Isaiah 53
Isaiah 53:1-12
Has anyone believed the despicable?
#Gospel
#sacrifice
#lamb
Published March 5th, 2022
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Main point summary
Has anyone believed the despicable? The lamb who was crushed to bring healing peace to wayward sheep, though he was rejected by those careless sheep, bled out at the will of the Father and obediently bore all sin to reconcile the sinful. God has heard and believed, and will reward his faithful servant and those for whom Christ intercedes.
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Isaiah 53:1-12
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g Who has believed what he has heard from us? 1
Who would have believed 1 what we 2 just heard? 3
And to whom has h the arm of the Lord been revealed?
When 4 was the Lord ’s power 5 revealed through him?
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For he grew up before him like a young plant,
He sprouted up like a twig before God, 6
i and like a root out of dry ground;
like a root out of parched soil; 7
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j he had no form or majesty that we should look at him,
he had no stately form or majesty that might catch our attention, 8
and no beauty that we should desire him.
no special appearance that we should want to follow him. 9
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k He was despised and rejected 1 by men;
He was despised and rejected by people, 10
a man of sorrows, 2
one who experienced pain
and acquainted with 3 grief; 4
and was acquainted with illness;
and as one from whom men hide their faces 5
people hid their faces from him; 11
he was despised,
he was despised,
and l we esteemed him not.
and we considered him insignificant. 12
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m Surely he has borne our griefs
But he lifted up our illnesses,
and carried our sorrows;
he carried our pain; 13
yet we esteemed him stricken,
even though we thought he was being punished,
n smitten by God,
attacked by God,
and afflicted.
and afflicted for something he had done. 14
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o But he was pierced for our transgressions;
He was wounded because of 15 our rebellious deeds,
he was crushed for our iniquities;
crushed because of our sins;
upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace,
he endured punishment that made us well; 16
p and with his wounds we are healed.
because of his wounds we have been healed. 17
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q All we like sheep have gone astray;
All of us had wandered off like sheep;
we have turned—every one—to his own way;
each of us had strayed off on his own path,
r and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all.
but the Lord caused the sin of all of us to attack him. 18
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He was oppressed, and he was afflicted,
He was treated harshly and afflicted, 19
s yet he opened not his mouth;
but he did not even open his mouth.
t like a u lamb that is led to the slaughter,
Like a lamb led to the slaughtering block,
and like a sheep that before its shearers is silent,
like a sheep silent before her shearers,
so he opened not his mouth.
he did not even open his mouth. 20
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By oppression and judgment he was taken away;
He was led away after an unjust trial 21 -
and as for his generation,
but who even cared? 22
v who considered that he was cut off out of the land of the living,
Indeed, he was cut off from the land of the living; 23
stricken for the transgression of my people?
because of the rebellion of his own 24 people he was wounded.
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And they made his grave with the wicked
They intended to bury him with criminals, 25
w and with a rich man in his death,
but he ended up in a rich man’s tomb, 26
although x he had done no violence,
because 27 he had committed no violent deeds,
and there was no deceit in his mouth.
nor had he spoken deceitfully.
Yet y it was the will of the Lord to crush him;
Though the Lord desired to crush him
he has put him to grief; 1
and make him ill,
z when his soul makes 2 an offering for guilt,
once restitution is made, 28
he shall see his offspring;
he will see descendants
he shall prolong his days;
and enjoy long life, 29
a the will of the Lord shall prosper in his hand.
and the Lord ’s purpose will be accomplished through him.
Out of the anguish of his soul he shall see 1
Having suffered, he will reflect on his work,
and be satisfied;
he will be satisfied
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by his knowledge shall b the righteous one, my servant, c make many to be accounted righteous,
when he understands what he has done. 30 “My servant 31 will acquit many, 32
d and he shall bear their iniquities.
for he carried their sins. 33
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e Therefore I will divide him a portion with the many , 1
So I will assign him a portion with the multitudes, 34
f and he shall divide the spoil with the strong, 2
he will divide the spoils of victory with the powerful, 35
because he poured out his soul to death
because he willingly submitted 36 to death
and was numbered with the transgressors;
and was numbered with the rebels,
g yet he bore the sin of many ,
when he lifted up the sin of many
and makes intercession for the transgressors.
and intervened 37 on behalf of the rebels.”
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Isaiah 53:1-12
53 1 g Who has believed what he has heard from us? 1 And to whom has h the arm of the Lord been revealed? 2 For he grew up before him like a young plant, i and like a root out of dry ground; j he had no form or majesty that we should look at him, and no beauty that we should desire him. 3 k He was despised and rejected 1 by men; a man of sorrows, 2 and acquainted with 3 grief; 4 and as one from whom men hide their faces 5 he was despised, and l we esteemed him not. 4 m Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed him stricken, n smitten by God, and afflicted. 5 o But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, p and with his wounds we are healed. 6 q All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned—every one—to his own way; r and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all. 7 He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, s yet he opened not his mouth; t like a u lamb that is led to the slaughter, and like a sheep that before its shearers is silent, so he opened not his mouth. 8 By oppression and judgment he was taken away; and as for his generation, v who considered that he was cut off out of the land of the living, stricken for the transgression of my people? 9 And they made his grave with the wicked w and with a rich man in his death, although x he had done no violence, and there was no deceit in his mouth. 10 Yet y it was the will of the Lord to crush him; he has put him to grief; 1 z when his soul makes 2 an offering for guilt, he shall see his offspring; he shall prolong his days; a the will of the Lord shall prosper in his hand. 11 Out of the anguish of his soul he shall see 1 and be satisfied; by his knowledge shall b the righteous one, my servant, c make many to be accounted righteous, d and he shall bear their iniquities. 12 e Therefore I will divide him a portion with the many, 1 f and he shall divide the spoil with the strong, 2 because he poured out his soul to death and was numbered with the transgressors; g yet he bore the sin of many, and makes intercession for the transgressors.
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Notes
Has anyone believed the despicable? Isaiah 53 Midway through an extended prophetic declaration of the suffering Savior, Isaiah pauses to ask, "Will anyone believe, will anyone care?" The following vv2-3 lay out Isaiah's cause for this concern. The truth was that this Savior had no beauty or power to promise those who might be interested in his person. Again Isaiah reiterates, this man was sad, sorry and downright despicable. What value then does this despised one claim? The following three verses crescendo in the shocking revelation of v5, that this chastised lamb was crushed for the very sheep who despised him! We (those wayward sinful sheep) assumed that God was punishing this nobody for his own failings, yet it was for our griefs and sorrows, our shameful sins that this innocent lamb was slaughtered. Isaiah rephrases and advances his main question in vv8-9, "Does anyone notice or care?" Because he was oppressed and shamefully crucified in spite of his peaceful purity, the implied answer is; no. Those he died to save apparently have no concern at his loss. More ground is laid in vv10-11 leading us up to the climactic answer to Isaiah's original query. Even though God designed his downfall, Christ's obedient sacrifice brings about both the satisfaction of the debt and victory over death. By bearing the sins of the many, the reconciling work was completed, thereby prospering God's original design! We find the glorious inference in v12 - God has noticed and believed the sacrifice of his Son! Isaiah concludes that even though God might be the only one to notice or care, this is more than enough! The reward for Jesus pouring out his soul, is the riches of salvation for himself and for all those he has reconciled and intercedes for. Won't you share, and share in, the glorious gospel of reconciliation? 2 Corinthians 5:20-21 Will you hear our report? Will you believe?
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