So Israel who happens to be one of God’s servants is guilty of sin and has been taken into exile because of that. And so falls into darkness and in need of a “redeemer” which God provides through another servant (Isaiah 49:6) who will be raised amongst them reason he’s totally distinguished from the nation/12 tribes in Isaiah 49:6 as the one sent to restore the nation and also be a light to gentiles.
Now remember the servant in Isaiah 53 doesn’t suffer for his own sin but the sin of others unlike Israel (as a people/nation) that suffered for their own sins through these exiles they endured as Jeremiah 30:10-14 let us know which even exposes that God even punished also the other nations who kept Israel in captivity so this idea that Israel was to be punished for the sins of other nations again is false as Jeremiah 30:10-14 made us know.
So here is it:
One servant is in need of redemption because Sin broke the covenant they had with God but another servant is sent as their REDEEMER to renew this covenant (Isaiah 42:6/Luke 22:20/Hebrews 9:15/John 8:12). The first servant falls into blindness the other servant comes in to open their eyes and to set them free from continues captivity and exile because they can’t stop sinning as God’s “JUSTICE” upon Israel for their continues sin later satisfies him through what happened to the servant who suffered on their behalf to show them eternal Mercy before God once they make his death COUNT (Zechariah 3:8-9, 1 peter 2:24).
And so as Yahusha HaMashiach came he offered to pay the debt our sin caused so that the payment of sin which comes by whatever penalty (death etc) would be canceled on our behalf. And his resurrection proved that his payment was accepted according to Gods will as (Isaiah 53:10-12, John 12:23-26) sums it up.
Everytime God wanted to redeem Israel out of captivity he always used individuals/his servants which is consistent in scripture such as Moses (Deuteronomy 34:5, Joshua 1:1-2), or even Cyrus the king (Isaiah 44:28, Isaiah 45:1) who were all servants of God used to accomplish redemptive works when Israel were in bondage or captives in foreign lands.
So why will Isaiah 52-53 speak again about Israel redemption out of captivity in foreign lands again and it won’t be about God using another individual to make this happen but rather use the people Israel themselves who are rather in need of this redemption after breaking his covenant makes no sense considering how God has always worked in his process of saving for his people from exile and captivity.
The lesson is that :
The consequence of the sins of the people of Israel which they would not and could not carry are now placed upon the Suffering Servant which is what Isaiah proclaimed. Zechariah the prophet as well did same as we see below 
Zechariah 3
8 “ ‘Listen, High Priest Joshua, you and your “associates” seated before you (who were once high priests), are men symbolic of things TO COME: I am going to bring “MY SERVANT”, the Branch.
9 See, the stone I have set in front of Joshua! There are seven eyes on that one stone, and I will engrave an inscription on it,’ says the LORD Almighty, ‘and I will remove the sin of this land in a single day.
10 “ ‘In that day each of you will invite your neighbor to sit under your vine and fig tree,’ declares the LORD Almighty.”
Note: This speaks of how the death of this righteous servant of God will give us protection and security in Gods Law whiles we desire to please him but also became the stone the builders rejected however removed the sins of the land in a single day becoming our covering (1 Peter 2:4-6, Revelation 5:6, John 19:30, Hebrews 10:12).
Micah 4:4 even goes on to show us that sitting under fig tree and vine signifies divine protection and safety and this precedes the coming of a certain servant of God who was symbolic as a high priest serving in a better office who “through him” the sins of the nation was going to be removed in a single day providing security and protection for his people and everyone at large.
We’ve all had to suffer at some stage in life just to offer our children some sort of better life in the future. Some forefathers had to even die just to again independence for this current generation in many countries in Africa. So this idea of someone suffering that good may come to another is not new.
Yahusha who already came as a suffering servant (Philippians 2:6-11) paid the debt of sin so that the payment of sin which is death is canceled on our behalf and his resurrection proved that his payment was accepted.
Think of it this way : If someone broke your window but couldn’t afford to fix it, you could choose to pay for the repair yourself which means you will then hire someone to fix it and pay them. The debt is still paid, but you bore the cost instead of the one who broke it knowing they couldn’t afford it and that is what John 3:16 expresses.
Yes, the concept of the Suffering Servant in Isaiah 53 can be understood in light of God’s ability to act beyond the strict requirements of the law.
In the law, each person is responsible for their own sins, and it would seem unjust for one person to bear the punishment for another’s sins. However, God’s actions throughout the Old Testament show that He “can choose” mercy and grace over strict legal justice.
