God of Paradox

A poetic commentary on Isaiah 52:13-53:12

This is meant to be read as a commentary on the biblical passage simply to point out the incredible paradoxes that are apparent in the passage. Each piece below is parallel to a chunk of the scripture except for the last two lines which are added as a conclusion. I've included the passage in NASB on the end so you can look between the two but what I wrote was based on many translations and commentaries so don’t be surprised if you are a little confused about how I got where I did. 

The beauty of this passage absolutely astounds me and I hope you can see a little of what I have.

Enjoy.

The servant acts in wisdom and he finds exaltation
by being beaten beyond recognition.

YHWH’s power is among us
In an unattractive baby

YHWH sends his servant
We shun Him like we’re better

Our sorrows,
He carried
We called Him cursed of God

We sinned,
He was crushed

His flesh torn,
Our spirits healed

We do as we please
YHWH puts our sin on Him.

The servant was beat to a pulp
Yet still he was silent
lead to execution
But still not a word
judged, condemned and put away

Which of His executioners understood?
This death they caused,
was theirs to die.

He died with common thieves
But was buried with the wealthy
because he was not guilty

YHWH worked gladly
to crush his beloved
The innocent One
In place of the guilty

YHWH saw his dead Son
And makes His life long
Giving Him His Joy, the resurrected

Through the soul’s dark night
He will find the light

The righteous One
Bears the sin
Of wicked multitudes

He will be numbered among kings
Because was counted with the criminals

He took on sin
to be a priest

Now the greatest act of judgment
is the greatest act of love.

Isaiah 52:13-53:12

13 Behold, My servant will prosper,

He will be high and lifted up and greatly exalted.

    14     Just as many were astonished at you, My people,

So His appearance was marred more than any man

And His form more than the sons of men.

    15     Thus He will sprinkle many nations,

Kings will shut their mouths on account of Him;

For what had not been told them they will see,

And what they had not heard they will understand.

Ch 53

    1     Who has believed our message?

And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?

    2     For He grew up before Him like a tender shoot,

And like a root out of parched ground;

He has no stately form or majesty

That we should look upon Him,

Nor appearance that we should be attracted to Him.

    3     He was despised and forsaken of men,

A man of sorrows and acquainted with grief;

And like one from whom men hide their face

He was despised, and we did not esteem Him.

    4     Surely our griefs He Himself bore,

And our sorrows He carried;

Yet we ourselves esteemed Him stricken,

Smitten of God, and afflicted.

    5     But He was pierced through for our transgressions,

He was crushed for our iniquities;

The chastening for our well-being fell upon Him,

And by His scourging we are healed.

    6     All of us like sheep have gone astray,

Each of us has turned to his own way;

But the Lord has caused the iniquity of us all

To fall on Him.

    7     He was oppressed and He was afflicted,

Yet He did not open His mouth;

Like a lamb that is led to slaughter,

And like a sheep that is silent before its shearers,

So He did not open His mouth.

    8     By oppression and judgment He was taken away;

And as for His generation, who considered

That He was cut off out of the land of the living

For the transgression of my people, to whom the stroke was due?

    9     His grave was assigned with wicked men,

Yet He was with a rich man in His death,

Because He had done no violence,

Nor was there any deceit in His mouth.

    10     But the Lord was pleased

To crush Him, putting Him to grief;

If He would render Himself as a guilt offering,

He will see His offspring,

He will prolong His days,

And the good pleasure of the Lord will prosper in His hand.

    11     As a result of the anguish of His soul,

He will see it and be satisfied;

By His knowledge the Righteous One,

My Servant, will justify the many,

As He will bear their iniquities.

    12     Therefore, I will allot Him a portion with the great,

And He will divide the booty with the strong;

Because He poured out Himself to death,

And was numbered with the transgressors;

Yet He Himself bore the sin of many,

And interceded for the transgressors.

New American Standard Bible : 1995 Update (LaHabra, CA: The Lockman Foundation, 1995). Is 52:13-53:12.