“But He was wounded for our transgressions…” (Isa 53:5a)
We have seen that the great, final ‘son of David’ is none other than God Himself, the Creator of all, come into the human scene, into the Story we Share, in our own likeness.
Born as a Child of a virgin girl, within the nation He had set his grace upon but who were in an oppressed condition once more. They named Him Jesus as directed, a name that embodies and declares the gracious purpose of His coming – God who saves.
Last week we saw how this Jesus the Son of God lived and taught among them, drawing attention to His purpose of grace to deliver a people from sin’s reality and consequences. A teaching illustrated and underpinned by His miraculous deeds which also vindicated His claim to be the Promised Seed, the Royal Seed.
This week we come to the seemingly tragic death of Jesus, and yet one in which we unashamedly glory in – even to the point of calling the Friday of His death “Good Friday” – not ‘black Friday.’
The reason is not hard to see why, for if you step forward a further 3 days which we will do next Lord’s Day you see that His death was followed by a death-defeating resurrection – which brought with it the promise of that resurrection life to all who believe in Him, now in the our spiritual nature and in the final day in the body as well.
But it is not hard to see why it is good also against the backdrop of the OT teaching about sin and salvation, forgiveness and the Promised Seed who will bring it.
Jesus died a physically gruesome death, but more significantly, He faced God’s anger. That anger was not for Christ’s own sins; He had none. Instead, God punished Christ for the sins of those He would save.
Here is the heart of the Story we Share: ‘It tells us about God Himself: a God who sacrifices Himself in death out of love for His enemies … a God who Himself bore our likeness, experienced our creatureliness, and carried our sins so that He might provide pardon and reconciliation’ (Gordon Fee).