Jesus was stricken

Isaiah 53

What is Stricken?

1:Struck or wounded, as by a projectile.

2:Affected by something overwhelming, such

3:as disease, trouble, or painful emotion.

Incapacitated; disabled.

The word says that Jesus had no form or comeliness. That when we saw Him, there was no beauty that we should desire. He looked like a common man, not royalty. He was the Son of a carpenter. He didn’t care about the things of of the world, or look at them as we do.

As one writer put it: “Jesus had no special outward splendor that would reveal His true identity to people.” He didn’t dress like a king. He didn’t boast of Himself even though He was the Son of God. He wasn’t as striking as some would think. He was a humble man (yet God in the flesh) who humbly served. That’s what He came to do. He wasn’t prideful and didn’t try to step on any toes to make Himself better than thou, EVEN THOUGH THE SON OF GOD.

Yet, He was despised and rejected and forsake by men because of it. Because He was humble? Because He was confident! Confident in Whose He was, not in His appearance or what He had. He wasn’t arrogant, but He was sure of Who He was because of Who sent Him. When you have a different spirit about you, not only can people tell but the enemy knows. People are jealous and rage within if they don’t have confidence, peace or discernment that you have. You don’t have to be the most attractive outward for people to hate you, you just have to the Spirit of God in you. If they don’t understand, they misunderstand you. If they don’t have these things, they don’t want you to have them either.

It’s all the enemy at work to fight your God given purpose. That’s what He’s after. His spirit is at war with your Spirit, the Spirit of God within you - if you are a saved child of God. He actually hates you from birth because He knows your potential and wants to hold you back from knowing it too! He doesn’t want you to know God or that He is for you.

But this happened that the word might be fulfilled which is written in their law, ‘They hated Me without a cause.’ John 15:25

Those who hate me without a cause Are more than the hairs of my head; They are mighty who would destroy me, Being my enemies wrongfully; Though I have stolen nothing, I still must restore it. Psalm 69:4

People want you to pay, but don’t worry, Jesus already did. It was part of Gods plan.

It was all for us, what Jesus did. What He went through. It was no surprise to God and I must say this before I go any further: Jesus did not do wrong and no violence nor was any deceit found in His mouth. He was perfect, yet it was still Gods plan for Him to be crucified. We must understand that nothing takes God by surprise.

It might surprise us that God would allow such to happen to Jesus, but as His followers we understand that there is a better path and plan from it all. It gets rocky sometimes. God PROMISES to work all of this out for our good in the end. As it unfolds He is refining, remolding , reshaping and perfecting us in the process. Sometimes we have to go through the heat, the suffering and the persecution, but we’re coming out better on the other side of it. He is also using it for the saving of many other lost souls. We might not know all the whys down here, but the greater why we do understand.

“Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise Him; He has put Him to grief. When You make His soul an offering for sin, He shall see His seed, He shall prolong His days, And the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in His hand.” Isaiah 53:10

It was the Lords will to bruise Him. Go back to Job. The Lord allowed what Satan did to him, but when and after Job was tried, (after a period of time, not quickly) Job came forth as gold. He was restored more than he had before. Yet, don’t forget that in the mix, not only did his own family turn on him, his familiar friends not want to look at him, everyone he loved turned on him, and satan took away all he knew, BUT HIS 3 FALSE ACCUSING FRIENDS came down hard on him at the worst time they could have. He was already down and out. Not only had he lost his immediate family, belongings, and everything he owned, but he was in dire straits with sores all over his body and was in horrible pain. They falsely accused him thinking surely he must have done something wrong to make all this come upon him, and his very own wife (supposed closest companion) told him to just go ahead and curse God and die! (Job 2:9) BUT HE DIDN’T.

Not only did Job really see God in it all but He also learned forgiveness. He really got to see God for Who He was and is.

“I have heard of You by the hearing of the ear, But now my eye sees You.“ Job 42:5

And the LORD restored Job’s losses when he prayed for his friends. Indeed the LORD gave Job twice as much as he had before. Job 42:10

Isn’t that what Chris did for us? “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.”

Jesus had an opportunity to not go forth to the cross. He knew 10,000 angels could have came down to the His rescue, but He also knew that this wasn’t Gods will or plan. He said “Nevertheless not My will, but Yours, be done.” He sweat blood! He was in a bad way.

They both overcame. Jobs story sounds a lot like parts of Jesus’. Maybe yours does too. But we will NEVER Truly know the death He suffered, the pain He felt or the weight He took on; yet it was all for you. He did it all for you and me. And even if you didn’t choose to choose Him, He’d do it all over again.

