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 forsaken of men, A man of sorrows and acquainted with grief; And like one from whom men hide their face He was despised, and we did not esteem Him. (Isaiah 53:2-3, NASB)
The Lord God has opened My ear; And I was not disobedient Nor did I turn back. I gave My back to those who strike Me, And My cheeks to those who pluck out the beard; I did not cover My face from humiliation and spitting.For the Lord God helps Me, Therefore, I am not disgraced; Therefore, I have set My face like flint, And I know that I will not be ashamed.He who vindicates Me is near; Who will contend with Me? (Isaiah 50:5-8, NASB)
Yesterday was Ash Wednesday, the first day of Lent. The Lenten Season is meant to prepare our hearts to remember the death and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ, Who came to the earth He created, with the intent to offer Himself as a sacrifice. If we acknowledge that sacrifice, and turn to Him for forgiveness of our sins, then we will be made right with God the Father, and enjoy fellowship with Him in heaven for eternity.
The Old Testament prophets not only foretold of the advent of Messiah, but prophesied of the way He would live and die. Let’s look at the passages above from Isaiah.
Isaiah 53 passage: This excerpt is part of Isaiah’s description of “The Suffering Servant.” As part of God’s plan, Jesus left the majesty and comfort of His heavenly home and humbly came to His earth on the greatest rescue mission in history, to save you and me. He took the form of a man (“He has no stately form or majesty that we should look upon Him . . . “). There was nothing visibly different about Him. Humans would have expected God to appear in a much more stately (Godly) form. Jesus was “despised and forsaken of men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief . . . ” Most people, and certainly the ruling elites, rejected His message. They tortured, then crucified Him. In His humanity, He must have been brokenhearted. “We did not esteem Him.”
“Despised and Rejected of Men,” by Sigismund Goetze (1866-1939). Found at Cassandra’s Musings, http://cassandramusing.blogspot.com/2017/03/despised-and-rejected-of-men.html
Isaiah 50 passage: Jesus was entirely obedient to His Father’s plan. Even as He was preparing for the horrific torture that was about to happen, He asked God to “remove this cup” from Himself; but just as quickly, “not My will, but Thine be done.” Jesus submitted Himself to the horrible abuse He suffered. He knew that His Father had His back. Therefore He wasn’t worried about what men could do to Him. That’s a great lesson for all of us who have trusted in Him for our salvation!
“Messiah,” by George Frideric Handel, is traditionally a Christmas piece. But the piece covers the prophecies of Messiah’s birth, life, death, resurrection (“Hallelujah”), and beyond. Below is a movement based on the passages above.
It’s a tradition during Lent to give up something one loves as a manner of sacrifice. ALS has left me with not much left to sacrifice. So . . . I think I’m going to give up playing golf.