Thursday, March 17, 2005
Isaiah 53:9 And they made His grave with the wicked -- But with the rich at His death, Because He had done no violence, Nor was any deceit in His mouth.
OUR SACRIFICE TO DEATH
During His passion, Jesus was treated worse than the common criminal. He was crucified along the road that led to and from Jerusalem so that those who were traveling on the road could see what would happen to those who disobeyed the laws of the Roman government. People walked by and saw Jesus as a wicked man, a criminal or a murderer. But God did not allow His Son to be thrown into a common grave with the common criminals. No, it was His will that Jesus be buried with the rich at His death.
The Gospels tell us how this verse was fulfilled by two men who were part of the Jewish Council, Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus - men who, before this time, had tried to hide their relationship with Jesus. After Jesus' death they came for Jesus' body, burying it in Joseph's own tomb of stone and not in the grave of a common or wicked man. He was wrapped with linen and spices to preserve the body.
Why did this happen to Jesus in His death? Isaiah says, "Because He had done no violence, Nor was any deceit in His mouth." Pilate condemned Jesus to death even though he had no evidence to prove that He was worthy of death. Instead of releasing an innocent man, Pilate gave in to the political pressures of the Chief Priests and Jewish leaders. Once again we are reminded that Christ was innocent of all crimes leveled against Him, but that He suffered and endured it all because of our sins. He had done no violence like Barabbas, whose place He took. He had told no lies like the Jewish leaders who had brought Him to Pilate. An innocent man was sentenced to death.
So why do we focus so much attention on the life and death of a man who lived so long ago? Because of His innocent death; because He was our sacrifice to death; because through Christ's death we have become the sons and heirs of God. That is why Jesus' death is so important. Through His innocent death He has given eternal life to all those who believe in Him!
Because through His death Jesus has destroyed the death grip that sin and the Devil had on us. By His death, He has paid the ransom price for our freedom. Isaiah says, "For the transgressions of My people He was stricken." He was delivered to death for the sins of the people. The people of Abraham's day, the people of Isaiah's day, the people of Jesus' day and the people of our day as well. Doubt it not, Isaiah and all of Scripture assures us of the certainty of our salvation through faith in Jesus' sacrifice! 