All right, Isaiah 53. There's
no doubt in our mind who this is talking about. When Isaiah
saw his glory, he spake of the Lord Jesus Christ. Philip, when
he heard the eunuch read from Isaiah 53, he began at that same
scripture and preached unto him the Lord Jesus Christ. I'm entitling
the message from what is said in verse 10. I think verse 10
is the key verse here. Probably the key verse in this
chapter and the key verse in the gospel according to Isaiah
Isaiah 53 verse 10 yet it pleased the Lord to bruise him. Whatsoever the Lord pleased,
that's what he did in heaven, earth, seas, and all deep places.
Psalm 135, he had put him to grief. When thou shalt make his
soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seat, he shall
prolong his days, and the pleasure of the Lord will prosper, prosper
in his hand. So the title of the message will
be It pleased the Lord. It pleased the Lord to send him.
It pleased the Lord to bruise him. It pleased the Lord to raise
him from the dead. It pleased the Lord that he might
justify sinners by the shedding of his blood. If we consider
Isaiah 53 as a high point of the gospel according to Isaiah,
then verses 10, 11, and 12 have to be the peak climax of what
is said. And the key verse, especially
in this chapter, where we learn that the Lord Jesus Christ dies
at the appointed time, the appointed way, for the appointed people,
decreed and determined of God. Remember from our study in the
book of Acts, him being delivered by the determinate counsel and
foreknowledge of God, you have taken and with wicked hands have
crucified and slain the Lord of glory. And then in Acts chapter
4 it says they only did what God determined before to be done.
In doing so, in the Lord Jesus Christ and him crucified, we
see every demand of God's law for the salvation of his sinners,
salvation of his people, honored, the law of God satisfied, the
law of God justified in the death of the Lord Jesus Christ, to
enable God to be a what? Just God and Savior, Isaiah 45. To enable him to be just and
the justifier only through the Lord Jesus Christ. Now let's
take a look at verse 10 again. It pleased the Lord. talking
about L-O-R-D, notice capital L-O-R-D, Jehovah, God Almighty,
the Father, to bruise the Lord Jesus Christ. He had put him
to grief. Look at verse 4, Isaiah 53. Now
get a hold of that, smitten of God and afflicted. Now if you
look back at verse 9, It says there he had done no
violence, either was there any deceit in his mouth. The Lord
Jesus Christ as the God-man mediator had no sin, knew no sin, and
did no sin. We read that in the scripture.
He never committed one sin. He's holy, harmless, undefiled,
separate from sin as the priest of God representing us. But he
was manifested to take away our sin and in him is no sin. Yet we see when a sin of God's
elect were charged, reckoned, and imputed to him by the hand
of God Almighty, the Lord Jesus Christ was bruised and punished
for those sins. You remember what it says here
in verse 5? He was wounded for our transgression. He was bruised for our iniquities. He had none of his own. Our sin
was reckoned to him. The chastisement of our peace
was upon him, and with his stripes we are healed. All we like sheep
have gone astray. We've turned everyone to his
own way. Now get a hold of this. The Lord laid on him the iniquity
of us all. He dies in the room and in the
stead as our substitute, bearing our guilt, bearing our shame,
bearing our sin for us, and fully putting that away. It pleased
God to make him to be sin for us. Now here in his love, is
it not, not that we love God, but that he loved us and that
he sent his son to be the sacrifice for our sin. We know from reading
the scripture that it pleased the Pharisees to bruise him,
right? It pleased the Romans to bruise him and crush him.
