What a verse we have this week! You know what word I pick up on when I read this verse several times? OUR --- everything Jesus did was because of OUR sinfulness and OUR need for reconciliation with God. When I say this, I in no means want to take away from our focus on Jesus at Christmastime, but you know the popular saying at Christmas, "Jesus is the Reason for the Season"? Well, in all reality, WE'RE the reason... for Christmas, for Good Friday, for Easter, for the Ascension, for Pentecost, for Christ's return. All of these things have happened or will happen for the specific purpose of redeeming US. God has invested a lot in His earthly children, hasn't He? And yet we still doubt His love for us----why?
Jesus bore all of our sins, all of our separation from God the Father, all of our infirmities and imperfections to make us whole and complete and brought back into a state of peace with God.
The opening phrase of our verse is, "He was wounded for our transgressions."
Wounded - Hebrew "Chalal"- in most other verses of Isaiah that this particular word is used it is translated "polluted." While most translations of this verse don't go that route and instead translate to "pierced", I think there's some merit in applying "polluted"...for Christ was polluted because of us. He was surrounded by the filth of this world in comparison to the purity of heaven. His holiness was forced to take on all of the grime of our sinfulness when He bore 100% of the world's sin on the cross. It grieves me to view Christ in such a polluted state, not due to Him at all, but completely because of man. I'm picturing Jesus carrying loads of garbage with Him as He walks toward Calvary.
Transgressions - Hebrew "Pesha'" - plain and simple...rebellion. Christ became polluted because of my/your/our rebellion. We rebelled against God's authority, and He had to deal with it.
It humbles me to think of what God's plan for my redemption cost. But when I allow myself to allow that cost to really sink into my soul, it motivates me to live a life worthy of the cost that was paid. Not as a means of earning it, for it has been done and there is nothing more I can do, but to show how deeply appreciative I am of my God who loves me so.
1 comment:
This week's verse is a little harder. The thought of all of the suffering Jesus endured is almost disturbing. All of His pain was for us, those Christ believers. I feel so ashamed of the times in my life when I wasn't following and walking closely with God. So many years wasted. Yet, He is still here with me, forgiving me of my sins. I also want to live my life in appreciation of Jesus Christ, the One that sacrificed His life for me. This verse is sobering and humbling. God's great Plan for me and for this earth is a Plan of Love and Redemption. It is like you said, "it is all about Us". Christ lived for me, for everyone so they could believe in
God and have an eternal life.
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