JESUS, Man of Sorrows (Is.52-53)

When this was being written, Israel was in captivity.  And Isaiah brought them a prophecy of good news.  Not only would the LORD redeem them from their immediate captivity - but there was something to look forward to - another way the LORD was going to redeem people.  First, Jesus physically came to earth in flesh (100% man-100% God) to accomplish the work on the cross...

(Isaiah 52:7)   How lovely on the mountains are the feet of him who brings good news, who announces peace and brings good news of happiness, who announces salvation, and says to Zion, “Your God reigns!”

And then Jesus will come again at the end of the Tribulation to restore Jerusalem and the entire earth to a Garden-of-Eden-like existence (Is.51:3)...

 (Isaiah 52:8-10)  Listen! Your watchmen lift up their voices, they shout joyfully together;  for they will see with their own eyes when the Lord restores Zion.
9 Break forth, shout joyfully together, you waste places of Jerusalem;  for the Lord has comforted His people, He has redeemed Jerusalem.
10 The Lord has bared His holy arm in the sight of all the nations, that all the ends of the earth may see the salvation of our God.

Now Isaiah focuses in on Jesus' work on earth - already accomplished!  These verses reference His work on the cross...

 (Isaiah 52:13-14)   Behold, My servant will prosper, He will be high and lifted up and greatly exalted.
14 Just as many were astonished at you, My people, so His appearance was marred more than any man and His form more than the sons of men.

These verses reference that Jesus came as a baby and grew up for the world to see.  Also note, Jesus was not tall or attractive looking!  Our society definitely values attractive people - as if they are more qualified and worthy.  Attractive people are treated differently.  So in this way, Jesus truly can say that He empathizes with all of us!  He has experienced the things that all people tend to suffer through, yet without sin.  (Hebrews 4:15-16)  But another important point would be - that people need to see past the appearances and see the heart of God, Himself...

(Isaiah 53:1-2)  Who has believed our message?  And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?
2 For He grew up before Him like a tender shoot, and like a root out of parched ground;  He has no stately form or majesty that we should look upon Him, nor appearance that we should be attracted to Him.  He was despised, and we did not esteem Him.

This verse explains the purpose of the cross - Jesus died for ALL sins...

 (Isaiah 53:6)   All of us like sheep have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way;  but the Lord has caused the iniquity of us all to fall on Him.

Now the following verses describe Jesus' suffering on the cross itself...

(Isaiah 53:4-5)   Surely our griefs He Himself bore, and our sorrows He carried;  yet we ourselves esteemed Him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.
5 But He was pierced through for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities;  the chastening for our well-being fell upon Him, and by His scourging we are healed.

7 (Isaiah 53:7-9)  He was oppressed and He was afflicted, yet He did not open His mouth;  like a lamb that is led to slaughter, and like a sheep that is silent before its shearers, so He did not open His mouth.
8 By oppression and judgment He was taken away;  and as for His generation, who considered that He was cut off out of the land of the living for the transgression of my people, to whom the stroke was due?
9 His grave was assigned with wicked men, yet He was with a rich man in His death, because He had done no violence, nor was there any deceit in His mouth.

The thing is - we deserve punishment for our sins; but Jesus - innocent of any sin - took the world's sin upon Himself - and went to hell to pay for everyone's sins (past, present, future).  He even paid for the sins of those who will never choose to believe in Him;  but to Him, it was worth it, because...

10 (Isaiah 53:10-12)  But the Lord was pleased to crush Him, putting Him to grief;  if He would render Himself as a guilt offering, He will see His offspring, He will prolong His days, and the good pleasure of the Lord will prosper in His hand.
11 As a result of the anguish of His soul, He will see it and be satisfied; by His knowledge the Righteous One, My Servant, will justify the many, as He will bear their iniquities.
12 Therefore, I will allot Him a portion with the great, and He will divide the booty with the strong;  because He poured out Himself to death, and was numbered with the transgressors;  yet He Himself bore the sin of many, and interceded for the transgressors.

I don't think I need to add anything more to this except - AMEN!!!  And my precious Savior, THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!