Servant songs of Isaiah - Song 3

The Servant Songs of Isaiah- Song 3

Laindon Bible Study14th November 2012

The Servant Songs of Isaiah - Song 3 2

Our five studies (God willing)St

udy

1

Introduction &

Background

Stud

y 2

Song 1Tone of Service

42v1-7

Stud

y 3

Song 2Origin of Service

49v1-6

Stud

y 4

Song 3Basis of Service

50v4-9

Stud

y 5

Song 4Results of

Service

52v13-53v12

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Reminder – our key question:What does it take to be God’s servant?

Our (rephrased) key question:What will it take for us to be God’s servant?


Previous Song (2) – Origin of service

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Isaiah 49 v 1-61 Listen, O isles, unto me; and hearken, ye people, from far; The Lord hath called me from the womb; from the bowels of my mother hath he made mention of my name. 2 And he hath made my mouth like a sharp sword; in the shadow of his hand hath he hid me, and made me a polished shaft; in his quiver hath he hid me; 3 And said unto me, Thou art my servant, O Israel, in whom I will be glorified. 4 Then I said, I have laboured in vain, I have spent my strength for nought, and in vain: yet surely my judgment is with the Lord, and my work with my God. 5 And now, saith the Lord that formed me from the womb to be his servant, to bring Jacob again to him, Though Israel be not gathered, yet shall I be glorious in the eyes of the Lord, and my God shall be my strength. 6 And he said, It is a light thing that thou shouldest be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and to restore the preserved of Israel: I will also give thee for a light to the Gentiles, that thou mayest be my salvation unto the end of the earth.


Song 2:Origin of service

A one slide recap of Song 2• NCV heading for Song 2 a good summary: ‘God calls his special servant’• The individual servant epitomises all that national Israel should have been• Once again, ultimate fulfilment is Jesus, as per quotation in Acts 13 v 47 (Weymouth)• Historical relevance (incipient fulfilment) in the life and times of Hezekiah:

– The importance of Hezekiah’s guiding mother, Abijah, “from the womb” (Isa. 49 v 1,5 cp. 2 Chron. 29 v 1)– In day of his calamity Hezekiah felt he had “laboured in vain”, as did the servant (Isa. 49 v 4 cp. Isa. 37 v 3)– Following his recovery Hezekiah was in a sense a “light to the Gentiles” (Isa. 49 v 6 cp. 2 Kings 20 v 12)

• The origin of our Lord’s service: – Jesus conceived in the womb of his mother Mary through God’s power (Isa. 49 v 1,5 cp. Luke 1 v 35)– Jesus named by the Angel Gabriel before his actual birth (Isa. 49 v 1 cp. Luke 1 v 31)– Jesus’ words (sword, arrows) given to him by his Master (Isa. 49 v 2 cp. John 7 v 16)– Jesus formed to be God’s ideal servant (Isa. 49 v 5 cp. Phil. 2 v 7)

• This was a work cooperating with his Master, glorifying God before his people (Israel) • We too are “chosen... predestinated... according to his good pleasure” (Eph. 1 v 4-9)• Key summarising words for the song (connecting to the origin of service): made,

called, named, taught, word-led, cooperation, submission and God’s glory

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SongIsaiah reference (minimum)

