Come Back, Come Home – Isaiah 54:6

Growing with God: A daily devotional with Tonia Slimm.

Isaiah 54:6 (NIV)

“The Lord will call you back as if you were a wife deserted and distressed in spirit—a wife who married young, only to be rejected,” says your God.”

Isaiah 54:6 (MSG)

“You were like an abandoned wife, devastated with grief, and God welcomed you back, like a woman married young and then left,” says your God.”

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“For the Lord has called you, like a wife who has been abandoned, grieved in spirit, and like a wife [married] in her youth when she is [later] rejected and scorned,” Says your God.” -AMPLIFIED

“When Israel returns to her husband, she will no longer bear the shame of her separation. In love God will forgive her and take her back to himself.” ~Bridgeway Bible Commentary 

In yesterday’s text, we found God telling Israel to forget the shame of her younger days. He did not want her to be embarrassed by her past, focusing on it and getting stuck. He wanted her to remember that He was her Husband, Her Kinsman-Redeemer, the Commander of the Army of angels that stood around her, Her God. Isaiah records this Message for Israel from God:

“Do not fear, for your shame is no more. Do not be embarrassed, for you will not be disgraced.
    You will forget the inadequacy you felt in your youth and will no longer remember the shame of your widowhood. For your Maker is your husband; his name is Yahweh, Commander of Angel Armies!
    Your Kinsman-Redeemer is the Holy One of Israel! He has the title Mighty God of All the Earth!” -Isaiah 54:4-5 (The Passion Translation)

This Message continues in today’s passage, where we find God inviting Israel to come back, to come “home”. Such a sweet comforting word, home.

Note: Definition of home – a place where one lives permanently, a place of origin, a place where one is loved and accepted. Home should be a place of safety, contentment, and peace; where one is accepted and loved.

“For the Eternal has called you to come back home, like a young wife, once deserted and deeply injured. Now God is pulling you close again. Like a spouse forgives, He will take you back and be reconciled. The Eternal, your Redeemer, says this:” -(VOICE)

 Yahweh, Adonai–Tzva’ot, God Almighty, appeals to Israel, His Bride, to come back, come home. He implores her to forget, not just her past, but also her grief. He tenderly, speaking words of love, draws her back to Himself. We will find in tomorrow’s passage God saying this:

“For one brief moment I left you; with deep love I will take you back. I turned away angry for only a moment, but I will show you my love forever.” -Isaiah 54:7-8 (GNT)

“For the Lord has called you back from your grief—a young wife abandoned by her husband.” -(TLB)

“The Lord called His people back to Himself, even though they had been unfaithful to Him. He would transform their attitude from that of an abandoned and brokenhearted wife, because her sins had separated her from her God, to that of a new bride whose relationship with her husband was unstained.” ~Thomas Constable

I remind you of something that David wrote in Psalms 30:5 that is applicable to this situation:

“His anger lasts only a moment. His favor lasts a lifetime. Weeping may last for the night, but there is a song of joy in the morning.” -(NOG)

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“His wrath, you see, is fleeting, but His grace lasts a lifetime. The deepest pains may linger through the night, but joy greets the soul with the smile of morning.” -(VOICE)

Jesus, speaking to the people, implored those who were weary, tired, discouraged, and burned out to come to Him, and He would give them rest. Jesus said:

“Come to me, all of you who are tired and have heavy loads, and I will give you rest. Accept my teachings and learn from me, because I am gentle and humble in spirit, and you will find rest for your lives. The burden that I ask you to accept is easy; the load I give you to carry is light.” -Matthew 11:28-30 (NCV)

God’s intention was never to destroy or break Israel. His intention was to teach them to trust Him, to turn them away from sin, and to humble them, so that would love Him, and be content to be at “home” with Him. God made this promise to Solomon:

“If I close up the heavens and their rain and send any of the disasters you described—drought, locusts, pestilence—to ravish the land and people;  and My people (who are known by My name) humbly pray, follow My commandments, and abandon any actions or thoughts that might lead to further sinning, then I shall hear their prayers from My house in heaven, I shall forgive their sins, and I shall save their land from the disasters.” -2 Chronicles 7:13-14 (VOICE)

“God doesn’t want something from us, He simply wants us.” ~C.S. Lewis

The Bible tells us that this world is not our home. In fact, we are just pilgrims passing through, journeying to our true home, which is in Heaven. Paul, writing to the Philippians, reminded them of this:

“But our homeland is in heaven, and we are waiting for our Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, to come from heaven. He will change our humble bodies and make them like his own glorious body. Christ can do this by his power. With that power he is able to rule all things.” -Philippians 3:20-21 (ICB)

Let us remember this promise that Jesus gave to His disciples and followers:

“Don’t get lost in despair; believe in God, and keep on believing in Me. My Father’s home is designed to accommodate all of you. If there were not room for everyone, I would have told you that. I am going to make arrangements for your arrival. I will be there to greet you personally and welcome you home, where we will be together. You know where I am going and how to get there.” -John 14:1-4 (VOICE)

“My home is in Heaven. I’m just traveling through this world.” ~Billy Graham

My friend, this world is not our home, Heaven is. We are just passing through this place, and we need to keep our focus on getting home. Israel became distracted by the things of this world. Let us not fall into that same trap. Keep your eyes on the goal. Press on towards your high calling. Our Heavenly Father is calling us home.

“Poor rejected one, has the world cast thee off? Do its sinful pleasures pall upon thee now? Listen: “The Lord hath called thee.” Thou art divorced from the world that thou mayest be forever united to him.” ~Charles Spurgeon

My Prayer:

Adonai–Tzva’ot, God Almighty, please help me to keep my eyes on the goal of Heaven, my eternal home. I do not want to lose sight of what truly matters, spending an eternity with you. I thank you for that love that has never given up on me. I thank you for making the way for me to have a personal relationship with the Creator of the Universe. I am so blessed to be counted as your child, to know that I have a home with you forever. You are so good to me, Lord.

Forget Your Shame – Isaiah 54:4-5

Growing with God: A daily devotional with Tonia Slimm.

Isaiah 54:4-5 (NIV)

“Do not be afraid; you will not be put to shame. Do not fear disgrace; you will not be humiliated. You will forget the shame of your youth and remember no more the reproach of your widowhood. For your Maker is your husband—the Lord Almighty is his name—the Holy One of Israel is your Redeemer; he is called the God of all the earth.”

Isaiah 54:4-5 (MSG)

“Don’t be afraid—you’re not going to be embarrassed. Don’t hold back—you’re not going to come up short. You’ll forget all about the humiliations of your youth, and the indignities of being a widow will fade from memory. For your Maker is your bridegroom, his name, God-of-the-Angel-Armies! Your Redeemer is The Holy of Israel, known as God of the whole earth.”

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“Do not fear, for you will not be put to shame, and do not feel humiliated or ashamed, for you will not be disgraced. For you will forget the shame of your youth, and you will no longer remember the disgrace of your widowhood. For your husband is your Maker, the Lord of hosts is His name; and your Redeemer is the Holy One of Israel, who is called the God of the whole earth.” -AMPLIFIED

“And will not remember the reproach of your widowhood anymore: Just as God compared the disgrace of Israel to the shame of barrenness, now He compares their humiliation to the reproach of widowhood. Here, the LORD promises rescue from Israel’s shame.” ~David Guzik

Yesterday, we found God telling Israel, through Isaiah, to prepare themselves to be blessed. God was going to do increase their numbers greatly.

