The Song of the Chosen Servant
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Please turn to Isaiah 42:1-9 as we consider The Song of the Chosen Servant.
One of the challenges of starting a series in the middle of a book is to keep it in context. So, I am going to spend a few minutes talking about the ministry of Isaiah — something I would have done in the very first message of an exposition of the entire book of Isaiah.
We learn about Isaiah’s call to ministry from a couple of different passages.
The vision of Isaiah the son of Amoz, which he saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem in the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah.
The first thing we see here is that Isaiah’s ministry was primarily to the southern Kingdom of Judah. While he was alive and ministering during the closing years of the northern Kingdom which is sometimes referred to as Israel, other times as Samaria, and still other times as Ephraim, his specific ministry was to Judah. Many believe that he was of the royal bloodline since he seems to have unfettered access to the kings which were sitting on David’s throne.
The next thing we see is that Isaiah’s ministry was a lengthy ministry, spanning the reigns of at least four different kings — most likely, he was still alive at the time that a fifth king took the throne — Manassas. King Uzziah was, by most accounts, a godly king. But there came a time during his reign in which he sought to do the work of a priest, and offered incense on the altar of God. For this God judged him by causing him to become a leper for the rest of his life on earth. Therefore, during the last part of his reign, his son, Jotham, sat on the throne as a vice-regent. After the death of Uzziah, Jotham officially began to reign as king of Judah.
Based on what we learned last week when we looked at Jesus being our Great High Priest, we learned that the priests of Israel came from the order of Aaron. That is why it was wrong for Uzziah to offer incense to God. He was from the line of David and not the line of Aaron. However, Jesus truly is both king and priest. But His priesthood is from the order of Melchizedek and not from Aaron. His priesthood is a part of the new covenant, and not the old covenant. Uzziah, however, was not a priest in the order of Melchizedek. He was a part of the old covenant in which only the sons of Aaron could minister as priests.
After Jotham’s death his son, Ahaz, began to reign. And he was the most wicked king of Judah up to this point. He brought in an altar which was designed for the worship of the god of Syria, and placed it in the temple in Jerusalem.
After Ahaz’s death, his son, Hezekiah, reigned. Hezekiah, while not without faults, was one of the most godly kings in the history of Israel.
Another passage gives us information as to the beginning of Isaiah’s ministry.
In the year that King Uzziah died I saw the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up; and the train of his robe filled the temple.
Isaiah’s ministry began with this awesome vision of God during the last year of Uzziah’s reign. Isaiah was so struck by the glory of God that he recognized his own sinfulness, and the sinfulness of the nation. He cried out:
And I said: “Woe is me! For I am lost; for I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts!”
But God responded to this by sending a special angel to Isaiah.
Then one of the seraphim flew to me, having in his hand a burning coal that he had taken with tongs from the altar. And he touched my mouth and said: “Behold, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away, and your sin atoned for.”
The Book of Isaiah probably has more to say about the coming Messiah of Israel than any other book in the Old Testament. We are probably all familiar with the passages which are commonly mentioned at Christmas time. Isaiah prophesied about the virgin birth of Christ. He prophesied about how the government will be upon His shoulder, and His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, the Mighty God, the Everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace. Isaiah referred to the Messiah as being the branch which will spring forth from Jesse (David’s father).
Because of the many majestic ways in which Isaiah portrayed the coming Messiah, most Jewish rabbis did not recognize the most significant way in which Isaiah referred to the coming Messiah. Isaiah wrote of the Messiah as being the Suffering Servant of the Yahweh. And that is where our text begins this morning.
One of the reasons why the Jewish rabbis did not recognize that the Suffering Servant was also the Messiah is that is that the prophet referred to different entities as being the servant of the Lord. In chapter 41 the Lord referred to the nation of Israel as being His servant. Turn back a page or two and look at
But you, Israel, my servant, Jacob, whom I have chosen, the offspring of Abraham, my friend; you whom I took from the ends of the earth, and called from its farthest corners, saying to you, “You are my servant, I have chosen you and not cast you off”; fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.
