The Messiah's Cross

04/17/2011 Human Observations
Isaiah 52: ¹⁴As many were astonied at thee; his visage was so marred more than any man, and his form more than the sons of men:  ¹⁵So shall he sprinkle many nations; the kings shall shut their mouths at him: for that which had not been told them shall they see; and that which they had not heard shall they consider.
Isaiah 53¹Who hath believed our report? and to whom is the arm of the LORD revealed?  ⁴Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.  ⁵But 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. ⁶All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.  ¹⁰Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in his hand.  ¹²Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he hath poured out his soul unto death: and he was numbered with the transgressors; and he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.
The approach of the anniversary of The Passover brings to mind the scriptural record of the activities of the last days that God spent on earth as a man.  From His celebrated entrance into Jerusalem, through the events of His crucifixion, to His resurrection and ascension to the right hand of our Heavenly Father … a myriad of prophecies are fulfilled and highlighted in the hearts and minds of the redeemed.  Indeed a painful and sorrowful experience to view in our imaginations, yet a triumphant display of God’s circumspect revealing of His vision, power, and promise.  He prophesied the visitation of His Messiah; even spoke specifically of the manner of death Jesus should experience well before such a device was invented (by one civilization) and practiced (by a different civilization).  It was scripturally foretold that our Lord should stand in our shoes to receive the punishment for our transgressions against God; and while on that very cross, He began His process of deliverance by giving His word of promise to the “first believer”, who was crucified on a cross beside Him.  We of today have the same promise and reward as received Abraham, whose belief was accounted to him for righteousness.
Mark 16:16
He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved