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The Messiah Justifies the Many

Isaiah 53:10-12
Yet it was the LORD’s will to crush him and cause him to suffer, and though the LORD makes his life a guilt offering, he will see his offspring and prolong his days, and the will of the LORD will prosper in his hand.  After the suffering of his soul, he will see the light of life and be satisfied; by his knowledge my righteous servant will justify many, and he will bear their iniquities.

Therefore I will give him a portion among the great, and he will divide the spoils with the strong, because he poured out his life unto death, and was numbered with the transgressors. For he bore the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.


Comment

It was God's will for Jesus to suffer and die. He died innocent but reckoned a guilt offering. In the Mosaic Law God made provisions for guilt offerings. One would provide a sacrificial animal, like a lamb, to cover one's sins. But such sacrifices only covered unintentional sins. And they only covered such sins but did not take them away. And so it should be because "it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins."Heb 10:4 But the one sacrifice of the Son of God was sufficient to deal with all sin of everyone. It should be no wonder that those who reject the deity of Christ also reject the sufficiency of the atonement.

How can it say that "he will see his offspring and prolong his days", seeing as he died unmarried? It is because it also says that "He will see the light of life", referring to his resurrection. And since then multitudes reckon themselves his offspring.

"by his knowledge my righteous servant will justify many" - that is "through the knowledge of him, or through knowing him" - for justification comes through faith in Christ which is initiated through knowledge of the gospel of Christ.

"Therefore I will give him a portion among the great" - What is interesting here is that while you would think that Christ should be honored simply for who he is, God honors him for what he did. This is in contrast to worldly leaders throughout history who demand respect simply because they hold a particular position. Jesus deserves honor not simply for who he is but for what he did.

So also for the Christian. It's one thing to be saved and forgiven - to be given a position in Christ - but to be honored by God is something we need to work for.


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