“Increase is coming, so enlarge your tent and add extensions to your dwelling.
    Hold nothing back! Make the tent ropes longer and the pegs stronger. You will increase and spread out in every direction. Your sons and daughters will conquer nations and revitalize desolate cities.” -Isaiah 54:2-3 (The Passion Translation)

In today’s passage, we find God telling Israel to forget the shame of her younger days. He encourages her to stop being afraid and embarrassed of her past sins, because He had forgiven her. Adonai–Tzva’ot, God Almighty, says to Israel:

“Don’t be afraid, for there is no one to shame you. Don’t fear humiliation, for there is no one to disgrace you. The shame of your younger years and the sorrow of your widowhood are over. You’ll forget those days as if they never happened. Because the One who made you will be your husband; the One called Commander of heavenly armies will set you right again, the Holy One of Israel. It’s not for nothing that He is called “God of all the earth.” -(VOICE)

We find God speaking tenderly to Israel, words of encouragement and hope, not reproach or in anger. God quietly and gently whispers to her:

“Don’t be afraid, your shame is no more. Don’t be embarrassed by your past, it is forgiven. No longer do you need to feel rejected and disgraced, for I have pardoned you of your sinful past. Forget how inadequate you felt as a youth, and the shame of your widowhood, remember it no more. For I am your Husband, I am your Kinsman Redeemer, I am THE Holy One, I am your God.”

“Fear not; you will no longer live in shame. The shame of your youth and the sorrows of widowhood will be remembered no more, for your Creator will be your “husband.” The Lord Almighty is his name; he is your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel, the God of all the earth.” -(TLB)

“Shame…disgrace…humiliated represent three synonymous Hebrew verbs sharing the fundamental idea of disappointed hopes, the embarrassment of expecting – even publicly announcing – one thing and then reaping another.” ~J. Alec Motyer

Too often we focus on our past, our sin, on how disappointed God must be in us, just as Israel was doing. But God insisted that He had forgiven them. He did not want them to focus on their past, but on their present and their future.

In the New Testament, we find John, in his first epistle reminding us that God forgives. John wrote:

“If we [freely] admit that we have sinned and confess our sins, He is faithful and just [true to His own nature and promises], and will forgive our sins and cleanse us continually from all unrighteousness [our wrongdoing, everything not in conformity with His will and purpose].” -1 John 1:9 (AMP)

Paul told the church in Rome:

“Therefore, now no condemnation awaits those who are living in Jesus the Anointed, the Liberating King, because when you live in the Anointed One, Jesus, a new law takes effect. The law of the Spirit of life breathes into you and liberates you from the law of sin and death.” -Romans 8:1-2 (VOICE)

A few chapters over, Paul wrote:

“Scripture says, “Whoever believes in him will not be ashamed.” -Romans 10:11 (NOG)

Even in the book of Isaiah, we are reminded that disgrace and shame will be a thing of the past. For God’s people will enjoy a double portion of joy. Isaiah wrote:

“You will be known as the ones specially chosen by the Eternal as priests; people will speak of you as ministers of our God. And the wealth of nations will come to you for your delight and enrichment.
Many called you disgraced and defiled and said that shame should be your share of things.
    Yet you suffered doubly and lived in disgrace; so double will be your share, and with joy everlasting.” -Isaiah 61:6-7 (VOICE)

“Oh, what a blessing that is! This is a wide-spread mercy: “The God of the whole earth shall he be called.” My soul, come and hide beneath the shadow of these earth-covering wings, for there is room for thee beneath their welcome shelter; and, once there, thou shalt not be banished from that sacred spot, for it is written, “Him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.” “Thy Maker is thine husband,” united to thee in eternal wedlock; therefore, be of good comfort.” ~Charles Spurgeon

My friend, we need to stop focusing on our past sins and failures. Ask the Lord for forgiveness, and trust that He has covered that sin with the blood of Jesus. Forget your shame, and disgrace, and focus on today and the future. God wants to give us a double portion of His everlasting joy, joy unspeakable and full of glory. Accept His gift of joy and give Him thanks.

“The time will come when God’s redeemed will all come home again. They shall come with singing to Jerusalem, filled with joy and everlasting gladness; sorrow and mourning will all disappear.” ~Isaiah (Isaiah 51:11 VOICE)

My Prayer:

Adonai–Tzva’ot, God Almighty, I thank you for being my Kinsman Redeemer. You have paid the price for my sin. I have humbled myself before you, and asked forgiveness. Now, I ask, help me to not be focused on my past failures, they have been erased. Help me to focus on you, and your goodness. And Lord, when the Enemy tries to dredge up all those past sins, help me to call him out, reminding him and me that all those sins have been forgiven. I no longer need to be ashamed of the past. Fill me with your joy. Thank you, dear Lord.

Prepare to be Blessed – Isaiah 54:2-3

Growing with God: A daily devotional with Tonia Slimm.

Isaiah 54:2-3 (NIV)

“Enlarge the place of your tent, stretch your tent curtains wide, do not hold back; lengthen your cords, strengthen your stakes. For you will spread out to the right and to the left; your descendants will dispossess nations and settle in their desolate cities.”

Isaiah 54:2-3 (MSG)

“Clear lots of ground for your tents! Make your tents large. Spread out! Think big! Use plenty of rope, drive the tent pegs deep. You’re going to need lots of elbow room for your growing family. You’re going to take over whole nations; you’re going to resettle abandoned cities.”

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“Enlarge the site of your tent [to make room for more children]; stretch out the curtains of your dwellings, do not spare them; lengthen your tent ropes and make your pegs (stakes) firm [in the ground]. For you will spread out to the right and to the left; and your descendants will take possession of nations and will inhabit deserted cities.” -AMPLIFIED

“Enlarge the place of your tent: The curse and shame of barrenness would be so completely broken, and Israel would be so fruitful, that they would have to expand their living space. This would be of particular comfort to the returning Babylonian exiles, who felt themselves small in number and weak. This promise would strengthen them.” ~David Guzik

In yesterday’s passage, we found Isaiah likening Israel to a barren woman. He instructs Israel to sing and rejoice, for God was going to bless her. God was going to take away her barrenness.

“Rejoice with singing, you barren one! You who have never given birth, burst into a song of joy and shout, you who have never been in labor! For the deserted wife will have more children than the married one,” says Yahweh.” -Isaiah 54:1 (The Passion Translation)

In today’s passage, we find this line of thought continuing. God’s Message to Israel, through Isaiah, is to prepare themselves to receive the blessing that He is about to pour out upon them.

“Enlarge your house. You are going to need a bigger place; don’t underestimate the amount of room that you’ll need. So build, build, build. You will increase in every direction to fill the world. Your offspring will take over the nations; your people will revitalize long-abandoned towns.” -(VOICE)

Remember, this Message is coming to a nation who has been in captivity for a long time. They had endured loss, but God is preparing them for restoration and blessing.

God, through, Isaiah tells Israel to: “Get ready! Prepare yourselves for what I am about to do! Blessings beyond your wildest dreams!”

“Women were responsible to erect and maintain the family tents in the ancient Near East, so it was appropriate for the Lord to call this formerly barren woman to enlarge her tent. She should prepare for a larger family with urgency and exuberance. The figure is an old one reaching back into the patriarchal period of Israel’s history and the wilderness wanderings. Most Israelites did not live in tents in Isaiah’s day. This type of living recalls, therefore, the Lord’s faithfulness to the patriarchs in fulfilling His promises to them, and to the Israelites, in bringing them into the Promised Land.” ~Thomas Constable

God tells Israel that once they return home they should enlarge their houses, add additions, and be sure to spread out. The Voice Translation brings it across well: “…don’t underestimate the amount of room that you’ll need. So build, build, build.” What God is about to do for Israel would be amazing, and He wanted her to be prepared to receive this blessing.

The number of God’s people were about to increase greatly. Let us not forget the promise God had made to Abraham back in Genesis:

“Eternal One: Abram, get up and go! Leave your country. Leave your relatives and your father’s home, and travel to the land I will show you. Don’t worry—I will guide you there. I have plans to make a great people from your descendants. And I am going to put a special blessing on you and cause your reputation to grow so that you will become a blessing and example to others. I will also bless those who bless you and further you in your journey, and I’ll trip up those who try to trip you along the way. Through your descendants, all of the families of the earth will find their blessing in you.” -Genesis 12:1-3 (VOICE)

God was going to not only restore Israel, but His blessing would be upon them once again.

