Three Words of Grace

Yesterday we stopped at three words in Isaiah 52:14-15. Let’s look at three words—astonished, marred, and sprinkle.

The word astonished speaks of their reaction to Jesus while He was on the earth. They didn’t look at Jesus and ask, “Is this the Son of God,” rather, He was so beaten that they were more likely to ask, “Is this human?” (Ortlund) Have you ever seen someone who had been sick for a while and had so changed since the last time you saw them that you were astonished? I remember walking into a hospital room one time to see someone I hadn’t seen in a long time—they were sleeping, but I walked out and went to the nurse’s desk to make sure it was them—sickness had totally changed their appearance. I was astonished and that is how many viewed Jesus because of the next word.

“His appearance was so marred, beyond human semblance, and his form beyond that of the children of mankind…” One commentator said, “His degradation was the deepest possible, so His glorification would be the loftiest kind!” We will spend a lot more time on the marring of Jesus’ body in the next few weeks, but think of what the flogging and the beating and the crucifixion did to His body. Today, instead of looking at the actual marring, I want to ask why He did it. The next word helps us understand they question of why.

“So shall he sprinkle many nations…” The phrases of 14 and 15 are connected with two little words, “as” and “so.” As many were astonished so shall he sprinkle…with those two words the writer connects the crucifixion of Jesus with the result of the crucifixion. As repulsive as He was so was His effectiveness and power in redeeming us. The word “sprinkle” takes us back to the OT priest.

The priest would sprinkle blood on the veil, on the side of the altar, and on the Mercy Seat. They would sprinkle water for cleansing and oil for anointing. I think a great picture for us in found in Leviticus 14—the LORD spoke to Moses and told him that when a leprous person came before the priest on the day of his cleansing he would take two clean birds, cedarwood, scarlet yarn, and hyssop to the priest. The priest would kill one bird and mix its blood in fresh water and dip the rest of the things in the water and then he would sprinkle it on the man seven times and then let the live bird fly free and pronounce the man clean.

The leper who had been banished from his family would be restored to the community—we need to see this because when Isaiah says Jesus would sprinkle many nations he is talking about how Jesus would justify an ungodly people. Without the shedding of blood there can be no forgiveness of sin so Jesus was marred beyond recognition so that He could sprinkle us with His blood and restore us to His community. You and I were ungodly—we were spiritual lepers—outside of the camp and under the wrath of God, but Jesus was our substitute and He has set us free. He is the Promised Servant and He is the Crucified Savior.