Our Substitute

Left Speechless

Isaiah identifies the one that Isa 53 focuses its attention in chapter 52 as his servant. And of this servant, verse 13 tells us that He will be high and lifted up and exalted. We also know that the servant’s suffering was so disfiguring that those who saw him in that state were left speechless (14). The shock of those who saw the Servant is connected to his work of atonement which is referenced by the term sprinkle in verse 15. How is it possible that such blessed results of cleansing and atonement could follow such tortured suffering? This idea is what made the kings shut their mouths or to be dumbfounded.

What do we know about the Servant

As we move into the familiar chapter of Isa. 53, Isaiah makes his understanding of people and of the Servant clear. Perhaps he did not fully understand the identity of the Servant when he recorded these words, but he displays insight, God-given insight into the mission of the Servant. I want to highlight three truths that Isaiah knew?

People are rebels against their Shepherd-King (6)

He knew that the Servant would be sent by God, but that the Servant would be rejected by those that needed His atoning work. (3)

Isaiah knew that the rejection of people displayed the success of His mission. The physical abuse the Servant would endure was the manifestation of God’s judgement due for the sins of sinners. It seems to me, Isaiah had some understanding that the suffering of the servant, while horrifying, was good. (5)

You and I know more than Isaiah did. We know the Suffering Servant is Jesus. We know that

Romans 5:8 ESV

8 … God showed his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

We know that not only did Jesus suffer physically, but he suffered the shame and guilt of the sin of His people. We know His atonement paid our debt in full. And when we take the time to consider a text like Isa 53, despite how familiar it may be to many of us, the glory of the truths it proclaims leaves us speechless.

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Isaiah 53 ESV

1 Who has believed what he has heard from us? And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed? 2 For he grew up before him like a young plant, and like a root out of dry ground; he had no form or majesty that we should look at him, and no beauty that we should desire him. 3 He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief; and as one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not. 4 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. 7 He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth; like a lamb that is led to the slaughter, and like a sheep that before its shearers is silent, so he opened not his mouth. 8 By oppression and judgment he was taken away; and as for his generation, who considered that he was cut off out of the land of the living, stricken for the transgression of my people? 9 And they made his grave with the wicked and with a rich man in his death, although he had done no violence, and there was no deceit in his mouth. 10 Yet it was the will of the Lord to crush him; he has put him to grief; when his soul makes an offering for guilt, he shall see his offspring; he shall prolong his days; the will of the Lord shall prosper in his hand. 11 Out of the anguish of his soul he shall see and be satisfied; by his knowledge shall the righteous one, my servant, make many to be accounted righteous, and he shall bear their iniquities. 12 Therefore I will divide him a portion with the many, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong, because he poured out his soul to death and was numbered with the transgressors; yet he bore the sin of many, and makes intercession for the transgressors.