Again, If Israel could carry the consequences of their sins or deal with it God would not have placed all the consequences ON the suffering servant he sent them….is just common sense. Gods justice had to be satisfied in something we couldn’t pay for by our own strength but through faith in what he promised so that we wouldn’t boast in ourself but in Gods own provision. Is just like Abraham when he was promised a son with his barren wife Sarah which in this sense the child of the promise came as a result of Abraham’s faith and not in what Abraham could boast of by himself as Paul teach in Galatians 6:13-16.
Think of it this way : If someone broke your window 
but couldn’t afford to fix it, you could choose to pay for the repair yourself by sending over a repairer to fix it. The debt is still paid, but you bore the cost instead of the one who broke it knowing they couldn’t afford it. (John 3:16)
The Suffering Servant’s role shows that God is both just and merciful. The servant takes on the punishment deserved by others, satisfying the justice of God while also extending mercy to those who should have been punished.
So, the idea of the Suffering Servant taking on the sins of others fits with the broader biblical theme of God sometimes choosing mercy and providing a way for forgiveness beyond the strict requirements of the law.
In the Old Testament, there are several examples where “God shows mercy” instead of executing the full justice that the law might demand. Here are some key examples:
1. **Genesis 3:21** – **God’s Mercy on Adam and Eve**
– **Context**: After Adam and Eve sinned by eating the forbidden fruit, the punishment was death (as God had warned), but instead of executing immediate justice, God showed mercy.
– **Action**: God made garments of skin for them to cover their nakedness, symbolizing His mercy and provision despite their disobedience.
2. **Genesis 18:22-33** – **Abraham Intercedes for Sodom**
– **Context**: God planned to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah because of their wickedness, but Abraham intercedes on behalf of the righteous people in the cities.
– **Action**: God agrees to spare the cities if even **ten righteous people** are found, showing mercy in light of Abraham’s intercession.
3. **Exodus 32:9-14** – **The Golden Calf (Moses Intercedes)**
– **Context**: After the Israelites made the golden calf and worshiped it, God was angry and threatened to destroy them, but Moses intercedes on their behalf.
– **Action**: God shows mercy and does not destroy the Israelites, agreeing to forgive them after Moses’ intercession.
4. **Exodus 34:6-7** – **God’s Self-Description as Merciful**
– **Context**: When Moses asks to see God’s glory, God passes before him and describes Himself.
– **Action**: God reveals Himself as **”merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love”**, showing His nature as one who forgives iniquity and shows mercy.
5. **Numbers 14:18-20** – **God Forgives the Israelites After Their Rebellion**
– **Context**: The Israelites rebelled against God after the report of the spies, and God was ready to destroy them. However, Moses intercedes again.
– **Action**: God shows mercy and forgives the Israelites’ sin, despite their disobedience, saying, “I have pardoned, according to your word.”
6. **2 Samuel 12:13-14** – **David’s Sin with Bathsheba**
– **Context**: After David’s adultery with Bathsheba and the murder of her husband Uriah, the prophet Nathan confronts David. According to the law, David could have been put to death for both offenses.
– **Action**: God shows mercy by sparing David’s life, though He allows consequences (the death of the child instead who was born from that sin).
7. **Jonah 3:10** – **God’s Mercy on Nineveh**
– **Context**: Nineveh was a wicked city, deserving of judgment according to God’s law, but when they repented after Jonah’s warning, God relented.
– **Action**: God showed mercy and did not destroy Nineveh, as He had intended, because the people turned from their evil ways.
8. **Daniel 9:18-19** – **Daniel’s Prayer of Mercy**
– **Context**: Daniel prays for the forgiveness of Israel’s sins, acknowledging that the people deserve punishment.
– **Action**: God shows mercy, and although the Israelites are in exile because of their sins, God hears Daniel’s prayer and promises restoration (through the return to Jerusalem).
9. **Hosea 11:8-9** – **God’s Mercy on Israel**
– **Context**: Israel repeatedly sinned and turned away from God, yet in this passage, God expresses deep mercy.
– **Action**: Despite their rebelliousness, God refuses to execute full judgment on Israel, saying He will not destroy them, showing compassion rather than anger.
10. **Micah 7:18-19** – **God’s Mercy on Israel**
– **Context**: Israel had sinned greatly, but Micah praises God for His mercy.
– **Action**: God shows mercy by forgiving the sins of Israel and not staying angry forever, saying He will cast their sins into the depths of the sea.
Note : And this shows that God chooses to show mercy” instead of executing the full justice that the law might demand in some cases and not always applying the law for justice and Isaiah 53 was no different.
Shalom !
Author: Manuel Nana Quophi Wills
