High and Lifted Up
High and Lifted Up
Rich Trotter
“Behold, My servant shall act wisely; He shall be high and lifted up, and shall be exalted. As many were astonished at you--His appearance was so marred, beyond human semblance, and His form beyond that of the children of mankind--so shall He sprinkle many nations. Kings shall shut their mouths because of Him, for that which has not been told them they see, and that which they have not heard they understand.”
Have you ever considered the following stark contrast: Jesus Christ, the Messiah of the Old Testament, would be described as exalted, magnified, “high and lifted up” on the one hand—yet on the other hand He would be seen as scorned and humiliated, with his human appearance marred beyond recognition? How could this be?
Isaiah 52:14 clearly points to the fact that Jesus was so marred by the physical suffering of His torture and crucifixion. If this were not enough, the emotional abuse He experienced of being mocked and put to shame was also great. He is then nailed to a cross where He is “high and lifted up” for all to see. How can this be a victory? How can this be a time of exaltation as Isaiah 52:13 indicates?
It’s because on the cross where Jesus was high and lifted up in apparent defeat that God wrought the greatest victory. For on the cross, when Jesus was high and lifted up, the “Great Exchange” took place. The debt of our sin and disobedience toward God was exchanged for the free gift of Christ’s perfect obedience and righteousness. For our sake, God appointed Jesus to bear the burden of our sin, so that in Christ we might be declared righteous by God (see 2 Corinthians 5:21). God’s intense anger for our rebellion against Him was poured out on Jesus. All the punishment for the sins of each individual believer, multiplied by all the people who become true followers of Christ, was all placed on the shoulders of Jesus. And in exchange, true believers are declared right with God. This is the victory of the crucifixion. From the “high and lifted up” position on the cross, Jesus was greatly exalted as the Savior of His people.
After the disciples witnessed Jesus’s death, they were devastated. They could only see that the one that was marred beyond recognition was high and lifted up in defeat. But they would soon find out that what seemed like a tragic defeat was in reality a glorious victory. One day, we will see the One who was high and lifted up in victory on a cross. And the truth of the gospel will be made perfectly clear to everyone, everywhere. No person, great or small, will be able to say they deserve heaven based on their earthly position or worldly accomplishments. All excuses for turning against God will be forever silenced.
Jesus died for us. How can we not live for the One who has rule and authority over all the universe?
Reflection: Is Jesus “high and lifted up” in my own life? Am I putting the things of His kingdom, and His righteousness first in everything I do? Am I yielding to Him and seeking to walk in all of His ways? (see Matt 6:33, 1 John 2:6)