“Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted” (Isa. 53:4).
Let’s take this Scripture apart word by word and examine it closely. “Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows.”
Isaac Leeser’s respected translation of the Old Testament—the only English translation of the Bible accepted by the Jewish council—translates the words griefs and sorrows as “sicknesses” and “pains.”
So in the Hebrew, it actually says, “Surely He has borne our sicknesses [or our diseases], and carried our pains.” That puts a little different light on this Scripture.
Of course, griefs and sorrows are really the same as sickness and disease because sickness and disease cause grief and sorrow. Anyone who says that sickness, disease and pain are blessings from God doesn’t understand God’s nature.
If we want an accurate translation of what this Scripture says, we can go to where it was fulfilled in the New Testament: Referring to Jesus’ healing the multitudes, Matthew 8:17 says, “That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet, saying, Himself took our infirmities, and bare our sicknesses.”
So Isaiah 53:4 was fulfilled during Jesus’ ministry as He healed people physically. Isaiah’s prophecy, therefore, looked ahead to the time when Jesus would purchase healing for our physical bodies.
Jesus took my sickness and disease and carried my
pain. He paid the price so I could be well. I believe
what the Word says. I am healed!
Excerpt permission granted by Harrison House Publishers
For over 40 years, Pastors Mark and Janet Brazee have traveled throughout the world sharing the Word of God and the Spirit of God. Together they've shared the powerful truths of faith and healing in more than 50 nations.
Today Mark and Janet pastor World Outreach Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, where they base their ongoing outreach to the world. The Brazees still travel as the Lord leads, and they are raising up a congregation who share their passion to reach Tulsa and the world.