“Enlarge your house; build on additions; spread out your home! For you will soon be bursting at the seams! And your descendants will possess the cities left behind during the exile and rule the nations that took their lands.” -(TLB)

“Make ready for God’s blessing, you who are pining and groaning for greater things than these; God is about to bless you. Enlarge your tents; lengthen the cords, and strengthen the stakes; prepare for the coming blessing, for you are to have better and brighter days than you have ever yet known. Therefore be no more sad, but look forward with joyful anticipation to the good things in store for you.” ~Charles Spurgeon

Jesus, talking to the crowds that followed Him, reminded them of the need to be obedient to the Word of God. Jesus told them that those who obeyed God’s Word, would be blessed:

“Those who hear the teaching of God and obey it—they are the ones who are truly blessed.” ~Luke 11:28 (ICB)

Moses also stressed the need for obedience in order to receive God’s blessings. Take note to what Moses said to Israel:

“If you listen closely to the voice of the Eternal your God and carefully obey all the commands I’m giving you today, He’ll lift you up high above every other nation on earth. All of the following blessings will be yours—in fact, they’ll chase after you—if you’ll listen to what He tells you. You’ll be blessed in the city and blessed in the fields. You’ll be blessed with children and crops and cattle. Your herds will multiply, and your flocks will increase. Your basket will be blessed; it will be full at harvest time, and your kneading bowl will be blessed; you’ll always have plenty of bread. You’ll be blessed when you go out of your home
        and blessed when you return to your home.” -Deuteronomy 28:1-6 (VOICE)

“Amplius” means broader, fuller, wider. That is God’s perpetual word to us in relation to filling of the Holy Spirit. We can never have enough to satisfy His yearning desire. When we have apprehended most, there are always unexpected supplies in store ready to be drawn upon.” ~ F.B. Meyer

My friend, what should we be taking away from today’s passage? First, God desires to bless us. Second, we must be obedient to the teachings of the Lord in order to receive said blessings. Third, be prepared to be blessed beyond what you expect when it comes to God’s blessings.

 We should therefore learn that the only good we have is what the Lord has given us gratuitously; that the only good we do is what He does in us; that it is not that we do nothing ourselves, but that we act only when we have been acted upon, in other words under the direction and influence of the Holy Spirit.“ ~John Calvin

My Prayer:

Adonai–Tzva’ot, God Almighty, you are the Bless-er. You who blow my mind on a daily basis with the blessings that you pour into my life. And I am so blessed to be counted among your children. I am blessed to call you my Savior and my Lord. I am reminded that all good things come from you, and that it is your desire to bless, and to bless abundantly. Help me to be prepared to receive your great blessings. In turn, help me to use those blessings to bless others, for I know that is what pleases you. Help me to generously mimic you, Lord. Let my life be a blessing to you and to others as well.

The Once Barren Woman – Isaiah 54:1

Growing with God: A daily devotional with Tonia Slimm.

Isaiah 54:1 (NIV)

“Sing, barren woman, you who never bore a child; burst into song, shout for joy, you who were never in labor; because more are the children of the desolate woman than of her who has a husband,”
says the Lord.”

Isaiah 54:1 (MSG)

“Sing, barren woman, who has never had a baby. Fill the air with song, you who’ve never experienced childbirth! You’re ending up with far more children than all those childbearing women.” God says so!”

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“Shout for joy, O barren one, she who has not given birth; break forth into joyful shouting and rejoice, she who has not gone into labor [with child]! For the [spiritual] sons of the desolate one will be more numerous than the sons of the married woman,” says the Lord.” -AMPLFIED

“Israel is likened to the wife of Yahweh. Her exile in Babylon was like a period of divorce when God separated her from him because of her sins. During this time she did not increase or prosper as a nation. She is now to return to God and to her homeland, where she will produce greater increase than in the days before the captivity. As an Arab has to enlarge his tent to accommodate more children, so Israel will have to enlarge its borders to accommodate this increase.” ~Bridgeway Bible Commentary

Yesterday we finished studying chapter 53 of Isaiah, which focused on the Suffering Servant and His obedience, even unto death on the cross. Isaiah tells Israel that the Messiah will be their sin bearer.

“So I, Yahweh, will assign him a portion among a great multitude, and he will triumph
    and divide the spoils of victory with his mighty ones—all because he poured out his life-blood to death. He was counted among the worst of sinners, yet he carried sin’s burden for many
    and intercedes for those who are rebels.” -Isaiah 53:12 (The Passion Translation)

In today’s passage, the focus turns back to Israel. We find Isaiah, in this chapter, likening Israel to a barren, or childless, woman. In the culture of that day woman who were childless were looked down upon, often shamed and disgraced, for they could not produce an offspring for their husband. Often barrenness was also looked upon as a curse; possibly the woman had done something that had offended God, and He was punishing her.

Isaiah delivers this Message to Israel from the Lord:

“Eternal One: Sing, childless woman, you who have never given birth. Raise a joyful shout, you who have never gone through labor. You, whose husband is dead, will bring forth much more than the fertile one who has a husband.” -(VOICE)

Adonai–Tzva’ot, God Almighty, Message to His people through His prophet Isaiah expresses the tender love that He still has for His unfaithful wife. Yahweh declares to Israel this promise:

“The sons of the desolate one will be more numerous than the sons of the married woman.” -(NASB)

God never gave up on His beloved, Israel, and He never will. He instructs them to rejoice, sing for joy, shout loudly, for He will do something amazing for them, He will bless them with an abundance of children. (We will learn more of this tomorrow.)

“Sing, O childless woman! Break out into loud and joyful song, Jerusalem, for she who was abandoned has more blessings* now than she whose husband stayed!” -(TLB)

“In ancient Israel, the barren woman carried an enormous load of shame and disgrace. Here, the LORD likens captive Israel to a barren woman who can now sing – because now more are the children of the desolate than the children of the married woman. The Babylonian exile and captivity meant more than oppression for Israel; it meant shame, disgrace, and humiliation. God promises a glorious release from not only the exile and captivity, but also from the shame, disgrace, and humiliation.” ~David Guzik

The Apostle Paul makes reference to this verse in his letter to the Galatians. There we find Paul writing about the children of God’s promise:

“That is what Isaiah meant when he prophesied, “Now you can rejoice, O childless woman; you can shout with joy though you never before had a child. For I am going to give you many children—more children than the slave-wife has.” You and I, dear brothers, are the children that God promised, just as Isaac was.” -Galatians 4:27-28 (TLB)

“However many blessings we expect from God, His infinite liberality will always exceed all our wishes and our thoughts.” ~John Calvin

John the Beloved, wrote of a time in the future, where he calls the church the Bride of Christ. John tells us that all things will be new. John writes:

“And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, arrayed like a bride adorned for her husband; and then I heard a loud voice from the throne, saying, “See! The tabernacle of God is among men, and He will live among them, and they will be His people, and God Himself will be with them [as their God,] and He will wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there will no longer be death; there will no longer be sorrow and anguish, or crying, or pain; for the former order of things has passed away.” And He who sits on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” Also He said, “Write, for these words are faithful and true [they are accurate, incorruptible, and trustworthy].” -Revelation 21:2-5 (AMP)

Tomorrow we will find God instructing the barren woman to enlarge her tents, to get ready, for He is about to bless her beyond her wildest dreams.

“Enlarge your house; build on additions; spread out your home! For you will soon be bursting at the seams! And your descendants will possess the cities left behind during the exile and rule the nations that took their lands.” -Isaiah 54:2-3 (TLB)

“In this Western clime, we do not know all the misery which was felt by Eastern women who were childless; they were looked down upon and despised; yet here God bids them sing. And, dear friends, if you and I feel as if our hearts have become barren, so that we cannot think of God or raise our thoughts towards him as we would desire; if we feel that we have become useless, and for that reason our spirit is greatly depressed, let us give heed to this sweet, this charming exhortation of Jehovah: “Sing, O barren soul; break forth into singing, and cry aloud;” for God can turn our barrenness into fruitfulness, and make us to rejoice exceedingly before him. If we are now sighing and crying because we are not what we ought to be, or what we want to be, God can, in the richness of his grace, make us all that we desire. Therefore let us begin to be joyful even before the miracle of mercy is wrought; let us have unbounded faith in God, and expect him to bless us, even while we are in our lowest state.” ~Charles Spurgeon

My friend, God’s desire is to bless us. His tender love and mercy towards us do not changed, even when we sin. He still loves us with an everlasting love, and always will. Put aside everything that distracts you from focusing on your Lord, and sing for joy, for He is great things in store for you. Trust Him.

