Daily devotion – Pleasing His Father
Why did Jesus die on the Cross for us?
“Yes it was the will of the Lord to crush Him; He has put Him to grief…” Isaiah 53:10
Jesus did not dispute or wrestle with His Father in Heaven about Calvary – no what Jesus did in dying on the cruel Cross of Calvary for us, was the Father’s idea. It was a breathtaking strategy, conceived before the foundations of the world were laid.
This is why the Bible speaks of God’s “purpose and grace, which He gave is in Christ Jesus before the ages began.” – 2 Timothy 1:9
The prophet Isiah foretold the sufferings of the Messiah, who was to take the place of sinners. He said that the Christ would be “smitten by God” in our place.
Isaiah 53:4-6
“4 Surely He has borne our griefs
And carried our sorrows;
Yet we esteemed Him stricken,
Smitten by God, and afflicted.
5 But He was wounded for our transgressions,
He was bruised for our iniquities;
The chastisement for our peace was upon Him,
And by His stripes we are healed.
6 All we like sheep have gone astray;
We have turned, every one, to his own way;
And the LORD has laid on Him the iniquity of us all.”
But what is most amazing about this submission of Jesus for sinners is that it was God’s idea!
Jesus did not intrude on God’s plan to punish sinners. God planned for Him to be there.
Isaiah went on to say, “It was the will of the Lord to crush Him; He has put Him to grief.” – Isaiah 53:10
This helps explain the paradox of the New Testament – on the one hand, the suffering of Jesus Christ is an outpouring of God’s judgment because of sin. But on the other hand, Jesus Christ’s suffering is a beautiful act of submission and obedience to the will of the Father.
So Jesus cried from the Cross, “My God, my God, why have You forsaken Me?” – Matthew 27:46.
Yet the Bible says that the suffering of Jesus Christ was a fragrance to God – “Christ loved us and gave Himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.” – Ephesians 5:2
As I read this glorious picture of the wisdom, might, love and mercy of God, wrapped in holiness, I cannot but bow before Him in adoration and wonder!
God’s love for us is not sentimental, it is not simple, but for our sake God did the impossible.
He poured out His wrath on His own Son – the one whose submission made Him infinitely unworthy to receive it.
Yet Jesus’ very willingness to receive it was precious in God the Father’s sight.
The wrath-bearer was infinitely loved and so too are you and I!
Let us love the Lord today….!