He Took The Father's Wrath

“But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.” (Isa 53:5 AV)

 

Isaiah chapter fifty-three is one of those precious chapters in all of God’s word.  It is prophetical regarding the all-sufficient offering of Jesus Christ on the cross of Calvary.  The verse above speaks specifically about the wrath of the Father over our sin being laid upon His own Son that we might have peace with Him.  I may have written on this verse before, but the Spirit impressed me this morning that I don’t reflect on the details of salvation nearly as much as I should.  This morning, the Spirit wishes me to meditate on the preciousness of having peace with God and the cost by which that peace came.

To understand the impact of the truth above, we first must understand our relationship with God prior to Christ’s offering.  The Bible tells us that no matter how righteous we think we are, we are all woefully sinful in the sight of God.  The word of God says, “How much more abominable and filthy is man, which drinketh iniquity like water?” (Job 15:16 AV)  This filthiness is an offense to the very God who created us.  “Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.” (Ro 8:7 AV)  This enmity, or being an enemy of God because of our sin, results in the wrath of God resting upon us.  Listen to the Bible again.  “He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.” (Joh 3:36 AV)  When Jesus Christ died for us, He took upon Himself all our sin; past, present, and future.  “For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.” (2Co 5:21 AV)  By virtue of this offering, if we trust in, and only in, what Jesus has done for us as our substitute, then we gain peace with God.  “Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:” (Ro 5:1 AV)  What is even more blessed is that this eternal peace cannot be broken.  One Jesus died, it satisfied the wrath of God forever.  There is no more sacrifice for sin.  Listen to the author of Hebrews. “But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God;…For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified.” (Heb 10:12, 14 AV)

When Isaiah speaks of our chastisement of our peace, he is saying the chastisement we deserve for the establishment of peace with God, was upon His Son.  I have seven brothers.  We all love one another.  Yet, in all my childhood, I cannot remember one time I took the punishment a sibling had so rightfully earned.  It might have happened.  But I cannot recall.  In my nineteen years under my father's house, I cannot remember one time one of my siblings took upon them the experience of my father’s anger which I have earned so that I didn’t have to.  It may have happened without my knowledge.  But I cannot recall.  In fact, if the truth be known, my father’s anger was a bit uncomfortable, to say the least.  So much so that if he was angry, we would just as soon throw our sibling under the bus than to take it upon ourselves.  It was not pleasant.  Praise the LORD that our Savior is nothing like us.  The wrath of the Father was so severe, it literally changed the visage of His dear Son.  As the Psalms tell us, from the cross Jesus thought the thought that He was a worm and no man.  In other words, he was so disfigured his remains could not even be recognized and human.  This is what Jesus took upon Himself that I, and you, might have peace with God.  For this, I need to be far more grateful than I am and manifest it by daily meditating on the grace that saved my soul.  I pray you can do the same.