March 31, 2021
by Henry Covert
Tuesday in Holy Week, March 30 Isaiah 53:7-12
7 He was oppressed, and he was afflicted,
yet he opened not his mouth;
like a lamb that is led to the slaughter,
and like a sheep that before its shearers is silent,
so he opened not his mouth.
8 By oppression and judgment he was taken away;
and as for his generation, who considered
that he was cut off out of the land of the living,
stricken for the transgression of my people?
9 And they made his grave with the wicked
and with a rich man in his death,
although he had done no violence,
and there was no deceit in his mouth.
10 Yet it was the will of the Lord to crush him;
he has put him to grief;
when his soul makes an offering for guilt,
he shall see his offspring; he shall prolong his days;
the will of the Lord shall prosper in his hand.
11 Out of the anguish of his soul he shall see and be satisfied;
by his knowledge shall the righteous one, my servant,
make many to be accounted righteous,
and he shall bear their iniquities.
12 Therefore I will divide him a portion with the many,
and he shall divide the spoil with the strong,
because he poured out his soul to death
and was numbered with the transgressors;
yet he bore the sin of many,
and makes intercession for the transgressors.
Jesus died on the cross for the sin of the world. The people had been waiting for God to send his Messiah. They were waiting in expectation of their coming King. Yet, when he came, they rejected him. He did not appear as the King they expected. They despised him, crying, “Crucify him, crucify him!” (John 19:6).
Standing in judgment before Pontius Pilate, Jesus did not open his mouth. He did not defend himself. He was innocent.
It was our sin that nailed him to the cross. He willingly accepted the punishment that we deserve. He suffered for all sinners that we might have peace with God.
We expected a King, but Jesus came as a humble servant. And it is to this humble servant that we come when we recognize our need for our Savior. We come to Jesus, humble Jesus, servant Jesus, whose arms are opened wide waiting to embrace us.
And Jesus is indeed our King. Seated at the right hand of God, far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the age to come (Ephesians 1:21).
This is Christ our King. He humbled himself before man, and God exalted him at his right hand as Lord and Savior, to give repentance and forgiveness of sins (Acts 5:31).
Lord Jesus, I am humbled by your mercy. Thank you for the cross. Thank you for bearing the burden of my transgressions and my iniquity that I may have peace with God. You are the humble King. Help me to lay down my life before you and be your humble servant. You are my King! Now and forever.
Amen!
...
Keep Reading