Did Jesus successfully accomplish what He set out to do?
Isaiah 53:11-12 gives us insight to the aim and application of redemption. Jesus said himself in Luke 19:10, ” For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.” The Lord’s stated purpose was to seek and save the lost. Was he successful? The angelic announcement also provides the mission statement of our Lord in Matthew 1:20-21 where it says, “he shall save his people from their sins.” Not he would try. Not that he would offer, but he shall, without question and without fail, save his people. The Father has chosen a people, the son came to save the people the Father gave him, and the Spirit draws, gives life, and indwells those Christ died for. The sacrifice Christ made on the cross was made for the people the Father gave him. Our text in Isaiah says the same thing that Matthew and Luke say, Jesus shall, without question and without fail, justify many, not every and not all. Who is it that will be justified? Those whom “he shall bear their iniquities.” Jesus Christ is a perfect Saviour.
On the cross, Jesus made atoned for the sins of his people, satisfying God’s justice. The aim of that sacrifice, was to save the people Christ came for, and give them eternal life and the forgiveness of sins. The sacrifice Christ made on the cross was made for His people. All that Christ redeemed shall be saved because of redemption. Think about the words of salvation. To redeem is to purchase. To save is to rescue and deliver. Justify is a legal term to declare one innocent. These are specific terms – mathematical, financial, and judicial expressions. Redemption, salvation, and justification are acts that are done to us, not acts we contribute to.
Before the foundation of the world, God had chosen a people. Christ, the Father and the Spirit had an aim, and unified will in the eternal covenant; Christ came to the Earth, to obtain and provide eternal redemption for His people. The means by which we are saved was the substitutionary sacrifice, and the work on Calvary was not a general work, but a judicial work; a specific work for a predetermined purpose. The aim of redemption was a total success. Christ fully achieved what He came to accomplish. The sacrifice Christ made on the cross was made for His people – redemption, accomplished and applied.
Isaiah 53:12. Christ will divide the spoil. Christ will reign over his victors, because he poured out his soul unto death. Wait, what? How is that possible? How can Christ be victorious and divide the spoils as a victorious king if he was despised, rejected, deemed forsaken, crushed by the Father and died and laid in a rich man’s tomb? Simply stated, it’s possible because he wasn’t in the grave very long. Three days and three nights to be precise. He arose.