The Pharisees hated him and it pleased them to see him die such
a horrible death. Crushed, beaten, whipped, lacerated. They hated him so. But it wasn't
what wicked men did at Calvary that day that's our hope. It's
what God was doing. You see, it pleased the Lord
to lay on him our sin. It pleased the Lord to wound
him and bruise him because of our sin that was reckoned to
him. Most people have never considered
that it pleased God to punish the sin of God's people in the
Lord Jesus Christ. And with sin, and when sin was
found on Christ, being imputed to him, he suffered the holy
wrath of God due our sin. The scripture said, Peter writes
about it, who his own self bear our sin and his own body on the
tree. Now, why does he suffer so upon
Calvary's tree? Why? Because God is holy. Where sin is found, God's wrath
must fall. Exodus 33 says, he will by no
means clear the guilty. The Lord Jesus Christ was made
guilty for our sin. Ezekiel said, the soul that sinneth,
it shall die. He never personally committed
any sin, but if you read Psalm 40, he said, he called our sin
his own. laid upon him. The wages of sin
is death. God the Father not only permitted
Christ to suffer like no other as our substitute, as our sin
offering, but he planned the cross, purposed the cross, presided
over the cross, and participated in afflicting God's dear son. Again, I repeat, it wasn't what
men did, it's what God was doing. The sword of his justice was
plunged into the heart of the Lord Jesus Christ as he stands
there guilty for our sin. Jeremiah writes about it. Is
it nothing to you all you that pass by behold and see if there
be any sorrow like unto my sorrow which is done to me with what
the Lord has afflicted me in the day of his fierce anger lamentation
1 verse 12. Look at verse 10 again. When
thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin. We can read it this
way, when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin or the
guiltiness of our sin. That's the reason he dies. He
dies because our sin was made his and because sin was found
on him, he became guilty before God. That's why he suffers. Peter writes about it again.
He said, the Lord Jesus Christ once suffered for our sins for
the unjust that he might bring us unto God, when thou shalt
make his soul an offering for sin. Paul writes about it this
way in 2 Corinthians 5, God made him to be sin for us. Who did
that? Men couldn't do that. God made
him to be sin for us. The Lord laid on him the iniquity
of us all, all of his elect. Christ suffered once for our
sins to just for the unjust that he might bring us unto God. God
made him to be sin for us who knew no sin that we might be
made the righteousness of God in him. He made complete perfect
atonement for all the sin of God's covenant people. Now, hear
me clearly. The Lord Jesus Christ did not
die for all of the sins of all men everywhere without exception.
That's not so. Scripture does not teach that.
Are you sure? Preacher, are you sure? Look
at verse 8. For the transgression of my people was he stricken. Call his name Jesus, he shall
save his people from their sin. I had on the radio broadcast
this morning, I asked this question, is there anybody in hell for
whom the Lord Jesus Christ died? Absolutely not. His death was
effectual. All those for whom he died, they
are justified by his blood and they shall never, never perish. The Lord Jesus Christ made complete
atonement for the sin of his people. He appeared once in the
end of the age to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself.
This is a total act of God. Man has no part No part in it
in the accomplishment of salvation. This is God's lamb. John said,
behold this lamb. What does he do? He takes away
the sin of God's people in this world. Now I want to seriously
and carefully consider the fruit in these next verses. We have
the fruit of his atonement. Thou shalt make his soul an offering
for sin. How thorough and how complete
is the blood atonement of Christ? God says in Hebrews 10, 17, their
iniquity, their sin, and their iniquity will I remember no more. They're gone. As far as the east
is from the west, they're cast behind the back of God into the
depths of the sea. They're gone. He made full and
complete atonement for the sin of his people. Notice, he shall,
not maybe, but shall without fail. The last part of verse
10. He shall see his seed. He shall prolong his day. The pleasure of the Lord shall
prosper in his hand. None can stay in his hand or
say unto him, Lord God, What doest thou prosper? I love that
word prosper, don't you? The pleasure of the Lord shall
prosper in his hand. Christ shall see his seed. You remember he said, all that
the father hath given to me, they will come to me, and those
that come to me, I will in no wise cast out. The Lord Jesus
Christ shall see his people. How does he see them? Washed,
justified, and made clean by the blood atonement of Christ.
The blood of Jesus Christ, God's Son, cleanses us from all our
sins. He sees them justified by His
blood. By the one offering, he perfected
forever them that are sanctified. He shall see them made new creatures
in Christ. He sees them complete in Christ. For in him dwells all the fullness
of a Godhead bodily, and in Christ we stand complete. He sees them
perfectly conformed to the image of the Lord Jesus Christ. That's
what predestination is all about. That's not an ugly word, that's
a Bible word that God uses to say that their people, his people,
are predetermined to be just like the Lord Jesus Christ, conformed
to his image. He shall see his people, how
does he see them? Justified, sanctified, cleansed
in the Lord Jesus Christ. Secondly, he shall prolong, notice
shall, not maybe, not could be, not might, he shall prolong his
days. The Lord Jesus Christ, although
he died, he ever lives to intercede for us. He said in John 14, because
I live, you shall live also. I love the scripture in Revelation
118. It's a revelation of the Lord
Jesus Christ. He said, I'm he that liveth and
was dead. Behold, I'm alive forevermore. I have the keys of hell and of
death. Knowing that Christ being raised
from the dead dieth no more, death hath no more dominion over
him, not over him, or us in him." Remember what the Lord said to
Martha when Lazarus had died and the Lord said, He'll be raised
again, or she said, he'll be raised again. And the Lord said
unto her, let me read it to you in John chapter 11. Don't turn,
let me just read it to you. In John chapter 11. The Lord said, thy brother shall
rise again. And Martha said unto him, I know
that he shall rise again in the resurrection in the last day.
