He bore the sins of many

 Therefore I will divide him a portion with the many, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong, because he poured out his soul to death and was numbered with the transgressors; yet he bore the sin of many, and makes intercession for the transgressors.

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Isaiah 53:12 ESV

In this final verse of Isaiah 53 Jesus is referred to as one that makes intercession for the transgressors (sinners). In other words Jesus in His sacrifice took care of our sins for us. He interceded on our behalf.

Many years later the apostle John writes in one of his letters to the church that Jesus is still our advocate when we sin. An advocate is one that pleads the case of another. John said this; My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.1 John 2:1 ESV This verse speaks to the fact that Jesus' sacrifice was truly a once for all sacrifice for sin. John is addressing Christians in this letter, those that had already been forgiven in baptism into Christ. Yet, John wants his readers to know that even as Christians we will and do sin and that Jesus still is working on our behalf to clear our record with our heavenly Father.

As we look back over the 53^rd chapter of Isaiah we can see God's plan of salvation worked out in the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus. It was God's will to save us through Jesus faithfulness and righteousness. Jesus died for our sins so we don't have to. Isaiah prophesied this generations before Jesus was born of a virgin.

Here we are in the 21^st century reading this prophecy, having looked at where this prophecy was fulfilled in the New Testament writings. We are truly blessed by God's word and its availability to us today. We have everything we need to know about salvation and christian living, right there between the covers of our bible. As the apostle Paul said in 2 Timothy 3:16,17 All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work.ESV

Read your bible daily and absorb all that the Lord has for you.

© 2012 Leo J. Woodman