“But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.” Isaiah 53:5 (KJV)
Every year we celebrate Good Friday and Easter, and all throughout the year, we celebrate and remember the sacrifice of Jesus’ death on the Cross as the punishment and payment for our sins. However, this year, in preparation for Good Friday and Easter, I heard a couple of different Pastors talk about the suffering that Jesus had to go through leading up to His brutal death on the Cross. One thing that stood out to me in particular this year was the fact that Jesus’ atoning death started way before the Cross, and it particularly stood out to me when I looked at Him being beaten by flogging in fulfillment to the Scripture written hundreds of years before Jesus was even on the earth (Isaiah 53:5, John 19:1).
Flogging was an awful method of torture back in these times. It consisted of the criminal being stripped of their clothing, their hands tied together and put around a wooden pole, and their skin literally being stretched out on their back, all while the criminal was beating them with a whip that was made up of leather, sheep bone, and metal balls. It would cut the skin and eventually break into the muscles of the back, and the criminal would be flogged just short of death. It was meant to weaken the criminal as much as possible and leave as little as life left possible.
Reflecting on this, Isaiah 53:5 came to mind. We hear this verse a lot at this time of year, or any other time when we are focusing on Christ’s death. However, the verse says “with his stripes we are healed.” By the stripes and cuts ripped open on Jesus’ back while He was being beaten, enduring mockery and torture, we are healed. The blood sacrifice just didn’t pour out on the Cross, our salvation and healing started here.
Broken and mocked, forced to carry His own Cross, Jesus made His was up to Golgotha to be crucified. He was in front of a crowd of hundreds. Many of them were people who didn’t like Him, or didn’t believe in Him. Others were His disciples. Others were just passer-byers because they were in Jerusalem for Passover just like any other year. However, unlike any other year, this would be the last year that there would be a necessity for a sacrificial lamb to be brought to the alter and killed for the sake of one’s sins. Jesus was on now the alter giving up His life for everyone. He could’ve backed out of His death and mission at any time (Matthew 26:53-54), but because of His great love for His Father, and because of His great love for all of mankind—including you and me—He continued on with it (Matthew 26:39, Romans 5:8).
We are forgiven because of the blood that Jesus spilt on our behalf. Because He suffered, we can be healed. Healed of sin, healed of shame, healed of bondage. And because He gave up His life for us, He has given us life that never ends. An eternity full of praising God in His holy city, forgiven and made perfect (Revelation 21). This Good Friday and Easter season, let us reflect on the agony of Calvary, knowing it was our sin that nailed Jesus to the Cross, yet it was out of love for us He died, and this season, let us celebrate the greatest news of all time … the story doesn’t end here! Sunday is coming!
As always, thank you for reading and glory to God! Please be sure to share with others and share your comments below. You can always contact me via twitter @stephaniejtay, or via the "Contact Me" page on this website, or any other social media outlet on the "Contact Me" Page. Glory to God, and God bless.
Every year we celebrate Good Friday and Easter, and all throughout the year, we celebrate and remember the sacrifice of Jesus’ death on the Cross as the punishment and payment for our sins. However, this year, in preparation for Good Friday and Easter, I heard a couple of different Pastors talk about the suffering that Jesus had to go through leading up to His brutal death on the Cross. One thing that stood out to me in particular this year was the fact that Jesus’ atoning death started way before the Cross, and it particularly stood out to me when I looked at Him being beaten by flogging in fulfillment to the Scripture written hundreds of years before Jesus was even on the earth (Isaiah 53:5, John 19:1).
Flogging was an awful method of torture back in these times. It consisted of the criminal being stripped of their clothing, their hands tied together and put around a wooden pole, and their skin literally being stretched out on their back, all while the criminal was beating them with a whip that was made up of leather, sheep bone, and metal balls. It would cut the skin and eventually break into the muscles of the back, and the criminal would be flogged just short of death. It was meant to weaken the criminal as much as possible and leave as little as life left possible.
Reflecting on this, Isaiah 53:5 came to mind. We hear this verse a lot at this time of year, or any other time when we are focusing on Christ’s death. However, the verse says “with his stripes we are healed.” By the stripes and cuts ripped open on Jesus’ back while He was being beaten, enduring mockery and torture, we are healed. The blood sacrifice just didn’t pour out on the Cross, our salvation and healing started here.
Broken and mocked, forced to carry His own Cross, Jesus made His was up to Golgotha to be crucified. He was in front of a crowd of hundreds. Many of them were people who didn’t like Him, or didn’t believe in Him. Others were His disciples. Others were just passer-byers because they were in Jerusalem for Passover just like any other year. However, unlike any other year, this would be the last year that there would be a necessity for a sacrificial lamb to be brought to the alter and killed for the sake of one’s sins. Jesus was on now the alter giving up His life for everyone. He could’ve backed out of His death and mission at any time (Matthew 26:53-54), but because of His great love for His Father, and because of His great love for all of mankind—including you and me—He continued on with it (Matthew 26:39, Romans 5:8).
We are forgiven because of the blood that Jesus spilt on our behalf. Because He suffered, we can be healed. Healed of sin, healed of shame, healed of bondage. And because He gave up His life for us, He has given us life that never ends. An eternity full of praising God in His holy city, forgiven and made perfect (Revelation 21). This Good Friday and Easter season, let us reflect on the agony of Calvary, knowing it was our sin that nailed Jesus to the Cross, yet it was out of love for us He died, and this season, let us celebrate the greatest news of all time … the story doesn’t end here! Sunday is coming!
As always, thank you for reading and glory to God! Please be sure to share with others and share your comments below. You can always contact me via twitter @stephaniejtay, or via the "Contact Me" page on this website, or any other social media outlet on the "Contact Me" Page. Glory to God, and God bless.