And the Lord said to her, I am the resurrection and the life.
He that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live,
and whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Do you believe that? I do. He gives us what kind of life?
Eternal life. and they shall never, never perish. So he shall prolong his days
and hours in him. We have eternal life in him. Here's the third thing. The pleasure
of the Lord shall prosper, shall prosper in his hand or shall
be profitable. The death of the Lord Jesus Christ
is not a defeat. It's not a downfall. It's a most
glorious achievement and an accomplishment. The line of the tribe of Judah
hath prevailed. The pleasure of the Lord shall
prosper in his hand. The Lord Jesus Christ cannot
fail in his mission to accomplish God's redemptive purpose. You remember we read in Luke
chapter two, the Lord's first recorded words, when he was manifested
in the flesh, he said, I must be about my father's business,
remember? And then he prayed in John 17,
I thank the old father, Lord of heaven and earth, I finished
the work you gave me to do. And then when he died upon Calvary's
tree, what did he say? It is finished. Salvation accomplished. The pleasure
of the Lord shall prosper in his hand. The hand of the Lord,
that's a mighty hand. That's the arm of the Lord and
that's to whom the gospel and how the gospel is revealed. Never
think of the death of the Lord Jesus Christ as a defeat. It's
a victory, total and complete. Complete victory over sin, he
put it away. Complete victory over Satan,
crushed his dominion and power. Complete victory over death,
he ever lives. Complete victory over the grave,
delivered for our offenses, raised again because he justified us. Thanks be to God who's given
us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. The whole book
of the Revelation, The revelation is the revelation of Jesus Christ
and it's a revelation of the Lamb upon the throne who is victorious
over all enemies. That's the whole book. That's
the whole theme of the book and really the whole theme of the
Bible. The Lord Jesus Christ is victorious. Here's the fourth
thing I see in verse 11 Isaiah 53 verse 11. He shall see of the travail of his soul and
shall be satisfied. Now, if there's any word that
describes the salvation that the Lord Jesus Christ has accomplished
for us, it's this word, satisfied. The law of God that we've offended
and have broken, the law of God is satisfied. The Lord Jesus
Christ, the justice of God that we stand guilty before, the law
of God is satisfied in the death of the Lord Jesus Christ. He
shall be satisfied. I love this word of promise. He, the Son of God, our glorious
substitute, our great sin offering, our divine Savior, the one who
died in our room and in our stead, he shall be satisfied. Notice the word shall without
doubt, without the possibility of hindrance without the possibility
of failure. Be what? Satisfied. Fully, completely,
eternally satisfied. He's satisfied with the terms
of redemption purchased purpose to him as the surety of the covenant
before the world was made. You remember he was a lamb slain
before the foundation of the world. He is satisfied with his
purchased He purchased us with his own blood. He's satisfied
with his church. He loved the church and gave
himself for it. He's satisfied with the ransom
price that he paid. Remember God said deliver them
from going down to the pit. I have found a ransom. He's satisfied
with us in him. He redeemed us. We have complete,
effectual redemption, salvation accomplished by the Lord Jesus
Christ. Satisfied. God the Father speaks
from heaven not once but twice. And this is his message. This
is my beloved son in whom I am well pleased. You hear what he's
saying there? Satisfied. Satisfied. Now listen to me carefully. Believers are satisfied with
all that Christ has done for us. But really, in reality, that's
not the most important issue. The most important issue is that
God Almighty is satisfied with the Lord Jesus Christ. This is
God's lamb, purpose, plan, predestinated to accomplish all God's purpose
in our salvation. God is satisfied. Here's the
fifth thing. Christ shall justify many. You
see that in verse 11. He shall see of the travail of
his soul and shall be satisfied by his knowledge shall my righteous
servant Justify many, for he shall bear their iniquities. Now notice he's the righteous
servant of the Lord. In Isaiah 42, the first time
the word elect is given, In Isaiah 42, 1, behold my servant whom
I uphold, my elect, and whom my soul delighteth. I put my
spirit upon him. He shall bring forth judgment
to the Gentile. And it says in Isaiah 42, verse
4, he shall not fail. He shall not be defeated, shall
not be discouraged, till he's accomplished all God's purpose. And he did, completely, fully. He shall bear their sin. He shall justify, notice, He
shall justify many. for he shall bear their iniquities."
