God’s Servant (ISAIAH 49–53)

Getting Started

From the Commentary

Isaiah 49–52 presents God’s Servant, Messiah, in three important relationships. The first of these is the Servant’s relationship to the Gentile nations (49:1–50:3).The Servant addresses the nations that did not know Israel’s God. The Gentiles were “far off,” and only God’s Servant could bring them near (Eph. 2:11–22). Christ confirmed God’s promises to the Jews and also extended God’s grace to the Gentiles (Rom. 15:8–12). In this message, God’s Servant explains His ministry as bringing light in the darkness (Isa. 49:1–7), liberty to the captive (vv. 8–13), and love and hope to the discouraged (49:14–50:3).The Servant’s message to the Gentiles was one of hope and blessing.

1. What about Isaiah’s message concerning the Servant’s relationship to the Gentiles would have appealed to the Jews? In what ways might it have comforted them? Confused them?

More to Consider: Isaiah used the familiar image of a light in the darkness (Isa. 49:1–7) in his description of the Servant’s relationship to the Gentiles. Read Acts 13:46–49 and Matthew 5:14–16. How do these descriptions of the church compare to Isaiah’s words?

2. Choose one verse or phrase from Isaiah 49–53 that stands out to you. This could be something you’re intrigued by, something that makes you uncomfortable, something that puzzles you, something that resonates with you, or just something you want to examine further. Write that here.

Going Deeper

From the Commentary

“The LORD comforts his people and will have compassion on his afflicted ones” (49:13 NIV). So sing the people of God as they contemplate their future deliverance, but the people of the captivity and those left in “the desolate inheritances” are not so happy. Instead of singing, they are complaining: “The LORD has forsaken me, and my Lord has forgotten me” (v. 14 NKJV).

3. Why did the Jews so quickly lose confidence in God? What images does the Lord use to assure them (see Isa. 49:14–23, 24–26; 50:1–3)? How are these comparisons comforting even for today’s believers?

From the Commentary

In the first two “Servant Songs” (42:1–7; 49:1–7), you find hints of opposition to Messiah’s ministry, but in this third song (50:4–11), His suffering is vividly described. When we get to the fourth song (52:12–53:12), we will be told not only how He suffered, but why His suffering is necessary.

4. Review the Servant songs (see references in previous excerpt). How might the Jewish people have initially responded to the hints, then specific details, of the Messiah’s suffering? How might their own experience of suffering have affected their interpretation of these passages? Why was it important to note the suffering of the Messiah at this point in the history of God’s people?

From the Commentary

The Servant’s will was yielded to the Lord God. An “opened ear” is one that hears and obeys the voice of the master. The people to whom Isaiah ministered were neither “willing” nor “obedient” (Isa. 1:19), but the Servant did gladly the will of the Lord God. This was not easy, for it meant yielding His body to wicked men who mocked Him, whipped Him, spat on Him, and then nailed Him to a cross (Matt. 26:67; 27:26, 30).The Servant did all of this by faith in the Lord God (Isa. 50:7–11). He was determined to do God’s will even if it meant going to a cross (Luke 9:51; John 18:1–11), for He knew that the Lord God would help Him. The Servant was falsely accused, but He knew that God would vindicate Him and eventually put His enemies to shame. Keep in mind that when Jesus Christ was ministering here on earth, He had to live by faith even as we must today.

5. How might Isaiah’s description of the Servant’s faith have encouraged the Jewish remnant? What doubts would they have been wrestling with in the midst of their captivity? How might this promise of a Servant who was willing to die doing God’s will have helped the Jews?

From the Commentary

The remnant in Babylon prayed as though God were asleep and needed to be awakened (Ps. 7:6; 44:23; 78:65–72). They wanted God to bare His arm as He did when He defeated Pharaoh and redeemed His people from Egyptian bondage. The return from Babylon was looked upon as another “exodus” (Isa. 43:16–17; 49:9–12), with God wholly in charge and the enemy completely defeated.

6. Review Isaiah 51:12–16. How did God reply to the prayers of the remnant? In what ways was their hope that God would defeat the enemies like He had in Egypt similar to the way many Christians today consider God’s role in the world?