Even Jesus had questions:

And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, “Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?” that is, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?” Matthew 27:46

Had God forsake Him? No, it pained Him! But He did it for the saving of many.

To the Chief Musician. Set to “The Deer of the Dawn.” A Psalm of David. My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me? Why are You so far from helping Me, And from the words of My groaning? Psalm 22:1

We know that it pained God to watch His own Son suffer, but He also knew it had to be for the final outcome. He loved us too much to let us die in our sin, and yet we still forsake Him. Yet, God didn’t forsake Christ. God didn’t forsake Job. God didn’t forsake David. What about Joseph? God didn’t forsake Him in the midst in all those years, He was right there and had a plan all along. God won’t forsake you either child. You are His. This is your heritage. (Isaiah 54:17)

“With a little wrath I hid My face from you for a moment; But with everlasting kindness I will have mercy on you,” Says the LORD, your Redeemer.” Isaiah 54:8

We don’t see His anger without seeing His power and His power without accomplishing a greater purpose. He loves us too much to leave us and let us die that way but we must choose to cooperate with and obey Him. God doesn’t hate us, God hates sin. Sin will destroy you and therefore God destroyed it. You don’t have to sin for things to go wrong in your life, sometimes your simply hated and persecuted for doing right.

“Behold, I have created the blacksmith Who blows the coals in the fire, Who brings forth an instrument for his work; And I have created the spoiler to destroy.” Isaiah 54:16

One version says: “And it is I who have created the destroyer to wreak havoc.”

And another says:

“And I have created the armies that destroy.”

Again, nothing takes God by surprise. He is creator. He allows good and evil. But He is all good. The enemy is the real enemy and he is all bad, there is no good in him. Jesus overcame, all of this. He overcame so you could too!

If anyone attacks you, it is not from Me; whoever assails you will fall before you. Isaiah 54:15

It’s from the enemy. God may allow it but He won’t let him get away with it, and it’s ultimately going to work out for your good!

He promises persecution, but He also promises protection! They will fight against you but they will not overcome you. They will destroy themselves. Just like with Jesus! If they dig you a ditch, they will fall into it. It’s the trap of the enemy, don’t take the bait. Don’t fall into. God has a plan to overtake!!!!!

For the people of Ammon and Moab stood up against the inhabitants of Mount Seir to utterly kill and destroy them. And when they had made an end of the inhabitants of Seir, they helped to destroy one another. 2 Chronicles 20:23

The truth is: It may look like you and I are surrounded, but we are surrounded by Him. It’s all for a final outcome. For our good. For His cause. The devil don’t have to get the final say, if we surrender to God. Victory don’t come without battle and the battle belongs to Him. He doesn’t allow pain without purpose. It just means He’s birthing something in you. Look up Isaiah 66:9. He is with and for you! He overcame and will cause you to be victorious too. This life is the battle field and our final reward is with Him.

Security and final victory are the heritage of each faithful servant of the Lord. The righteousness by which they are justified, and the grace by which they are sanctified, are the gift of God, and the effect of his special love. Let us beseech him to sanctify our souls, and to employ us in his service. ~ Matthew Henry

When He was on the cross, I was on His mind.

He knew me, yet He loved me.

Jesus was obedient all the way to death, even to the death of the cross, because He knew what was to come. He knew what the end result would be and we too must hold onto hope until the end, because only he who endures till the end is saved. The real reward is at the end. The enemy is after your purpose. God is after your faithfulness and you aren’t alone.

My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing. James 1:2-4

All for the cause of Christ and the final result.

Galatians 5:1-5 Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; and perseverance, character; and character, hope. Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us. For when we were still without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly.

Jesus plainly told us as we find in john 15:

“If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. Remember the word that I said to you, ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you. If they kept My word, they will keep yours also. But all these things they will do to you for My name’s sake, because they do not know Him who sent Me.”

He made it very clear! There’s no grey! We would be persecuted for His name sake and yet we are so surprised when it happens. He is saying to listen, and don’t forget; Remember what I tell you!!!! You aren’t like them, you are of Me, if they persecuted Me, surely they will you too! I am Jesus, the One who you follow…. The very Son of God. No servant is greater than his master…. think about it. If they kept My word, they’d also keep yours too but they don’t. They do all this to you because of Me, simply because they don’t know Him Who sent Me. Don’t miss that, it’s simply the whole point of your persecution - because of Him/for His Name sake.

