Tuesday, April 7, 2020

Stricken, Smitten, and Afflicted for Us

Isaiah 53:3–6
He was despised and rejected by men;
a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief;
and as one from whom men hide their faces
he was despised, and we esteemed him not.
Surely he has borne our griefs
and carried our sorrows;
yet we esteemed him stricken,
smitten by God, and afflicted.
But he was wounded for our transgressions;
he was crushed for our iniquities;
upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace,
and with his stripes we are healed.
All we like sheep have gone astray;
we have turned every one to his own way;
and the Lord has laid on him
the iniquity of us all.
"Stricken, Smitten, and Afflicted" (LSB 451) begins with the language of the suffering servant. Not only would the Christ be despised and rejected by men, but the reference to the "tree" calls to mind the words of the Law quoted in Galatians 3:13, "Cursed is everyone who is hanged on a tree." This One who is dying bears the curse of the fall in order to redeem fallen humanity - you and me. 
Jesus has borne away the sins of the world, canceling them by His blood, declaring us not guilty. Therefore, we can stake our lives on Christ with the utmost confidence, for "whoever believes in Him will not be put to shame" (Romans 9:33).
1 Stricken, smitten, and afflicted,
See Him dying on the tree!
’Tis the Christ, by man rejected;
Yes, my soul, ’tis He, ’tis He!
’Tis the long-expected Prophet,
David’s Son, yet David’s Lord;
Proofs I see sufficient of it:
’Tis the true and faithful Word.
2 Tell me, ye who hear Him groaning,
Was there ever grief like His?
Friends through fear His cause disowning,
Foes insulting His distress;
Many hands were raised to wound Him,
None would intervene to save;
But the deepest stroke that pierced Him
Was the stroke that justice gave.
3 Ye who think of sin but lightly
Nor suppose the evil great
Here may view its nature rightly,
Here its guilt may estimate.
Mark the sacrifice appointed,
See who bears the awful load;
’Tis the Word, the Lord’s anointed,
Son of Man and Son of God.
4 Here we have a firm foundation,
Here the refuge of the lost:
Christ, the Rock of our salvation,
Is the name of which we boast;
Lamb of God, for sinners wounded,
Sacrifice to cancel guilt!
None shall ever be confounded
Who on Him their hope have built.
Text: Public domain

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