Today’s passage is the last part of the fourth song of the servant that begins in 52:13. In the first part we saw the hardships that the servant received. In other words, “he took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows.” (4) That was for our sin, our iniquities. “He was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities.” (5)
The result of him being crushed like that and what happened is written about in today’s passage. In other words, the servant looked at those who were redeemed and was satisfied. Everything didn’t end at death. It was connected to eternal life.

I. The servant who was taken away (Vs. 7-9)
First please look at verses 7 to 9. Verse 7 says, “He was oppressed and afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth; he was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before its shearers is silent, so he did not open his mouth.”
“He” (7) is of course Jesus Christ. Christ was “afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth; he was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before its shearers is silent, so he did not open his mouth.” (7) The reason why is because if Jesus had opened his mouth, in a moment all the people on the earth would have perished. Jesus probably had things that he wanted to say, but he didn’t. If he said something then he wouldn’t have been able to take upon himself all transgressions so he was silent. I Peter 2:22 to 24 says, “’He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in his mouth.’ When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly. ‘He himself bore our sins’ in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; ‘by his wounds you have been healed.’”
The reason that Christ “did not open his mouth” (7) was because “’He himself bore our sins’ in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; ‘by his wounds you have been healed.’” (I Peter 2:24) In other words, Christ “did not open his mouth” (7) and was silent for us.
The opposite is sinners have a habit of always opening their mouths. They make excuses for things and say things that aren’t necessary. They say things like, “It couldn’t be helped.” “It wasn’t me.” “It was because that person told me to.” Etc. However, Jesus was silent. “He did not open his mouth.” (7) No matter how disadvantageous evidence was given “he entrusted himself to him who judges justly.” (I Peter 2:23) When Jesus stood before Judah’s governor, Pilate, he was asked, “Are you the king of the Jews?” (Matt. 27:11) Jesus only answered, “Yes, it is as you say.” (Matt. 27:11) He didn’t say anything else. That was because he knew it was God’s will. I think that he had a lot he wanted to say, but if he did that God’s will wouldn’t be accomplished, so “as a sheep before its shearers is silent, so he did not open his mouth.” (7)
Please look at verse 8. Here it says, “By oppression and judgment he was taken away. Yet who of his generation protested? For he was cut off from the land of the living; for the transgression of my people he was punished.”
Jesus was oppressed, judged, and killed. This was at the age of 33, the prime of his life. At that time he was killed. The reason is in verse 9. “Though he had done no violence, nor was any deceit in his mouth.” It was for our transgressions. No one at that time knew that.
The words of verses 7 and 8 are quoted in Acts 8:32. The Ethiopian eunuch who served the queen of the Ethiopians “had gone to Jerusalem to worship, and on his way home was sitting in his chariot reading” (Acts 8:27) this passage. When he was thinking about what it meant God sent the evangelist Philip to him. He was reading this passage so Philip asked him, “Do you understand what you are reading?” (Acts 8:30) Then the eunuch replied “How can I…unless someone explains it to me?” (Acts 8:31) Then Philip explained to him that the passage was pointing to Jesus of Nazareth. Then the Eunuch understood that Jesus died on the cross for him and joyfully accepted what God had done. When they came to some water, the eunuch asked, “”Look, here is water. Why shouldn’t I be baptized?” (Acts 8:36) Then they stopped the chariot. “Then both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water and Philip baptized him.” (Acts 8:38)
You can be baptized anywhere there is water. If there is anyone today who wants to believe there is water here too so please be baptized. You can believe in Jesus at any time. At any time you can be baptized. If you realize that Jesus took upon himself all your sins on the cross, you will be joyous. Your sins will be forgiven and you will not face the second death. That is a huge joy. When the Ethiopian eunuch came up out of the water, the Holy Spirit took Philip away so he couldn’t be seen anymore. However, the Bible says that the eunuch went home in joy. People who believe in Jesus have joy.