Service theme

Servant’s situation

Servant’s response

God’s provision

One ch. 42 v 1-4[probably to v7] Tone

Divinely selected – v 1

Not discouraged – v 4

Delighted in – v 1

Two ch. 49 v 1-6 Origin Laboured/spent – v 4

Submission – v 1/5

Strengthened – v 5

Three ch. 50 v 4-9 Basis Smitten/ ashamed – v 6

Resolve – v 7

Helped – v 7/9

Four ch. 52 v 13 – ch. 53 v 12 Results Cut off

– v 8Satisfaction – v 11

Prolonged – v 10


Service theme

Servant’s situation

Servant’s response

God’s provision

One ch. 42 v 1-4[probably to v7] Tone

Divinely selected – v 1

Not discouraged – v 4

Delighted in – v 1

Two ch. 49 v 1-6 Origin Laboured/spent – v 4

Submission – v 1/5

Strengthened – v 5

Three ch. 50 v 4-9 Basis Smitten/ ashamed – v 6

Resolve – v 7

Helped – v 7/9

Four ch. 52 v 13 – ch. 53 v 12 Results Cut off

– v 8Satisfaction – v 11

Prolonged – v 10

The Four Servant Songs table 1

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Inte

nsity

Inte

nsity

Inte

nsity


The Four Servant Songs table 2


Direct quotes in

NTQuotations

One ch. 42 v 1-4[probably to v7] 1 42 v 1-4 cited Matthew 12 v 18-21

Two ch. 49 v 1-6 1 49 v 6 cited Acts 13 v 47

Three ch. 50 v 4-9 Nil No citations

Four ch. 52 v 13 – ch. 53 v 12 9

52 v 15 cited Romans 15 v 21; 53 v 1 cited John 12 v 38; 53 v 1 cited Romans 10 v 16; 53 v 4 cited Matthew 8 v 17; 53 v 4-5 cited 1 Peter 2 v 24; 53 v 7-8 cited Acts 8 v 32-33; 53 v 9 cited 1 Peter 2 v 22; 53 v 12 cited Mark 15 v 28; 53 v 12 cited Luke 22 v 37

11(/ 110 = 10%)

14th November 2012


Direct quotes in

NTQuotations

One ch. 42 v 1-4[probably to v7] 1 42 v 1-4 cited Matthew 12 v 18-21

Two ch. 49 v 1-6 1 49 v 6 cited Acts 13 v 47

Three ch. 50 v 4-9 Nil No citations

Four ch. 52 v 13 – ch. 53 v 12 9

52 v 15 cited Romans 15 v 21; 53 v 1 cited John 12 v 38; 53 v 1 cited Romans 10 v 16; 53 v 4 cited Matthew 8 v 17; 53 v 4-5 cited 1 Peter 2 v 24; 53 v 7-8 cited Acts 8 v 32-33; 53 v 9 cited 1 Peter 2 v 22; 53 v 12 cited Mark 15 v 28; 53 v 12 cited Luke 22 v 37

11(/ 110 = 10%)


Song 3 – Basis of service

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Trust

Teachableness Commitment

Surrender

Isaiah 50 v 4-9 God’s Servant Obeys NCV The LORD’s Servant Trusts in the LORD’s Help GWT The Servant’s Humiliation and Vindication NRSV

4 The Lord God hath given me the tongue of the learned, that I should know how to speak a word in season to him that is weary: he wakeneth morning by morning, he wakeneth mine ear to hear as the learned. 5 The Lord God hath opened mine ear, and I was not rebellious, neither turned away back. 6 I gave my back to the smiters, and my cheeks to them that plucked off the hair: I hid not my face from shame and spitting. 7 For the Lord God will help me; therefore shall I not be confounded: therefore have I set my face like a flint, and I know that I shall not be ashamed. 8 He is near that justifieth me; who will contend with me? let us stand together: who is mine adversary? let him come near to me. 9 Behold, the Lord God will help me; who is he that shall condemn me? lo, they all shall wax old as a garment; the moth shall eat them up.


Isaiah 50 v 4-94 The Lord God hath given me the tongue of the learned, that I should know how to speak a word in season to him that is weary: he wakeneth morning by morning, he wakeneth mine ear to hear as the learned. 5 The Lord God hath opened mine ear, and I was not rebellious, neither turned away back. 6 I gave my back to the smiters, and my cheeks to them that plucked off the hair: I hid not my face from shame and spitting. 7 For the Lord God will help me; therefore shall I not be confounded: therefore have I set my face like a flint, and I know that I shall not be ashamed. 8 He is near that justifieth me; who will contend with me? let us stand together: who is mine adversary? let him come near to me. 9 Behold, the Lord God will help me; who is he that shall condemn me? lo, they all shall wax old as a garment; the moth shall eat them up.

Song 3 & Hezekiah

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Hezekiah “spake comfortably” to besieged people who “rested themselves upon the words of Hezekiah” a

In a figure, Hezekiah’s affliction as if “plowers plowed upon my back” b

a 2 Chron. 32v6/8, b Psa. 129v2-3 (Song of Degrees) , c 2 Chron. 32v8,

d Psa. 102v26, e 2 Kings 18v17-37

Hezekiah assured people “with us is the LORD our God to help us” c

Overall: Rabshakeh voice of reproach to Hezekiah e

As Psalm of Hezekiah? d


Summarised in God’s words...

