Therefore, will I divide him a portion with the great, and
he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he hath
poured out his soul unto death; and he was numbered with
the transgressors; and he bare the sin of many, and made
intercession for the transgressors.--Isaiah liii. 12.
To whom but Jesus can we apply this. Do we not find him reckoned
with Barabbas, a traitor and murderer, and were not two thieves
crucified with him, on either side one, and Jesus in the midst?
Thus we behold him numbered with the transgressors, and bearing the
sin of many. All the Prophets, Evangelists, Apostles, Martyrs, with
the Church Militant, and the Church Triumphant, proclaim, as with
one voice, his death as the expiatory sacrifice, his blood as the
propitiation for the sins of his Church, and that he suffered, the
just for the unjust, to bring sinners unto God. He died to redeem
a countless multitude of the children of earth, who, freed from
sin and sorrow, will for ever shout victory, through the blood of
the Lamb. This is the great leading doctrine of the everlasting
Gospel. This is the sum and substance of the Old and New Testaments.
Thanks be unto God, for having given us line upon line, and precept
upon precept, on this momentous article of the Christian Faith. We
hear the blessed Jesus interceding for transgressors. Even when on
the cross he was not unmindful of his priestly office, but amid
all his personal sorrows and agonies, he did, as with his dying
breath, send in a petition to the Heavenly Court, for the pardon
of his murderers: "Father, forgive them; for they know not what
they do." This Great High Priest is now sitting at the right hand
of the throne of the Majesty in the Heavens, where "He is able to
save them to the uttermost who come unto God by him; seeing he ever
liveth to make intercession for them." The God-man Christ Jesus, is
now exalted to high and distinguished honours, on account of his
humiliation and sufferings, and his voluntarily pouring out his
soul unto death.[93] He had power to lay down his life, and power
to take it again, but no man had power to take it from him. He laid
it down of himself. Therefore, God will "Divide him a portion with
the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong." The Man
Jesus, now sits on the throne of Deity, and humanity participates in
all the honours paid to the second Person in the Glorious Trinity.
As he was openly put to shame on earth, is it not right that he
should here also be publicly rewarded? Satan, who so long had
reigned prince of this world, is now a conquered tyrant, his empire
is weakened, for Jesus has spoiled the principalities and powers of
darkness; and he will for one thousand years confine this destroyer
of our race, a captive in the bottomless pit.[94] In that bright day
of millennial glory, all shall know the Lord, and every tongue shall
call our Emmanuel blessed; and he shall reign a triumphant King over
earth's remotest bounds.
[93] Ephesians i. 20-22.
[94] Revelations xx. 2, 3.