YEHOVAH'S PLAN OF REDEMPTION (ISAIAH 52:13-53:12)

Isaiah 53 foretells God’s plan of redemption and salvation through Jesus God’s anointed one.

Before the servant’s suffering is set forth, his victorious glory is foretold. In 53:10-13, after the sufferings are described, his glory again is stated.

Note Isaiah 52:14: “Astonished” means appalled, greatly dismayed, or horrified. “Marred” means disfigurement of the face. Jesus was so disfigured that he no longer resembled a man.

Isaiah 53:1: Will we believe the great message of salvation? If we believe, the arm of Yahweh will be revealed to us.

Isaiah 53:2: Jesus didn’t dress like a prince or king; rather, he dressed like a normal Jewish man dressed in the 1^st century in Israel.

Isaiah 53:3: The Hebrew word for “sorrows” is also translated as "pain" (2 Chronicles 6:29; Job 33:19, and Psalm 69:26 …). The Hebrew word that is translated as “grief” in verses 3 and 4 occurs 24 times in the O.T., but only here as “grief”. Everywhere else it is “sickness” (15), “sick” (1), “illness” (3), “disease” (2), and “affliction” (1).

Translating the word “grief” in vs. 3 and 4 misleads us from understanding something of great importance.

Isaiah 53:4: Again, the word “grief” could have been translated “sickness,” and the word “sorrows” as “pain”.

The following acknowledges the changes mentioned above Isaiah 63:3: He was despised and forsaken of men, a man of pain and acquainted with sickness; and like one from whom men hide their face. He was despised, and we did not esteem him.

Vs. 4: Surely our sickness he himself bore, and our pain he carried; yet we ourselves esteemed [thought] him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.

Vs. 5: But he was pierced through for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; The chastening for our well-being [shalom] fell upon him, and by his scourging, we are healed.  (Isaiah 53:3-5)

The Hebrew word “shalom” was translated above “well-being” and most often is rendered as “peace.” However, “shalom” has a fuller meaning than just peace. It is an overall sense of fullness, wholeness, soundness, completeness, and health in mind, body, and estate.

Note Isaiah 45:7; 48:18; 54:13 ─ “well-being”; Genesis 15:15 ─ “peace”; 28:2 ─ “safety”; 29:6 ─ “it is well”; 37:4 ─ “friendly terms”; 37:14 ─ “welfare”; 41:16 ─ “favorable”; 43:23 ─ “be at ease”; and 43:28 ─ “well”

The subtle differences in translation have caused many to miss an important part of our atonement, our salvation. These verses reveal two very important accomplishments from Jesus’ sin-offering sacrifice.

He bore our sickness and pain (vs. 3 and 4) and our transgression and iniquities (vs. 5).

He endured what was necessary for our physical and spiritual well-being, our completeness. By his scourging, we are healed.

The New Testament clearly confirms that Jesus was the sin-offering sacrifice for our sins and that through him we are now redeemed, forgiven, righteous, justified, and sanctified [set apart].

Note: The N.T. clearly supports the inclusion of physical healing as part of our atonement, our salvation.

Matthew 8:16-17: The context is unquestionably physical healing and is a quotation from Isaiah 53:4.

1 Peter 2:24: Not a direct quote, but an illusion to Isaiah 53.

The Greek word “sozo” is most often translated as “saved” and is considered to refer to spiritual salvation, the new birth, eternal life, but like the word “shalom”, it has a fuller meaning that includes physical healing and deliverance.

The earthly experience of salvation that includes deliverance and healing is how the Greek word for salvation is most often used in the NT. “Sozo” means much more than going into the Kingdom. It is sometimes translated as healed, cured, delivered, set free, made whole, preserved, and many similar words.

Healing from sickness and disease plus deliverance from demons is part of what Jesus accomplished on the cross and, therefore, our salvation. The confidence we hold regarding our spiritual redemption should be matched when dealing with physical healing and demon deliverance.

Isaiah 53:10: But Yehovah was pleased to crush him [Jesus], putting him to grief [sickness]; If he would render himself as a guilt offering, he will see his offspring, he will prolong his days, and the good pleasure of Yehovah will prosper in his hand.

Isaiah 53:1: Who has believed our message? And to whom has the arm of Yehovah been revealed?

Note: Isaiah 53:3-5: He was despised and forsaken of men, a man of pain and acquainted with sickness; and like one from whom men hide their face. He was despised, and we did not esteem Him. Surely our sickness he himself bore, and our pain he carried; yet we ourselves esteemed [thought] him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But he was pierced through for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the chastening for our well-being [shalom] fell upon him, and by his scourging, we are healed.  (Isaiah 53:3-5) Amen!