Isaiah's Prophetic Vision

One of the most familiar Scriptures in Isaiah is from chapter 6 when he saw the holiness of the Lord and confronted his own sin. One of the most beautiful prophecies in Isaiah is found in chapter 53, verse 5. In that verse, we find a riveting four-fold prediction that reminds us why it was so imperative for Jesus to die on the cross.

Isaiah foresaw that Jesus would be pierced for our transgressions. When he wrote “our transgressions” not one person can be excluded. In verse 6, we writes, “We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each has turned to his own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all.” Jesus was completely innocent of any of the false charges leveled against Him. We are totally guilty of sin that would have separated us from God forever. Paul describes it this way: “He was delivered over to death for our sins and raised to life for our justification.” (Romans 4:25)

Isaiah also foresaw that Jesus would be crushed for our iniquities. The pain He felt in being separated from God the Father had to be even more crushing than the abuse of His body through floggings, being spit upon and in other ways. Micah foretold of a time when “You will again have compassion on us; you will tread our sins underfoot and hurl our iniquities into the depth of the sea.” (7:19). This compassion was expressed in Jesus’ death on the cross to cancel the sin debt we could never pay. Praise God, it didn’t end there! He arose from the grave three days later assuring us that we can live with God eternally!

Isaiah also foresaw that Jesus’ punishment came so we could have peace with God. We can rest in Him knowing our sins are forgiven! Paul writes, ‘Therefore since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand.” (Romans 5:1) Peace like this is possible only because of God the Father loving us so much, Jesus Christ dying on the cross and then rising from the grave and the Holy Spirit convicting us of our need for Jesus.

Isaiah also foresaw that Jesus’ wounds would make healing possible. Physical healing is wonderful but spiritual healing is infinitely better because it is for eternity! Peter writes, “He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, so that we might die to sin and live for Righteousness: by his wounds you have been healed.” (I Peter 2:24)

This possible healing becomes reality only when we put our faith In Jesus Christ. Praise God, when we do that our transgressions and iniquities are forgiven and we are declared righteous!

David Oldfather