Unleashing the Atonement ~ Recap

Isaiah 53:4-5, "Surely He has borne our griefs (sicknesses, weaknesses, and distresses) and carried our sorrows and pains [of punishment], yet we [ignorantly] considered Him stricken, smitten, and afflicted by God [as if with leprosy]. But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our guilt and iniquities; the chastisement [needful to obtain] peace and well-being for us was upon Him, and with the stripes [that wounded] Him we are healed and made whole." [Amplified Bible]

The PBC Family heard a sermon on Sunday morning titled: Unleashing the Atonement. I want to recap that message for you. I used the Amplified Bible Version of Isaiah 53:4-5 (above) just to make this a little easier.

One of the psalms of David describes the benefits that we receive from God (See Psalm 103:1-5):
Forgiveness
Healing
Redemption
Lovingkindness and Tender Mercies
Provision
These are just some of the benefits that David lists in his song. What astounds me about the songs of David is that he lived under an old covenant understanding of God. We live under a new covenant and argue about the benefits package. While most people would agree with Psalm 103 (at least in theory), some would disagree with the idea that God still heals today. Many of the believers that I know believe in Divine Healing. However, it's their idea that God's healing in those instances are not necessarily a part of His will but a show of favor. Some people even believe that God brings sickness into our lives to make us more like Jesus. YIKES!!! It is my belief that God has provided for our healing in the atonement.

Isaiah's prophecy concerning the suffering and death of Jesus is well known in the Christian community. Yet many have not done their homework to understand the meaning. It's far too easy to read these words in our English translations and forget that the Old Testament was written in Hebrew. While most Bible scholars take due diligence to bringing accurate translations, there is still a necessity to return to the original language. It's through my study of Isaiah 53 that I discovered some things I had never seen before.

I. What Jesus Bore
- Our Sickness
Verse 4 should read "He has born our sicknesses and carried our pain"
- Our Sin
This is the understanding that most of us have. We have heard about our transgressions and our iniquities
- Our Sorrow
When you read through these verses, you discover that Jesus took upon Himself everything that would plague us...sickness, sin, and anxieties.

*Here's where we need to remember that we are body, soul, and spirit. Jesus' death was to bring salvation to all 3 areas of our life.

II. What Jesus Endured
- He was Pierced (Wounded)
- He was Crushed (Bruised)
- He was Punished (Chastisement)
- He was Whipped (Stripes)

III. What Jesus Purchased
- Our Salvation
Our iniquities and transgressions have been removed. All our rebellion and moral perversion was placed upon Jesus. Paul stated it this way, "He became sin for us that we could be made the righteousness of God in Him."
- Our Peace
The "Shalom" (Hebrew for Peace) means: safe, well, happy, friendly; welfare, health, property, peace. What fascinates me about the use of this word is that it is closely related to the Greek Word "Sozo". I have talked about this word quite often in the blog. It is typically translated as Salvation but it's a word that is packed with meaning. Healing, deliverance, completion, protection, it's all found in this profound word. If you read a Greek translation of the Old Testament, you will read that Chastisement for our "Sozo" was upon Him!!!
- Our Healing
By His stripes we are healed means just that - We Are Healed!!!

With every crushing blow that Jesus endured, freedom was on it's way. Every stripe upon His back allows us to walk in healing. The nails in His hands and feet, the crown of thorns upon His head, and the spear that pierced His side unlocked the fountain of salvation for us.

Jesus was crushed so we wouldn't have to be.
Jesus took stripes upon His body so that our bodies could be free from sickness and disease.
Jesus was beaten, whipped, and crucified so that we could go free.
It's all in the atonement!!!