In today's devotional, I am amazed at the number of prophecies fulfilled at Jesus' trial and eventual crucifixion, together with the parties who took part fulfilling it. The teachers of religious law and leading priest accused Jesus falsely and handed him over to Pilate as prophecied they would. They also paid 30 pieces of silver for him in fulfilment of scripture and bought a burial site with the money when Judas returned it exactly as the prophet Jeremiah and Zechariah prophecied (Jer 32:6-9, Zech 11:12-13). Judas betrayal and death was also a fulfilment of prophecy, hanging himself was prophecied (Psalms 69:25; 109:8). The soldiers mocking and beating Jesus was prophecied (Isaiah 53:4-6), bargaining for his robe instead of tearing and sharing it was prophecied. Jesus' death on that cross was not a mistake, it was a fulfilment of the words of the prophet Isaiah; "He was despised and rejected— a man of sorrows, acquainted with deepest grief. We turned our backs on him and looked the other way. He was despised, and we did not care. Yet it was our weaknesses he carried; it was our sorrows that weighed him down. And we thought his troubles were a punishment from God, a punishment for his own sins! But he was pierced for our rebellion, crushed for our sins. He was beaten so we could be whole. He was whipped so we could be healed. All of us, like sheep, have strayed away. We have left God’s paths to follow our own. Yet the Lord laid on him the sins of us all. He was oppressed and treated harshly, yet he never said a word. He was led like a lamb to the slaughter. And as a sheep is silent before the shearers, he did not open his mouth. Unjustly condemned, he was led away. No one cared that he died without descendants, that his life was cut short in midstream. But he was struck down for the rebellion of my people. He had done no wrong and had never deceived anyone. But he was buried like a criminal; he was put in a rich man’s grave. But it was the Lord’s good plan to crush him and cause him grief. Yet when his life is made an offering for sin, he will have many descendants. He will enjoy a long life, and the Lord’s good plan will prosper in his hands. When he sees all that is accomplished by his anguish, he will be satisfied. And because of his experience, my righteous servant will make it possible for many to be counted righteous, for he will bear all their sins.
Isaiah 53:3-11 NLT.
