Four Things About Atonement

As we consider the atonement found in Isaiah 53:10-12, let’s consider four things about it.

First, He had the knowledge of the need and of what needed to be done.

“…by his knowledge shall the righteous one, my servant, make many to be accounted righteous.” Justification is possible because of what the Servant knew and experienced. He knew the need and He knew what needed to be done. This ties in with the first stanza, “Behold, my servant shall act wisely…” Jesus knew what needed to be done, but atonement goes beyond knowledge.

Second, we see His righteousness.

“…by his knowledge shall the righteous one, my servant.” You and I can know the need, but we can’t do anything about it because even our goodness is like filthy rags. The best we do always comes up short because we have “sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.” Righteousness isn’t something we are born with, it isn’t something we earn, and it isn’t something we can accomplish—righteousness is something that is imputed to us. “God made him who knew no sin to be sin so that we might become the righteousness of God.” Jesus was righteous—He was sinless and therefore He was able to do something about our sin.

Third, he was appointed.

“…by his knowledge shall the righteous one, my servant.” Jesus was the Suffering Servant of Isaiah’s prophecy. He was appointed to atone for our sin.

Fourth, he was our substitute.

“…make many to be accounted righteous, and he shall bear their iniquities.” Jesus accomplished the atonement—he paid the price for our sin and therefore God was able to count us as righteous. He bore our iniquities.

So here is the atonement in a nutshell, someone had to know what needed to be done, someone had to be able to do it because he would have to be righteous, and that righteous one had to be willing to be our substitute. Jesus was the lamb who was led to the slaughter so that we could be righteous before God. God put Him to grief so that He could bear our griefs; God crushed Him so that He could carry our sorrows; and God put our sin upon Him so that He could take up the sin, bear the wrath that we deserved, and carry it away. That is the grace of God.

The cross lays a shadow upon the entire OT. Every single sacrifice, every single drop of blood, every single life taken from the animals pointed to the cross of Jesus Christ. Verse 10 says, “When his soul makes an offering for guilt.” Jesus became out guilt offering. When you sinned in the OT you would have to take a spotless animal to the priest—you would lay your hands on that animal signifying that it was a substitute for you and then the priest would sacrifice it and its blood would cover your sin. God took our sin and laid His hands upon Jesus and Jesus became our guilt offering. The spotless lamb was our sacrifice. Jesus’ death satisfied the need of a sinful people and of a holy God.