Because of these beautiful verses, most Jewish scholars have always contended that Israel is the Suffering Servant, and that it does not apply to Messiah. But as we travel through these passages over the next several weeks, my hope is that you will recognize that these passages do truly refer to the Messiah, whom we know to be Jesus of Nazareth.
As we go through this passage this morning, we will look at the choosing, character, calling, and glory of the Servant of the Yahweh.
Let’s read our passage together.
Behold my servant, whom I uphold, my chosen, in whom my soul delights; I have put my Spirit upon him; he will bring forth justice to the nations. He will not cry aloud or lift up his voice, or make it heard in the street; a bruised reed he will not break, and a faintly burning wick he will not quench; he will faithfully bring forth justice. He will not grow faint or be discouraged till he has established justice in the earth; and the coastlands wait for his law.
Thus says God, the Lord, who created the heavens and stretched them out, who spread out the earth and what comes from it, who gives breath to the people on it and spirit to those who walk in it: “I am the Lord; I have called you in righteousness; I will take you by the hand and keep you; I will give you as a covenant for the people, a light for the nations, to open the eyes that are blind, to bring out the prisoners from the dungeon, from the prison those who sit in darkness.
I am the Lord; that is my name; my glory I give to no other, nor my praise to carved idols. Behold, the former things have come to pass, and new things I now declare; before they spring forth I tell you of them.”
Let’s begin by looking at
The Choosing of the Servant
The Choosing of the Servant
Look at the first part of Isaiah 42:1 “Behold my servant ...”
The first thing I want you to notice is the word “Behold” which is intended to draw the reader into the text. The term means to listen up, to pay close attention. In chapter 40 God had said, “to whom will you compare Me?” And of course the answer must be to nobody or nothing. God is incomparable to anything that humans can imagine. And yet humans have often sought to compare Him to earthly things. That is where idolatry comes from — trying to compare the incomparable God.
In chapter 41 God ridiculed Judah for worshiping idols and foreign gods. Speaking directly to the idols He said,
Let them bring them, and tell us what is to happen. Tell us the former things, what they are, that we may consider them, that we may know their outcome; or declare to us the things to come. Tell us what is to come hereafter, that we may know that you are gods; do good, or do harm, that we may be dismayed and terrified. Behold, you are nothing, and your work is less than nothing; an abomination is he who chooses you.
In reference to these idols, in the very last verse of chapter 41 God said,
Behold, they are all a delusion; their works are nothing; their metal images are empty wind.
Did you notice the use of the word “behold?” God is saying, "Look at this.” “Pay particular attention.” These so-called gods are nothing.
Then He reiterates the word “behold” again in our current verse. What is it that we are to behold, or pay particular attention to? We are to behold the Servant of Yahweh. God declares ownership of the Servant by referring to Him as “My Servant.” From this text we gather that in someway or another, the Servant is an emissary from Yahweh.
David Guzik noted, “The word ‘ebed can refer to a slave (Exodus 21:20–21) or a vassal king (2 Samuel 10:19), an individual subject (Genesis 21:25) or a tributary nation (1 Chronicles 18:2, 6, 13). In all those cases the term refers to a person or group characterized by dependence and servitude.’ (Lindsey)” (David Guzik, Isaiah, David Guzik’s Commentaries on the Bible (Santa Barbara, CA: David Guzik, 2000), Is 42:1–4.)
Did you know that Jesus described Himself as being a servant?
But Jesus called them to him and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. It shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be your slave, even as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”
Peter gave Jesus the title servant in
The God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, the God of our fathers, glorified his servant Jesus, whom you delivered over and denied in the presence of Pilate, when he had decided to release him.
Look at Isaiah 42:1 “Behold my servant, whom I uphold ...”
Concerning the term “uphold” “Redpath believed it speaks of the Father’s trust in and dependence on the Son. ‘The picture is taken from an Eastern court, where a monarch is in a procession, and as he walks he leans upon a favorite courtier. This verse, in fact, could well be translated, ‘Behold, my servant, upon whom I lean.’ It is an indication of a special favor and confidence. So we have the picture of God the Father leaning upon God the son, counting upon Him and trusting Him to fulfill all His purposes.’” (David Guzik, Isaiah, David Guzik’s Commentaries on the Bible (Santa Barbara, CA: David Guzik, 2000), Is 42:1–4.)
