Life, Death and Beauty

Our society is attracted to attraction!  We are repelled by "ugly."  And we have, sadly, adopted the societal norms of what is good, bad and ugly.  What if we, today, allow God's Word to weigh in on this?

Isaiah 53 is both a terrible and beautiful example of what God thinks is ugly, unattractive and beautiful.  The Chapter is written in the form of Hebrew poetry.  Hebrew verse is, in general, meant to flow in theme and rhyme very differently than we expect from Western poetry.  Here is how Isaiah 53 flows:

1. Revelation - God is revealing His "powerful arm (v.1)"

2. Unattractive Revelation - "Nothing beautiful or attractive (v.2)"

3. Troubled Existence - "Despised and rejected (v.3)"

4. Paradox - "Yet ... He bore our weakness and sorrow (v.4)"

5. Sacrifice - "But, He was pierced for our sins, beaten so we could be whole (v.5)"

6. Atonement - "Our sin was laid on Him (v.6)"

7. A Perfect Lamb - "He had done nothing wrong, but was killed (v.7-9).

8. Part of a Perfect Plan - "It was the Lord's good plan (v.10)."

9. Accomplishment - "God's plan satisfies Him (v.11)."

10. Exaltation - "I will give Him the honor of a victorious soldier (v.12).

The writer of this passage calls us to see past the ugliness, past the attitudes of people, past the torture and death, past the burial, and past the apparent uncleanness of the troubled life of Isaiah's suffering servant.  Instead, Isaiah offers a beautiful poem about life, death and what real beauty looks like.

Sunday, names will be read.  All of the names are people God created.  In my experience, I have found no people unscathed by the struggles, difficulties and mistakes of life ... NONE!  Yet, as we encounter the pallor of death, stand underneath the weight of loss and struggle, and cower "in the shadow of death," I think we gain some perspective on Isaiah 53.  We are able to put away our superficial definitions of beauty ... for beauty is defined by the good in a life.  Instead of titles and accolades, give me testimony of how that life touched/blessed other lives in the name of Jesus.

I expect, at his funeral, the Apostle Paul could have been remembered as a crusty, opinionated and educated curmudgeon that was often "in-your-face" on matters of the faith.  I don't remember reading that Paul was beautiful or even pleasant to look at.  But for congregations all over the Mediterranean rim and West Asia, who experienced the coming of Jesus and the Holy Spirit to their people, Paul was beautiful.  Like Jesus (our "Suffering Servant"), "because of His experience, the righteous servant made it possible for many to be counted righteous."  And because Paul knew Jesus, he introduced countless millions (in person and through his writings) to the Savior that "bore all of their sins."

Life isn't always beautiful, though it can be glorious!  Death is stark and terrible, but it can be atonement!  And beauty is in the testimony of life well-lived in Christ, not in the fickle eye of society.  That's my take!  Randy