Abba’s Reconciliation
“Who has truly believed our revelation? To whom will Yahweh reveal his mighty arm? He sprouted up like a tender plant before the Lord, like a root in parched soil. He possessed no distinguishing beauty or outward splendor to catch our attention—nothing special in his appearance to make us desire him. He was despised and rejected by men, a man of deep sorrows who was no stranger to suffering and grief. We hid our faces from him in disgust and considered him a nobody, not worthy of respect. Yet he was the one who carried our sicknesses and endured the torment of our sufferings. We viewed him as one who was being punished for something he himself had done, as one who was struck down by God and brought low. But it was because of our rebellious deeds that he was pierced and because of our sins that he was crushed. He endured the punishment that made us completely whole, and in his wounding, we found our healing. Like wayward sheep, we have all wandered astray. Each of us has turned from God’s paths and chosen our own way; even so, Yahweh laid the guilt of our every sin upon him. He was oppressed and harshly mistreated; still he humbly submitted, refusing to defend himself. He was led like a gentle lamb to be slaughtered. Like a silent sheep before his shearers, he didn’t even open his mouth. By coercion and with a perversion of justice he was taken away. And who could have imagined his future? He was cut down in the prime of life; for the rebellion of his own people, he was struck down in their place. They gave him a grave among criminals, but he ended up instead in a rich man’s tomb, although he had done no violence nor spoken deceitfully.
Even though it pleased Yahweh to crush him with grief, he will be restored to favor. After his soul becomes a guilt-offering, he will gaze upon his many offspring and prolong his days. And through him, Yahweh’s deepest desires will be fully accomplished. After the great anguish of his soul, he will see light and be fully satisfied. By knowing him, the righteous one, my servant will make many to be righteous, because he, their sin-bearer, carried away their sins. So I, Yahweh, will assign him a portion among a great multitude, and he will triumph and divide the spoils of victory with his mighty ones — all because he poured out his life-blood to death. He was counted among the worst of sinners, yet he carried sin’s burden for many and intercedes for those who are rebels.” Isaiah 53
Isaiah's prophecy points to Jesus, more than 700 hundred years before the Cross. Interestingly enough it is written in past tense like it had already happened. Before the foundation of the cosmos, Abba already knew what He would need to do to restore us to himself. In this passage we see Jesus endured punishment that made us completely whole, and, in His wounding, we found healing. This isn’t just about our sins being forgiven. It is a restoration of our whole being. Mind, body and soul can be completely whole.
When Jesus cried out on the Cross feeling forsaken, He was addressing the feelings David had in Psalm 22 when He felt forsaken by Yahweh. He was also doing it for us when we are feeling the same way. Abba never turned His back on Jesus when He was on the Cross. How do we know? Paul tells us in 2 Corinthians, Abba was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself. “That is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation.”
He could not have forsaken Jesus and been in Him at the same time. It was Abba himself in Jesus reconciling us back to our original design the Father gave us. The circle dance doesn’t miss one aspect of us being made complete. Jesus did this for when we are feeling alone, forsaken, hurt, wounded, or sick. We must remember what He has done for us. He walks with us through it all and offers us restoration.
When you face trials, remember that Abba is not distant but intimately involved in your suffering. Let this truth comfort and strengthen you in difficult times. Imagine Him with you. Yesterday in our Kingdom Academy co-op one of our students shared with us after our worship and rest time that he felt Jesus next to him and he laid his head in Jesus’ lap. May we be like little children who can see ourselves lying in His lap.
