5 Dec. Isaiah describes the ‘suffering servant’ of God
“The LORD says, ‘See, my servant will act wisely. People will greatly honour and respect him. Many people were shocked when they saw him. His appearance was so changed he did not look like a man; his form was changed so much they could barely tell he was human.’”
“’But now he will surprise many nations. Kings will be amazed and shut their mouths. They will see things they had not been told about him, and they will understand things they had not heard.’”
“Who would have believed what we heard? Who saw the LORD’s power in this? He grew up like a small plant before the LORD, like a root growing in a dry land. He had no special beauty or form to make us notice him; there was nothing in his appearance to make us desire him.”
“He was hated and rejected by people. He had much pain and suffering. People would not even look at him. He was hated, and we didn’t even notice him.”
“But he took our suffering on him and felt our pain for us. We saw his suffering and thought God was punishing him. But he was wounded for the wrong we did; he was crushed for the evil we did. The punishment, which made us well, was given to him, and we are healed because of his wounds.”
“We all have wandered away like sheep; each of us has gone his own way. But the LORD has put on him the punishment for all the evil we have done.”
“He was beaten down and punished, but he didn’t say a word. He was like a lamb being led to be killed. He was quiet, as a sheep is quiet while its wool is being cut; he never opened his mouth.”
“Men took him away roughly and unfairly. He died without children to continue his family. He was put to death; he was punished for the sins of my people. He was buried with wicked men, and he died with the rich. He had done nothing wrong, and he had never lied.”
“But it was the LORD who decided to crush him and make him suffer. The LORD made his life a penalty offering, but he will still see his descendants and live a long life. He will complete the things the LORD wants him to do.”
“After his soul suffers many things, he will see life and be satisfied. My good servant will make many people right with God; he will carry away their sins… He willingly gave his life and was treated like a criminal. But he carried away the sins of many people and asked forgiveness for those who sinned.”
(Isaiah 52:13-15,53:1-12)
In Isaiah Chapters 52 and 53, the author describes God’s ‘suffering servant’ - the man who would bear on himself the suffering of all mankind:
The LORD’s servant would be meek. He would grow up like a tender shoot taking root in dry ground. “He had no special beauty or form to make us notice him; there was nothing in his appearance to make us desire him.” (Isaiah 53:2)
He would suffer. “He was hated and rejected by people. He had much pain and suffering.” (Isaiah 53:3) “But he took our suffering on him and felt our pain for us.” (Isaiah 53:4)
He would be punished because of the wrongdoing of others. “But he was wounded for the wrong we did; he was crushed for the evil we did. The punishment, which made us well, was given to him, and we are healed because of his wounds” (Isaiah 53:5)
He would bear the punishment for mankind’s sin. “We all have wandered away like sheep; each of us has gone his own way. But the LORD has put on him the punishment for all the evil we have done.” (Isaiah 53:6)
He would be killed because of the sinful nature of mankind. “He was like a lamb being led to be killed”, but “He was quiet, as a sheep is quiet while its wool is being cut; he never opened his mouth.” (Isaiah 53:7) “Men took him away roughly and unfairly... He was put to death; he was punished for the sins of my people.” (Isaiah 53:8)
He would be buried among the rich and the evil. “He was buried with wicked men, and he died with the rich. He had done nothing wrong, and he had never lied.” (Isaiah 53:9)
His death would be like a sacrificial offering. "But it was the LORD who decided to crush him and make him suffer. The LORD made his life a penalty offering." (Isaiah 53:10)
He would achieve the forgiveness of mankind. “My good servant will make many people right with God; he will carry away their sins... He willingly gave his life and was treated like a criminal. But he carried away the sins of many people and asked forgiveness for those who sinned.” (Isaiah 53:11-12)
In the New Testament, the gospel writers proclaim that the role of the ‘suffering servant’ foretold in the Book of Isaiah was fulfilled by Jesus Christ, who suffered a brutal and sacrificial death to secure God’s forgiveness for the wrongdoings of many others (see Matthew 16:21, Luke 18:31-33, 24:25-27 & John 1:29).
You can read more from Isaiah Chapters 54-55 @ https://www.thebiblejourney.org/.../encouragement-for.../