The world should see that we are different. If they didn’t, they wouldn’t pick on you. We weren’t born to blend in or compromise. There’s enough people doing that. We should be distinct. The enemy knows that God is for us-and we for Him. That angers him. It shouldn’t be a secret if you’re a true follower and believer, that they will persecute you and you will suffer for it. But He also says this:

“These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer (take heart!), I have overcome the world.” John 16:33

Don’t it to heart, take heart and don’t worry! He overcame. That’s the hope we have, in Him.

He tells us many times: “DO NOT WORRY. DO NOT BE AFRAID. DO NOT FEAR. FEAR NOT. Fear comes from the enemy and causes us to trust him more than, or rather than God. Faith comes from God. You simply can’t trust God and fear the enemy. You must fear God and use faith, and believe what You know about Who God says HE IS. You can face fear and have faith at the same time because faith isn’t the absence of fear. BUT, you must quickly fight it, wield the sword of truth, speak the “thus says the Lord’s”, or you’ll always give into fear. Simply: HE OVERCAME. That’s our hope!

He overcame and He said to be of good cheer. That’s encouraging. We have hope assured! The battle belongs to The Lord and He won’t lose. He also told us in Joshua 1:9 that He COMMANDED us to do so! Listen, a command for followers isn’t just a suggestion, but an order. If you can’t trust your commander in chief, who can you trust?

Turn to Him. Give Him the reverential fear, honor, glory and trust due His name. Give Him all. You can take Him at His word. He said He’d never leave you or forsake you.  You might go through hard times but He won’t leave you alone in them. You might face persecution, but He will defend. Weapons may form, but they will not prosper against you. Tongues may talk and judgments may rise but they shall be cast down and shown to be in the wrong, eventually…… Others may walk out but God never will. Others may forsake you and turn their hearts from you, but He never has. He might seem distance but He’s not hiding, and it’s not without cause. He’s never far from any of us and even if He’s silent, He’s close. David said he could make his bed in hell and still could not escape God. We can turn from Him but He can never turn from us. He is Who He says He is. That’s just Who He is and He cannot never lie or contradict Himself.

“God is not a man, that He should lie, Nor a son of man, that He should repent. Has He said, and will He not do? Or has He spoken, and will He not make it good?” Numbers 23:19

Are you willing to wait and see? This will determine if we truly trust God. Those that wait upon the Lord shall increase….Why else would He have given us patience, trust, constantly perfecting us and telling us to grow if there also wasn’t resistance, worry, and fear.? We live in an imperfect fallen world perfectly created by Him. None of this was a mistake but we also serve a perfect God Who Is perfectly able and working it all out for our good.

Just remember Jesus when you are down and out. He was a man of many sorrows and pains. He too was acquainted with grief and sickness. He too was despised and rejected. He was hid from: He wasn’t appreciated or respected. People had no esteem for Him and surely didn’t know His worth or He wouldn’t have been stricken and crucified. But then they realized: “Truly this was the Son of God!” (Matthew 27:54). When they touch you, they touch God.

“Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.” Matthew 5:11-12

You are blessed to be cursed. What a great opportunity to not only suffer with Him or for His sake, but also that You get to rejoice with Him. It’s an opportunity to rejoice and to watch what He will do through and for you.

Take heart if you suffer for Him. Take heart that He overcame. Take heart that He was sent by God and this was all part of the plan. He alone took our sins and bore our griefs, and we are now partakers with Him. He was wounded all for us, for our transgressions and iniquities. He died to get it right because we couldn’t. The chastisement, peace and well being for us was ALL upon Him. AND WITH THE STRIPES THAT WOUNDED JESUS, ARE THE VERY SAME STRIPES THAT HAS HEALED AND MADE US WHOLE…

Like Jesus, God is working all things for your good and His glory. The good and the suffering is all part of the preplanned mix to make you into something beautiful and to save many others. He exchanges beauty for ashes. He turns out weeping into song.

All thanks be unto Him, and we should live as so thankful and gratefully and deeply humbled that He (God) loved us (sinners) so much that He also created us anyway knowing we would sin. Let’s be honest: that He’d send Jesus His only begotten Son, not only as an example and a taker of our sins, but as a Savior so that again, we imperfect people might live as unto Him??? Yes! That’s the great love of God, that He cared that much and sent Jesus. And that Jesus would lay His own life for us!!!

BUT, it didn’t end there, in the grave. There is an empty tomb! Daylight is coming! That’s where we find the hope in the empty tomb. He overcame and He is still rolling stones. We ought to live passionately, purposefully, and gratefully with zeal as unto Him.

BEING CONFIDENT OF THIS, that HE who began a good work in YOU WILL carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. Philippians 1:6

You overcame!