Please look at verse 9. Here it says, “He was assigned a grave with the wicked,
And with the rich in his death,
Though he had done no violence,
Nor was any deceit in his mouth.”
“He was assigned a grave with the wicked” (9) is that he will die with the two other prisoners on the cross. Those who condemned him assumed that he would be buried with executed criminals. “With the rich in his death” is that he will be buried in a rich man’s grave. Jesus’ body was buried in the grave of Joseph of Arimathea. According to Matthew 27:57, he was a rich man. Truly Jesus is the Lord’s servant, the Messiah, the Savior who for our transgressions was punished and “was cut off from the land of the living.” (8) This Messiah died for you on the cross. If you recognize this, accept and believe in Him as your Savior and Lord, then this joy will come to you too.

II. The will of the Lord will prosper in his hand (Vs.10-11)
Next let’s look at verse 10 and the first half of verse 11. First please look at verse 10. “Yet it was the LORD’s will to crush him and cause him to suffer,
and though the LORD makes his life a guilt offering,
he will see his offspring and prolong his days,
and the will of the LORD will prosper in his hand.”
Here is a great truth. That is the servant being crushed and inflicted is the will of God. The reason that we can say this is the will of God is because if he “makes his life a guilt offering, (10) then he will see his offspring and prolong his days.” (10) In many cases, even if you work hard, if you die you can’t know the result. However, the Lord’s servant will see the result of his work of suffering. As it says in verse 11 he will see the result of the suffering of his soul and be satisfied. He will see the fruit that atonement of the cross brought and will be satisfied.
Hebrews 12:2 says, “Jesus…who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” This is “the joy set before him.” (Hebrews 12:2) In other words, Jesus by being put on the cross, he will see the eternal life that comes to those who believe in the atonement of the cross. This is the joy of the servant. For this joy Jesus “endured the cross, scorning its shame.” (Hebrews 12:2)
This is just like a mother’s labor pains. Even though mothers have terrible pain and suffering in birth, they can put up with it because they have this joy. That is the joy of a new life coming. They see this new life and are satisfied. The pain wasn’t a painful handicap. This pain was not unprofitable. A cute baby will be born. They go to the point of such pain to have a child because someone of more value will be born. When they receive it causes them to forget all the pain, all the suffering, and all the hardship. A new life has that much joy. “After the suffering” (11) they are satisfied. If you are saved, how much Jesus will rejoice! He will look at you saved and “be satisfied.” (11)
However, this was not an easy thing. For Jesus to give his life as a guilt offering wasn’t that easy of a thing. Even if he knew that was God’s plan and he knew that is why he came into this world, still it wasn’t something that he could do easily. Therefore, Jesus with the cross in front of him prayed in the garden of Gethsemane like this. “Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done.” (Luke 22:42)
Jesus prayed, “take this cup from me.” (Luke 22:42) That is because it means that his relationship with God the Father will be severed. Though it was for people’s sin, for that purpose “he was punished. (8) and cut off from God which was the most fearful thing for Jesus. That is because God, the trinity, had from the beginning of eternity never been separated even for a moment. To be separated from God and to lose his relationship with God was the most fearful thing for Jesus.
It should be the same for us too. The most fearful thing for us is to lose our relationship with God. That is the most fearful thing for us. That is because it means hell. However, if you believe in Jesus, God will forgive your sin, and will be with you forever, and will have a relationship with you. This is eternal life. If you have that, you have nothing to fear. Our greatest joy and blessing is having God with us, God’s presence.
However, for Jesus to be separated from God even for even a moment is unthinkable. Therefore, Jesus prayed, “take this cup from me.” (Luke 22:42) Jesus being in anguish “prayed more earnestly, and his sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground.” (Luke 22:44) Even so he drank the cup to the last drop. Then he will see the eternal life that comes to those who believe in the atonement of the cross. This is joy! For this joy Jesus “endured the cross, scorning its shame.” (Hebrews 12:2) How about you? For this joy are you joyfully carrying the cross that is before your eyes? Jesus said this. “I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds.” (John 24)
In reality, they bear fruit. In the course of time, you too will see your offspring and your days will be prolonged. After you have suffered you will see the fruit of your suffering and you will be satisfied. The problem is where you are looking and what you are looking at. Let’s not look at the sufferings that are before our eyes, but at the glory that is ahead of it. If you do that, then “the will of the LORD will prosper in “(10) your hand.

