THE PREDICTION OF THE ABUSE OF CHRIST

PROCLAMATION

“The Sovereign Lord has opened My ears; I have not been rebellious; I have not turned away.  I offered My back to those who beat Me, My cheek to those who pulled out My beard; I did not hide My face from mocking and spitting.”  Isaiah 50:5-6 (NIV)

EXPLANATION

These are the words of The Lord God which were spoken to the Jews through the prophet Isaiah. (Isaiah 50:1)  After a series of rhetorical questions, (Isaiah 50:1-2) God, The Son, tells them what God, The Father, has done for Him (Isaiah 50:4-5) and of His obedience to Him. (Isaiah 50:5-6)  Jesus, The Christ, was to be arrested, spat upon, mocked, slapped, beaten and scourged before He was taken to Calvary and nailed to the cross. (Matthew 27:26-31, Mark 14:65, Luke 22:63-65, and John 18:22 and 19:1-3)  Isaiah predicted this approximately 600 to 700 years before the earthly birth of Christ.

APPLICATION

In addition to being rejected by His own people, Jesus, The Christ, was abused verbally and physically before He was crucified on the cross.  Although He had the power to put a stop to His abuse, He endured it for our benefit.  He demonstrated His obedience to the will of God, The Father, (Matthew 26:39 and Luke 22:42) and He suffered to pay the price for our sins and for the salvation of our souls.  He came into this world and put on humanity in order to be the sacrificial lamb to take away the sins of the world. (John 1:29)  We should be thankful and grateful, and we should let Him know it.  In fact, everyday should be a day of giving thanks for all that He has done for us.