Embrace His Death and Resurrection
Bore the Sins for Many – Part 1

Scripture Reading: Isaiah 53:1-12

Key Verse: Isaiah 53:12

Therefore I will give him a portion among the great, and he will divide the spoils with the strong, because he poured out his life unto death, and was numbered with the transgressors. For he bore the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.

It is interesting to note that the Prophet Isaiah saw that many nations would receive the gospel, but that the Jews would generally reject it.  If you read the last verse of Isaiah 52, God revealed to His prophet the future reception the Gentile nations would give His Son.  They had no scriptures to prepare them, so they received what they formally had no knowledge of.  As we move into Isaiah 53, the sad picture of Jesus’ own people rejecting Him is painted.  Phrases like: “He was despised and rejected by men” are foretold of Jesus by Isaiah.

            Christmas is such a glorious time for God’s people because it reminds us that Jesus had come to earth knowing He would be rejected, but He saw the condition we were in: “We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us had turned to his own way” (vs. 6a).  But Jesus came, walked among us and ultimately took upon Himself the sins we had: “and the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all” (vs. 6b).

            The little baby Jesus would grow up in a world that had lost its way.  He would “flesh out” the truths of God’s kingdom among men, but that would not be enough.  Knowledge of God is never enough!  Jesus knew we could never live out that knowledge by our own strength.  Something had to take place beyond the teaching of Jesus, as thorough as that teaching was.  We will study that tomorrow.

Father, thank you for thinking of us long before we ever thought of you!  Thank you for sending Jesus to help us see you!  In Jesus’ name, amen.