The Suffering Servant

Introduction

Back in my ambulance days, I remember one of the first calls I ever had. We got a call to go to a home in South Tucson to take a woman from her home to a nursing home. It was quite sad, she was about 30 years old and had a young son (he must have been around 8 years old). She was severely obese topping the scales at 750 pounds. about 580 of that had been added the previous year and her body was shutting down. She was going to the nursing home to be kept comfortable until she passed away. That much weight gain so suddenly was too much for her body to handle. I remember, us trying to figure out a way to move her, and since it was one of my orientation shifts as an EMT, there were three of us, but we knew there was no way we were going to be able to get her on our gurney, so we called South Tucson Fire Department for backup. We strapped two backboards together and struggled to get them under her, then the seven of us strained to get her on to the gurney. That was a heavy load to lift. I remember praying, “Oh Lord please do not let those backboards break because if they do, we’re all going down and this isn’t going to be pretty. By that time a couple of South Tucson Police Officers arrived to help us lift her and the gurney into the ambulance. It took nine of us in total. Here’s the thing. Jesus, carried heavier. He didn’t lift just one patient, he lifted the weight of humanity's sin- every lie, every betrayal, every addiction, every scream in the dark. And He did it alone.

Today, some of you are still on that backboard—carrying your own 750 pounds. Yeshua says, “Let Me take the foot of the board. Climb on.”

The Bridge So Far

We’ve been crossing bridges in this part of Isaiah. Two weeks ago, we crossed Isaiah 40—Comfort.

God said, “Your warfare is ended” (40:2).

The Shepherd carries the lambs in His bosom.

Last week , we crossed Isaiah 42 and we talked about the commission that God has given us—The Delightful Servant brings justice gently—doesn’t break the bruised reed, doesn’t snuff the smoldering wick.

This week we’ll be looking at Isaiah 52:13-53:12 and talking about the Cost and Climax for that Comfort and commission. Who paid the lift price?

The Main Point

Yeshua carried the 750-pound weight of our sin in silence so we could carry His rest into the world—quietly, cleanly, courageously.

Introducing the Servant

So, let’s open our Bibles together and take a look at the first part of our passage today.

Isaiah 52:13–53:6 TLV

“Behold, My servant will prosper, He will be high and lifted up and greatly exalted. Just as many were appalled at You— His appearance was disfigured more than any man, His form more than the sons of men. So He will sprinkle many nations. Kings will shut their mouths because of Him, for what had not been told them they will see, and what they had not heard they will perceive. ‘Who has believed our report? To whom is the arm of Adonai revealed? For He grew up before Him like a tender shoot, like a root out of dry ground. He had no form or majesty that we should look at Him, nor beauty that we should desire Him. He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows, acquainted with grief, One from whom people hide their faces. He was despised, and we did not esteem Him. Surely He has borne our griefs and carried our pains. Yet we esteemed Him stricken, struck by God, and afflicted. But He was pierced because of our transgressions, crushed because of our iniquities. The chastisement for our shalom was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed. We all like sheep have gone astray. Each of us turned to his own way. So Adonai has laid on Him the iniquity of us all.

Here we are simply introducing the servant to whom Isaiah is referring. It’s pretty clear to us as Christians who this, is but for our purposes today, pretend you’re a Jew who lived prior to Jesus’s day. The reason I want you to do this is because prior to Yeshua’s arrival on the scene, the Jews almost universally knew this was about Messiah, but something very strange happened about 1100 years after Jesus lived. Many Rabbis (the most influential of whom was a man called Rashi did some explanations that changed that view up. This was done intentionally to try to solve a very real dilemma that the rabbis have explaining this passage away. So today we are going to be learning some apologetics—respectfully defending our faith by letting the text speak.

Rashi, along with other rabbis say that The Servant is the nation of Israel in exile. They point to Isaiah 41:8 where Isaiah very clearly points to “Israel, My servant.” and that’s compelling because Israel actually did suffer—Egypt, Babylon, Rome, Germany, and of course their most recent issues with Gaza.

But it does get tight, and here’s why. If Israel is the Servant, then are they saying that Israel atones for Israel’s sins? Because 53:5 says he was Pierced for our transgressions. So who’s the “our?” If the servant is Israel, then Israel dies for Israel’s sins? That doesn’t make much sense—that’s not atonement, that’s just consequence for sin.

It doesn’t end there. The passage says that the servant is silent. Read Psalm 137—Israel is anything but silent ,not to mention there is an entire book in the Bible called Lamentations. But in 53:7 it says the servant did not open His mouth. They have the same problem with Psalm 23, and they try to provide the same solution. Let’s read that really quick.

