Isaiah 53:6-12

⁶ All of us have wandered about like sheep; we each have turned to his own way; and Yahveh let fall on him the iniquity of us all. ⁷ He was oppressed and afflicted, but he did not open his mouth; he was brought lamb-like to slaughter, and like a sheep is dumb before its shearers, neither did he open his mouth. ⁸ He was taken in a miscarriage of justice, and who cared about his future? Because he was cut off from the living land; he was struck down because of the transgression of my people. ⁹ He took his grave among the wicked, and was among the rich in his death, although he had done no violence, and no deceit had come from his mouth. ¹⁰ But Yahveh was pleased to crush him; he made him weak. If anyone accepts his life as a guilt offering, he will have a future. He will extend his days, and the will of Yahveh will succeed in his hand. ¹¹ He will see into the trouble of his soul , and he will be satisfied. My righteous servant will declare many of those he knows righteous, and he is the one who will bear their iniquities. ¹² For this reason, I will divide to him a portion among the great, and with strong ones he will divide bounty, because he poured his life out to death and was counted with transgressors; yet he was the one who bore the sin of many and will intercede for the transgressors.

he will bear their iniquities

Isaiah’s words predict a future Messiah whose innocence is clear to all, but who will be crushed and killed as a guilt offering for the ones he knows. He will bear the punishment for their iniquities, extending their days, and making Yahveh’s will succeed for them. If you do not see Jesus in these words, then words have no meaning.

LORD, thank you for the guilt offering you provided for us. Our sins are many, but he has taken them all upon himself on that cruel cross.