This will show my age. The other day I was telling my wife that 2020 was like a quick sequence in the music video for Gun’s and Roses’ “Welcome to the Jungle” back in 1987. The part I’m referring to starts at the 3:32 mark. Axel rose sits in a chair, tied down with a straight jacket on, with a device on his head delivering electrical shocks to him as he watches 8 television screens. On each screen there is something he desires that the shocks are supposed to rid his desire for. Kind of like shock therapy for his personally preferred sins. It’s a pretty intense sequence for a pretty intense song about how a city can chew you up and spit you out. It’s eerie how much it looks like today—33 years later.
How many of us feel like this image while we sit at home because of COVID-19, isolated, while we watch brutality, injustice, chaos on our screens?
That is the fallen world, circa 2020, in great need of healing. Souls and the world itself.
Isaiah 53:4—5 is about THE Redeemer.
Healing, hope, and joy all start with Jesus. Let’s turn to this passage.
Today’s passage, is from Isaiah’s encourage to the exiles in Babylon after Jerusalem fell in 586 B.C. He assures the exiles of God’s care for them. This section is Isaiah chapters 44—55. These chapters also give long-term hope of the coming Messiah. Specifically, today’s section is from the fourth and final Servant Song, Isaiah 52:13—53:12. It’s quoted frequently in the new testament. This Servant Song is very prophetic about Jesus. Here we learn that He suffered on our behalf, this suffering was caused by humankind, He acted as the substitute for our sins, He was severely punished on our behalf, and that all of us contributed to this suffering.
SO REMEMBER, WHEN WE SEE THE WEIGHT OF HUMANKIND’S SIN ON OUR SCREENS, REMEMBER THAT JESUS CAN BEAR ALL OF IT!!!
Steve Kuzner
Isaiah 53:4-5
Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. 5 But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed. 6 All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned—every one—to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all.
[ WHAT ] is this passage saying and what is a key truth or thought that we learn?
+ What does it mean “he has borne our griefs”, that is “has”? [v4]
+ What does his chastisement bring us? [v5]
+ What does this mean—”All we like sheep have gone astray”?” [v6]
[ HOW ] is the Lord calling me to action/obedience?
+ Is there a sin to confess or a next step to take? How has it gone since last time?
+ How can you remind yourself that you have contributed to the iniquity laid on Jesus”? [v6]
+ How can you set-up guardrails to help you from going astray”? [v6]
+ How can you spend some time today meditating on the image of Jesus bearing all the iniquities of humankind? [v5]
[ WHO ] am I walking with and praying for to discover Jesus?
+ What is my next step?
+ Today, who can you share the healing, hope, and joy of Jesus with? [v6]
STUDY GUIDE [ WWW.ESV.ORG ]
+ Isa. 40:1–55:13 Encouragement for God’s Exiles: “The Glory of the Lord Shall Be Revealed.” These visionary chapters are addressed to the exiles in Babylon after the fall of Jerusalem in 586 B.C. (see 39:5–7). Isaiah assures the exiles of God’s care for them. These chapters also address Isaiah’s times by giving long-term hope of the Messiah’s coming.
+ Isa. 52:13–53:12 The fourth and final Servant Song, frequently quoted in the NT (e.g., Acts 8:30–35; 1 Pet. 2:22–25), describes the Messiah (see note on Isa. 42:1–9). Isaiah finally explains how the Holy One can bless sinful people: all the promises of God will come true for them because the suffering and triumphant servant removes their guilt before God by his sacrifice.
+ Isa. 53:4–6 These verses are the heart of the passage.
+ Isa. 53:4 Surely introduces the servant’s sufferings on the people’s behalf. Acting as their substitute, he took upon himself the consequences of their sin: griefs and sorrows (see Matt. 8:14–17). smitten by God, and afflicted. God is the ultimate source of this faithful servant’s suffering.
+ Matt. 8:16–17 He took our illnesses and bore our diseases refers to Isaiah’s prophecy of the servant (see Isa. 53:4).
+ Isa. 53:5 our transgressions, our iniquities. His sufferings were caused by human sin (see Matt. 8:17; 1 Pet. 2:24). pierced, crushed, chastisement, wounds. Isaiah emphasizes how severely God punished the rejected servant for the sins of mankind.
+ Isa. 53:6 All we . . . every one. All people contributed to his pain. like sheep. Helpless. the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all. See Lev. 16:21–22; 2 Cor. 5:21; 1 Pet. 2:24.