Psalm 22 TLV

For the music director, on “The Doe of the Dawn,” a psalm of David. My God, my God, why have You forsaken me? Distant from my salvation are the words of my groaning. O my God, I cried out by day, but You did not answer, by night, but there was no rest for me. Yet You are holy, enthroned on the praises of Israel. In You our fathers put their trust. They trusted, and You delivered them. They cried to you and were delivered. In You they trusted, and were not disappointed. Am I a worm, and not a man? Am I a scorn of men, despised by people? All who see me mock me. They curl their lips, shaking their heads: “Rely on Adonai! Let Him deliver him! Let Him rescue him— since he delights in Him!” Yet You brought me out of the womb, made me secure at my mother’s breasts. From the womb I was cast on You— from my mother’s womb You have been my God. Be not far from me! For trouble is near— there is no one to help. Many bulls have surrounded me. Strong bulls of Bashan encircled me. They open wide their mouths against me, like a tearing, roaring lion. I am poured out like water, and all my bones are disjointed. My heart is like wax— melting within my innards. My strength is dried up like a clay pot, my tongue clings to my jaws. You lay me in the dust of death. For dogs have surrounded me. A band of evildoers has closed in on me. They pierced my hands and my feet. I can count all my bones. They stare, they gape at me. They divide my clothes among them, and cast lots for my garment. But You, Adonai, be not far off! O my strength! Come quickly to my aid! Deliver my soul from the sword— my only one from the power of the dog. Save me from the lion’s mouth. From the horns of the wild oxen rescue me. I will declare Your Name to my brothers. I will praise You amid the congregation. You who fear Adonai, praise Him! All Jacob’s descendants, glorify Him! Revere Him, all you seed of Israel. For He has not despised or disdained the suffering of the lowly one. Nor has He hidden His face from him, but when he cried to Him, He heard. From You is my praise in the great assembly. I will fulfill my vows before those who fear Him. Let the poor eat and be satisfied. Let them who seek after Him praise Adonai. May your hearts live forever! All the ends of the earth will remember and turn to Adonai. All the families of the nations will bow down before You. For the kingdom belongs to Adonai, and He rules over the nations. All the rich of the earth will feast and worship. Everyone who goes down to the dust will kneel before Him—even the one who could not keep his own soul alive. His posterity will serve him, telling the next generation about my Lord. They will come and declare His righteousness to a people yet to be born— because He has done it!

The problem they have here is that it speaks with the same voice as Isaiah “Pierced My hands and My feet . . . divide My garments.”

David is prophesying the crucifixion of Messiah 1000 years before crucifixion was even a thing! Yet they claim that it’s the same thing because of Isaiah 41:8, but that doesn’t work because in Isaiah 50:4, there is a very clear shift in the narrative that breaks the tie between 41:8 and what comes after that. For we as believers, we have confirmation in the New Covenant that this is in fact, th ecase.

Matthew 8:17 TLV

So was fulfilled what was spoken through Isaiah the prophet, saying, “He Himself took our sicknesses and carried away our diseases.”

And

Acts 8:26–34 TLV

Now an angel of the Lord spoke to Philip, saying, “Get up, and go south on the road going down from Jerusalem to Gaza.” (This is a desert road.) So he got up and went. And behold, an Ethiopian eunuch—an official who was responsible for all the treasure of Candace, queen of the Ethiopians—had traveled to Jerusalem to worship and was now returning. Sitting in his chariot, he was reading the prophet Isaiah. The Ruach said to Philip, “Go, catch up with this chariot.” Philip ran up and heard him reading the prophet Isaiah and said, “Do you understand what you are reading?” “How can I,” he said, “unless someone guides me?” So he invited Philip to come up and sit with him. Now the passage of Scripture that he was reading was this: “He was led as a sheep to slaughter; and as a lamb before its shearer is silent, so He opens not His Mouth. In His humiliation justice was denied Him. Who shall recount His generation? For His life is taken away from the earth.” The eunuch replied to Philip, “Please tell me, who is the prophet talking about—himself or someone else?”

And finally

1 Peter 2:24 TLV

He Himself bore our sins in His body on the tree, so that we, removed from sins, might live for righteousness. “By His wounds you were healed.”

So, what would I tell a rabbi? I would say, I respect your view—but the text demands one sinless substitute, and that is not the nation of Israel. It can only be Yeshua Ben Adam HaMashiach.

