Let’s pretend for a moment. One day, some Police Officers show up to your house, and they forcibly handcuff you and throw you in their squad car. You have not done anything wrong that you know of, yet still they persist. The next thing you know, you are in a court of Law and standing before a Federal Judge. Now the Judge asks you, are you a Christian, and you reply that you are. The Judge slams the gavel down and declares you are guilty. Then you are taken into a public courtyard and handcuffed to a huge stump where you will be lashed with a whip.
Now I am sure you will be hollering and yelling for mercy and asking what you have done to deserve this sort of treatment. Am I correct?! One thing is for sure, you are definitely upset and fearful and angry at the same time. Jesus Christ was not any of those things!
The next thing you see is a huge man full of muscles walking toward you with a whip, full of hooks firmly embedded in the ends. Now you are crazy scared because this man is going to tear you a new one for sure! The man begins to hit you with that whip! Each and every time he hits you, those hooks dig in, and every time he pulls that whip back, he tears a chunk of flesh out. Can you imagine the pain that is inflicted on you?! The huge man does not stop with a couple of whips; he continues until you almost pass out! Not only is there pain, there is a lot of blood, your blood, being spilt and splashed everywhere. Now this is on your back, your sides, your neck and head, and your legs and buttocks!
Can you imagine for a moment the humiliation for not only being whipped out in Public, but being naked as you are being whipped? (People love watching all the gore in front of them. Why do you think people crane their necks as they pass a car accident?) They stand there and watch as you are beaten within Passing out! And no one does a single thing about it; no one dares to holler out that you are innocent for fear they will replace you on that stump! How bad does this hurt? How much pain must you endure? Can you imagine this scenario? How would you deal with this?
Isaiah 52:14 “As many were astonied at thee; his visage was so marred more than any man, and his form more than the sons of men.”
John 19:1 “Then Pilate therefore took Jesus, and scourged him.”
What is being stated here is this: Jesus was beaten so badly that no one was able to recognize HIM. For a moment, ask yourself this: how bad would they have to beat you before no one would be able to recognize you? THAT, my Friends, was SCOURGING. It was meant to cause as much pain and bleeding before passing out as possible so that the time in hanging on a cross would be minimal. Not a quick death by any means; and Jesus Christ did this for you and me without complaint!
As a matter of fact, Jesus Prayed and asked the Father to NOT hold what they were doing to HIM against them.
Luke 23:34 “Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. And they parted his raiment, and cast lots.”
So, by now, they want you to carry a cross that they will soon nail you to, to a place of crucifixion! You are already in severe shock and almost dead, and you have not been crucified yet! Are you able to see my point here?
Isaiah 53:5 “But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.”
My Friends, stop and think for a moment; what does that Passage of Scripture mean? HE was wounded and Bruised for OUR SIN. Please remember, Jesus was guilty of NOTHING. Still as yet, HE took that punishment for YOU and for ME. We deserve that beating and that Crucifixion, NOT HIM. What kind of Love…does it take for HIM…to accept that punishment for US? I am sorry, but I have no idea of that level of Love! That was incredible to say the least! No One has ever done anything of that sort for me. Jesus Christ is the only one!
Many of the Pastors and Scholars will say that HIS Stripes healing us means Spiritual Healing. I do not believe that! I have sat a number of times dealing with pain, and I have asked the Lord to alleviate that pain, and HE has, when pain medication did not work. So, you tell me, do “HIS Stipes heal us?!”
We must always remember Proverbs 5:3-8, “Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the LORD, and depart from evil. It shall be health to thy navel, and marrow to thy bones.”
I believe the Word of God has answered that question for us! And I will always BELIEVE the Bible! I have proof for myself that the Word of God is Truth and that HE is always there to help us. It says so in the passage of Scripture above…and HE has worked in my Life as well…therefore, I KNOW.
Are you willing to take the “Leap of Faith” in your life? Are you willing to not only accept Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, but are you willing to “Surrender All of your Life to HIM?” That means “Heart, Body, Soul and Spirit,” as in everything that you are or ever will be. Please remember, my Friends; it’s a big, thick, line…it is ALL or nothing! And there ain’t two ways about it!
John 3:16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”
All Passages of Scripture come from the King James Version of the Bible.
All Emphasis is mine.