“Have you heard God’s blessing in your inmost being? Are the words, ‘You are my beloved child, in whom I delight’ an endless source of joy and strength? Have you sensed, through the Holy Spirit, God speaking to you? That blessing- the blessing through the Spirit that is ours through Christ- is what Jacob received and it is the only remedy against idolatry. Only that blessing makes idols unnecessary. As with Jacob, we usually discover this only after a life of ‘looking for blessings in all the wrong places.’ It often takes an experience of crippling weakness for us to finally discover it. That is why so many of the most God-blessed people limp as they dance for joy.” ~Tim Keller

My Prayer:

Adonai–Tzva’ot, God Almighty, thank you for breaking the stigma of barrenness. You bring life to the barren ones. You have promised blessings through your Holy Spirit. You have called me Beloved, and promised that your tender love and mercies will never run out. I am so amazed by the deep, deep love that you have for me, Lord. Help me to remember how strong that love truly is. Remind me to keep my focus on you, the Lover of my soul, and to not let my gaze wander to the things of this world. Your love is enough. Thank you, dear, dear One, I sing for joy over the goodness that you have shown me. I love you, Lord. ❤

Love was Obedient Unto Death-Isaiah 53:12

Growing with God: A daily devotional with Tonia Slimm.

Isaiah 53:12 (NIV)

“Therefore I will give him a portion among the great, and he will divide the spoils with the strong,
because he poured out his life unto death, and was numbered with the transgressors. For he bore the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.”

Isaiah 53:12 (MSG)

“Therefore I’ll reward him extravagantly—the best of everything, the highest honors—Because he looked death in the face and didn’t flinch, because he embraced the company of the lowest. He took on his own shoulders the sin of the many, he took up the cause of all the black sheep.”

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“Therefore, I will divide and give Him a portion with the great [kings and rulers], and He shall divide the spoils with the mighty, because He [willingly] poured out His life to death, and was counted among the transgressors; yet He Himself bore and took away the sin of many, and interceded [with the Father] for the transgressors.” -AMPLIFIED

“The sufferer becomes the conqueror and receives a conqueror’s reward. Because he willingly took the place of sinners and prayed for their forgiveness, he is now exalted to the highest place.” ~Bridgeway Bible Commentary

Yesterday, we found Isaiah prophesying that the Suffering Servant would have no regrets when it came to sacrificing His life for our sins. Isaiah tells us:

“After the great anguish of his soul, he will see light and be fully satisfied. By knowing him, the righteous one, my servant will make many to be righteous, because he, their sin-bearer, carried away their sins.” -Isaiah 53:11 (The Passion Translation)

“He bore the sin of many: Over and over again, the prophet emphasizes the point. The Servant of the LORD, the Messiah, suffers on behalf of and in the place of guilty sinners.” ~David Guzik

In today’s passage, Isaiah tells us that once the work of the Messiah was completed, He would be rewarded for His obedience to the Father.

“Because he exposed his very self—laid bare his soul to the vicious grasping of death—And was counted among the worst, I will count him among the best. I will allot this one, My servant, a share in all that is of any value, because he took on himself the sin of many and acted on behalf of those who broke My law.” -(VOICE)

Isaiah begins this passage with the word, “therefore“, which means, “consequently“, or “for this reason“. Because the Suffering Servant would be obedient, even unto the cross, Adonai–Tzva’ot, God Almighty, would honor and reward Him. Because the Suffering Servant would hold nothing back, laying Himself down as the sacrificial lamb, offering Himself as the propitiation (appeasement or satisfaction, specifically towards God) for our sin:

“Yahweh, will assign him a portion among a great multitude, and he will triumph and divide the spoils of victory with his mighty ones—all because he poured out his life-blood to death.” -(TPT)

Isaiah tells us that the Suffering Servant would be counted among the transgressors, not because He had ever sinned, but because obediently, lovingly, and willingly took upon Himself the sins of the whole world. Such love! Such amazing, wonderous love He had for each of us.

“Therefore, I will give him the honors of one who is mighty and great because he has poured out his soul unto death. He was counted as a sinner, and he bore the sins of many, and he pled with God for sinners.” -(TLB)

“In the end, the sufferings and humiliation of Jesus only bring Him more glory and majesty! “I do see that out of this dunghill of sin Christ has brought this diamond of his glory by our salvation. If there had been no sinners, there could not have been a Savior. If no sin, no pouring out of the soul unto death; and if no pouring out of the soul unto death, no dividing a portion with the great. If there had been no guilt, there had been no act of expiation. In the wondrous act of expiation by our great Substitute, the Godhead is more gloriously revealed than in all the creations and providences of the divine power and wisdom.” ~Charles Spurgeon

Paul, writing to the church in Rome, explained how the sin of one man, Adam, resulted in death for all men. But the obedience of another, Jesus, resulted in ” justification and life for all people” (NIV). Paul wrote:

“Yes, Adam’s sin brought punishment to all, but Christ’s righteousness makes men right with God, so that they can live. Adam caused many to be sinners because he disobeyed God, and Christ caused many to be made acceptable to God because he obeyed.” -Romans 5:18-19 (TLB)

“By the cross we know the gravity of sin and the greatness of God’s love toward us.” ~John Chrysostom

Paul, writing to the Philippian church, was encouraging them to think of themselves humbly. He used Jesus as his example, and proceeded to give them, and us, the perfect example of what humility looked like. Paul wrote:

“Think of yourselves the way Christ Jesus thought of himself. He had equal status with God but didn’t think so much of himself that he had to cling to the advantages of that status no matter what. Not at all. When the time came, he set aside the privileges of deity and took on the status of a slave, became human! Having become human, he stayed human. It was an incredibly humbling process. He didn’t claim special privileges. Instead, he lived a selfless, obedient life and then died a selfless, obedient death—and the worst kind of death at that—a crucifixion. Because of that obedience, God lifted him high and honored him far beyond anyone or anything, ever, so that all created beings in heaven and on earth—even those long ago dead and buried—will bow in worship before this Jesus Christ, and call out in praise that he is the Master of all, to the glorious honor of God the Father.” -Philippians 2:5-11 (MSG)

Because of His obedience, Christ will be exalted, worshiped, and declared Lord over all, which will bring glory and honor to the Father. Hallelujah! This selfless act of Jesus, willing to give freely His own life to pay for our sins, is the ultimate demonstration of God’s love to us. May we never forget this:

“For God so [greatly] loved and dearly prized the world, that He [even] gave His [One and] only begotten Son, so that whoever believes and trusts in Him [as Savior] shall not perish, but have eternal life.” -John 3:16 (AMP)

“Think of the purest, most all-consuming love you can imagine. Now multiply that love by an infinite amount-that is the measure of God’s love for you.” ~Dieter F. Uchtdorf

My friend, may we never forget how deep the love of the Father runs for us. If He willingly sent His precious Son to die for our sins, in order to reconcile us to Him, we should never doubt His love.

“God’s unfailing love for us is an objective fact affirmed over and over in the Scriptures. It is true whether we believe it or not. Our doubts do not destroy God’s love, nor does our faith create it. It originates in the very nature of God, who is love, and it flows to us through our union with His beloved Son.” ~Jerry Bridges

My Prayer:

Adonai–Tzva’ot, God Almighty, you took the initiative, your love made the first move, and because of that, I will forever be in your debt. You loved me so much, that you sent your Son to die for me. His obedience, even unto death, overwhelms my mind. I have never experienced love quite like yours. I want to tell you how grateful I am, but words cannot express exactly how I feel. I am humbled. I feel so loved. I will be forever grateful. I was lost, but now I am found. I feel freed from a burden that I could no longer bear. Thank you, Lord for your willingness to pay the price for my sin. I will be forever thankful for all that you have done for me. Lord, I love you. ❤

He Had No Regrets – Isaiah 53:11

Growing with God: A daily devotional with Tonia Slimm.

