Isaiah 52-55

August 7

Isaiah 52-55

"How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? And how can they preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!”" (Romans 10:14-15, NIV)

Paul quoted and applied the words from Isaiah 52:7 to encourage the preaching of the Gospel message throughout the world. Isaiah gives a glimpse of the death and resurrection of Jesus as He reminds Jerusalem that God is not finished with her yet, though it looks like they may be annihilated.

Isaiah 52:13-53:10 gives a picture of the crucifixion and the punishment Jesus took for our sin. Though we wander, though we reject God, though we deserve death and hell, Jesus came and took on our iniquity, our punishment so that we could be redeemed without money (52:4) but our freedom was bought with the blood of Jesus.

Just as Isaiah gives Jerusalem hope in the midst of suffering, he gives hope of life in the midst of death for the “suffering servant.” "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." (Isaiah 53:11, NIV)  Jesus’ soul suffered when He was rejected, beaten, spit on, and crucified by humanity then forsaken by His Father. But He suffered for us. After he faced death, he rose again and saw the light of life as he conquered sin and death.

The crucifixion did not take God by surprise. It was His plan. It was His way of remaining just while providing a means of forgiveness and redemption for His creation. Sin results in death. All sin so all die. But Jesus came and took on our death so that in Him we can live. God so loved you and me that He willingly allowed Jesus to take on humanity and to die in our place.

No one could take Jesus’ life, He gave it up willingly as had been prophesied so many years before. God’s plan was to offer a reversal to the plague of sin and that reversal is available to all who will receive His gift. The price was paid, we just have to submit ourselves to the love of God in Jesus Christ.