Our Example

Last week we talked a lot about the part we should be playing during the times we are living and there’s no doubt that like my days on the ambulance, we will be called to do some heavy lifting with our loved ones or even complete strangers, and so Yeshua is our example on how we are to serve. Remember, Jesus carried that burden while nailed to the cross with three nails. So God is showing in Isaiah three nails to steel your resolve.

Isaiah 43:7–9 TLV

Everyone who is called by My Name, whom I created for My glory. I formed him—yes, I made him!” Bring out the people who are blind, yet have eyes, who are deaf, yet have ears. All the nations are gathered together, and the peoples are assembled. Who among them can declare this, and proclaim to us former things? Let them present their witnesses so they may be justified, or let them hear and say, “It’s true.”

Nail number one. He was silent. He carried our defense, our rage, our iniquity—silently, without complaint. Nothing, just silence.

Nail number two. He was the Lamb. He was the Passover offering for your and my iniquities. He has removed all our guilt.

Nail number three. He was sinless, because only a spotless lamb could take the sins of the world.

That 750 lbs. patient, I thought I was going to be crushed. But Yeshua? He carried billions—every sin, every shame, every scream.

Just when it looked like He was being crushed up there on the cross, He was, in fact, carrying us.

What Does This Mean to Us?

Saints, carry His rest , the way He carried you.

In chapter 42 we learned of His gentleness, in Isaiah 53 we learned that the cost for that gentleness is silence. How does that translate? Just sit with one hurting person. No advise, just presence. Allow the love of God to minister through you. Like we learned when we went through Job, sometimes the worst thing we can do when someone is hurting is give them advice.

In chapter 42 we learned about Justice, and today in chapter 53 we understood that justice can only be paid by the Lamb. We can’t carry our sins, we can’t carry our anger or our frustrations. Only a spotless lamb can do that. Surrender that fight. Name one rage. Pray: “Lamb of God, You carried this already. Help me to let it go.

And finally, in Chapter 42 we learned about His light, the only way the light comes into this world is by a sinless redeemer. We can’t be sinless, but we can strive to live a clean life. If there is something that is keeping your from feeling like you’re truly moving in holiness, I encourage you to make yourself accountable. Text a friend and ask them for prayer concerning your hidden sin.

How does this look when put into action?

Who’s carrying your own 750 pounds? Lay it down

Who’s defending you? Be silent

What sin are you hiding? Come clean.

Putting it All Together

Isaiah 53:10–12 TLV

Yet it pleased Adonai to bruise Him. He caused Him to suffer. If He makes His soul a guilt offering, He will see His offspring, He will prolong His days, and the will of Adonai will succeed by His hand. As a result of the anguish of His soul He will see it and be satisfied by His knowledge. The Righteous One, My Servant will make many righteous and He will bear their iniquities. Therefore I will give Him a portion with the great, and He will divide the spoil with the mighty— because He poured out His soul to death, and was counted with transgressors. For He bore the sin of many, and interceded for the transgressors.

There’s a story in 2 Kings chapter six. A young prophet loses his axe head made of heavy iron when it falls into the river and sinks. Elisha throws in a stick of wood to make the iron float. That wood symbolizes the cross. The axe head symbolizes not only your sin and shame, but also your hope, your rest and your shalom. The cross is the only thing that can make that 750 pound axe head bearable.

Matthew 11:29–30 TLV

Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and ‘you will find rest for your souls.’ For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”

The cross made the heaviest weight float. His yoke turns 750 billion sins into a light lift.

Prayer:

“Yeshua (יֵשׁוּעַ), You carried 750 billion sins. You were silent so we could sing. You were slain so we could stand. Now yoke us to Your rest—quiet, clean, courageous. Make our hope float again. Amen.”

Benediction

כִּי יְבָרֶכְךָ֥ יְהוָֹ֖ה וְיִשְׁמְרֶֽךָ׃

יָאֵ֨ר יְהוָֹ֧ה ׀ פָּנָ֛יו אֵלֶ֖יךָ וִֽיחֻנֶּֽךָּ׃

יִשָּׂ֨א יְהוָֹ֤ה ׀ פָּנָיו֙ אֵלֶ֔יךָ וְיָשֵׂ֥ם לְךָ֖ שָׁלֽוֹם׃

Transliteration (line by line):

Yevarechecha Yehovah v’yishmerecha.

Ya’er Yehovah panav eleicha vichuneka.

Yissa Yehovah panav eleicha v’yasem lecha shalom.

Numbers 6:24–26 TLV

‘Adonai bless you and keep you! Adonai make His face to shine on you and be gracious to you! Adonai turn His face toward you and grant you shalom!’