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Judah's suretyship did not offer to forfeit something if Benjamin were lost.
Judah identified Benjamin with himself. If Benjamin stayed, he stayed, and
if Judah returned, Benjamin would return with him. The Offering of Christ
transcends all sacrifices ever offered in many ways, but in this one in
particular -- He was raised again from the dead. That feature belongs to His
position as Surety: 'He was raised again because of our justifying' (Rom.
4:25). As the risen One, He became 'the Firstfruits of them that slept'.
The thought of the Surety is also seen in 1 Thessalonians 4:14: 'If we
believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in
Jesus will God bring with Him'.
As our Surety He lives now at the right hand of God. As our Surety He
is yet to be manifested as 'our life' and we are to be manifested 'with Him'
in glory. As our Surety He will present us holy and without blemish.
May this blessed fulness of Christ satisfy each heart, as it satisfies
the Father.
Christ the Sin bearer
The particular aspect of the great Sacrifice for sin to which we would
direct attention is found in Isaiah 53. We are happy in the consciousness
that to those who are in any measure in sympathy with the witness of this
Analysis, proof that Isaiah 53 is Messianic prophecy is unnecessary. We
rejoice at the simple reply of Philip in Acts 8:35: 'And Philip opened his
mouth, and began at the same Scripture, and preached unto him Jesus'. The
whole chapter is rich in teaching, the special feature for our present study
being but one precious line of truth out of many, viz.: 'He shall bear
(sabal) their iniquities ... He bare (nasa) the sin of many' (Isa. 53:11,12).
How are we to understand the meaning of the word 'bare'? The Hebrew
word nasa means 'to lift up'. It is so used in the expressions 'to lift up
the eyes, the voice, the feet and the countenance' (Gen. 13:10; 27:38; 29:11;
Num. 6:26). By an easy transition it means 'to lift up, and so bear or carry
a burden', as in Genesis 45:23 and Exodus 25:14. We could fill pages with
various translations and usages, but we should do little more than improve
our knowledge of the A.V. as a version. What we desire is a knowledge of the
truth, and especially, at the moment, the true doctrinal meaning of the words
'to bear iniquity'.
To bear, and to forgive
We find the same word 'bear iniquity' as we do 'forgive iniquity'.
'He shall Bear his iniquity' (Lev. 5:1, cf. 17).
'shall Bear his sin' (Lev. 24:15).
'Forgive the trespass' (Gen. 50:17).
'Forgiven the iniquity' (Psa. 85:2).
When Abraham prayed for Sodom he used the word when he said: 'Wilt Thou
also destroy and not spare the place?' (Gen. 18:24,26). Then there is that
classic example of double meaning of Genesis 4:13: