THE SUFFERING SERVANT OF GOD
Meditations in Isaiah 52:13-53:12
THE EXALTATION OF THE SERVANT

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EVERY part and aspect of the work of Christ is dealt with in this wonderful prophecy concerning the Servant of God here in Isaiah, and as we come to the last verse and the last sermon, we come to a declaration and celebration of the exaltation of Christ. In the verse before us it is Christ�s ascension and glorification which is told. We see Christ exalted to the highest place and ascended to the throne of God, and from this throne pouring out the blessings of his saving work on his people.

I feel the best way to expound and bring out the meaning of this verses is to take each part in turn, and apply the truth we see as we go along.

The language used here of the Servant, and therefore of Christ, is the language appropriate to a victorious prince returning after a great victory, and then receiving all the honour and glory and privilege due to that victory and triumph.

So when we read "Therefore I will give him a portion with the great", with the insight given to us in the New Testament, we see this as a reference to Christ ascending into heaven and being exalted to reign with God the Father on the throne of Heaven and the universe. "I will give him" is where "I" refers to God the Father, and "him" refers to the Servant, God the Son". So the sentence refers to God the Father rewarding his only begotten Son with the highest honour, which is the throne of God and authority over the world.

The victory, for which Christ is being exalted, is none other than his total victory over sin, Satan, death and hell, and his atoning completely for the sin of the whole world. This is the greatest and most glorious victory in all time and eternity.

The New Testament speaks of this exaltation - this "portion with the great". In Revelation 5 we have the vision of the scroll seen in heaven on the right side of the throne of God. The scroll represents all the purposes of God for the world, and particularly God�s purpose for the redemption of people from the world. An angel asks "Who is worthy to break the seals and open the scroll". The breaking of the seals and opening the scroll is to set in motion the purposes of God for the world and the purpose of redemption.

No one is found that is worthy to break the seals and open the scroll. Then in the vision John sees a Lamb, looking as if it had been slain, standing in the centre of the throne. The Lamb comes and takes the scroll from God on the throne. The Lamb is worthy and able to open the scroll, because he has been obedient to God in working redemption, and making possible for the redemptive purposes of God to unfold. The Lamb, our Saviour Jesus Christ, ascends the throne. The throne of God becomes the throne of God and the Lamb. The cry goes up "Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength and honour and glory and power".

We have the same exaltation spoken of in 1 Corinthians 15:24,25 where Paul speaks of Christ reigning over the world until he has completed the whole plan of God, and all the redeemed are brought into the kingdom of God, when he will then hand all authority back to God, the Father. We have the same revelation in Philippians 2:9 where Paul says "Therefore God exalted him to the highest place, and gave him a name above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow...". This exaltation is the reward for Christ humbling himself and becoming obedient to death - even death on the cross.

This is the position and glory of Christ now. He is on the throne of heaven, and he has all authority to rule the world, and all history is in his hand and control.

2. Christ ruling from the throne.

The next sentence is "and he will divide the spoils with the strong". Here again the imagery behind these words is of the exalted triumphant prince given authority to reward people under him and dispense privileges and blessings to those in his kingdom. The victorious prince in the ancient world rewarded his followers with a share in the spoils of battle.

The spoils of the great victory Christ won is eternal salvation and eternal life and a place in the family of God for all who have been given to him by the Father (see John 17:6,9,24). Christ divides this spoil with us whom the Father has given him from the foundation of the world. Christ does this effectively. He brings home to us our sin and causes us to be convicted of the guilt and filth of that sin. Christ by the Spirit teaches us to hate sin and repent. Christ speaks to us by the Spirit of all he has done to atone for our sin and save us from sin�s consequences, and by the same Spirit Christ raises us to new life and gives the faith to believe in him unto salvation.

Paul refers to this dividing the spoils among the great in Ephesians 4:7-14 where we read of Christ ascending on high and giving gifts to men, and where we read of the blessings he gives to believers in the church.

THE REASON FOR CHRIST�S EXALTATION

The reason for Christ�s exaltation is set forth in the next two sentences, where we read, "because he poured out his life unto death, and was numbered with the transgressors."

