Isaiah 53:12
“Therefore I will give him a portion among the great,
and he will divide the spoils with the strong,
because he poured out his life unto death,
and was numbered with the transgressors.
For he bore the sin of many,
and made intercession for the transgressors.” (NIV)
Today’s Reading: Isaiah 53:10-12
The final verse of our great chapter begins with “therefore.” Looking back at the previous verse, because Jesus bore our iniquities, therefore God the Father will reward His Son.
The Father says that He will “give him a portion among the great.” This is not the best translation since the Hebrew word for “great” is rab which is the same word used in verse 11 translated as “many.” The HCSB translation is a better fit here:
“Therefore I will give Him the many as a portion.”
The NIV makes it appear that God the Father is rewarding Jesus with a portion of something along with many others. In fact, the Suffering Servant is being rewarding with the many. The people who are saved by his blood are the reward – the many. On a personal level, you are his reward.
Additionally, the nations will submit to him as the King of Kings. We see references to this reward elsewhere in Scripture:
“Ask me,
and I will make the nations your inheritance,
the ends of the earth your possession” (Psalm 2:8).
“May he rule from sea to sea
and from the River to the ends of the earth.
May the desert tribes bow before him
and his enemies lick the dust.
May the kings of Tarshish and of distant shores
bring tribute to him.
May the kings of Sheba and Seba
present him gifts.
May all kings bow down to him
and all nations serve him” (Psalm 72:8-11).
“This is what the Lord says—
the Redeemer and Holy One of Israel—
to him who was despised and abhorred by the nation,
to the servant of rulers:
‘Kings will see you and stand up,
princes will see and bow down,
because of the Lord, who is faithful,
the Holy One of Israel, who has chosen you’” (Isa 49:7).
“Who will not fear you, Lord,
and bring glory to your name?
For you alone are holy.
All nations will come
and worship before you,
for your righteous acts have been revealed” (Rev 15:4).
Jesus, the Suffering Servant, the King of Kings, will rule over all the nations. Kings and princes will worship him and be forced to recognize his greatness. Those of us who look to Jesus for salvation will be privileged to be counted as one of his “many” rewards. This is what was set before Jesus as he suffered and died for us. His reward will be our worship and our service to him. And our reward is that we will have fellowship with him for all eternity.
“He said to me: ‘It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. To the thirsty I will give water without cost from the spring of the water of life. Those who are victorious will inherit all this, and I will be their God and they will be my children” (Rev 21:6-7).
Christ in the Old Testament 
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