How Good Is Good Friday?

Why is this day known as "Good Friday?"  To find the answer to this question let's look at the words of the prophet, Isaiah.   He is foretelling the suffering of the Messiah, Jesus.  He uses strong language such as despised, rejected, beaten, and slaughtered.  His appearance was marred more than any man.  He was pierced through for our transgressions.  He was crushed for our iniquities.  He was beaten for our well-being, and by His scourging (stripes) we are healed.

How can all of this be "good?"  What blows my mind away is when I read these words.  "But the Lord was pleased to crush Him (Jesus), putting Him to grief; if He would render Himself as a guilt offering." Isaiah 53:10

Pleased?  Seriously!  Hard to believe isn't it, but yet God, the Father, was pleased (satisfied) to crush Jesus.  You see, we all have sinned and sin has a serious price tag attached to it, death.  It must be paid.  God's law requires an innocent, blood sacrifice.  Jesus was sinless, guiltless, and innocent.  He chose to become our guilt offering and God was pleased.  Why?   Because He knew it was the only way we could have a relationship with Him.

This is the greatest demonstration of love known to mankind.  God's wrath was poured out on Jesus, so that it would not be poured out on the guilty ones, us.  This puts the "good" in Good Friday.  Have you received this amazing payment for your sin?  Let Jesus make this a "Good Friday" for you today.