Isaiah 53 

three part series, 1/3

Isaiah 53… A hotly-contested chapter of scripture. Mainly for the fifth verse which reads as follows. “But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.” (Isaiah 53:5, KJV)

Preachers, ministers, elders, reverends, and congregation members alike—especially or rather, particularly in charismatic churches—seem to misunderstand this chapter of Isaiah the most. 

If you read the entire 53rd chapter of Isaiah, you can and will see that it is not speaking of physical healing. 

And yet, you will find people throughout entire churches believing that by merely saying aloud the verse in question—whether during prayer or within conversation—you WILL… Not may, but WILL be healed of any and all physical maladies that might befall you.

This is heresy and it must not be followed. 

This is wrong teaching, and it needs to stop being taught. 

If that interpretation of the scripture was true, there would be no sickness, there would be no physical suffering, and there would be no death by illness or accident. 

Clearly, that’s not the case.

 If you attempt to tell someone who has a charismatic leaning to their Christian belief, all they will tell you is “if they didn’t receive their healing, it’s because their faith wasn’t strong enough.” 

Such rhetoric is poisonous to the body of Christ and outright dangerous to anyone and everyone who believes it.

That’s like saying that John 3:16 says we won’t ever die. For reference here’s that scripture:

“For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son so that whoever believes in him shall not perish, but have everlasting life.” 

This verse does not mean that just by believing in Jesus, you will never face death. It does not mean that once you claim Jesus, you’re all of a sudden immortal and nothing can kill you. 

What it does mean is that you will not suffer the second death, which is eternal separation from God in hell.

 Deeper in the Bible, it says that it is appointed for man to die once and then to face judgment. (Hebrews 9:27) 

So to say that John 3:16 teaches that we will be immortal and will never die contradicts God’s word and his will. 

The Lord’s word does not contradict itself. It never has, and it never will.

This world is full of trouble, this world is full of trials, this world is full of tribulation, sorrow and pain. Jesus tells us this in John 16:33. 

Those things will take many forms: Poverty, sickness, abuse, heartache and physical pain, to name a few. 

To say that you can quote a verse and instantly be healed flies in the face of what Jesus himself teaches, which is actually this:  when you are suffering, when you’re hurting, when you feel lost, when you feel alone, when you feel afraid and when you don’t know what to do… Lean on him and let him guide you.

We have to remember that the Lord is sovereign. His will shall be carried out before ours. 

You might ask “why does he let us suffer? Why does he let us die?”

He put us on this world filled with sorrow, pain and death so that we would learn to appreciate what it is that he offers us. Paradise, peace, love and eternal life. 

The fall of man that is detailed in the book of Genesis is the reason why we all must suffer here on earth and be subject to death once. 

If Adam and Eve had been allowed to keep their eternal lives, there would’ve been no hope for redemption and mankind would forever be separated from God. Suffering in this world and never having peace or joy.

 If mankind had been allowed to stay immortal, we would never again experience the presence of God.

This life that has an end is an opportunity for all to be redeemed through the blood of Jesus Christ.

 It is by his crucifixion, death and resurrection that we are healed. 

What is this healing that I speak of? 

The same healing that is actually spoken of in Isaiah 53. Our souls are healed, our relationship with God is healed. 

The chasm between us and God due to the original sin of Adam and Eve is sealed shut.

It’s up to us to accept this healing that is known as salvation. 

Isaiah 53 speaks only of salvation and nothing of physical healing. Do not let anyone fool you into thinking anything else.

-MB