Look again at Isaiah 42:1 “Behold my servant, whom I uphold, my chosen,”
Peter wrote of this in his first epistle.
He indeed was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you
Look at Isaiah 42:1 “Behold my servant, whom I uphold, my chosen, in whom my soul delights …”
Yahweh says that He takes special delight in this Servant.
Note that,
God Confirmed that Jesus was the Servant of Yahweh at the Baptism of Jesus
and behold, a voice from heaven said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.”
We have been looking at the choosing of the Servant. Let’s turn now to
The Character of the Servant
The Character of the Servant
Isaiah has great deal to say about the character of the Suffering Servant.
Note first that,
The Servant will be Empowered by the Holy Spirit
Look at the next phrase in verse 1.
Behold my servant, whom I uphold, my chosen, in whom my soul delights; I have put my Spirit upon him;
It has always fascinated me that Jesus, who is the Eternal Son of God, was empowered by the Holy Spirit for ministry. I don’t have a ready answer as to why He ministered in the power of the Holy Spirit instead of in His own inherent power. But Scripture is clear on this subject. Speculation can often get one into trouble, so I say this with great reservation, but perhaps the reason Jesus was empowered for ministry by the Holy Spirit was to teach His followers that they needed to be empowered by the Holy Spirit.
The next thing we learn about the character of the Servant is that
The Servant will be the Greatest Leader the World has Ever Known
Look at the remainder of verse 1.
he will bring forth justice to the nations.
Justice is something which has always been sorely lacking in most leaders. Whether we are a leader of ten or a leader of a thousand, we are still human, and often unjust in our dealings with man.
When God speaks of bringing justice to the nations He is referring to Gentile nations, or Gentiles in general. Most of Israel considered that God’s interest was solely on them. But God’s intention was always for the seed of Abraham to be a blessing to all peoples, and not just to the children of Israel.
Messianic Jewish theologian, Peter Sacks, wrote, “Mishpat, rendered ‘justice,’ encompasses the idea of judgment but, more fundamentally, the law (the Torah) which was to go forth from Jerusalem (2:3). The Messiah will bring the rule of God to all nations.” (Stuart D. Sacks, Revealing Jesus as Messiah: Identifying Isaiah’s Servant of the Lord (Fearn, UK: Christian Focus Publications, 1998), 30.)
God speaks of the Servant’s justice again in verse 3.
he will faithfully bring forth justice.
Next we see that,
The Servant will be a Gentle Leader
Most people seem to confuse gentleness with weakness. But gentleness is a sign of great strength. Look at verses 2-3.
He will not cry aloud or lift up his voice, or make it heard in the street; a bruised reed he will not break, and a faintly burning wick he will not quench;
These statements speak of the gentleness of the Servant of Yahweh. And these first three verses were quoted by Matthew about Christ. Throughout His ministry Jesus had often instructed people to not tell others who He was — at least not until His work was accomplished. And Matthew said that this was to fulfill what Isaiah had written:
“Behold, my servant whom I have chosen, my beloved with whom my soul is well pleased. I will put my Spirit upon him, and he will proclaim justice to the Gentiles. He will not quarrel or cry aloud, nor will anyone hear his voice in the streets; a bruised reed he will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not quench, until he brings justice to victory;
Sacks went on to write, “God’s Servant-Messiah does not come as an orator-debater; neither do we see Him advertising and promoting Himself. When Jesus ushered in the kingdom of God, He did not use manipulative or coercive means. His disciples even hear Him instruct others to be silent concerning Him (Matt. 12:16); He knows that His Father will see to the revelation of His identity at just the right time.” (Stuart D. Sacks, Revealing Jesus as Messiah: Identifying Isaiah’s Servant of the Lord (Fearn, UK: Christian Focus Publications, 1998), 32.)
The gentle nature of the Servant of Yahweh is to be reflected in the followers of Christ. Writing to Timothy Paul said,
And the Lord’s servant must not be quarrelsome but kind to everyone, able to teach, patiently enduring evil, correcting his opponents with gentleness. God may perhaps grant them repentance leading to a knowledge of the truth, and they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, after being captured by him to do his will.
