“He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth; like a lamb that is led to the slaughter, and like a sheep that before its shearers is silent, so he opened not his mouth” (Isaiah 53:7 ESV).
Seven hundred years before Christ’s birth, Isaiah prophesied with astonishing accuracy about the Messiah’s suffering and silence before His accusers. Jesus fulfilled this perfectly when He stood before the high priest, King Herod, and the Roman governor, Pontius Pilate, offering no defense (Matt. 26:63; 27:14; Luke 23:9). Isaiah compared Him to a lamb led to slaughter, highlighting both His innocence and His willing submission. John the Baptist later identified Jesus as “the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world” (John 1:29). Unlike others who resist mistreatment or argue against false accusations, Jesus quietly bore it all, not for His guilt but for ours. His silence testified to His obedience to the Father and His role as the true sacrificial Lamb.
We live in a world where defending our rights and demanding justice is the norm. Yet our Savior chose silence, not because He was powerless, but because He came to lay down His life as our substitute. His meekness was not weakness but strength restrained. We can trust Him, the Lamb of God, to bear our sins and remove our guilt, for He has already paid the price in full. How often do we resist God’s purposes, striving to maintain control, when the way of Christ is humble submission? His example calls us to surrender our lives to the Father’s will, even when we face suffering or injustice. Because the Lamb has borne our sin, we can walk in peace with God, knowing His blood secures our forgiveness.
PRAYER: Dear Father, we marvel at the prophetic accuracy of Your Word and how Isaiah’s vision of the silent Lamb was fulfilled perfectly in Jesus. Thank You for sending Your Son to be our substitute, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. Teach us to trust Him more fully, to follow His example of humble submission, and to rest in the peace His sacrifice brings. In Jesus’ name, amen.