Scripture: "He shall divide the spoil with the strong, because…... Ht bare the sin of many and made intercession for the transgressors."—ISAIAH liii. 12.
He made intercession for the transgressors." What did that mean to Him? Think of what it cost Him to pray that prayer effectually. He had to pour out His soul as an offering for sin, and to cry in Gethsemane: "Father, Thy holy will of love be done."
Think what moved Him thus to sacrifice Himself to the very uttermost! It was Has love to the Father—that His holiness might be manifest, and love to souls—that they might be partakers of His holiness.
Think of the reward He won! As Conqueror of every enemy, He is seated at the right hand of God, with the power of unlimited and assured intercession. And He would see His seed, a generation of those of the same mind with Himself, whom He could train to a share in His great work of intercession.
And what does this mean for us, when we indeed seek to pray for the transgressors? That we too yield ourselves wholly to the glory of the holiness and the love of the Father, that we too say: Thy will be done, cost what it may; that we too sacrifice ourselves, even to pouring out our soul unto death.
The Lord Jesus has in very deed taken us up into a partnership with Himself, in carrying out the great work of intercession. He in heaven and we on earth must have one mind, one aim in life—that we should, from love to the Father and to the lost, consecrate our lives to intercession for God's blessing. The burning desire of Father and Son for the salvation of souls must be the burning desire of our heart too.
What an honour! What a blessedness! And what a power for us to do the work because He lives, and by His Spirit pours forth His love into our hearts!
Everlasting God of love, open our eyes to the vision of the glory of Thy Son, as He ever liveth to pray. And open our eyes to the glory of that grace which enables us in His likeness also to live that we may pray for the transgressors. Father, for Jesus' sake. AMEN.