Finally we note that,
The Servant will have a Divine Mission at which He will Work Tirelessly to Fulfill
Look at verse 4.
He will not grow faint or be discouraged till he has established justice in the earth; and the coastlands wait for his law.
Michael Rydelnik wrote, “Verse 4 speaks to the justice resulting from the Servant’s rule. Justice is a characteristic task of royal figures throughout the OT (cf. 1Sm 8:5, 20; Ps 72:1–2, 4; Is 9:6; Jr 21:11; 22:3, 15; 23:5). Bringing justice will also bring peace as even the nations (the coastlands) will wait to hear the Servant’s instruction. The Servant will persevere until He completes His mission. He will establish justice on the earth and the nations will no longer set their own rules. Instead, they will align themselves with the law of the Servant.” (Michael A. Rydelnik and James Spencer, “Isaiah,” in The Moody Bible Commentary, ed. Michael A. Rydelnik and Michael Vanlaningham (Chicago, IL: Moody Publishers, 2014), 1065–1066.)
We have been considering the character of the Servant of Yahweh. Let’s turn now to
The Calling of the Servant
The Calling of the Servant
The first thing we see is that
The Servant was Called by God Almighty
Look at verses 5-6.
Thus says God, the Lord, who created the heavens and stretched them out, who spread out the earth and what comes from it, who gives breath to the people on it and spirit to those who walk in it: “I am the Lord; I have called you in righteousness ...”
The second thing we see is that
The Servant was Preserved by God Almighty
Look again at verse 6.
“I will take you by the hand and keep you ...”
The third thing we see is that
The Servant was Given as a Covenant by God Almighty
Look at the last part of verse 6.
“I will give you as a covenant for the people, a light for the nations ...”
Geoffrey Grogan wrote that, “The phrase “covenant of the people” implies a structured relationship between God and those already possessing his revelation, while “a light for the Gentiles” suggests the widening of the scope of this revelation. The covenant reference may be to the new covenant, the special blessings of which were later spelled out in Jeremiah 31:31–34. If it is, it may be viewed as confirming the Abrahamic covenant, for this also spoke of blessing for the nations (cf. Gen 12:1–3 et al.).” (Geoffrey W. Grogan, “Isaiah,” in The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Isaiah, Jeremiah, Lamentations, Ezekiel, ed. Frank E. Gaebelein, vol. 6 (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House, 1986), 255.)
Look at verse 7.
to open the eyes that are blind, to bring out the prisoners from the dungeon, from the prison those who sit in darkness.
The Servant was given as a covenant to spiritually heal those who were lost in their trespasses and sins. That would be you and me. Before we were made alive in Christ we were blind to the things of God. We were dead spiritually speaking.
But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.
Because of God’s mercy and His covenantal love, we have been purchased from the auction block of slavery to sin, and have become joint-heirs with Jesus Christ.
This morning we have looked at the choosing, character, and calling of the Servant of Yahweh.
Let’s look at one more thing.
The Glory of the Servant
The Glory of the Servant
I tried to come up with a word for glory which started with a “c” in order to continue my alliteration. But I could not find an adequate term.
Note that,
God Shares His Glory with the Suffering Servant
Look at verse 8.
I am the Lord; that is my name; my glory I give to no other, nor my praise to carved idols.
Throughout this section of Isaiah, God is constantly berating the worship of idols. When a person worships something other than the one true God, they then give glory to that entity and rob God of the glory due His name.
As a side note, a few years ago I was accused of something similar. Our former church was receiving handwritten notes that were left in our mailbox which were accusing us of some stuff of which I have long-since forgotten. Then a visitor came to our church one Sunday, and he showed up at our house that afternoon (which was next door to the church). He talked to me a bit about the gospel. Then I mentioned these strange notes we had been receiving in our mailbox, and he admitted that he was the one putting them in the box. He said he was in a bad place when he wrote them, but that he was in a good place now.
