Visual Exercise (Isaiah 53:4-5)

Think of a person alive now that was the kindest, most loving person you know and love very much. Imagine in your mind how that person when you had trials, troubles, and afflictions and how that person was caring, compassionate, loving to you to and helped you through difficulties. Life is very challenging! That person that helped you out made a profound impact on your life. 

Now read Isaiah 53:4 that refers to Christ

“Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.”

Now imagine in your mind Jesus Christ who has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows. From a long term perspective, my faith in Jesus Christ has given me hope in the resurrection, and these griefs and burdens are a relatively short duration and will be gone. During times of grief and burdens, I have felt the love and comfort of Jesus Christ. 

Again now imagine the kindest, most loving person you know and love very much. Can you imagine that innocent person going to jail or even worse, being executed for a crime that you committed because that person loves you so much? 

Now read Isaiah 53:5 

“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.”

Again imagine in your mind Jesus Christ who was chastised (corporal punishment) for ALL your crimes against God. Imagine for each sin, you injure Christ will a club, or knife, sword, bullet or any weapon that wounds or bruises. For me, I have much bloodied Christ all by myself. I can’t imagine Christ enduring the blood and sins of the world from everyone in existence. Truly it is a horrific scene!

Beyond the physical body, there is a spiritual body that we can’t see with our natural eyes. Our sins against God also wounds our spiritual bodies. We have seen our physical bodies heal from wounds. A deep cut will have stitches, bandages, scabs, then finally scars. Only with spiritual eyes one can see healing of the spiritual body. Occasionally, the natural eye can get a glimpse of the spiritual body by observing the person’s physical countenance. There are some dark spirits and contrast with those with the spirit of light

As with the physical wounds and bruises that Christ takes upon Him for us, I also believe that He was wounded and bruised for our spiritual bodies too. As we go through the repentance process, Jesus Christ heals these spiritual wounds as stated “with his stripes we are healed”. 

Hopefully this visualization has given you a glimpse of the love God has for you and all mankind through the Atonement of Jesus Christ.