What does "the LORD has laid it upon him" teach about God's sovereignty? Setting of the phrase Isaiah 53:6: “We all like sheep have gone astray, each one has turned to his own way; and the LORD has laid on Him the iniquity of us all.” • Written 700 + years before the cross, the verse sits in the “Servant Song” describing the Messiah’s substitutionary suffering. • The statement is framed against universal human rebellion—“all” have wandered—so God alone must act to save. Meaning of “laid on Him” • “Laid” (Hebrew: pāgaʿ) pictures a deliberate, decisive placing. • The object transferred is “the iniquity of us all,” not vague misfortune but our actual guilt. • The recipient is “Him,” the promised Servant—Jesus—who bears sin in our place (1 Peter 2:24). God’s sovereign initiative • Volitional—God Himself does the laying; salvation originates in His will, not ours (John 1:13). • Comprehensive—every sin of “all” His people is included; none escape His oversight (Psalm 139:1-4). • Irreversible—the action is portrayed as accomplished fact; what God decrees cannot be overturned (Isaiah 14:27). • Purposeful—God directs history toward redemption, showing that even human rebellion serves His saving plan (Acts 2:23). Sovereignty expressed in three dimensions 1. Authority • Only the Creator has the right to assign guilt and transfer it. • Romans 9:20-21 affirms God’s right over the clay to shape destinies according to His purpose. 2. Power • Sin’s weight is immeasurable, yet God successfully places it on the Substitute. • Psalm 115:3: “Our God is in the heavens; He does as He pleases.” 3. Wisdom • The cross was not an emergency plan but “foreknown before the foundation of the world” (1 Peter 1:20). • Ephesians 1:11: He “works out everything according to the counsel of His will.” Implications for believers today • Assurance—If God laid our sin on Christ, He will not later lay it back on us (Romans 8:1). • Humility—Our rescue is entirely God-initiated, leaving no room for boasting (Ephesians 2:8-9). • Worship—Recognizing His sovereign grace drives heartfelt gratitude (Revelation 5:9-10). • Mission—The same sovereign God draws others; we proclaim confidently, trusting His power to save (John 6:37). Related Scriptures reinforcing sovereignty • Isaiah 46:9-10: “I declare the end from the beginning… My purpose will stand, and I will do all that I please.” • 2 Corinthians 5:21: “God made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us.” • Acts 4:27-28: Even evil plots against Jesus occurred “to do what Your hand and Your purpose had predetermined.” Summary “The LORD has laid on Him the iniquity of us all” showcases God’s sovereign right, power, and wisdom to orchestrate redemption. He alone initiates, accomplishes, and secures salvation, turning humanity’s deepest rebellion into the stage for His greatest display of grace. |
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