Isaiah 53:11 (NIV)

“After he has suffered, he will see the light of life and be satisfied; by his knowledge my righteous servant will justify many, and he will bear their iniquities.”

Isaiah 53:11 (MSG)

“Out of that terrible travail of soul, he’ll see that it’s worth it and be glad he did it. Through what he experienced, my righteous one, my servant, will make many “righteous ones,” as he himself carries the burden of their sins.”

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“As a result of the anguish of His soul, He shall see it and be satisfied; by His knowledge [of what He has accomplished] the Righteous One, My Servant, shall justify the many [making them righteous—upright before God, in right standing with Him], for He shall bear [the responsibility for] their sins.” -AMPLIFIED

“The servant is satisfied when he sees the fruits of his suffering, namely, a multitude of spiritual children who are forgiven their sins and accounted righteous before God because of his death.” ~Bridgeway Bible Commentary

In yesterday’s passage, we were reminded that our Sovereign, Omniscient God knew from before time that He would have to send His Son, Jesus, to die for man-kind’s sin, for only He would be the prefect sacrifice. Isaiah prophesied these words approximately 700 years before Jesus:

“Even though it pleased Yahweh to crush him with grief, he will be restored to favor.
    After his soul becomes a guilt-offering, he will gaze upon his many offspring and prolong his days.
And through him, Yahweh’s deepest desires will be fully accomplished.” -Isaiah 53:10 (The Passion Translation)

In today’s text, Isaiah prophecies that the Servant will have no regrets once the sacrifice has been made. The price of our sin will be satisfied, paid in full.

“As a result of the trials and troubles that wrack his soul, God’s servant will see light and be content because He knows, really understands, what it’s about; as God says, “My just servant will justify countless others by taking on their punishment and bearing it away.” -(VOICE)

Isaiah tells us that the Servant will suffer greatly, this is not the first time that he has stressed this fact. But we are told that through His suffering and death, He will find satisfaction. How can this be? Because the Servant realized that He was doing exactly what the Father desired. He was satisfying the imputation or charge, the cost for our sin. He was the perfect sacrifice and by dying for us, He justified us in God’s sight.

Isaiah tells us that this sacrifice that the Servant will make will affect countless people, not just the Israelites. His willingness to step up and be the Sin-Bearer will make many righteous. His sacrifice would be for all nations.

“And when he sees all that is accomplished by the anguish of his soul, he shall be satisfied; and because of what he has experienced, my righteous Servant shall make many to be counted righteous before God, for he shall bear all their sins.” -(TLB)

“The Messiah will look upon His work – with full view of the travail of His soul – and in the end, He shall be satisfied. The Messiah will have no regrets. Every bit of the suffering and agony was worth it and brought about a satisfactory result.” ~David Guzik

Even before Jesus had begun His ministry proper, we find John the Baptist declaring this Message to those who had come to Him to be baptized:

“Here he is, God’s Passover Lamb! He forgives the sins of the world! This is the man I’ve been talking about, ‘the One who comes after me but is really ahead of me.’ I knew nothing about who he was—only this: that my task has been to get Israel ready to recognize him as the God-Revealer. That is why I came here baptizing with water, giving you a good bath and scrubbing sins from your life so you can get a fresh start with God.” -John 1:29B-31 (MSG)

 The “taking away” of sin was accomplishment by the death of Jesus, our Lord and Savior. Paul, writing to the church in Rome, basically told them that only the perfect sacrifice of the Son could satisfy the requirements and demands made by the Law, necessary for our sin. Paul wrote:

“God went for the jugular when he sent his own Son. He didn’t deal with the problem as something remote and unimportant. In his Son, Jesus, he personally took on the human condition, entered the disordered mess of struggling humanity in order to set it right once and for all. The law code, weakened as it always was by fractured human nature, could never have done that. The law always ended up being used as a Band-Aid on sin instead of a deep healing of it. And now what the law code asked for but we couldn’t deliver is accomplished as we, instead of redoubling our own efforts, simply embrace what the Spirit is doing in us.” -Romans 8:3-4 (MSG)

Once again, we are reminded that it was a labor of love that moved the Servant to step up and take our place. This truth should give us a new perspective on life, for God made Him who knew no sin to become sin for our sakes. And in the end, Jesus had no regrets. He did it all for our sake because He loves us. Paul wrote this to the Corinthians:

“You see, the controlling force in our lives is the love of the Anointed One. And our confession is this: One died for all; therefore, all have died. He died for us so that we will all live, not for ourselves, but for Him who died and rose from the dead. Because of all that God has done, we now have a new perspective. We used to show regard for people based on worldly standards and interests. No longer. We used to think of the Anointed the same way. No longer. Therefore, if anyone is united with the Anointed One, that person is a new creation. The old life is gone—and see—a new life has begun! All of this is a gift from our Creator God, who has pursued us and brought us into a restored and healthy relationship with Him through the Anointed. And He has given us the same mission, the ministry of reconciliation, to bring others back to Him. It is central to our good news that God was in the Anointed making things right between Himself and the world. This means He does not hold their sins against them. But it also means He charges us to proclaim the message that heals and restores our broken relationships with God and each other. So we are now representatives of the Anointed One, the Liberating King; God has given us a charge to carry through our lives—urging all people on behalf of the Anointed to become reconciled to the Creator God. He orchestrated this: the Anointed One, who had never experienced sin, became sin for us so that in Him we might embody the very righteousness of God.” -2 Corinthians 5:14-21 (VOICE)

“God’s unconditional love is a very difficult concept for people to accept because, in the world, there’s always payment for everything we receive. It’s just how things work here. But God is not like people!” ~Joyce Meyer

My friend, Jesus gave His life for our sin. He took our place, the perfect sacrifice. He took upon Himself our sin; remember, He was sinless, but became sin for our sakes. And guess what, He had no regrets. His love for us was so great, that He was willing to do whatever it took to reconcile our relationship with the Father. That is truly a labor of love.

“We never have to worry about if we’re loved by God or not. He has proven His love for us on the cross of Jesus Christ. Take a moment to think about this amazing truth. The Father sent His only Son, His sinless Son, His perfect Son, and His obedient Son to the cross. There was nothing that Jesus wouldn’t do for His Father and there was nothing His Father wouldn’t do for Him.” ~Fritz Chery

My Prayer:

Adonai–Tzva’ot, God Almighty, I am so blessed by your incredible, amazing love. That you would send your Son to die for my sin. He paid the price for my mess-ups. Jesus, I am so overwhelmed by your labor of love, and the fact that you had no regrets. You were the willing Servant. You knew what was required, and still, you stepped out in love to pay the price for my sins, that I could not pay. I am indeed loved greatly by you. Thank you, my Savior and my Lord. You did for me what I could not do for myself. I love you, Lord.

Foreordained, God’s Plan – Isaiah 53:10

Growing with God: A daily devotional with Tonia Slimm.

Isaiah 53:10 (NIV)

“Yet it was the Lord’s will to crush him and cause him to suffer, and though the Lord makes his life an offering for sin, he will see his offspring and prolong his days, and the will of the Lord will prosper in his hand.”

Isaiah 53:10 (MSG)

“Still, it’s what God had in mind all along, to crush him with pain. The plan was that he give himself as an offering for sin so that he’d see life come from it—life, life, and more life. And God’s plan will deeply prosper through him.”

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“Yet the Lord was willing to crush Him, causing Him to suffer; if He would give Himself as a guilt offering [an atonement for sin], He shall see His [spiritual] offspring, He shall prolong His days, and the will (good pleasure) of the Lord shall succeed and prosper in His hand.” -AMPLIFIED

“It is hard to understand why God would crush His innocent Servant. But it is in His suffering for sin that God deals decisively with sin and its harmful effects.” ~VOICE footnote

In yesterday’s text, Isaiah told us that the Suffering Servant would be sinless but treated as a criminal. Isaiah prophesied:

“They gave him a grave among criminals, but he ended up instead in a rich man’s tomb, although he had done no violence nor spoken deceitfully.” -Isaiah 53:9 (The Passion Translation)

Isaiah tells us, in today’s passage, that God had a plan. And we will learn that God’s perfect plan was in place before time even began.

