The Servant (4): The suffering Servant

Isaiah 52:13-53:12

The fourth Servant Song is well-known, oft-quoted and utterly shocking. The previous Servant Song  had indicated that the Servant would suffer mistreatment and now Isaiah goes into much more detail as to what that would look like.

He begins by describing how the Servant’s physical appearance would not indicate the royal heritage He had (v2) and that people would be surprised by the way He looked. The language ‘For He grew up before Him like a tender shoot, and like a root out of parched ground’ (v2) reminds us of ‘the shoot from the stem of Jesse’ (11:1) and echoes of that prophecy which held out so much future hope.  Here, the Servant initially wouldn’t stand out in appearance (v2) but also the way He looks following mistreatment would make Him despised and not someone you would even want to look at (v3).

But then Isaiah goes on to describe the horrors of the extent of the Servant’s suffering. He would be pierced (v5), crushed (v5), chastened (v5), scourged (v5), oppressed and afflicted (v7), taken away (v8), cut off (v8), killed (vv8, 12) and poured out (v12). This litany of physical suffering is shocking in its breadth as well as its brutality. So many hands would inflict so many wounds. They would try to extinguish the Light of the World and snuff out the life of the One who gives breath.

And yet, one feature stands out in remarkable contrast. In spite of the excruciating physical suffering the Servant will not cry out (v7). There will be no attempt by the Servant to talk Himself out of things or to justify or to argue or to protest His innocence. Instead He will humbly accept His mission and follow it through to completion.

This mission completion will lead to the Servant justifying many by bearing their iniquity (v11) and being poured out to death as He bears the sin of many in order to intercede for them (v12).

What a Servant!

What a Saviour!

Further reading:       John 19:1-37

Worship video:

To think about:
Listen to the worship video again and then find some way to respond to the suffering of Jesus on the cross and reflect on His sacrifice.

Creative response:

Journal page by Bernice

Please remember to go back to previous blog posts to see the creative responses that have been added. Click on the thumbnail pictures to view them.

Please share your creative response using the linky below. To use the linky click on 'Click here to enter'. You will need the URL from your own blog or from a photosharing website like Flickr. Alternatively share your response in the Facebook group.

The Servant (3): The Servant’s completed mission

Isaiah 50:4-9

This third Servant Song reveals some shocking insights into the mission of the Servant.

The first thing to note is that the Servant is going to carry out the mission which God entrusts Him with. ‘I was not disobedient, nor did I turn back’ (v5). He is going to be given instructions by God and carry them out in full. This sounds impressive even at first glance, but then we read that there will be consequences to this obedience. Following God’s mission through to completion will lead, shockingly, to mistreatment by others. It will lead to being beaten, having His beard pulled out, being humiliated and being spat upon (v6). This has a very different feel from what was communicated in the first two Songs. The Servant is not going to be universally well-received. His mission will only be completed if He undergoes personal suffering. The Servant’s mission, as we have seen, is to be a light to the nations (this needs to be link to previous post) and, as such, is solely for the purpose of saving others. Yet this will not be recognised and instead He will suffer.

However, the Servant can take heart from the fact that the Lord God Himself will help Him. The Servant will not be ashamed or disgraced (v7) even though the actions towards Him will aim to do exactly that (e.g. pulling out His beard). God will vindicate Him (v8) and help Him (v9). Ultimately there will be no case to answer for the Servant and none will be able to condemn Him.

Jesus, at the end of His earthly ministry prayed, ‘I have accomplished the work You have given Me to do’ (John 17:4). In this prayer Jesus anticipates the glory which is due to follow His suffering (v5). In His mind, God will not abandon Him through the human humiliation of the cross and all the suffering that came before it. Ultimately He will be vindicated and glorified by God.

Further reading:       John 17:1-12

Worship video: 

To think about:
Have there been times when your words or actions have not been well-received? How did you deal with this?

Creative response:

Journal page by Bernice

Please remember to go back to previous blog posts to see the creative responses that have been added. Click on the thumbnail pictures to view them.

Please share your creative response using the linky below. To use the linky click on 'Click here to enter'. You will need the URL from your own blog or from a photosharing website like Flickr. Alternatively share your response in the Facebook group.

The Servant (2): A light to the nations

Isaiah 49:1-13

The second Servant Song reveals that a key purpose of the mission of the Servant was to draw people back to God. This had two different elements: bringing Israel back into relationship with God, and drawing all the nations of the earth to God.

