Reflections on Isaiah 53

Isaiah 53 (Contemporary English Version)
1. Has anyone believed us or seen the mighty power of the LORD in action?
   
2. Like a young plant or a root that sprouts in dry ground, the servant grew up obeying the LORD. He wasn't some handsome king. Nothing about the way he looked made him attractive to us.
   
3. He was hated and rejected; his life was filled with sorrow and terrible suffering. No one wanted to look at him. We despised him and said, "He is a nobody!"
   
4. He suffered and endured great pain for us, but we thought his suffering was punishment from God.
   
5. He was wounded and crushed because of our sins; by taking our punishment, he made us completely well.
   
6. All of us were like sheep that had wandered off. We had each gone our own way, but the LORD gave him the punishment we deserved.
   
7. He was painfully abused, but he did not complain. He was silent like a lamb being led to the butcher, as quiet as a sheep having its wool cut off.
   
8. He was condemned to death without a fair trial. Who could have imagined what would happen to him? His life was taken away because of the sinful things my people had done.
   
9. He wasn't dishonest or violent, but he was buried in a tomb of cruel and rich people.
   
10. The LORD decided his servant would suffer as a sacrifice to take away the sin and guilt of others. Now the servant will live to see his own descendants. He did everything the LORD had planned.
    
11. By suffering, the servant will learn the true meaning of obeying the LORD. Although he is innocent, he will take the punishment for the sins of others, so that many of them will no longer be guilty.
    
12. The LORD will reward him with honor and power for sacrificing his life. Others thought he was a sinner, but he suffered for our sins and asked God to forgive us.

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This chapter in Isaiah gives the clearest prophecy in the Old Testament concerning the coming Messiah. Why it was not clearly understood at the time of its fulfillment would be hard to explain other than that people were deceived and didn't want to understand.  Any who fail to understand this passage, and the mission of the Messiah, though, fail to understand God and all of scripture.

Christ the Messiah, the fulfillment of this prophecy, was not appealing in His appearance. Those who are drawn to Him are drawn only because of who He is and what He offers. But in reality He was "despised and rejected" by most people. Those who are attracted to Him are attracted because He gives salvation from sin. And no one can honestly claim to be without sin. As 53:6 points out, "We all went astray like sheep; we all have turned to our own way." In this is also the definition of sin - going our own way rather than God's way. Through His suffering, "He Himself bore our sicknesses, and He carried our pains; but we in turn regarded Him stricken, struck down by God, and afflicted. But He was pierced because of our transgressions, crushed because of our iniquities; punishment for our peace was on Him, and we are healed by His wounds." (53:4-5) For the individual who rejects Christ, His suffering was in vain. For though He was crushed for their iniquities and they could be healed spiritually by His wounds, they reject these benefits along with their rejection of Christ.

Christ has been rejected by many, but there will come a time when the eyes of many will be opened and will receive Him. And all who make Him a "restitution offering," or "guilt-offering" as restitution for their sin, will fulfill the will of the Lord.