“And through him, Yahweh’s deepest desires will be fully accomplished.” -(TPT)

“Yet the Eternal One planned to crush him all along, to bring him to grief, this innocent servant of God.
When he puts his life in sin’s dark place, in the pit of wrongdoing, this servant of God will see his children and have his days prolonged. For in His servant’s hand, the Eternal’s deepest desire will come to pass and flourish.” -(VOICE)

Isaiah emphatically tells us that the Suffering Servant was foreordained. God had a plan in place, for He knew that man would need saving. God Almighty, who is Sovereign, knew His Son would have to suffer, and even die, as the spotless lamb, to pay for the sins of man. Peter supports this statement in his first epistle, when he wrote these words:

“For you know that you were not redeemed from your useless [spiritually unproductive] way of life inherited [by tradition] from your forefathers with perishable things like silver and gold,  but [you were actually purchased] with precious blood, like that of a [sacrificial] lamb unblemished and spotless, the priceless blood of Christ. For He was foreordained (foreknown) before the foundation of the world, but has appeared [publicly] in these last times for your sake and through Him you believe [confidently] in God [the heavenly Father], who raised Him from the dead and gave Him glory, so that your faith and hope are [centered and rest] in God.” -1 Peter 1:18-21 (AMP)

So, God made the life of Jesus a penalty offering. Jesus dies, without children, but we find Isaiah telling us that He will see His descendants. How could this be? Because the offspring of Jesus would be His spiritual children, His heirs.

Let us notice too, Isaiah tells us that though the Suffering Servant would die, His days would be prolonged. How is that possible? Isaiah alludes to the resurrection of Christ.

And let us not forget something that Isaiah prophesied earlier in the book:

“There shall be no end to the increase of His government and of peace,
[He shall rule] on the throne of David and over his kingdom,
To establish it and to uphold it with justice and righteousness
From that time forward and forevermore.
The zeal of the Lord of hosts will accomplish this.” -Isaiah 9:7 (AMP)

“But it was the Lord’s good plan to bruise him and fill him with grief. However, when his soul has been made an offering for sin, then he shall have a multitude of children, many heirs. He shall live again, and God’s program shall prosper in his hands.” -(TLB)

“Consider the glory of the salvation He purchased for you on the cross. The Father was pleased, not that His Son suffered, but that His sacrifice accomplished eternal salvation. God’s justice was satisfied and believing sinners can be justified.” ~Warren W. Weirsbe

Paul, writing to the Romans, explains it this way:

“But God has a way to make people right with him without the law, and he has now shown us that way which the law and the prophets told us about. God makes people right with himself through their faith in Jesus Christ. This is true for all who believe in Christ, because all people are the same: Everyone has sinned and fallen short of God’s glorious standard, and all need to be made right with God by his grace, which is a free gift. They need to be made free from sin through Jesus Christ. God sent him to die in our place to take away our sins. We receive forgiveness through faith in the blood of Jesus’ death. This showed that God always does what is right and fair, as in the past when he was patient and did not punish people for their sins. And God gave Jesus to show today that he does what is right. God did this so he could judge rightly and so he could make right any person who has faith in Jesus.” -Romans 3:21-26 (NCV)

Again, we turn to Paul’s writings, and we learn that God took the initiative in reconciling and restoring. Paul wrote:

“It was God [personally present] in Christ, reconciling and restoring the world to favor with Himself, not counting up and holding against [men] their trespasses [but cancelling them], and committing to us the message of reconciliation (of the restoration to favor).” -2 Corinthians 5:19 (AMPC)

Let us remember the key verse of the Gospel:
“For God loved the world so much that he gave his only Son. God gave his Son so that whoever believes in him may not be lost, but have eternal life.” -John 3:16 (ICB)

“The death, the burial, the offering of the Messiah does not end the story. He lives on! He lives to see His seed, His spiritual descendants. He shall prolong His days, and not be under the curse of death. And the life He lives after His death and burial is glorious; His life shall be lived prospering in the pleasure of the LORD.” ~David Guzik

My friend, let us reflect on the fact that God always had a plan. His plan, from the very beginning, was to send His Son, Jesus, to die for our sins. This was not plan B, C, or D, it was the one and only plan. The Sovereign Lord knew, from the start, that man would need restoring and reconciling. He knew that His Son would have to die for sinful man, and He was still willing to create us and carry through with His plan. That, my friend, is how much our God truly loves us.

“Saving us is the greatest and most concrete demonstration of God’s love, the definitive display of His grace throughout time and eternity.” ~David Jeremiah

My Prayer:

Adonai–Tzva’ot, God Almighty, the fact that you are sovereign, seeing all things, knowing all things, is heartening. You knew my need of a Savior, even before I was, and you already had a plan in place. I will be forever grateful to you for planning for my rescue, and restoration to you. How amazing and deep is your love, demonstrated through the sacrifice of your Son, for my sake. Thank you, dear Jesus, for being the willing sacrifice, paying for my sins. I am humbled by all that you have done for me. May my life be an example, for others, of your great love, and your ability to restore lives. Lord, I am so blessed. I love you, and I am looking forward to spending an eternity with you. ❤

Sinless, But Treated as a Criminal – Isaiah 53:9

Growing with God: A daily devotional with Tonia Slimm.

Isaiah 53:9 (NIV)

“He was assigned a grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death, though he had done no violence, nor was any deceit in his mouth.”

Isaiah 53:9 (MSG)

“They buried him with the wicked, threw him in a grave with a rich man, even though he’d never hurt a soul or said one word that wasn’t true.”

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“His grave was assigned with the wicked, but He was with a rich man in His death, because He had done no violence, nor was there any deceit in His mouth.” -AMPLIFIED

“The line because He had done no violence, nor was any deceit in His mouth is important. It shows that even in His death, even in His taking the transgressions of God’s people, the Messiah never sinned. He remained the Holy One, despite all the pain and suffering. As a recognition of that, He was buried with the rich at His death, and would indeed be resurrected.” ~David Guzik

In yesterday’s text, we saw that the Suffering Servant would endure much for our sake. Isaiah wrote:

“By coercion and with a perversion of justice he was taken away. And who could have imagined his future? He was cut down in the prime of life; for the rebellion of his own people,
    he was struck down in their place.” -Isaiah 53:8 (The Passion Translation)

Today’s passage continues along this same line. We see Isaiah predicting that Jesus, the Suffering Servant, would be treated as a criminal. Isaiah tells us:

“And when he was dead, he was buried with the disgraced in borrowed space (among the rich), even though he did no wrong by word or deed.” -(VOICE)

Isaiah prophecies of how the Messiah, the Savior of the world would be received and treated. We see that the Messiah would be treated no better than a criminal. The very person that Israel had been expectantly waiting for to come and set them free, they would not recognize when He did arrive, and they would treat Him poorly. (How very sad.)

Isaiah stresses that the Suffering Servant had done nothing wrong. He was sinless. Even when it came to speaking no evil against those who were mistreating Him.

