-July 31, 2022-
Good morning, happy Lord’s Day,
“He was taken from prison and from judgment, and who will declare His generation? For He was cut off from the land of the living; for the transgressions of my people He was stricken.”
(Isaiah 53:8).
Jesus’ purpose in coming into this world was to die in our place on the cross to save us from our sins. He was the holy, undefiled, spotless, sinless Son of God. He was the only One qualified to take our place as our Savior and Substitute. It says in Hebrews 7:26-27, “For such a High Priest was fitting for us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and has become higher than the heavens; who does not need to offer up sacrifices, first for His own sins and then for the people’s, for this He did once for all when He offered up Himself.”
Jesus was arrested, tried, and convicted unjustly. When the Jews demanded He be crucified, Pilate the governor said, “Why, what evil has He done” (Matthew 27:13). His wife even sent him a message, “…Have nothing to do with that just Man, for I have suffered many things today in a dream because of Him” (Matthew 27:19). All the charges against Jesus were false. He didn’t deserve to die. He died for us. We were the sinners, guilty, lost, and separated from God. He was taken from prison and from judgment. He was cut off from the land of the living. We know it was God’s eternal plan for our salvation. He died for Jews and Gentiles, men and women, and people from every tribe, and tongue, and people and nation.
Isaiah tells us the details of His substitutionary death: He bore our griefs, carried our sorrows, was wounded for our transgressions, was bruised for our iniquities, the chastisement for our peace fell upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed (See Isaiah 53:4-5). He died so that we wouldn’t have to. He bore our sins so that by faith in Him and His finished work, we might be saved. He was treated like a criminal, though we were the criminals. He was the just, we were the unjust.
The hymn writer Isaac Watts wrote, “Was it for crimes that I have done, He suffered on the tree? Amazing pity! grace unknown! And love beyond degree!” O how He suffered for us on the cross. Let us worship, praise, and thank Him today! May we never forget the price that was paid for us!
Have a blessed Lord’s day giving Jesus all the glory for our salvation.
In His eternal praise,
Dean
Dean Allen's Daily Devotional 