… by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.
Summary: We conclude our meditation on this passage with a look at the cross. More than a blood sacrifice, balancing the scales of justice required pain and humiliation as well.
Finally, we come to the cross.
Because creation had been corrupted by sin, God determined to uncorrupt his creation. Just as he had created all things through Jesus (Colossians 1:16), all things would be reconciled through him (Colossians 1:20).
The key to making peace is the blood of Jesus. Unlike the blood of the lambs who were slaughtered at the first Passover, Jesus’ blood would not be taken as painlessly as possible. Instead, the lifeblood of Jesus would be extracted as painfully as possible.
Why?
The answer to that question lies with God, himself. Many books have been written, and countless sermons have been given on the topic. Speaking through the prophet Isaiah, God explains:
“Surely he took up our pain and bore our suffering, yet we considered him punished by God, stricken by him and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed. 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 53:4-6)
Our God is pure and untainted by sin. To reconcile a sinful creation to himself, perfect justice requires that a perfect punishment be meted out. Since justice for human sin requires a punishment that is more than any of us could bear, God, through his Son, Jesus Christ, bears the punishment for us.
The epitome of punishment was reached two thousand years ago near the peak of the Roman Empire. Crucifixion was a perfect combination of physical and social humiliation and pain. Every aspect of a person was laid bare and inflicted with the maximum pain possible for the greatest amount of time.
Of course, there is the symbol of the cross itself. It has survived the centuries. Two pieces of wood form the shape of torture and salvation. The cross acts both as a warning to those who flaunt God’s rule and as a promise to those who look to Jesus to be saved.
Like God’s perfect creation and perfect redemption, the cross perfectly symbolizes God’s love and the danger of rejecting that love.
Application: Cling to the foot of the cross.
Food for Thought: What do you make of God’s plan for peace?
To me it shows that the Prince of peace is also the Prince of love.
Nicely said, Rich!
Thank you! 🙂
Your question reminded me of these verses:
Luke 2:13-14 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying,
“Glory to God in the highest,
and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!”
Different translations offer different insights to the last part (“good will toward mankind”, “to those on whom his favor rests”)
To me, God’s plan for peace is just incomprehensibly perfect. To think about the perfection of God, how He is love and sin is death, how Christ came willingly to defeat death, so that mankind could be reconciled to God and live in His love, all I can express is gratitude.
Beautifully said, Chris!
What do you make of God’s plan for peace?
Only God could pay the price required to cover the sins of all mankind.
There are Jewish and Christian commentators who claim that Isaiah 53 doesn’t point to the Messiah. They base their position on the fact that Isaiah wrote chapter 53 in the past tense. These claim the chapter pointed to the sufferings of another “servant” (Isaiah 52:13). The Babylonian invasion of Judah and its capital city Jerusalem in 587/6 BCE, others claim that this chapter probably referred to the sufferings of the Jews at the hands of their enemies. Some, view this chapter as a picture of the sad experience of a Jew in Isaiah’s time, and there are those that have even suggested the prophet Isaiah was referring to his own past experience.
Today we read Isaiah 53 which reads as if the prophet is describing the event in past tense, as if Isaiah personally witnessed this crucifixion. In reality, the ancient Hebrews never thought of an action as past, present, or future, but simply as perfect, complete, or imperfect, as in course of development.
“Surely he took up our pain and bore our suffering, yet we considered him punished by God, stricken by him and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed. 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 53:4-6
All things are past tense, have been foreseen, ordained by God before creation, have been completed and are in fact perfect.
God made known to us the mystery of His will according to His good pleasure, which He purposed in Christ, to be put into effect when the times reach their fulfillment—to bring unity to all things in heaven and on earth under Christ.
Ephesians 1:9-10
Ron
Thank you! Very interesting read!!