A couple of months passed, and while we were on vacation he came to our home again. A neighbor saw him and let him know we were not home. So, he left a message on the church’s voicemail which nobody checked while I was gone. If they had they may have cancelled church! He stated that I was robbing from his god (Satan) the glory that was due him by preaching that the God of the Bible was the true God. Then he quoted a passage from Proverbs which said that even a thief if he is caught has to pay back sevenfold what he has stolen. He said “I have caught you and I demand you pay me back sevenfold what you have stolen from my god.”
Well, we were not going to pay him a dime. But we spent a lot of money securing the church. And we determined to keep the doors of the church locked at all times. We place doorbells by the doors so that one who had a concealed carry permit could open the doors for someone who came late to the service. It was a very stressful time.
But thing is that it is impossible to rob Satan of the glory due to his name. But it is all too easy to rob God of the glory due to His name.
While Yahweh does not give His glory to another, He does give it to the Servant. That is a strong statement about the deity of the Suffering Servant. David Guzik wrote, “It is important to understand that Jesus shares in the glory of the Father. Jesus prayed, And now, O Father, glorify Me together with Yourself, with the glory which I had with You before the world was. (John 17:5) If God the Son and God the Father each share glory, and the Lord shares His glory with no one, it means that the Father and the Son are the Lord God. The Lord God—Yahweh—is one God in Three Persons.” (David Guzik, Isaiah, David Guzik’s Commentaries on the Bible (Santa Barbara, CA: David Guzik, 2000), Is 42:5–9.)
Look at verse 9.
Behold, the former things have come to pass, and new things I now declare; before they spring forth I tell you of them.”
Only the omniscient God can declare the things which will take place in the future with 100% accuracy. God first prophesied the future of redemption in the Garden of Eden when He told Satan, who had deceived the woman into sinning, that someday the woman’s Seed would crush the head of the serpent — that is Satan. What God didn’t reveal at that time was that deliverance would come through the sacrificial death of the Suffering Servant. And when Jesus died on the cross, He paid the penalty for the sins of all who believe in who He is, and what He accomplished on their behalf. And when Jesus was raised from the dead He crushed the hope of Satan who wanted the grave to contain Him forever. But Jesus was victorious over both sin and the result of sin — namely death — when He rose triumphantly from the grave.
Have you truly embraced Jesus for who He is, and what He has done? If not, I invite you to do so today.
If you are already a child of the King, I invite you to look at your own life. We are to mimic our Lord and Savior in our actions and our words. Can it be said of us that we are gentle and kind? Can it be said of us that we are merciful and gracious to those who have offended us? Can it be said of us that we are tenderhearted and forgiving toward one another? If not, then we need to seek the aid of the Holy Spirit to transform our lives so that we would live in a manner worthy of our calling in Christ.
Let’s pray.
Holy Father,
I am awed by the wisdom of Your redemptive plan. That You would willingly send Your Eternal Son to be not only a Servant to You, but one who came to serve and give His life as a ransom for many. I am so thrilled to be among the many for which He ransomed from slavery to sin.
Lord, I pray that You would help us to live our lives in a worthy manner. Help us to be gently and kind in our dealings with one another. Help us to be just and true in our dealings with one another. Helps to show the love of Jesus — that love which none but His loved ones know.
Father, I pray for any here who have never embraced Jesus as their Lord and Savior. I pray that Your Holy Spirit would make them alive in Christ so that they can perceive the truth of the gospel and be saved. I pray this in Jesus’ name. Amen.
Closing Song: #216
Closing Song: #216
Christ Arose verses 1 & 3
Low in the grave He lay, Jesus my Savior!
Waiting the coming day, Jesus my Lord!
Up from the grave He arose,
With a mighty triumph o’er His foes;
He arose a Victor from the dark domain,
And He lives forever with His saints to reign,
He arose! He arose! Hallelujah! Christ arose!
Death cannot keep his prey, Jesus, my Savior!
He tore the bars away, Jesus my Lord!
Up from the grave He arose,
With a mighty triumph o’er His foes;
He arose a Victor from the dark domain,
And He lives forever with His saints to reign,
He arose! He arose! Hallelujah! Christ arose!