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“[Hezekiah] trusted in the Lord God of Israel; so that after him was none like him among all the kings of Judah, nor

any that were before him... and he rebelled against the King of Assyria,

and served him not.” (2 Kings 18v5,7 cp. Isaiah 50 v 5)


Isaiah 50 v 4-94 The Lord God hath given me the tongue of the learned, that I should know how to speak a word in season to him that is weary: he wakeneth morning by morning, he wakeneth mine ear to hear as the learned. 5 The Lord God hath opened mine ear,

and I was not rebellious, neither turned away back. 6 I gave my back to the smiters, and my cheeks to them that plucked off the hair: I hid not my face from shame and spitting. 7 For the Lord God will help me; therefore shall I not be

confounded: therefore have I set my face like a flint, and I know that I shall not be ashamed. 8 He is near that justifieth me; who will contend with me? let us stand together: who is mine adversary? let him come

near to me. 9 Behold, the Lord God will help me; who is he that shall condemn me? lo, they all shall wax old as a garment; the moth shall eat them up.

The basis of Jesus’ service

1. Jesus’ tongue (words) guided only by God(John 3v34, 7v16-17, 8v28/38/40, 12v49-50, 17v8)

2. Jesus endured physical trials and affliction (Matthew 26v67, 27v26)

3. Jesus stedfastly set his face to go up to Jerusalem (Luke 9v51)

4. Jesus trusted fully in God’s help and salvation (Psalm 22v19)

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The process by which Jesus learnt?

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“...he wakeneth morning by morning, he wakeneth mine ear to hear as the learned.” (v.4)

Mark 1 v 3535 And in the morning, rising up a great while before day, he went out, and departed into a solitary place, and there prayed.

Luke 4 v 4242 And when it was day [NRSV: ‘At daybreak’, TLB: ‘Early the next morning’], he departed and went into a desert place: and the people sought him, and came unto him, and stayed him, that he should not depart from them.

Compare Isaiah 30 v 2121 And thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, saying, This is the way, walk ye in it, when ye turn to the right hand, and when ye turn to the left.


• “I was not rebellious” (did not turn his back to God)

• “I gave my back... my cheeks” (to adversaries)

• “I hid not my face” (from man’s shame)

• “I set my face” (knowing not ashamed by God)

Service (and sacrifice) through choice

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• “I was not rebellious”• “I gave my back... my cheeks”• “I hid not my face”

• “I set my face”

John 10 v 17-1817 Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again. 18 No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father.

The power of choice...


Verses 4-6

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“of the learned” (Heb. limmuwd) = disciple, one who is taught (same original word as is found in Isaiah 8 v 16 / 54 v 13)

“hath opened mine ear”(Heb. pathach) =open wide (contrast with national servant, as in Isaiah 48 v 8)[NB different word but also cp. Psalm 40 v 6 & Exodus 21 v 5-6]

“plucked off the hair” to pluck out hair from the beard or head one of the highest insults or indignities (cp. 2 Samuel 10 v 4-5, Ezra 9 v 3 and Nehemiah 13 v 25)

Isaiah 50 v 4-64 The Lord God hath given me the tongue of the learned, that I should know how to speak a word in season to him that is weary: he wakeneth morning by morning, he wakeneth mine ear to hear as the learned. 5 The Lord God hath opened mine ear, and I was not rebellious, neither turned away back. 6 I gave my back to the smiters, and my cheeks to them that plucked off the hair: I hid not my face from shame and spitting.


Verses 7-9

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The mosaic law, which was (and is) unable to acquit natural man, is to “wax old as a garment” (see use of quote in Hebrews 1 v 11); this as a consequence of the work of the servant (the Lord Jesus Christ), who brought salvation from ‘outside of the law’

Isaiah 50 v 7-97 For the Lord God will help me; therefore shall I not be confounded: therefore have I set my face like a flint, and I know that I shall not be ashamed. 8 He is near that justifieth me; who will contend with me? let us stand together: who is mine adversary? let him come near to me. 9 Behold, the Lord God will help me; who is he that shall condemn me? lo, they all shall wax old as a garment; the moth shall eat them up.

The language of a legal court:

Mercifully it is God who, as judge, has the power to acquit

Compare with the experience of Job

• Justifieth• Contend• Stand Together• Adversary

• Come near• Condemn


The lesson from this song for us

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Romans 8 v 31-34

31 What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us? 32 He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things? 33 Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth. 34 Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us.


Conclusion Song 3

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Basis of service

• Teachableness• Subjection

• Surrender• Dependence

• Trust• Choice

• Commitment• Endurance

The Servant Songs of Isaiah - Song 3 1714th November 2012

“If I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of

Christ”** Galatians 1v10

Spiritual

Servant songs of Isaiah - Song 3