Israel & Jesus - Servants of Jehovah
Isaiah 42-53
ds. Marc S. Blackwell, Sr.
Isaiah’s
First Servant Song Character 42:1-9
Second Servant Song Commission 49:1-13
Third Servant Song Commitment 50:4-11
Fourth Servant Song Cause 52:13-53:12
1. INTRODUCTION: ISAIAH 42:1.9 ...
The question of many today has to do with whether or not there is a place of service fitted or suitable to them. Yet in the Scriptures God's call for Christian’s to serve is to all his children - it is universal. One's call to serve is established, not on special personal abilities or particular capabilities, but on the basis of three primary issues:
1st. HAVE YOU taken the responsibility to listen, to see, GOD'S CALL to serve Him with your life? To follow Jesus, our Lord, - - Himself? ... Are you available, are you willing and receptive to serving? Luke 9:57-62; Isaiah 6:82nd. HAVE OTHERS RECOGNISED GOD'S SPIRIT AT WORK IN YOUR LIFE? ACTS 6:34 13:1-53rd. THE CALLING OF GOD IS ONLY FULLY RECOGNISABLE WHEN THE SERVANT HIMSELF HAS RECOGNIZED GOD'S "PLAN" FOR SERVICE i.e. -- GOD'S PLAN FOR SERVANTHOOD
Many are willing to "*serve*" but they have their own agenda, or they see service mistakenly as something like modern corporate leadership....and then their are those who think of strategy as that which is logical or acceptable in the world's opinion. The fact is that god's plans are usually far off from the means and ways of men. Those who will serve god must settle a few essential matters before any useful service can be performed. ISAIAH 42:1-21 GOD'S CALLING IS CLEAR OR EVIDENT AS GOD'S WORK OF GRACE -- THE BASIS FOR CHRISTIAN COMPETENCY -- BECOMES INCREASINGLY EVIDENT.
Let's DISCUSS THE "SERVANT" MOTIEF.......
- The servant being chosen by God needs to recognise that since he is "God's servant" - The Father has already guaranteed the strength needed for service...
- "WHOM I UPHOLD IN MY ELECT" -- the provision, the supply.
- "MINE ELECT"... the Master chooses out of Grace, the personality, the purpose, and the plan or program.
- "IN WHOM MY SOUL DELIGHTETH": The Master's good pleasure...the key. 1 Cor 4: 1-3
- NO POWER CAN OVERCOME HIM.( THE CREATOR-ISA 42:5; HE "WILL TAKE HOLD...AND KEEP"-ISA. 42:6-7
- "I HAVE PUT MY SPIRIT UPON HIM"
- The servant being the chosen of God will stand strong and confident by remembering that he has been endowed with the spirit.
- Competency, then, is based in god's faithfulness... In him .."he shall bring forth judgment to the gentiles," or in other words....God will perform his will even among unbelief.
The Servant - Being Blessed By God's Spirit...Will Have...
- Humility and gentleness of character (or non-clamorous) in his methods. Isa. 42:2
- Sensitivity for the oppressed. Isaiah 42:3
- The "bruised reed" -the weak
- The "smouldering wick" -the oppressed."
- Unfailing endurance - Isa. 42:4
- He will not falter, go to pieces in adversity and will not compromise truth on the altar of expediency. 1 Cor 4:1-2; 2 Cor 4:1 he will ultimately succeed in bringing justice & righteousness back to earth.(a right order)
2. MINISTRY & ENABLEMENT
THE ENABLEMENT PROVIDED, Isa 42:5-7
The power for change comes in the carrying out of God's plan to conquer by giving on two levels:
A: giving Christ's blood.
B: giving Christ as light.
The Power is also available to those who are prepared to be servants of the Servant of Jehovah
2.1 Effecting a new covenant.(42:6c)
2.2 Being a light to the nations. (42:6d)
2.3 Delivering blind prisoners. (42:7)
3. THE MINISTRY DEFINED :
SERVANTHOOD CAN BE UNDERSTOOD BY STUDYING THE PERFECT TRUST REQUIRED OF THOSE WHO ARE "BLIND. ISAIAH 42:16-19-20 (NOTE: Isaiah 1:29; 27:5; 29:3, 18; 32:3; 35:5; 40:4; 41:17; 44:9, 26; 45:16; Ps. 97:7; Eph 5:8; Lk. 3:5; Jos. 1:5; Heb 13:5; Jer. 31:8,9)
3.1 THE PRINCIPLES OF SERVANTHOOD. Isaiah 49:1-13
Labour for God is never in vain. Isaiah 49:4; 1 Cor 15:57-58
Though the servant reports his apparent failure, he nonetheless affirms his faith in God. Isaiah 49:4/5 The servant also recognises the greatness of God and confesses that that which limits others becomes nothing more than opportunity for God to expand his plans and program. Isaiah 42:8;(49:5-6) 2 Cor 6:1-2; Romans 8:28 (Rom. 11:1, 11-12;30-32+3-36)
