FROM SUFFERING TO EXULTATION

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In Christ, Mark

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The scriptures. May God bless the reading of His holy word.

See, My servant will act wisely; He will be raised and lifted up and highly exalted. Just as there were many who were appalled at Him—His appearance was so disfigured beyond that of any human being and his form marred beyond human likeness—so he will sprinkle many nations, and kings will shut their mouths because of Him.

For what they were not told, they will see, and what they have not heard, they will understand.

Isaiah 52:13-15

This ends today’s reading from God's holy word. Thanks be to God.

Last week, my wife and I attended the funeral for her brother in South Carolina. We discovered that he had not been in good health for some time and had been enduring a great deal of pain of late. Maybe he wasn’t aware of it at the time but the Lord had a plan to remove him from that suffering, drawing him to Himself while fulfilling the salvation promise our dear brother clung to.

Where he was once suffering, Elwood was now exalted above this world, liberated from every affliction and rescued from death and the grave through His belief and trust in Jesus as His Savior.

Of course, none of this reassuring comfort that the family has in his passing could have been possible if Jesus Himself had not endured His own suffering and subsequent exultation on our behalf. That is the central focus of the final verses from Isaiah 52 and the theme of today’s devotion. Look again at these words from God Himself, pertaining to His coming Son, Israel’s awaited Messiah:

See, My servant will act wisely; He will be raised and lifted up and highly exalted. Just as there were many who were appalled at Him—His appearance was so disfigured beyond that of any human being and his form marred beyond human likeness—so he will sprinkle many nations, and kings will shut their mouths because of Him.

For what they were not told, they will see, and what they have not heard, they will understand.  Isaiah 52:13-15

What do these verses tell us about Jesus?

First, look at the way God identifies Him in just the first six words.

Jesus was coming as a servant, a perfect servant who would selflessly and sacrificially provide for the people of God with wisdom, all the way to Calvary’s cross. In fact, Jesus Himself confirmed His servant identity when He spoke to His disciples after James and John requested to sit at His left and right in glory.

Do you remember His words? They were simply:

“Whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all. For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many.” Mark 10:43-45

Indeed, Jesus paid the ultimate price for God’s people then and for all people to come, willingly accepting their penalty for sin and receiving His Father’s judgment in their place.

How deep was His suffering as He gave His life as a ransom for all mankind?

Go back to our verses for today.

There were many who were appalled at Him—His appearance was so disfigured beyond that of any human being and his form marred beyond human likeness.

We weren’t there when Jesus was arrested and brutalized before being murdered like a criminal in sight of everyone in Jerusalem. Perhaps the scenes from the movie, The Passion of the Christ, come close and if you have ever watched the film, it’s so hard to watch Jesus being beaten and scourged like He was, even before He was nailed to the cross. After the abuse He took at the hands of the Roman soldiers, He was almost unrecognizable, His appearance disfigured beyond that of any human being and form marred beyond human likeness, so much so that people were appalled to even lay eyes on Him.

This is the level of suffering Jesus was willing to endure for God’s people - for you, me and everyone else.

Thank goodness, the story did not end there.

For although Jesus suffered for us way beyond our comprehension, He would be raised up in exultation by God and given Him authority over all things on heaven and earth.

He will be raised and lifted up and highly exalted.

After His death, Jesus was raised up in victory from death to life, resurrected from the tomb to walk among His people for a short while before ascending to sit in power at His Father’s right hand. There, no more suffering would come upon Christ, having completed His purpose which was to make the way clear for anyone who believed in Him to find their own exultation after enduring the sufferings that this worldly life can bring.

Friends, is this not reason to rejoice today and every day forward?

Jesus the suffering servant has been exalted and lifted high, paving the way for anyone who places their hope in Him to follow, people like my recently departed brother-in-law, Elwood.

Do you have the assurance today that you will be exalted at life’s end?

If not, don’t waste another moment in giving your life over to Jesus and receiving the salvation promise sealed in the blood He shed for you on the cross.

Amen.

In Christ,

Mark

PS: Please share this with anyone you feel might be blessed by it.

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