III. The servant who intercedes (Vs. 11-12)
Lastly let’s look at the end of verse 11 and verse 12. “by his knowledge my righteous servant will justify many, and he will bear their iniquities. Therefore I will give him a portion among the great, and he will divide the spoils with the strong, because he poured out his life unto death, and was numbered with the transgressors. For he bore the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.”
“My righteous servant” (11) is of course Jesus. Jesus “will justify many, and he will bear their iniquities.” (11) “His knowledge” (11) is the knowledge of Jesus. By the knowledge of Jesus many will be justified. This is the knowledge that Jesus “was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed.” (5) This is the plan of salvation that God ordained from the beginning of eternity. “By his knowledge my righteous servant will justify many.” (11)
Therefore God “will give him a portion among the great, and he will divide the spoils with the strong.” (12) “The great” (12) and “the strong” (12) refer to those who are justified by the knowledge of Jesus. In other words, it is the children of God. Just like in war when the conquerors who won the war plunder the spoils, the Lord’s servant, Jesus, by his suffering and resurrection, had victory over evil spirits, Satan, who rules over all the darkness of the world so he set free those people who were prisoners there.
That’s not all. The servant “bore the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.” (12) He redeemed you. As his own possession he didn’t just toss them out, but even now is alive and interceding for you. He is always praying for you.
Romans 8:34 says, “Who is he that condemns? Christ Jesus, who died-more than that, who was raised to life-is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us.”
Also Hebrews 7:25 too says, “Therefore he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them.”
Jesus didn’t just die on the cross. He died and then rose again. He rose and then ascended into heaven and sits enthroned on the right hand of God. That is to intercede for you. He is alive now praying for you so that your faith won’t die, so that you will have victory over various difficulties. To live putting all in the hands of God is so comforting! We now in this world have many struggles. Sometimes we are almost broken, but Jesus was put on the cross for us, and 3 days later rose again. Then when we remember that now too He is praying for us, real encouragement will be given to us.
A music group, Noah, has a song “I can hear”.
Don’t give up.
You can always hear Jesus’ encouragement
In trials too there is joy
In hardships too there is light.
In the Lord’s hands I’m remade.
Ah, surrounded in the Lord’s love, I shine.
Indeed because we have Jesus’ encouragement, even if we are in the midst of trials or in the midst of suffering, we can move on without giving up.
A girl was saved and got married when I pastored a church in Fukushima. Now she is serving in Tokyo as a pastor’s wife. Her second child was born premature weighing 1,260 grams. There was a problem with the nerves for language and he remained unable to speak. When she thought about why this happened she was given one passage of scripture. That was John 9:3. “Neither this man nor his parents sinned… but this happened so that the work of God might be displayed in his life.” That was a huge encouragement for her. She had been depressed thinking that she had done something bad so this had happened, but that was no so. When she realized that it “happened so that the work of God might be displayed in his life,” (John 9:3) she prayed that “the work of God might be displayed in his life.” (John 9:3)
Then last year at the end of summer vacation when he went to kindergarten, suddenly the child started talking. There was a huge commotion in the kindergarten. “Joshua talked!” The principal cried out of joy. When she took him to the doctor, he said that the child could go to an elementary school that doesn’t have a speech program.
No matter if the Lord bore our iniquities and died and rose again and accomplished the work of salvation, if we don’t believe in that atonement it has no meaning at all. When we accept the fact that the Lord’s servant’s suffering was for us and believe in him, then we become a part of the “great” and we can receive a part of God’s great work. Please believe and receive through Jesus the work of salvation, the atonement of the cross. You too can receive this abundant grace of salvation.