3.2 THE POSTURE OF THE SERVANT.
Though despised and even abhorred by those he came to help there is no reason for discouragement when the Lord ("that is faithful")is involved. Isaiah 49:7
- The suffering of the servant - Isaiah 50:4-6
- The patient endurance of the servant. Isaiah 50:7-11 (YAHWEH will vindicate His servant=v-9) Romans 12:19
4. THE STRATEGY CARRIED-OUT. PRACTICING SERVANTHOOD.
- The work of faith I Thess 1:
- Success through wisdom Isa. 52:13
- Success not through rational acceptance but through the sacrificial and atoning ministry of the Servant of Jehovah.
4. PRODUCING Obedient SERVANTS.
Not sight: Matt 6:5, 6:16 nor popular recognition, or acceptance (Isaiah 53:1-3) but through sacrificial submission and selflessness are we able to please God. Philippians 2:1-18
5. SUMMARY: SERVING
Read and discuss ...Philippians 2:17-18
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FOR YOUR FURTHER STUDY
The following is another approach to the same text and subjects
1. SPIRITUAL ‘BLINDNESS’ & SERVANTHOOD.
- Isaiah 42:6 "I have called /hold /keep/ ...and will give thee for a covenant of the people, for a light of the Gentiles; [7] to open the blind eyes". -- God's wisdom & faithfulness is pictured through the divinely purposed & predicted performance of the Servant of Jehovah/Yahweh as mediator of the New Covenant.
- The mediatorial work of the Servant is that of messenger, and mediator of truth & righteousness (light) to both the Jews & the Gentiles. Isaiah 42:6 + 49:6-8. (Malachi 3:1; Isa. 54:10; 55:3; 59:20-21; 61:8; Jer. 31:31-34; Ezek. 16:60-63)
- Isaiah 42:16-18, Blindness & deafness as commonly accepted figures of our spiritual sinfulness & stubbornness are the most common interpretations used by Bible teachers. Spiritual blindness is due to idolatry and the blindness of idolatry made it impossible to perceive that their idols were worthless and useless.
- Isaiah 42:19-20 --- Another interesting interpretation of these figures of blindness and deafness is seen as one compares the somewhat more unique metaphor of blindness as spiritual singlemindness & simplicity OF HEART. In Isaiah 42:19-20 and the following 12 verses, (i.e. Isa 42:21 to the passages ending with 43:7.) Here blindness is seen as a limiting influence that creates a greater picture of dependency on the servant's part..[Also - Isaiah 43:1-7,8,9-21]
- Blind Watchmen to mislead the people. Isaiah 56:10-57:21
- Blind Israel to return to the light, 59:10 +60:1-3; 19-20.
2. PRINCIPLES OF SERVANTHOOD. Isaiah 49:1-13
- "CALLED".....49:1 and "PREPARED"...49:2
- The MOUTH - The prophetic voice of truth and redemption. He used the piercing and incisiveness of the Word.
- The SHADOW OF HIS HAND... not the shadow of his hand in protection -as usually found in Scripture-- but the shadow here is the inner area of the hand -- its shadow -- the place of holding an object of war at the ready.
- The POLISHED SHAFT of the arrow. Swift, accurate, effective but hidden away by God until the time of His appearing.
- "ART MY SERVANT..IN WHOM I WILL BE GLORIFIED...BUT (yet often) "HIDDEN"- vs. 2.
3. "GOD'S HIDDEN ARROWS" Isaiah 49:4; "Then Said I...I've Laboured In Vain!!"
Here we find no lack of faith, but simply recognition --( in His incarnation, with its condescension and humiliation) that after expending every possible human effort, having suffered deep grief, sorrow, and rejection He had grown tired and weary. Having poured out one's last bit of human energy and effort it was justifiable to assume that with no or with few results failure was a correct judgement.
"SPENT MY STRENGTH FOR NOUGHT" 2 COR. 4:6-15; 5:13
"MY JUDGMENT IS WITH THE LORD" 2 COR. 4:1-5
Labour for God is never in vain. 1 Cor 15:57-58
Though the servant reports his apparent failure, he nonetheless affirms his faith in God. Isaiah 49:4/5