“He was buried like a criminal, but in a rich man’s grave; but he had done no wrong and had never spoken an evil word.” -(TLB)

 “Those who hate him leave him to die in disgrace like a criminal, but those who love him give him an honourable burial. They know he has done no wrong.” ~Bridgeway Bible Commentary

Jesus suffered horribly; the Gospels give us evidence of the atrocities He endured. Yet, even as He suffered, He did not sin. Take a look at what Luke wrote about the suffering Jesus endured and how He treated those around Him, even as He suffered:

“When they got to the place called Skull Hill, they crucified him, along with the criminals, one on his right, the other on his left. Jesus prayed, “Father, forgive them; they don’t know what they’re doing.” Dividing up his clothes, they threw dice for them. The people stood there staring at Jesus, and the ringleaders made faces, taunting, “He saved others. Let’s see him save himself! The Messiah of God—ha! The Chosen—ha!” The soldiers also came up and poked fun at him, making a game of it. They toasted him with sour wine: “So you’re King of the Jews! Save yourself!” Printed over him was a sign: this is the king of the jews. One of the criminals hanging alongside cursed him: “Some Messiah you are! Save yourself! Save us!” But the other one made him shut up: “Have you no fear of God? You’re getting the same as him. We deserve this, but not him—he did nothing to deserve this.” Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you enter your kingdom.” He said, “Don’t worry, I will. Today you will join me in paradise.” By now it was noon. The whole earth became dark, the darkness lasting three hours—a total blackout. The Temple curtain split right down the middle. Jesus called loudly, “Father, I place my life in your hands!” Then he breathed his last.” -Luke 23:33-46 (MSG)

“The cross is the greatest example of humility and devotion in the universe. Jesus put your needs ahead of His own. He considered you more valuable than Himself.” ~Chip Ingram

Scripture tells us that Jesus was innocent of all sin. The writer of Hebrews gives us two verifications of this fact:

1.) “But Jesus the Son of God is our great High Priest who has gone to heaven itself to help us; therefore let us never stop trusting him. This High Priest of ours understands our weaknesses since he had the same temptations we do, though he never once gave way to them and sinned. So let us come boldly to the very throne of God and stay there to receive his mercy and to find grace to help us in our times of need.” -Hebrews 4:14-16 (TLB)

2.) “It is only fitting that we should have a High Priest who is devoted to God, blameless, pure, compassionate toward but separate from sinners, and exalted by God to the highest place of honor. Unlike other high priests, He does not first need to make atonement every day for His own sins, and only then for His people’s, because He already made atonement, reconciling us with God once and forever when He offered Himself as a sacrifice. The law made imperfect men high priests; but after that law was given, God swore an oath that made His perfected Son a high priest for all time.” -Hebrews 7:26-28 (VOICE)

In the first epistle of Peter, we find him writing to the church, who was facing persecution. Peter reminded them that Jesus suffered too. In fact, Peter writes, telling them “why” Jesus suffered, and it was in order to leave us an example to follow when it came to us suffering and needing to endure. Peter wrote:

“This is the kind of life you’ve been invited into, the kind of life Christ lived. He suffered everything that came his way so you would know that it could be done, and also know how to do it, step-by-step. He never did one thing wrong, Not once said anything amiss. They called him every name in the book and he said nothing back. He suffered in silence, content to let God set things right. He used his servant body to carry our sins to the Cross so we could be rid of sin, free to live the right way. His wounds became your healing. You were lost sheep with no idea who you were or where you were going. Now you’re named and kept for good by the Shepherd of your souls.” -1 Peter 2:21-25 (MSG)

“A good friend, who knows whereof he speaks, has observed of trials, ‘If it’s fair, it is not a true trial!’ That is, without the added presence of some inexplicableness and some irony and injustice, the experience may not stretch us or lift us sufficiently. The crucifixion of Christ was clearly the greatest injustice in human history, but the Savior bore up under it with majesty and indescribable valor.” ~Neal A. Maxwell

My friend, think about it, Jesus was sinless, having never done anything wrong. But He took upon Himself the sins of this whole world. He bore the sins of all, from the beginning of time, until the end. Scripture tells us this is so; and He did it gladly, because He loved us so much. Such an amazing, but humbling truth. Take time today to give thanks for the sacrifice that Jesus took for you.

“Salvation comes through a cross and a crucified Christ.” ~Andrew Murray

My Prayer:

Adonai–Tzva’ot, God Almighty, your precious Son, who was sinless, became sin for my sake. He was mistreated, oppressed, and treated as a criminal. He experienced the worst kind of treatment a person could experience, even though He had done absolutely nothing wrong. He was the Messiah, but even His own people did not recognize Him for who He was. And yet, He was willing to do so for me, because He knew the outcome of His sacrifice would pay for my sin. I am so humbled, Lord. Thank you. Jesus, thank you for taking my punishment. Thank you for paying the price for my sin. Help me to follow your perfect example. I am so overwhelmed by your great love for me. I am so loved by you, thank you. ❤

He Endured All for Us – Isaiah 53:8

Growing with God: A daily devotional with Tonia Slimm.

Isaiah 53:8 (NIV)

“By oppression and judgment he was taken away. Yet who of his generation protested? For he was cut off from the land of the living; for the transgression of my people he was punished.”

Isaiah 53:8

“Justice miscarried, and he was led off—and did anyone really know what was happening? He died without a thought for his own welfare, beaten bloody for the sins of my people.”

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“After oppression and judgment He was taken away; and as for His generation [His contemporaries], who [among them] concerned himself with the fact that He was cut off from the land of the living [by His death] for the transgression of my people, to whom the stroke [of death] was due?” -AMPLIFIED

“The servant is treated cruelly, but he bears it silently. Those who judge him show neither mercy nor justice; they just send him off to be killed. His fellow citizens are just as heartless, and show no concern that he suffers death unjustly. Yet he bears all this for the sake of those who are sinners.” ~Bridgeway Bible Commentary 

In yesterday’s passage, we found Isaiah addressing the fact that the Suffering Servant would endure great suffering for the wayward sheep. Isaiah wrote:

“He was oppressed and harshly mistreated; still he humbly submitted, refusing to defend himself.
    He was brought like a gentle lamb to be slaughtered. Like a silent sheep before his shearers,
    he didn’t even open his mouth.” -Isaiah 523:7 (The Passion Translation)

As we look into today’s passage, we will find the Suffering Servant, the innocent Lamb, being judged and condemned, suffering a horrendous death for a crime He did not commit.

“Oppressed and condemned, he was taken away. From this generation, who was there to complain? Who was there to cry “Foul”? He was, after all, cut off from the land of the living, smacked and struck, not on his account, because of how my people (my people!) Disregarded the lines between right and wrong. They snuffed out his life.” -(VOICE)

As Isaiah details for us what will happen to the Suffering Servant, one cannot help but see the correlation between this, and Jesus, and the ordeal that He experienced. Isaiah tells us that, “Due to an unjust ruling he was taken away.” -(CEB) The trial that Jesus had, was rigged, the verdict had already been decided before they had even arrested Him. “He was condemned to death without a fair trial.” -(CEV) Remember, Jesus was given and unfair trial.

Isaiah asks a rhetorical question: “Who shall declare His generation?” -(KJV) To die childless was considered a great tragedy during this time. There would be no one to declare Him to the next generation.

Isaiah goes on to tell us that the Suffering Servant would be, “…cut off out of the land of the living…” -(BRG) Why? Well Isaiah answers this question for us, “He was punished for the sins of my people.” -(ICB)

“From prison and trial they led him away to his death. But who among the people of that day realized it was their sins that he was dying for—that he was suffering their punishment?” -(TLB)

“For He was cut off from the land of the living; for the transgressions of My people He was stricken: This is the first indication in this passage that the suffering Servant of the LORD, the Messiah Himself, would die. Up to this point, we might have thought He would only have been severely beaten. But there is no mistaking the point: He is to be cut off from the land of the living.” ~David Guzik

In the book of John, we find John recording for us one of those times when Jesus was teaching His disciples. This particular time, Jesus was speaking to them about love. He encourages them to abide in His love, and He even alludes to the fact that because of His great love for man, He will pay the price for sin. Jesus says to His disciples:

“I have loved you as the Father has loved Me. Abide in My love. Follow My example in obeying the Father’s commandments and receiving His love. If you obey My commandments, you will stay in My love. I want you to know the delight I experience, to find ultimate satisfaction, which is why I am telling you all of this. My commandment to you is this: love others as I have loved you. There is no greater way to love than to give your life for your friends. You celebrate our friendship if you obey this command. I don’t call you servants any longer; servants don’t know what the master is doing, but I have told you everything the Father has said to Me. I call you friends. You did not choose Me. I chose you, and I orchestrated all of this so that you would be sent out and bear great and perpetual fruit. As you do this, anything you ask the Father in My name will be done. This is My command to you: love one another.” -John 15:9-17 (VOICE)

The Apostle Paul explains to us, in his letter written to the church in Rome, about how God took the initiative, when we were helpless, we could not save ourselves, and He sent Christ, the Suffering Servant, to die for our sins. A demonstration of God’s love for us. Paul wrote:

“While we were still helpless [powerless to provide for our salvation], at the right time Christ died [as a substitute] for the ungodly. Now it is an extraordinary thing for one to willingly give his life even for an upright man, though perhaps for a good man [one who is noble and selfless and worthy] someone might even dare to die. But God clearly shows and proves His own love for us, by the fact that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” -Romans 5:6-8 (AMP)

Let us remember the core of the Gospel, the Good News:

“For God expressed His love for the world in this way: He gave His only Son so that whoever believes in Him will not face everlasting destruction, but will have everlasting life.” -John 3:16 (VOICE)

“If I were to die for any one of you, what would it amount to but that I paid the debt of nature a little sooner than I must ultimately have paid it? For we must all die, sooner or later. But the Christ needed not to die at all, so far as he himself was personally concerned. There was no cause within himself why he should go to the cross to lay down his life. He yielded himself up, a willing sacrifice for our sins.” ~Charles Spurgeon

My friend, Jesus Christ, the Suffering Servant endured it all because of His great love for us; may we never forget that truth. How great is His love for us!

