Yet we esteemed Him stricken, Smitten by God, and afflicted. Isaiah 53:4b (NKJV)
(Part 2 of 2)
Despite the fact that Jesus went to the cross carrying our burdens, it's easy for people to look back on history – and even during the actual days it happened – and think that Jesus had this punishment coming and brought it on himself.
Stricken and smitten means similar things – to be hit and grievously wounded with a hard blow. Afflicted means to ‘distress with mental or bodily pain’. Jesus was wounded, whipped and tortured… And eventually killed – murdered – crucified. Historians say that dying on a cross is one of the most horrific and painful ways to die.
But He wasn’t stricken by God, He wasn't afflicted by the devil… He wasn’t down and out for the count. It could look that way from an unbelieving and unseeing eye. But He actually suffered for us – He took on our sorrows and griefs, our sin and shame. He wasn’t a sinner in order to be afflicted; He wasn’t a hard done by man in order to be stricken. Jesus was our innocent Saviour, who, by choice, took the weight of our sin and brokenness upon Himself, bore, wore it, and rose above it so that forever more, we could cast our cares, our afflictions and heavy burdens upon Him, and He will carry them.
It was for us; for the love of us and the hope of our future that lead Jesus to the cross. A calculated, thought through, decision of His own making. How amazingly beautiful and how incredibly loved we are.
When someone falls in love deeply and quickly, it is often referred to as being ‘smitten’ with someone – the love so strong that it knocks the wind out of you… So in a sense, you could say that Jesus was smitten with you and I… compelled by love, passionately determined to make a way for you and me to be in relationship with Him. Thank you Jesus.
