Welcome to Kendra Graham’s online Bible study. This is a place where we can come together and share in our journey towards Scriptural truths and spiritual maturity. We pray this will be a safe, respectful, resourceful place to come and discuss God’s Word…to discover What it says…What it means…and What it means to you!
Kendra Graham notes from Isaiah 53:10-11
WHAT DOES IT SAY? THE FACTS ONLY PLEASE.
In this step you need to list the outstanding facts of the passage. DON’T get caught up in the details, just list the facts. Do not paraphrase. Use the actual words of the passage. This is God’s Word, a lot of times this step seems tedious to some, but I urge you, as we read, and say and write God’s Word, it begins to sink deep into our hearts. If you just pick one fact out of the verse, write it down and meditate on it.
FACTS:
Verse 10a: The LORD was pleased to crush Him, putting Him to grief.
Verse 10b: He would render Himself as the guilt offering.
Verse 10c: The pleasure of the LORD will prosper in His hand.
Verse 11a: As a result of the anguish of His soul, He will see it and be satisfied.
Verse 11b: The knowledge of My servant will justify many as He will bear their iniquities.
WHAT DOES IT MEAN? THE LESSONS.
Look for a lesson to learn from each fact. What are the people doing that they should be doing? What are the people doing that they shouldn’t be doing?
Is there a command to follow? A promise to claim? A warning to heed? An example to follow?
LESSONS:
Verse 10a: Notice this is written in the past tense. Isaiah is written hundreds of years before Jesus, but when God says He will come Himself to fix the gap sin created between Him and His handmade creation, no matter what the personal cost is to Him, it is as if it is done already. The promises of God are done! Oh, that we would believe. It pleased the LORD to crush Himself, to crush Jesus, putting Himself to grief, since we were not created to bear such a burden. God loves us more than anything, His handmade creation and has gone the distance to bear in full the debt our sin leaves us in. Jesus praying in the Garden that night, if there be any other way, then let’s do that, but trusting in where His Father was leading Him, in spite of the crushing pain and grief. Oh how He loves you and me…Jesus went forth, because we were created to know Him, walk with Him and need Him.
Verse 10b: There is the sin offering, offered in the temple, inside the walls of Jerusalem. The sin and the guilt offering is found in Leviticus on the Day of Atonement, Yom Kippur. There are two goats. Straws are drawn for the sin and guilt offering. One goat is offered as the sin offering inside the temple, the other goat is the scapegoat. The scapegoat is driven outside the city walls, carrying the guilt of the sin just atoned for. The scapegoat is driven off a cliff, so that the guilt of those sins would not return to the people. Jesus was the sin offering, shedding His blood in the city being scourged beyond recognition, but then, as He carried His cross, He carried the guilt of sin as well, outside the city, dying on a hill called Calvary beyond the walls, forsaken by God. Jesus went forth, trusting that as He paid for the sin with His blood and then carrying the guilt of the sin beyond the city, that indeed the payment for sin would be satisfied, because here, in Isaiah 53, it says that the LORD was indeed satisfied. Jesus went forth for us and carried the guilt and the shame for what we have done, yet many of us, choose to carry that sin and shame anyway. Jesus paid it in full. Jesus fully felt the shame of your sin and my sin, and for some reason we feel that Jesus’ payment fell short, so we pick up these bags we were never intended or created to carry, and we carry that sin and shame for years and years. Jesus felt every bit of shame for what we have done, oh that we would render His sacrifice sufficient for it! The LORD Yahweh rendered the sacrifice of Jesus sufficient, but often we do not. Jesus went forth and paid it. Oh how He loves you and me!
Verse 10c: I love what Tim Keller has been quoted in saying: “On the cross, Christ wins through losing, triumphs through defeat, achieves power through weakness and service, comes to wealth through giving all away.” Because of what Jesus has done, Jesus prospered, and we prosper!
Verse 11a: The payment for sin was satisfied completely. Paid in full. No more is owed. My guilt will not pay down the debt, the shame I hide will not pay down the debt. Jesus paid it all.
Verse 11b: Personally knowing Jesus, and what He has done justifies us before God. Believe your debt is paid. Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved. Acts 16:31
WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO ME NOW? APPLY IT…. TODAY.
Take the lessons you learned and put them into the form of a personal question that you would ask your spouse, or a friend or your son or daughter.
As you write the questions, listen for God to communicate to you through His Word.
*Do not rush. Do not write things down just to have something on paper, this step takes more time that you may think. This is where Scripture meditation becomes real, this is where you begin to hear that still small voice speak to you, and place His finger in your life and begin to direct your paths…. this day, and the next, and the next. Do you trust Him enough to put into place that which He is moving you to?
Verse 10a: Do you trust God through the crushing times of life? Do you realize that you pray to a God who understands what it means to be crushed and in anguish? Do you realize the love of Jesus as He went forth for you, and was crushed and forsaken by God so that you could have the opportunity to do that which you were created to do: walk with God, know God because you were created to need God?
Verse 10b: Have you allowed Jesus to take the shame and guilt He rightfully paid to have on your behalf, or do you prefer to hold in to it yourself, thinking there is another way to pay the debt and redeem yourself?
Verse 10c: Do you look at the cross as a moment of defeat or victory? How often is God’s definition of victory so contrary to our own ideas of how victory and prosperity should look?
Verse 11a: What sin, guilt and shame are you determined to carry in spite of the fact Jesus took it upon Himself to carry? While you are carrying your guilt and hiding your shame, has it produced a life of victory? Do you think that God taking the payment on Himself for your guilt and shame has fallen short in your case? Do you believe the verse: “For the wages of sin is death BUT the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”? Romans 6:23. Will I accept the free gift God offers through Jesus?
Verse 11b: Do you believe Jesus is God with skin on who came to fix the gap that sin created since the beginning of time? Who do you say Jesus is? Do you believe God satisfied His own wrath for sin Himself so that you could walk with God, know God, because you were created to need God?
LIVE IT OUT!
Hold yourself accountable to LIVE OUT in your daily life that which God impresses upon your heart. Write it out, sign it, date it and claim the transforming power of God’s Word and His presence in your life.
Humbly before God, today, now, give your heart and life to knowing the God who came Himself not trusting you to another. Today, ask God to forgive your debt that sin has left you in, and then to help you place your shame and guilt both past and present upon Him as well. Jesus paid a high price for your baggage, He knew what He was getting inside that suitcase of guilt you haul around day after day, and He paid full price for it. Oh, that as we pray Jesus would help our unbelief and our unwillingness to give up what rightfully belongs to Him. We would rather give Him something shiny and impressive, but He paid for our filth. Give it up, today, now; then, spend today, and the next day, walking with and getting to know the God who loves you and gave everything to have you beside Him. You are not created to go through life without Him, start the journey today. Get to know the God who created you with His own two hands, and loves you more than anything.
Homework: Mark 16:4-8
Get stuck? www.annegrahamlotz.com and Anne will walk through the Three Questions with you and help you along!