The Captivation of Our Creator’s Compassion

“Yet it was the LORD’S will to crush him and cause him to suffer, and though the LORD makes his life a guilt offering, he will see his offspring and prolong his days, and the will of the LORD will prosper in his hand.”
Isaiah 53:10

The past few blog postings have focused on assorted verses in the book of Isaiah. And what has probably become apparent in reviewing the Scriptural account of Isaiah is that God was so repulsed by the spiritual philandering of His covenantal people, Israel, that He blasted them with reprimand-laced words. But there is another prominent theme that resounds in this biblical narrative. Beyond the rebuke of Israel's unfaithful fellowship, there is an equally, if not overshadowing, attempt to restore the Hebrew nation back into right standing with God. To put it another way, there are phrases that emphasize the shame of man conveyed throughout Isaiah, and there are phrases that accentuate the splendor of God. And one such way that the splendor of God is articulated is by foreshadowing the work and will of Jesus Christ in Isaiah 52:13-53:12, a text that triumphantly trumpets the forgiveness of God. 

Forgiveness is an easy concept to comprehend for humanity, but oh so difficult to practice. We are inclined to retain the memories of the emotional wounds that others inflict upon us, and do not easily relinquish them. And so we develop, or maintain, grudges and burn relational bridges in cold-hearted fashion. A few years ago I faced a personal crisis that centered on forgiving a pastor, and friend. I won’t spell out all the exhaustive details, but the gist of the matter was that a minister I once worked alongside jettisoned me from his staff with unfounded cause. Furthermore, he handled my dismissal in a fashion that was contrary to the biblical tenets of resolving conflict. Months went by and I could not escape feelings of anger and bitterness associated with the person, as well as the event. It caused me profound pain, and I was struggling to let it go. 

Shortly thereafter, I had lunch with my wife and mother one day, and I relayed all the internal turmoil I was sensing. I recall my Mom stated firmly, in love, that I needed to find a way to release the agony and forgive the pastor. If Christ had forgiven me for my numerous transgressions how could I ever be justified in not forgiving the missteps of another? That night I decided to write a letter to the minister. In the process of developing it I found myself unloading the burden and blame that I had been shackled to for all those months. I admitted there were mistakes committed by both parties, but the ultimate takeaway in the dispatch was that though we no longer worked together we were still brothers in Christ - and the pastor would always be my brother. Upon finishing the letter I realized that by forming words of compassion and putting them on paper I had forgiven the minister, and I was unfastened from the torment of anger and bitterness that had bound me up for far too long.           

When you consider the overall tenor and arc of Isaiah it is incredible to grasp the depth of God’s compassion. The actions of the Israelites were replete with spiritual adultery, corruption, idolatry, greed, and placation to pagan nations. In virtually every way imaginable the people called by God had abandoned a relationship with the Lord. But God loved Israel, and humanity for that matter, too much to let them stay in a state of eternal despair and doom. So He set forth a singular plan of redemption involving His one and only begotten Son, Jesus. And this plan was previewed in Isaiah 52-53, in a passage often referred to as “The Suffering Servant”. The imagery is candid and evocative, as it outlines the degree to which Christ would have to endure anguish in order rescue mankind. 

Isaiah 53:10 states that it was the Lord’s will to crush Jesus to make Him a guilt offering for the world. And what a spiritual legacy Jesus would leave behind, in that His pain would provide the solitary way for humanity’s eternal prosperity. But the consideration that God would institute salvation solely through Jesus at the cost of Christ’s misery and mortification is a humbling thought. Jesus donned the human form and was tortured, mocked, and murdered for our sake. He did not fight back. He did not turn away from His course. He embraced the cross so that we could embrace consecration. 

Jesus’ sorrow paved the road to our salvation. His blood brought about an eternal blessing. His flogging directed us to God’s forgiveness for the sum of our transgressions. Christ’s death led to our deliverance, and His resurrection led to our redemption. Only a majestic, merciful God could orchestrate, and carry out, such a divine plan. The atonement made possible in Christ welcomes believers into the family of God. It was the will of God to crush Jesus so that mankind could be carried into heaven (through Jesus’ atonement). And thus we find that the captivation of our Creator’s compassion continues to astound. To Christ (Son), and our Creator (Father), and our Counselor (Holy Spirit), be the glory forever and ever.