Rebel

If you haven't read through Isaiah in awhile, I strongly encourage you to do that. It's part of my devotions right now, and I'm also taking an exegesis class on the book. For my devotional reading I've chosen to read in the New Living Translation. Check out 53:12b with me:

"He was counted among the rebels. He bore the sins of many and interceded for rebels."

The prophet was referring to the Suffering Servant here. It's commonly accepted that this Servant is the Messiah. We know Him as Jesus in 2006 CE.

Following a beautiful prophetic poem of how Jesus suffered on our behalf, the prophet includes this verse. Jesus Himself was counted among the rebels. I've heard this translated "transgressors" before. I like "rebels" better this morning because I was one. I was a transgressor, too. In other words, I did things wrong. But I was a rebel. I didn't just do things wrong; I did them deliberately. I deliberately chose to follow paths of which I knew God did not approve. I sinned, and I did it boldly. I was literally against Jesus, even though He was counted along with me among the rebels when He took the sins of the world.

Here's what strikes me. Jesus bore my sins and interceded for me, a rebel! He interceded for me! He still does! I am no longer a rebel. Sure, I still have to submit my mind, will, emotions, and spirit to Him daily, but I am not against Him. That's only because He interceded for me. He took my sins, I rebelled, and He interceded for me. I deliberately chose sin, and He interceded for me. I took His name in vain, and He interceded for me. I spat in His face, and He interceded for me. I struck Him, and He interceded for me. I turned my back on Him, sinning right in front of His face, and He interceded for me. I spread bad reports about Him, and He interceded for me. I incited other people against Him, and He interceded for me. I chose to run from Him, I didn't want to be found by Him, and He interceded for me. I worked in cooperation with the darkness inside and around me, and He interceded for me.

He stood between the Father and me, praying, "Father, forgive him. He doesn't know what he's doing." I did know what I was doing when I spoke against Him, hurt Him, and chose to sin. I did not know what I was doing when I purposefully joined the constant, fruitless search of what would satisfy, what would remove the darkness that kept me awake at night, what would take away the fears that plagued me. Just like the Roman soldiers at Jesus's crucifixion, I stood over Christ in full knowledge of my outward actions, but Jesus saw my desperate need for His salvation and interceded for me. He stood in Heaven interceding for me for a long time. He stands now in Heaven interceding for millions of other souls who don't know what they're doing.

I meditate on Christ this morning as one who was saved from rebellion. I no longer work against Jesus. Darkness does not rule inside me because Jesus's light has flooded my soul! I no longer partner with the darkness around me; instead I intercede with Jesus to conquer the darkness. Jesus was as bruised and scorned as Isaiah and the Gospel accounts record. Now, however, He is the bright and conquering Savior who leads us in intercession for the rebels. He doesn't hate rebels choosing rebellion. He loves them so much that He humbly prays for them. He loves them so much that He valiantly fights the darkness for them. He loves them so much that their sin, their curse, their humiliation is all His, should they trust that He is who He says He is. The rebels fight against Him, but Jesus leads with a powerful peace, a forceful love, a striking mercy. He is good - infinitely good. Good.

He is good. He received our 39 lashes. He was led through the streets in mockery. He stood before councils, governors, and kings in condemnation. He wore our crown of jagged thorns. He accepted our bruises, cuts, jabs, gashes, insults, punches, pushes, and curses. He carried our cross. He accepted our nails through His hands and His feet. He accepted abject humiliation by hanging on our cross and carrying the weight of our sin. He was placed in our tomb. He laid in our tomb and descended to the place of the dead. All the while He interceded for us.

It wasn't over. He defeated our death in a powerful blow! He rose from our grave! He initiated our new life! He appeared to many people like us who assumed He was dead. He blessed them, He taught them, He commissioned them. He went to Heaven for us, but He sent His Spirit to continue blessing us, teaching us, commissioning us. All the while He intercedes for us. By the power of His Spirit our trust that He is who He says He is results in the defeat of death in our lives. We raise from the graves! We receive new life! We bless, teach, and commission. Then we go to Heaven to be with Him - forever!

So, Jesus interceded for me. I am not a rebel. He still intercedes for me. He still intercedes for us. He loves us. He pursues us. Surely goodness and mercy will follow us - will hunt us down as in war, like the Hebrew word for "follow" says there - all the days of our lives. All the days. He hunts us rebels down with His love, His goodness, His mercy. We don't have to rebel. I am not a rebel. All because of His intercession. I am redeemed. All because of His intercession. I can sing the song of the redeemed that even the angels in heaven cannot sing. All because of His intercession. I see Jesus, high and exalted, and bow down to worship Him forever! PRAISE HIM FOREVER AND EVER AND EVER!!