“God proved His love on the Cross. When Christ hung, and bled, and died, it was God saying to the world, “I love you.” ~Billy Graham

My Prayer:

Adonai–Tzva’ot, God Almighty, how amazingly great is your love for me. The fact that you allowed your own Son to endure so much for my sake. He was tormented, beaten, suffered, and died for my sins. He was sinless, but He gave His life for me. Lord, what an incredible demonstration of your love, I am so humbled. Because of what you have done for me, I must declare this love you have to the next generation. Jesus, thank you for being my Savior. I love you so much.

Wayward Sheep – Isaiah 53:6

Growing with God: A daily devotional with Tonia Slimm.

Isaiah 53:6 (NIV)

“We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to our own way;
and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all.”

Isaiah 53:6 (MSG)

“We’re all like sheep who’ve wandered off and gotten lost. We’ve all done our own thing, gone our own way. And God has piled all our sins, everything we’ve done wrong, on him, on him.”

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“All of us like sheep have gone astray, we have turned, each one, to his own way; but the Lord has caused the wickedness of us all [our sin, our injustice, our wrongdoing] to fall on Him [instead of us].” -AMPLIFIED

“All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned, every one, to his own way: Here the prophet describes our need for the Messiah’s atoning work. Sheep are stupid, headstrong animals, and we, like they, have gone astray. We have turned – against God’s way, every one, to his own way. We all have our own way of sin. The constant temptation is to condemn your way of sin, and to justify my way of sin. But each way that is our own way instead of the LORD’s way is a sinful, destructive, damned way.” ~David Guzik

In yesterday’s text Isaiah told us that the Suffering Servant would pay the price for the sins of all mankind.

“But it was because of our rebellious deeds that he was pierced and because of our sins that he was crushed. He endured the punishment that made us completely whole, and in his wounding we found our healing.” -Isaiah 53:5 (The Passion Translation)

In today’s text we are reminded of how much we are like sheep, wayward sheep. It has been estimated that sheep are mentioned in the Bible over 500 times, more than any other animal. There was a reason for that, sheep were important to the Hebrew agricultural life, and also their spiritual worship. We also know that sheep were often used symbolically to refer to God’s people. Why sheep? We will find that we humans have a lot of similarities when it comes to the tendencies of the habits of a sheep.

“Like wayward sheep, we have all wandered astray. Each of us has turned from God’s paths and chosen our own way; even so, Yahweh laid the guilt of our every sin upon him.” ~(The Passion Translation)

“We all have wandered off, like shepherdless sheep, scattered by our aimless striving and endless pursuits; the Eternal One laid on him, this silent sufferer, the sins of us all.” -(VOICE)

Isaiah wants Israel to know, and all those who read his prophecy, that we are exactly like those straying, wandering sheep. We have a tendency to follow the grass, with our heads down low, not paying attention to what was happening around them, or even where we are headed. Because of our obliviousness, we have left the paths that God had intended for us to follow.

Yet, take notice of what God did for us, He laid on the Suffering Servant the iniquities of us all; that would be our sin and our guilt. Remember the scapegoat? The priest would lay his hands on the head of the scapegoat, symbolically placing the sins of Israel on the goat. (See Lev. 16:20-22) In the same way, the sins of the world were placed upon the Savior; except, His sacrifice was permanent. It only needed to be done one time, not once a year, as was the case with the scapegoat.

“We—every one of us—have strayed away like sheep! We, who left God’s paths to follow our own. Yet God laid on him the guilt and sins of every one of us!” -(TLB)

Let there be no doubt in your mind, we were all wayward sheep; every one of us.

The Psalmist of Psalm 119 understood and grasped the fact that he too was a wandering sheep. He tells us that “He has strayed”. Notice, despite all his devotion to God’s Law, he realized that he had wandered away, just like a lost sheep. He understood that he must be brought back by the Heavenly Shepard.

“I have wandered down the wrong path like a lost sheep; come find me, Your servant,
    because I do not forget Your commands.” -Psalm 119:176 (VOICE)

One of God’s Messages, through Jeremiah, was a warning to Israel. Even here, God compares them to lost sheep, wandering away from His protective watch. They chose the mountaintop and hilltop experiences, where they set up shrines to their false gods, over the safety and protection of God. He reminds them that He was always there, and it was in Him they would find their rest. Jeremiah wrote:

“My people have become like lost sheep, and their shepherds have led them astray. They wandered so far from My protection—on mountaintops and hills they lost their way, worshiping false gods, forgetting where I was and where they could find rest.” -Jeremiah 50:6 (VOICE)

Peter tells us this in his first epistle that the wandering sheep will be returned to the Shepherd. Remember, Jesus paid the price for our iniquities, our sins. Peter writes:

“For you were called to this kind of life, as Isaiah said, He did no wrong deed,
    and no evil word came from His mouth. The Anointed One suffered for us and left us His example so that we could follow in His steps. When He was verbally abused, He didn’t return the abuse; when He suffered, He didn’t make threats to cause suffering in return; instead, He trusted that all would be put right by the One who is just when He judges. He took on our sins in His body when He died on the cross so that we, being dead to sin, can live for righteousness. As the Scripture says, “Through His wounds, you were healed.” For there was a time when you were like sheep that wandered from the fold, but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Guardian of your lives.” -1 Peter 2:21-25 (VOICE)

“The only safe place for a sheep is by the side of his shepherd, because the devil does not fear sheep; he just fears the Shepherd.” ~A. W. Tozer

My friend, we all have gone astray, like that wandering sheep. We all have a tendency toward sin and rebellion, we were born with it. But this should not be an excuse. The Good Shepherd is calling our names, reminding us that He will give us protection, and rest. Listen to the voice of the Shepherd and stay close to His side. He will never lead you wrong.

I Was A Wandering Sheep Hymn

“I WAS a wandering sheep, I did not love the fold, I did not love my Shepherd’s voice, I would not be controlled. I was a wayward child, I did not love my home, I did not love my Father’s voice, I loved afar to roam. The Shepherd sought His sheep, The Father sought His child, He followed me o’er vale and hill, O’er deserts waste and wild; He found me nigh to death, Famished, and faint, and lone; He bound me with the chains of love, He saved the wandering one. Jesus my Shepherd is, ‘Twas He that loved my soul, ‘Twas He that washed me in His blood, ‘Twas He that made me whole; ‘Twas He that sought the lost, That found the wandering sheep; ‘Twas He that brought me to the flock, ‘Tis He that still doth keep. No more a wandering sheep, I love to be controlled; I love my tender Shepherd’s voice, I love the peaceful fold: No more a wayward child, I seek no more to roam; I love my heavenly Father’s voice; I love, I love His home.” ~Horatius Bonar

My Prayer:

Adonai–Tzva’ot, God Almighty, I realize that I too have a tendency to be a wandering sheep. Too often my head is low to the ground, and I am following the next grass blade within sight. There have been times that I have wandered off the path that you have set me on, I messed up, Lord. In your grace and mercy though, you have redirected me. I am so thankful that you never give up on your wandering sheep. But in your great love, you persistently chase after them because you love each of them so much. Lord, I thank you for being my faithful Good Shepherd. I am so blessed to be counted as one of your sheep.