Now the passage of the Scripture that he was reading was this: “Like a sheep he was led to the slaughter, and like a lamb before its shearer is silent, so he opens not his mouth. In his humiliation justice was denied him. Who can describe his generation? For his life is taken away from the earth" (Acts 8:32-33).
The Ethiopian is reading from the 53rd chapter of Isaiah, written by the prophet Isaiah in about 700 B.C. Isaiah foretells the success and glory of God’s special “Servant” (for example, Isaiah 52:13). Yet Isaiah 53 then describes in great detail the Servant’s horrible death—“His life was taken from the earth” (Acts 8:33; Isaiah 53:8). The surprises continue. Isaiah’s prophecy then foretells the Servant’s pleasure in the results of His death.
Out of the anguish [great pain] of his soul he shall see and be satisfied; by his knowledge shall the righteous one, my servant, make many to be accounted righteous, and he shall bear their iniquities [sin]. (Isaiah 53:11)
Why will the Servant feel satisfied? Because His sacrifice will “justify” people (make them right with God). How? He will lift from sinners their load of iniquity (sin) and place that load on Himself.
All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned—every one—to his own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all (Isaiah 53:6,11).
The Servant Himself is innocent and pure (Isaiah 53:9). Why should He take our sins on Himself? Isaiah 53:10 says, “The Lord makes His life a guilt offering.” This wording is truly remarkable since Isaiah followed the Law of Moses. In that Law, the term “guilt offering” always applied to flawless animals killed for people’s sins. God hated the sacrificing of humans. Yet, by God’s power, Isaiah foresaw a human as the “guilt offering”! God would sacrifice His Servant to rescue “us all” from our sins.