"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) In the gospel accounts we find Jesus being crucified between two criminals, thus fulfilling Isaiah's prediction that He would die with "the wicked". (Matthew 27:38, Mark 15:27, Luke 23:32, John 19:18) Isaiah's prediction that He would be "with the rich in His death" was fulfilled when the wealthy member of the Sanhedrin who had become a believer in Jesus, Joseph of Arimathea, gave his own new tomb for Jesus to be buried in. (Matthew 27:57-60, Mark 15:43-46, John 19:38-40)
Jesus lived a completely sinless life. When He was sentenced to death, it was not because anything had been proven against Him. As we studied yesterday, Pilate announced to Jesus' accusers that he found no fault in Him. When Jesus was illegally put on trial in the middle of the night at the home of the high priest, witnesses came forward to say various things against Him, but the Bible states that they attempted to bear false witness against Him but their testimonies did not agree with each other. (Mark 14:59)
These witnesses were breaking one of the Ten Commandments (bearing false witness) and everyone assembled together at the high priest's house, who voted to condemn Jesus to death, were breaking a law the Lord gave to them through Moses. This law stated that one could be sentenced to death without eyewitness testimony of at least two witnesses and their testimonies had to agree with each other. (Deuteronomy 19:15) I assume the witnesses were to be questioned separately, just like the practice we have today when police will separate witnesses to question them in different rooms. This helps to prevent innocent persons from being convicted of crimes they didn't commit. But Jesus' enemies voted to convict Him anyway and in this they were the ones who committed a grievous capital crime.
Why was such a miscarriage of justice allowed to happen? Why did God the Father allow His sinless, perfect Son to be accused of crimes He did not commit? Why did the Father allow His sinless, perfect Son to be struck in the face, mocked, spit upon, beaten within an inch of His life, put to death on a cross, and buried in a tomb? He allowed it for you and me! He allowed it because this was His plan of salvation. He allowed it because the Son was willing to pay the ultimate price to offer us forgiveness and to offer us an eternity spent with Him, as the passage below explains.
"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) Jesus' death wasn't the end; it was only the beginning. In this verse Isaiah begins to predict the resurrection of Christ. Though Christ has given His life, afterwards He will "see". He will rise from the dead, never to die again, and because He will rise from the dead many will believe on Him as their Savior. These believers are His "offspring".
Death and the grave will not be the end of the one Isaiah refers to as the "Servant" of the Lord. The Lord says to Isaiah: "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) After Christ has given His life as an offering for our sins, He will rise from the dead. This is the proof that He is who He said He was and it is the proof that the Father accepted His sacrifice on our behalf. This is why Christ will "be satisfied" with what has been accomplished. The sacrifice was enough---enough for all the sins of everyone who will place their faith in Him. Their faith in Him is what will justify them in the eyes of God the Father, for God the Son has borne their iniquities (paid their sin debt), and for the sake of Christ the Father will declare them not guilty.
Because God the Son willingly gave His life to carry out the Father's plan of salvation for mankind, He will be given the greatest honors of anyone who has ever lived on this earth. The Father says: "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)
Like the mightiest warrior of all, Christ went to battle for our souls and won the victory. Like a king under whose authority a warrior serves, God the Father bestows on Him "the spoils" of war, promoting Him to the highest place of honor, giving Him the name that is above every name. (Philippians 2:9) There is no other name by which we can be saved. If we reject Him, there is no means by which we can be justified. If we reject the one who paid the penalty for our sins, we will have to pay for our sins ourselves.
Consider how much He loves us! He didn't consider any price too high to pay for us! If you don't already know Jesus Christ as your Savior, there is no better time than today to give your heart and life to Him. We aren't promised tomorrow. Today is the day to accept His love, His sacrifice, and His sovereignty over your life. Through faith in Him you can stand before God someday and be declared forgiven and justified. You can be told that your every sin has been paid for and that, in the eyes of God, it is as if you never sinned at all.
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