But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed.
Isaiah 53:5 NIV
The Inspiration:
Yesterday's piece provided a clear picture of what Jesus had to endure for my sake. What today's verse clearly shows is that it was not an accident or afterthought; God did not do this because He had no choice or it was forced upon Him. When you read the story of man's first sin in the Garden of Eden, the same punishment God meted out also had the pronouncement of God's plan for the salvation of the same man who sinned. The promise of God was that the seed of the woman would crush the head of the seed of the serpent. This was as far back as Genesis 3. Fast forward to a few centuries later, and even Moses, David, and here Isaiah all prophesied about this seed of the woman. God does not make careless pronouncements and whatever He says, He is able to do. He sees the end from the beginning, and everything He does is to ensure that His good end is fulfilled. There is no one alive who can thwart God's plan; you may think you have delayed your own plan or even changed the dynamics, but if you are not God, you don't have the power over God's plan.
The Contention:
God's plan here was that His Son Jesus would bear the sin of the whole world. Look at all Jesus encountered on the path to the cross. His side was pierced with a sword, with blood and water gushing out. He was beaten with whips, and then the soldiers had a crown made of thorns placed on his head, which was then hit into his head with a staff. The bible records that the crowd spit in His face, which was one of the highest forms of contempt for a man; others struck him with their fists and others slapped Him. A man who was already battered was then made to carry a cross to his death, and someone else was also conscripted by force to help him carry the cross. Then, He was crucified in between two thieves, and anyone witnessing such would assume that He was also a thief. Yet, it is on record that Jesus knew no sin, and no iniquity was found in Him, yet it was God's will for him to be bruised in this way, because His sacrifice would open the door for you and I to be accepted before God.
The Conclusion:
Every experience of Jesus leading to the cross as well as after the cross holds very significant blessings for me. That which brought Him pain brought me pleasure. That which brought Him rejection for a moment as His blood paid the price for sin brought me acceptance by God. The cross was not for His sin but for mine, yet He suffered the disgrace and insults of men for my sake. What is even more poignant is the fact that this sacrifice was not just for the sin of the generation he was in, but for all mankind, no matter the generation. For children yet to be born, the sacrifice on the cross is already in place to provide salvation from the power of sin. Even the stripes of Jesus has secured healing for me. His punishment has secured peace for me. He has done all that is required for me to have eternal life; what else can save my soul if I reject this gift? If Jesus can't save me, who else can? All of these were done for me; how do I respond? God's time of favour is here.
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