'Jehovah Took Delight in Crushing Him'

Next Isaiah says something startling:  "Jehovah himself took delight in crushing him; he made him sick.   If you will set his soul as a guilt offering, he will see his offspring, he will prolong his days, and in his hand what is the delight of Jehovah will succeed. Because of the trouble of his soul he will see, he will be satisfied. By means of his knowledge the righteous one, my servant, will bring a righteous standing to many people; and their errors he himself will bear."  (Isaiah 53:10, 11) How could Jehovah possibly take delight in seeing this faithful servant crushed?  Clearly, Jehovah did not personally inflict suffering upon his dear Son.  Jesus' enemies were fully responsible for what they did to him.  But Jehovah permitted them to act cruelly.  (John 19:11)  for what reason?  Surely the God of empathy and tender compassion was pained to see his innocent Son suffer.  (Isaiah 63:9; Luke 1:77, 78) Jehovah was certainly not displeased in any way with Jesus.  Even so, Jehovah took delight in his Son's willingness to suffer because of all the blessings that would result from it. 

For one thing, Jehovah set Jesus' soul as "a guilt offering."  Hence, when Jesus ascended back to heaven, he entered Jehovah's presence bearing the merit of his sacrificed human life as a guilt offering, and Jehovah was pleased to accept it in behalf of all mankind.  (Hebrews 9:24; 10:5-14)  By means of his guilt offering,  Jesus acquired "offspring." As "Eternal Father," he is able to give life-eternal life-to those who exercise faith in his shed blood.  (Isaiah 9:6) After all the trouble that Jesus went through as a human soul, how satisfying it must be for him to have the prospect of delivering mankind from sin and death!  Of course, it must be even more satisfying for him to know that his integrity provide his heavenly Father with an answer to the taunts of His Adversary, Satan the Devil. - Proverbs 27:11.

Another blessing that results from Jesus' death is that he brings "a righteous standing to many," even now.  He does so, says Isaiah, "by means of his knowledge."  Evidently, this is knowledge that Jesus acquired by becoming a man and suffering unjustly for his obedience to God.  (Hebrews 4:15) Having suffered to the point of death, Jesus was able to provide the sacrifice  needed to help others acquire a righteous standing. To whom does this righteous standing come? First to his anointed followers.  Because they exercise faith in Jesus' sacrifice, Jehovah declares them righteous  with a view to adopting them as sons and making them joint heirs with Jesus.   (Romans 5:19; 8:16, 17)  Then, "a great crowd" of "other sheep" exercise faith in Jesus' shed blood and enjoy  a righteous standing with a view to believing friends of God and survivors of Armageddon. -Revelation 7:9; 16:14, 16; John 10:16; James 2:23, 25.

Finally, Isaiah describes the triumphs of the Messiah:  "For that reason I shall deal him a portion among the many, and it will be with the might ones that he will apportion the spoil, due to the fact that he poured  out his soul to the very death and it was with the transgressors that he was counted in; and he himself carried the very sin of many  people, and for the transgressors he proceeded to interpose." -Isaiah 53:12.

Next time: Conclusion of 'Jehovah Took Delight in Crushing Him'

From the Book Isaiah's Prophecy Light for all Mankind, Volume II, 2001