Christ�s exaltation was and is the reward he received from God the Father for the work of redemption he did here on earth. God�s purpose in love and mercy was to redeem our fallen human race from the degradation and condemnation brought upon us through our sin. Because we are totally unable to save ourselves or do anything towards our salvation from this degradation and condemnation, God determined in love to do it all for us. His plan was to send his only begotten Son into the world, to be born of a virgin, to become truly human, to live the holy life which is the duty to God of humanity and live it in our place, and then to give his life to accept and bear the punishment due for our sin, and so satisfy all the Law of God as our substitute and representative.

Christ agreed to carry out this plan and be obedient to the law for mankind. So we hear in the Gospels that Christ came to fulfil the whole law of God, and that no jot or smallest part of the law would pass away until all was fulfilled by Christ. Then we hear Christ saying that he would give his life a ransom for many, and so he set his face firmly to go to Jerusalem to die on the cross for the sins of the world. So we read in the epistles of Paul that Christ was made sin for us who knew no sin, and from Peter that Christ bore our sins in his body on the cross.

This great work of atoning for the sin of the world Christ completed excellently, and the whole law of God was fulfilled on behalf of all those who belong to Christ. God highly exalted Christ, gave him a portion amongst the great, so rasing him to the eternal throne of God, so that all creatures would be placed under his kingship. From this throne Christ pours out the blessings of his work to redeem on all who have been given to him by God the Father from the foundation of the world.

Because the Servant, our Lord Jesus Christ poured out his life unto death in order to take the punishment for the sin of the world, and was numbered amongst the transgressors accepting guilt not his own, and did this according to the plan and purpose of God, and did it so that all God�s law was fully satisfied, God highly exalted him and gave him a name above every name that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth.

There is a progression in this last verse. It is a progression of thought, understanding and action. First we are told that the servant is exalted; then we are told why he is exalted; and then in the last paragraph we are told what follows from the Servant�s exaltation which is the blessing which flows from his exaltation.

Because Christ, the Servant of God, bore the sin of many, in his exaltation he now makes intercession for those many who have transgressed against the holiness of God. This is what is understood as Christ�s high priestly work in heaven. We are told in the letter to the Hebrews that Christ "entered heaven itself, now to appear for us in God�s presence" (Hebrews 9:24); and again in Hebrews 7:25 "he always lives to intercede for us".

The last part of Isaiah 53:12 speaks of this heavenly work Jesus is now doing for all who believe. Isaiah speaks of Jesus and says �For he bore the sin of many�. This is referring to the fact that Jesus bore our sins in his body on the cross and took there upon himself all the punishment due to us for our sins. The evidence of this great atonement is taken by Jesus into heaven. The hands and feet of Jesus still bear the nail prints, and his side still shows the wound that he received from the soldier when he was on the cross. His presence in heaven is testimony that God the Father was satisfied that Jesus had suffered the full punishment the law of God required, when he died on the cross.

Jesus makes intercession for us in heaven. This intercession is his appearing for us in God�s presence. We are told by St. John in 1 John 2:1 that "if anybody does sin, we have one who speaks to the Father in our defence � Jesus Christ, the righteous." Jesus is our advocate before God. He is our defence lawyer. He pleads for our acceptance by God. The argument Jesus makes is an all-prevailing one. Jesus pleads that as he has taken the punishment for all our sins on our behalf and in our place, God must in justice declare us righteous in his sight. God for Christ�s sake declares us righteous in his sight, with no sin against our name, on the ground of the work which Christ did for us here on earth as our substitute and representative.

What a wonderful and. glorious and fitting end to this sacred chapter concerning the perfect work of Jesus for us. It ends with this absolute assurance of our safety in Christ. We, who believe in Jesus as our Saviour and sin bearer, hear that our Saviour is eternally in the presence of God, the Judge of all the earth, claiming the just return for his great work in living and dying in our place. God, the judge, sees his law fully and completely satisfied in his Son, and so eternally and justly accounts sinners who believe in Jesus righteous in his sight forever. Jesus makes intercession for us before God, and that intercession is completely successful.

In Psalm 150 we are called to �Praise the Lord for his mighty acts.� Christ�s most mighty act is his work to save us and bring us to his heavenly glory. As we meditate much on this mighty act of redemption, so we will grow in praise and love. So let us dwell on the love of Christ in his redeeming us from our sins, so that our praise of him might grow more and more until we cast our crowns before his thrown saying "worthy is the Lamb that was slain; to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength and honour and glory and praise.?� (Revelation 5:12).