He will be sacrificed.

(4)  Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.  (5)  But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.  (6)  All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.

Isaiah 53:4-6

Explanation:

As we consider this next section, I want you to see two groups of words.  One group of words refers to what will happen to this servant who we know is Jesus. Words like the following:

• Grief
• Sorrows
• Stricken, Smitten of God, Afflicted
• Wounded
• Bruised
• Chastisement of peace
• Stripes

The second group of words tells us who should have received this treatment.  Notice the words “our” and “we”.

It is our grief and our sorrows he bore.  It is our affliction he took.  He was wounded because of our transgressions.  He was bruised because of our iniquities.  It was our stripes that he bore, and it is his wounds that have healed us.  It was our iniquity that was laid on him, because we went astray.

Notice the graphic description of what would happen to him.  Isaiah predicts here that this coming Messiah would be sacrificed.  It’s a bloody prediction.  There are stripes, and there are wounds.  You have here a picture of substitution and of sacrifice.  And this picture points to a historic reality.  Jesus Christ was scourged.  He was bloody.  His body was torn and beaten.  The baby in a manger of wood ended up sacrificed on a cross of wood.  All for your sin and mine.

Now this would have been shocking to the reader who takes this passage at face value.  The coming servant- this Messiah- would be sacrificed?

Application:

The application is straightforward here.  Christ’s blood was shed for our sins.   He sacrificed Himself for us.  We must accept His gift of salvation, and live out lives that reflect an appreciation for what He has done for us.

Response:

• Have you accepted Christ’s gift of salvation made possible by His sacrifice? 
• Take some time today to thank Christ for sacrificing Himself for you.