Now, if he bears our iniquities and justifies us, there is therefore
now in the Lord Jesus Christ, what? No condemnation to those
who were in Christ Jesus. Who shall lay anything to the
charge of God's elect? It is God who justify. Who is
he that condemneth? It is Christ who died. They rather
is risen again, who is even the right hand of God, who also makes
intercession for us. By his knowledge shall my righteous
servant justify many, for he shall bear their iniquities. Now who are these many? All those
given to him in that eternal covenant of grace. As it says
down in the last part of verse 8, for the transgression of my
people was he stricken. He bared the sin of those many
given to him in that covenant of grace, as many as were ordained
to eternal life. He's bringing, as the captain
of our salvation, he's bringing many sons unto glory. That's for whom he died, justified
by his blood, for he shall bear their iniquity. Now, if he bears
our iniquities in his own body on the tree and puts them away,
forever before God. You know what that means? That
means we don't bear them. That means he put them away.
That means salvation is done, it's over, complete, perfect
in him. Now one more verse, verse 12.
He shall divide, therefore will I divide him a portion, a portion with the great and he shall divide
the spoil with the strong, because he had poured out his soul into
death, because he was numbered with transgressors, because he
bared the sin of many, many, his elect, his covenant children,
and he made intercession for them." Where is the Lord Jesus
Christ right now? seated on the throne of glory
when he by himself purged our sin. He sat down on the right
hand of the throne of almighty God. He shall, he will divide
a great portion to his people. His people are his portion. Therefore Christ, therefore Christ
shall inherit many, the many given to him. Listen to scripture.
Deuteronomy 32, the Lord's portion is his people. Jacob is a lot
of his inheritance. The Lord's portion given to him
is the elect of God. The elect of God. He shall divide
the spoil of the strong. The Lord Jesus Christ has defeated
all principalities and powers. He destroyed Satan. made a complete
conquest over all our enemies. He went forth conquering and
to conquer it says in Revelation chapter 6. Now let me close by giving you
this. The last part of verse 12, because
The Lord Jesus Christ, the God-man mediator, he poured out his soul
unto death. Remember when they came to arrest
him? He said, no man takes my life from me. I have power to
lay it down. I have power to take it again.
This commandment have I received of my father. He poured out his
soul unto death for us because he loved us. He loved us and
gave himself for us. He poured out his soul unto death Secondly, because he was numbered
with transgressors. He died between those two thieves,
right? He saved one of them, but the
Lord Jesus Christ was numbered the transgressor as our sin counted
as a transgressor because our sin was made to meet upon him
we call that substitution we call that satisfaction he bear
the sin of many those many given to him and a covenant of grace
and then he ever lives he makes intercession for us as our mediator
do you need a mediator do you think you can go it on your own
You can't. You need an advocate. We have
an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ, the righteous.
We have a mediator with God. One God, one mediator. Who is
that? The Lord Jesus Christ. He's able to save them to the
uttermost that come to God by him, seeing he ever liveth to
make intercession for us. He makes intercession for, look
what it says, for sinners. Preacher, you mean you're a sinner?
Absolutely. Born that way, in this flesh
dwelleth no good thing. When we talk about being sanctified,
it's not the flesh. that sanctified. This flesh is
flesh. That which is born of the flesh
is flesh. That which is sanctified is that
new man created in Christ Jesus. That new man, if any man be in
Christ, he's a new creature. All things are passed away, behold,
all things have become new. He ever lived to intercede for
transgressors. The Lord Jesus Christ died for
who? The ungodly. He didn't come to
call the righteous, he came to call sinners to repentance. This is a faithful saying and
worthy of all acceptation. The Lord Jesus Christ came to
save sinners. Now, if I could find a sinner,
I've got good news for him. The Lord Jesus Christ died for
sinners. He's made intercession for transgressors. Paul said, I'm the chief one. Oh, wretched man that I am, Romans
7. Oh, wretched man that I am, who
shall deliver me from this body of death? I thank God through
Jesus Christ our Lord.