words into the mouth of the Lord God Himself – "For the transgression of my people was he stricken." Whatever the perspective, Jesus’ death was on behalf of those God would claim for Himself.

53:9, "He made his grave with the wicked and with the rich in his death; because he had done no violence, neither was any deceit in his mouth." We know that Jesus made His grave with the rich, for He was buried in the tomb of Joseph of Arimathea, a man of means. But how can it be said that He made His grave with the wicked? Was it because wherever He made His grave, it would be with the wicked, for all we like sheep have gone astray? Since all of mankind is wicked, He had no choice but to make His grave with the wicked. Or perhaps it was because He was crucified between two thieves. As they crucified Him with the wicked, certainly they planned to bury Him with the wicked. They would have given Him no more honor in His burial than in His crucifixion. But God overruled the plans of man and moved this Joseph to give Him an honor burial. And why shouldn’t Jesus have an honorable burial, seeing that He had done absolutely no violence and no deceit was found in His mouth. No one ever lived like Jesus, and neither did anyone ever die like Him.

We look at this and say, "Then why did God let Him die such a horrible death?" Read on. 53:10, "Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise him; he hath put him to grief." Is not this the most terrible thing about the death of the Lord Jesus? It was Jehovah God who was pleased to bruise Him (NIV and NASV say "crush him"). It was God the Father who subjected Him to such grief. How can it be? Even as we learned from our youth, "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life" (Jn. 3:16). It was the will of the Father to watch His Son die this horrible death.

53:10, "When thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, then shall he see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hand." Obviously, these words are addressed to God the Father (by the people, it would seem). No other could make Jesus’ soul an offering for sin. It was the Father who offered the Lamb upon the altar at Calvary. As Abraham laid his only son on the altar at Mr. Moriah, so God the Father offered an even more precious Son on that old rugged cross. Unlike the case with Abraham, there was no ram caught in the bush to take the place of God’s Son. There He was offered for our sin.

53:10, "When thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, then shall he see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hand." Good news. Though He will endure intense suffering, He will see His seed. Surely this is speaking of the reward Jesus will receive for being obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Let’s read Rom. 8:29, "For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren." Jesus is only the firstborn. These descendants spoken of here are none other than those who are redeemed through His blood. And this suffering Servant will also prolong His days. Though His days on earth were only 33 years, listen to what He says in Rev. 1:18, "I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive forevermore…"

And don’t miss that last phrase, "and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hand." Yes, the eternal purpose of Almighty God did indeed prosper in the hand of our Lord Jesus. In other words, Jesus lived and died in such a way that the plan of God was advanced. How can we forget those words of Jesus in Jn. 4:34, "My meat is to do the will of him that sent me and to finish his work." Jesus lived to further the purpose of His Father. That was what motivated Him day after day. He only wanted to do the will of God. And when He finally came to the end, when He met with His apostles shortly before the arrest, He could say to His Father, "I have glorified thee on the earth; I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do" (Jn. 17:4).

53:11, "He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied." For clarification, the Amplified inserts the words "the fruit," rendering it, "He shall see the fruit of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied." What agony it was for Jesus to bear the sins of the world on the cross, but He when it was done, He would have no regrets, for He would see the results. He died in order that we might live, and that satisfies our Lord and Savior.

53:11, "By his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many, for he shall bear their iniquities." Surely the Lord God Himself is speaking, claiming that this is His own righteous servant. He claims that He will justify many by His knowledge. Of what knowledge does He speak? Perhaps Jesus’ own words in Matt. 11:27 give us the best explanation: "All things are delivered unto me of my Father: and no man knoweth the Son, but the Father; neither knoweth any man the Father, save the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal him." Or again in Jn. 1:18, "No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared Him." There is only one who knows the Father, and that is Jesus. Surely this is the knowledge of which He speaks. But praise God that Jesus adds, "Neither knoweth any man the Father, save the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal him." Good news – the Son has revealed the Father. And here is how He does it – "for he shall bear their iniquities." Apart from His sacrificial death no one could know God. There would be no such knowledge. But by His knowledge, the Lord Jesus, the Father’s righteous Servant, has justified many by bearing their iniquities.

After all the Jesus has done, is it any wonder that we read in 53:12, "Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong." Though we refer to it often, surely we can never overemphasize Phil. 2:5-11…
Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: 6. Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: 7. But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: 8. And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. [and now comes the portion that paralles Is. 53:12] 9. Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: 10. That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; 11. And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

If anyone should be down on God the Father because He asked His Son to come into this world, because He stood by and watched Him die on the cross, let him look into the reward that the Father will give His Son. If eye hath not seen nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of man the things which God hath prepared for those that love Him (I Cor. 2:9), how much more awaits the One who is responsible for the love we have for God? Will we ever fully know the extent of that portion the Father will give to His Son, the Righteous Servant?

But even this isn’t the end. One more time we must read of why the Father has so richly rewarded His Righteous Servant. 53:12, "Because he hath poured out his soul unto death; and he was numbered with the transgressors, and he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors." I take this as the words of the Father, as if He is pleading with man to understand the depth of what His Son would do. Jesus did indeed pour out His soul unto death. Yes, He was numbered with the transgressors, even as Mark notes the fulfillment of this scripture in Mark 15:27-28, "And with him they crucify two thieves; the one on his right hand, and the other on his left. 28. And the scripture was fulfilled, which saith, And he was numbered with the transgressors."

When Jesus hung on the cross, He was making intercession for the transgressors. Of course, we remember His very words, "Father, forgive them, for they know what they do. But His intercession went beyond words. His blood cried out on our behalf.
There is a fountain filled with blood, drawn from Immanuel’s veins;
And sinners plunged beneath that flood lose all their guilty stains.
The dying thief rejoiced to see that fountain in his day;
And there may I, though vile as he, wash all my sins away.

And praise God that Jesus’ intercession for His own has not ceased. Rom 8:34, "Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us." And then Heb 7:25, "Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them."

Was God wise when He recorded in His Word the astonishment of the crowd, when they said about Jesus, "He hath done all things well" (Mark 7:37)? Rom. 11:33-36…
O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out! 34. For who hath known the mind of the Lord? or who hath been his counsellor? 35. Or who hath first given to him, and it shall be recompensed unto him again? 36. For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory for ever. Amen.

Can we see the Lord’s wisdom? Do you see that our God is holy. He doesn’t just wink at our sins and accept us in our perversity and unrighteousness. No, He justifies us completely through His Son. That is the only way we can ever stand in His presence. Can you see what it cost God to give you the opportunity to believe and become His child? By looking at this powerful picture this morning, do you see the ugliness of sin? Have you caught a glimpse of the depth of those words, "All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned everyone to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all"?

Now let me ask you this question: Do you understand why Jesus would say, "I am the way, the truth, and the life; no man cometh unto the father but by me"? Listen to me. In light of what God did at the cross through His Son, it is absolute blasphemy to speak of another way into God’s presence. If any one of you in this room should look at the picture we have painted this morning and reject the work of God’s Righteous Servant, could you ever blame God for letting you depart into hell? Has anyone ever gone to such expense to rescue a person from destruction?