Verses: Isaiah 53

1Who would have believed what we heard?
Who saw the Lord’s power in this?
² He grew up like a small plant before the Lord,
like a root growing in a dry land.
He had no special beauty or form to make us notice him;
there was nothing in his appearance to make us desire him.
³ He was hated and rejected by people.
He had much pain and suffering.
People would not even look at him.
He was hated, and we didn’t even notice him.

⁴ But he took our suffering on him
and felt our pain for us.
We saw his suffering
and thought God was punishing him.
⁵ But he was wounded for the wrong we did;
he was crushed for the evil we did.
The punishment, which made us well, was given to him,
and we are healed because of his wounds.
⁶ We all have wandered away like sheep;
each of us has gone his own way.
But the Lord has put on him the punishment
for all the evil we have done.

⁷ He was beaten down and punished,
but he didn’t say a word.
He was like a lamb being led to be killed.
He was quiet, as a sheep is quiet while its wool is being cut;
he never opened his mouth.
⁸ Men took him away roughly and unfairly.
He died without children to continue his family.
He was put to death;
he was punished for the sins of my people.
⁹ He was buried with wicked men,
and he died with the rich.
He had done nothing wrong,
and he had never lied.

¹⁰ But it was the Lord who decided
to crush him and make him suffer.
The Lord made his life a penalty offering,
but he will still see his descendants and live a long life.
He will complete the things the Lord wants him to do.
¹¹ “After his soul suffers many things,
he will see life and be satisfied.
My good servant will make many people right with God;
he will carry away their sins.
¹² For this reason I will make him a great man among people,
and he will share in all things with those who are strong.
He willingly gave his life
and was treated like a criminal.
But he carried away the sins of many people
and asked forgiveness for those who sinned.”

• Isaiah 53 was written hundreds of years before Jesus was born, but look at the details in which Jesus’s life was described. God has prepared for our salvation long before we were ready for Him, like a loving father always looking out for, preparing well ahead of time for his sons and daughters.
• On this quiet night when this little child was born unto us, the life ahead of him has already been predetermined, and it isn’t an easy or comfortable road. Yet Jesus, even with full knowledge of the bitter cup ahead of him, still willingly walked down this road – to glorify God, and out of love for us. Read through the verses again, meditate on the extent Jesus sacrificed for us. Try to respond to Jesus in your prayer.
• In 1946 the Dead sea scrolls were discovered in Qumran, and they are ancient manuscripts scientifically dated back to at least 350 years before Jesus’ birth. In it includes the Book of Isaiah, and it proves Isaiah 53 was written hundreds of years before Jesus was born. There is no doubt Isaiah 53 is a detailed description of Jesus, and not anyone else.  There is no denying the birth of God’s son to our world is a historic fact. Reflect on that in the Christmas season – the season to remember the birth of Christ.