Isaiah 53:11-12

Isaiah 53:11-12

After he has suffered, he will see the light of life and be satisfied; by his knowledge my righteous servant will justify many, and he will bear their iniquities. Therefore I will give him a portion among the great, and he will divide the spoils with the strong, because he poured out his life unto death, and was numbered with the transgressors. For he bore the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.

As we saw yesterday, so much of God’s salvation plan has already been accomplished that we can be confident that what still needs to happen will also be fulfilled. And here, in our final verses, we find out what that final stage of the salvation plan, which we are still waiting for, looks like. Because we know that our eternal future is already secure, we might not think very much about what will happen when Jesus returns to judge. Perhaps we’re so used to the idea that the cross and resurrection of Jesus are the high point of history (which they are!) that we assume that everything that is still to come is going to be a bit of an anti-climax (which it isn’t!)  The victory of Jesus over sin and death is already won. But we can still look forward to the victory parade, where we get to join in the rejoicing as Jesus is displayed as victorious king over all of creation.

I’m not much of a football fan, but even I know that when a team wins a really significant victory, there is often a celebratory parade in their hometown. Open top busses, cheering crowds lining the streets, the cup held high for everyone to see. The victory is won on the pitch, but the celebrations aren’t complete until everyone has welcomed their heroes home to receive the praise of their fans.

Jesus’ victory was won at the cross, but the victory parade will reach his climax when he gathers his people from every tribe and language and nation to sing his praises and declare his glory. On that day, he will get to show off ‘the spoils’ which he has snatched from the hands of his enemies – that is, his people who he has rescued from the grip of sin and death and the devil. So great is the glory due to Jesus that it will take all eternity to adequately praise him for what he has done for us.

We live in a world that wants us to believe that we are the heroes, that the spotlight of my life should be firmly fixed on ME. But the victory on which my whole life depends is not mine, but Jesus’.  The whole purpose of my life, now and forever, is to sing HIS praises and declare HIS greatness.

So, as we reach the end of our time in Isaiah, let’s do that today. And let’s ask for God’s help to be people who continue to sing his praises and live for his glory every single day, both in this world and in the life to come, which he has won for us.