Isaiah states it as follows: ‘To bring Jacob back to Him, so that Israel might be gathered to Him’ (v5). This is a hugely significant message, particularly given the situation at the time where the nation of Israel was facing a pretty bleak future in exile. However, the promise of the Servant brings hope that His mission will result in the nation being stirred to return to God and enable God to restore relationship with His people.

In the following verse the scope of the mission widens even further: ‘It is too small a thing that you should be my Servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob and to restore the preserved ones of Israel; I will also make You a light of the nations, so that My salvation may reach to the end of the earth.’ (v6). Clearly God has big plans for the mission of the Servant. Not only will He draw the nation of Israel back to their God, but through Him He will bring light to the nations and provide a way back to God for every tribe and people group. This has echoes of the promise to Abraham (A blessing to all the nations) which was that all nations of the earth would be blessed through him.

At the dedication of Jesus described in Luke 2:25-35, Simeon picked up on these two themes. Simeon blessed the child Jesus saying that He will be ‘A light of revelation to the Gentiles and the glory of Your people Israel’ (v32). He realised that the baby was going to be significant in both the restoration of Israel and in the salvation of many people from all nations. The apostle Paul agreed that Jesus fulfilled this and summarised that ‘the Christ … would be the first to proclaim light both to the Jewish people and to the Gentiles’ (Acts 26:23).

And Jesus described Himself as follows: ‘I am the Light of the World’ (John 8:12). There is no doubt that Jesus fulfilled this element of the Servant’s mission!

Further reading:        Luke 2:25-35

Worship video:

To think about:
Why is light the image used by Isaiah to describe the Servant’s mission?  Matthew 5:14-16 calls us to be the light of the world.   What does this mean for you in the situations God has placed you in?

Creative response:

Journal page by Bernice

Please remember to go back to previous blog posts to see the creative responses that have been added. Click on the thumbnail pictures to view them.

Please share your creative response using the linky below. To use the linky click on 'Click here to enter'. You will need the URL from your own blog or from a photosharing website like Flickr. Alternatively share your response in the Facebook group.

The Servant (1): Introducing the Servant

Isaiah 42:1-9

In Isaiah’s mammoth prophecy are hidden some so-called ‘Servant Songs’. These prophetic messages talk of a Servant who is sent by God on a mission. The Servant Songs reveal elements of this mission and also give a description showing what the Servant will be like. As we look at these Servant Songs over the course of the next few posts you will see that Jesus is the ultimate fulfilment of them Servant Songs.

The Servant is first of all described by God as ‘My Servant whom I uphold, My chosen one in whom My soul delights’ (v1). It is clear that God delights in His Servant! When God speaks at both Jesus’ baptism and His transfiguration (see Matthew 3:17 and 17:5) He declares His love for Jesus and His pleasure in Him. This is a big pointer from God saying that this is the long-expected Servant.

The Song goes on to describe how the Spirit will be upon the Servant (v1). Again, looking at Jesus’ baptism, the Holy Spirit descends in the form of a dove and rests on Him (Matthew 3:16).

The ministry of the Servant will be marked out by the bringing of justice (vv1,3). The Song seems to describe that this will come about in a strange way. The Servant will not be brash or attention-seeking (v2). He will instead be someone who is gentle and considerate in his approach, His mission being marked out by not breaking bruised reeds or snuffing out dimly burning wicks (v3). We see this approach time and again in the ministry of Jesus as He interacts with the marginalised and weak in society with extreme grace and mercy. One only has to think of the woman at the well (John 4), the woman caught in adultery (John 8) and Zaccheus (Luke 19) to name but a few. In fact, Matthew 12:15-23 summarises some of Jesus’ ministry by quoting this Song before immediately recounting how he healed a demon-possessed blind and mute man.

So Isaiah introduces the Servant. It will transpire that the Servant is going to be God’s incredible Son who will be on a grace-filled rescue mission.

Further reading:           Matthew 12:15-23

Worship Video:

To think about:
Jesus was sent from God with a mission. Do you know what mission God has planned for you? Sometimes our mission can be just ‘for a season’. Have you had seasons where you know you have been following a mission from God? What season are you in now?

Creative response:

Journal page by Bernice

Please remember to go back to previous blog posts to see the creative responses that have been added. Click on the thumbnail pictures to view them.

Please share your creative response using the linky below. To use the linky click on 'Click here to enter'. You will need the URL from your own blog or from a photosharing website like Flickr. Alternatively share your response in the Facebook group.