The load of straw on the camel’s back was huge. Someone decided to add just one more straw – but it was the straw that tipped the balance and made it too heavy. It was “The Straw that Broke the Camel’s Back.”
When Jesus died on the cross for our sin, the load that was laid on Him far exceeded that of the camel. In Isaiah 53:6, Isaiah expressed it this way: “…and the Lord hath laid on Him the iniquity of us all.” The sins of the entire world were laid on Jesus, and He bore them as though they were His own.
The verb “hath laid” is a strong word. It means “to meet with; to push against; to strike.” But in the Hiphil stem (as here), it means “to cause to fall on; to lay upon.” Actually, it is a violent word. Our iniquities were pushed against Him. He was struck with our transgressions with force. Our sins fell upon Jesus.
The full verse says, “All we like sheep have gone astray; we’ve turned every one to his own way, and the Lord hath laid on Him the iniquity of us all.” Did you notice the verse begins with “all” and ends with “all”? An anxious soul was directed to this passage and found peace. Afterwards he said, “I bent down low and went in at the first ‘all.” I stood up straight and came out at the last ‘all.’” The first “all” is the acknowledgement of our deep need. The second shows how fully that need has been met in the cross of Christ. Other religions take good people and bless them. In Christianity – God takes sinful people and saves them. “…and the Lord hath laid on Him the iniquity of us all.”
Say – what kind of Savior can bear the iniquity of us all? That’s an infinite number of sins. It has to be God – only He is infinite!