From the Commentary

Isaiah liked to use repetition: “Comfort ye, comfort ye” (40:1); “awake, awake” (51:9, 17; 52:1); and now, “depart, depart” (52:11). It seems strange that God would have to urge His people to leave a place of captivity, but some of them had grown accustomed to Babylon and were reluctant to leave.God commanded them to leave because Babylon was a condemned city (Jer. 50:8ff.; 51:6, 45). He warned them not to linger but to get out quickly while they had the opportunity (Isa. 48:20). They did not have to flee like criminals, but there was no reason to tarry.

7. Why would some of the Jewish people have been hesitant to leave their captivity? If they’d seen God’s hand in the exodus, wouldn’t they have been eager to leave when God said, “Depart”? Why or why not? What are some of the things believers today linger in when God asks them to depart?

From the Commentary

The messianic interpretation of Isaiah 53 was held by Jewish rabbis till the twelfth century. After that, Jewish scholars started interpreting the passage as a description of the sufferings of the nation of Israel. But how could Israel die for the sins of Israel (v. 8)? And who declared that Israel was innocent of sin and therefore had suffered unjustly (v. 9)?

8. As you review Isaiah 53, what clues do you find that this is specifically about the Messiah? Why do you think some Jewish scholars choose to believe it’s not about the Messiah but about Israel? What do you believe?

From the Commentary

Isaiah 53 describes the life and ministry of Jesus Christ (vv. 1–4), His death (vv. 5–8) and burial (v. 9), and His resurrection and exaltation (vv. 10–12). The theme that ties the chapter together is that the innocent Servant died in the place of the guilty. When theologians speak about “the vicarious atonement,” that is what they mean. We cannot explain everything about the cross, but this much seems clear: Jesus took the place of guilty sinners and paid the price for their salvation.

9. Considering the context in which Isaiah was writing, how might the Jewish remnant have responded to this picture of a suffering servant? What about this picture would have encouraged them? What about this picture would have caused them concern? If the Jews were hoping for the “arm of the Lord” to rescue them, why might this picture of a “root out of dry ground” have felt like a disappointment?

From the Commentary

A servant is not permitted to talk back; he or she must submit to the will of the master or mistress.Isaiah 53:7 speaks of Jesus’ silence under suffering and verse 8 of His silence when illegally tried and condemned to death.The Servant is compared to a lamb (Isa. 53:7), which is one of the frequent symbols of the Savior in Scripture.

10. In what ways did this depiction of the Servant go against the image of God the Jewish people had known and experienced for years? How might this have ultimately contributed to their inability to accept Jesus as Messiah when He came to earth?

Looking Inward

Take a moment to reflect on all that you’ve explored thus far in this study of Isaiah 49–53. Review your notes and answers and think about how each of these things matters in your life today.

Tips for Small Groups: To get the most out of this section, form pairs or trios and have group members take turns answering these questions. Be honest and as open as you can in this discussion, but most of all, be encouraging and supportive of others. Be sensitive to those who are going through particularly difficult times and don’t press for people to speak if they’re uncomfortable doing so.

11. Despite everything we know about God’s plan and His power, believers still lose confidence in Him. Think about a time when you lost confidence in God’s ability to meet you in the middle of a trial. Why did you lose confidence? What restored your confidence?

12. Think of a time when God appeared to you as a suffering servant when you were hoping for the strong arm of God. Why might God have chosen to speak to you in humility rather than through His power? What does this tell you about how God saw your need in that moment?

13. What imagery in Isaiah 53 strikes you as most significant? How does this picture of the Messiah make you feel about your own life? About God’s love for you?

Going Forward

14. Think of one or two things that you have learned that you’d like to work on in the coming week. Remember that this is all about quality, not quantity. It’s better to work on one specific area of life and do it well than to work on many and do poorly (or to be so overwhelmed that you simply don’t try).Do you want to better understand what the symbolism of the Suffering Servant means to your faith? Be specific. Go back through Isaiah 49–53 and put a star next to the phrase or verse that is most encouraging to you. Consider memorizing this verse.

Real-Life Application Ideas: Think about an area in your life where you feel like a captive. What makes you feel that way? What are the reasons for the captivity? What role is God playing in that captivity? Spend time in prayer, asking God to help you see the path to freedom from that captivity. Then watch and listen for God’s answer and boldly move as God directs. Don’t let yourself become complacent when God wants you to move.