Isaiah 53:6 (NKJV)

Isaiah 53:6 (NKJV)

          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.

The redeemed remnant (and others) will acknowledge that they were guilty and that the Lord made the Servant the object of His wrath in order to take away their guilt. Sheep tend to travel together, so if the leading sheep turns aside from the path for grass or some other purpose, usually all the sheep do so. They tend to follow the lead sheep which is often dangerous. Similarly all Israel had turned aside (cf. 1 Peter 2:25) from following the Lord, from keeping His commandments. The essence of sin is going one’s own way, rather than God’s way. That iniquity had to be punished, so the LORD … laid the punishment for that iniquity (cf. Isa. 53:11) not on the “sheep” (Israel and other sinners) that deserved it, but on the Servant who died in their place.

Israel’s account about the Servant’s death (53:7–9). The Servant died willingly (v. 7) and for others’ transgressions (v. 8), even though He is righteous (v. 9).