THE CROSS OF CHRIST IN ISAIAH 53

Pastor Art Watkins of Coden Bible Church (Coden, Alabama)

November 14, 2018

In Isaiah chapter 53 the incarnation, preaching, humiliation, rejection, sufferings, death, atonement, resurrection, and mediation of Jesus Christ are all predicted, together. This is one of the clearest descriptions of the crucifixion of Christ in the Old Testament, if not the whole Bible.

****Verse 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.

In this verse Christ is clearly seen suffering death for our sins, transgressions and iniquities. Sin is a transgression of the law and we have transgressed every one of the laws of God. On the cross Christ was wounded and bruised to death for our transgressions and iniquities. This is no doubt the verse Paul had in mind in 1 Cor. 15:3-4 when he said Christ died for our sins.

****Verse 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.

In this verse Christ is seen as our sin bearer for it says the Lord laid on him the iniquity of us all. This is what Paul refers to in 2 Cor. 5:21 when he said God hath made him to be sin for us. This means our sins were imputed to him and charged against him who in turn discharged them by his sacrificial death.

****Verse 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.

This verse shows the willingness of Christ to become our sin bearer on the cross. Even though he said his soul was troubled at the prospect of death he put up no resistance when he was arrested, beaten and nailed to the cross. This is what Peter referred to in 1 Peter 2:22-23 when he wrote: Christ did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth: Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously.

****Verse 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.

This verse again shows us the cause of Christ’s death. He was stricken for our transgressions. Not his but ours.

****Verse 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.

This verse speaks of Christ’s burial. He was buried in a borrowed tomb of a rich man whose name was Joseph according to Matthew 27:57 just as Isaiah prophesied 700 years before it came to pass. It also shows us the sinless perfection of Christ and the wrongful death of Christ; He did no violence. He was crucified as if he was a violate criminal but he was innocent of any act of violence. He was a sinless spotless sacrifice. This agrees with what Paul wrote in Hebrews 7:26 that Christ is: holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens.

****Verse 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.

This verse says Christ’s soul was made an offering for sin and his offering pleased the Lord for it satisfied all of his just demands against our sins. This verse also spoke of Christ’s resurrection from the dead for it says; he shall see his seed and he shall prolong his days. He did not stay dead for his life was prolonged. He is alive forevermore. In verse 8 is found the death of Christ dying for our transgressions. Verse 9 is found the burial of Christ being buried in a rich man’s tomb and verse 10 is the resurrection of Christ for his life was prolonged.

****Verse 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.

This verse shows us again that God was satisfied and pleased with the sacrificial death of his Son. He was not pleased to see his Son suffer; he was pleased and satisfied with the complete atonement his Son made for our sins. This verse also shows us how Christ justifies sinners like us; he justifies sinners by bearing their sins and iniquities in his own body on the tree. This is what Peter refers to in Romans 5:9 when he said we are justified by his blood.

****Verse 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.

Notice the four powerful statements in this verse:

----He hath poured out his soul unto death.

This agrees with Psalms 22:14 where on the cross Jesus said: I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint: my heart is like wax; it is melted in the midst of my bowels. Under the law many offerings were drink offerings for sin. As the drink offerings were poured out for sin Christ poured out his life as an offering for sin.

----He was numbered with the transgressors.

He not only bore our transgressions on the cross, but he died between two transgressors. He became like us in every way.

----He bare the sin of many.

This is what Peter refers to in 1 Peter 2:24 where he wrote: Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.

----He made intercession for the transgressors.

He not only died for transgressors, but he made and he makes intercession for them by his own blood. In Hebrews 7:25 Paul said: 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. An intercessor stands between two people. He is a go between. Transgressors like us get to God through Christ the intercessor. It’s through the merits and power of his blood that we come to God, get to God and have access to God. And he is the one and only intercessor or mediator between God and man for it’s through his death and shed blood alone we have access to God. Mary the mother of Jesus is not our mediator or intercessor. She needed an intercessor and mediator herself for she was a sinner like us.

As you have read in this wonderful chapter the incarnation, preaching, humiliation, rejection, sufferings, death, atonement, resurrection, and mediation of Jesus Christ are all predicted, together. This is one of the clearest descriptions of the crucifixion of Christ in the Old Testament, if not the whole Bible.