“He shall see of the travail of His soul, and shall be satisfied.”

Isaiah 53:11

The Son of God shall be satisfied with His ransomed people. I mean that our Redeemer shall be satisfied with the results of His sin-atoning work as our Substitute. He shall be satisfied because they all shall be perfectly saved (Ephesians 5:25-27; Isaiah 62:5). He was satisfied with His work when it was done (John 17:4; 19:30). He is satisfied with the reward of His obedience — His Exaltation and Glory (Philippians 2:8-12). He is satisfied with His present position and work as our great High Priest (1 John 2:1-2). And the Son of God shall be satisfied when He sees His seed, all His seed completely saved (John 6:37-40): called by his Spirit, converted by His grace, and conformed to His image. He shall be satisfied in that day of the great and glorious resurrection. When time shall be no more, the Lord Jesus shall raise His redeemed up to glory (1 Corinthians 15:51-58), declare and display the perfection of their everlasting righteousness in Him (Matthew 25:31-34), present to His Father the whole number given to Him in election, redeemed by Him at Calvary, called by Him in grace, and preserved by Him in mercy (1 Corinthians 15:24-28), and, at the Marriage Supper of the Lamb, He shall bring us into everlasting blessedness and enjoy everlasting praise from His redeemed ones (Revelation 4:11-12; 5:9-14). Nothing will satisfy Christ short of the complete salvation of His redeemed (Matthew 1:21). Nothing will satisfy the believer’s heart short of perfect, complete conformity to Christ (Philippians 3:10). And both Christ and His saints shall be satisfied. I am certain that this is the meaning of the phrase, “He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied,” because that is what the next phrase declares.

“By his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for He shall bear their iniquities.” All the many whose iniquities Christ bore in His body on the tree shall be justified, and they shall be justified by His knowledge. Perhaps that means by the knowledge of Him; but I prefer to stick with our translation. Christ shall justify His elect according to His knowledge of those for whom He died (John 10:14, 27-28).

            Now look at Isaiah 53:12. Here the prophet summarizes all that he has said concerning the glorious, infallible efficacy of Christ’s redeeming work as our Substitute. Here is a declaration of Christ exaltation and glory. — “Therefore will I divide Him a portion with the great, and He shall divide the spoil with the strong.” Here are the reasons for His exaltation and glory. The Lord Jesus Christ is seated at the right hand of the majesty on high because His work is finished and His work was and is a complete success, “because He hath poured out His soul unto death: and He was numbered with the transgressors; and He bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.” Concerning our Lord’s intercession, John Gill explains that He did this “not merely in a petitionary way, but by presenting Himself, His blood, righteousness, and sacrifice, pleading the merits of these and calling for, in a way of justice and legal demand, all the blessings which were stipulated in the everlasting covenant, between Him and the Father, to be given to His people in consequence of His sufferings and death.” Read John 17:9, 20-24. Christ made intercession for us before the world began. Christ made intercession for us in the garden. Christ made intercession for us on the cross. Christ makes intercession for us today in heaven (1 John 2:1-2; Romans 8:33-34; Hebrews 7:24-25; 9:24). And our Redeemer’s intercession is effectual!

Don Fortner

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