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STUDY 20: THE SUFFERING SERVANT #2– ISAIAH 49

© Rosemary Bardsley 2024

The second Servant Song is found in Isaiah 49:1 - 13. Like the first song, this song contains truths about Jesus Christ that we see in the New Testament:

The hand of God on this Servant before his birth – 49:1, 5.
From the New Testament, we know that the Holy Spirit came upon Mary, and the power of the Most High overshadowed her, so that the child conceived in her womb would be the Son of God, Immanuel – God with us, Jesus – the One who would save people from their sins (Luke 1:29 – 35; Matthew 1:20, 21).

We also know from the New Testament that the Servant, and what he would accomplish, was in God’s purpose before he was born. God had chosen Jesus Christ for his saving role before the creation of the world (1Peter 1:20). This Servant, and his sin-bearing death, is not a ‘plan B’, thought up by God in a knee-jerk reaction to the failure of the Jews to acknowledge him as their Messiah. God had planned before time began, before we existed, before we sinned, to send his Son to bring salvation to both Jews and Gentiles (1Corinthians 2:7; Ephesians 1:4; 3:2 – 6; Colossians 1:25 – 27; 2Timothy 1:9.)

The power of Christ’s words – 49:2
The New Testament teaches that the words of Christ are life-giving to those who receive them (John 5:24; 6:63; 8:31; 15:3) and condemning to those who reject them (John 12:48; Revelation 2:16).

We also learn from the New Testament that in John’s vision of the glorified Christ ‘a sharp double-edged sword’ came out of his mouth (Revelation 1:16; 2:12). And we know that this sword, the word of Christ, is his instrument of judgement. When Christ returns in power and glory, it will be with this two-edged sword (his word) that he brings all that is evil to an end. He will not have to fight a physical battle; he will simply speak, and it will be done. Just as he spoke the whole universe into existence; just as his word brought Lazarus back to life, at the end it will be by his word that evil ceases to exist (Revelation 19:15, 21).

Christ – the one true Israelite by whom God is glorified – 49:3
Just as God created humans in his image (Genesis 1:27), so also he created Israel for his glory. In Isaiah 43:7 & 21 God refers to Israel as ‘created for my glory’, and ‘formed for myself that they may proclaim my praise.’ That Israel failed to do this is very evident throughout the Old Testament. Rather than bring God glory and praise, his name was profaned among the heathen because of the Israelites (Isaiah 52:5; Ezekiel 36:20 – 23; Romans 2:24).

From both Isaiah and the New Testament we know that Jesus Christ is the one true human being, and the one true Israelite – the one descendant of Abraham and of David, in and through whom the glory of God is displayed (John 1:14; 17:4; Hebrews 1:3). Jesus summed up his life with the words ‘I have glorified you on earth’. What all humans have failed to do, and what Israel failed to do, Jesus actually did. As God says to his Servant in Isaiah 49:3 ‘You are my servant, Israel, in whom I will display my splendour.’ As Isaiah wrote in 40:5 about Christ – ‘And the glory of the LORD will be revealed, and all mankind together will see it.’

The rejection and recognition of the Servant – 49:4, 7
Isaiah speaks of both the rejection and the ultimate recognition of the Servant.

We know from the New Testament that Christ met with rejection and opposition; for the most part, he was unrecognized and unacknowledged. This rejection, which led to his arrest, trial and crucifixion, was, Christ knew, an essential part of God’s eternal plan of salvation. Isaiah will say more about that rejection and that death in the third and fourth Servant Songs.

But, as Isaiah and the New Testament affirm, beyond the rejection, beyond the cross, were vindication and glory (Romans 1:4; Ephesians 1:19b – 22; Philippians 2:9 – 11; Revelation 5:9 – 14); and at his return, global recognition of his authority, power and glory (Matthew 24:30; Revelation 1:7).

God’s purpose for the Servant
In addition to displaying the glory of God (verse 3), Isaiah mentions another key aspect of God’s purpose for Christ – to bring both Jews and Gentiles to God (49:5, 6). In 49:1 – 12, Isaiah mentions a number of parallel or contributory purposes/outcomes of God’s worldwide purpose in sending Christ. These are aspects of the eternal salvation planned by God from eternity. [Note also that this worldwide inclusion of the nations is mentioned repeatedly throughout Isaiah.]

Read Isaiah 49:1 – 12. List every reference to this trans-national purpose of God for the Servant. From your knowledge of the New Testament, discuss how these various aspects of God’s purpose are accomplished by Jesus Christ.

 

 

 

 

As we read through these verses we find that:

The Servant is the bringer of light (49:6, 9; compare Isaiah 9:2; 42:6, 7; 60:1 – 3, 20; John 8:12).

The Servant brings salvation (49:6; compare Isaiah 52:10; 61:10).

The Servant is the one who establishes a covenant (49:8; compare Luke 22:20; Hebrews 8:6 – 13).

The Servant brings freedom to those who are in bondage (49:9; compare Isaiah 61:1; Mark 10:45; Romans 8:1,2; Galatians 5:1; and every New Testament reference to ‘redemption’).

The Servant satisfies our spiritual hunger and thirst (49:10; compare John 6:35).

The Servant provides the way (49:11, 12; compare John 14:6).

God and the Servant
As in the first Servant Song, God clearly identifies himself and his support of the Servant. Isaiah tells us:

The successful outcome of the Servant’s work is in God’s hand – 49:4.
The Servant is honoured in the eyes of God – verse 5.
God is the Servant’s strength – verse 5.
It is God who makes the Servant a light for the Gentiles – verse 6.
God is the Redeemer and Holy One of Israel – verse 7.
It is God who helps the Servant – verse 8.
It is God who keeps the Servant and makes him a covenant for the people – verse 8.

Thus we see, as we did in Chapter 42, that the Servant has the full backing of God. Sent by God, sustained by God, to accomplish the purpose of God.

The whole universe is commanded to rejoice – 49:13
Just as the first Servant Song ended with a command to all the inhabitants of the earth to sing a new song, so also this second Song commands a response of joy and singing. This time he commands the earth, the heavens and the mountains: the heavens are to ‘shout for joy’; the earth is to ‘rejoice’; the mountains are to ‘burst into song’ – because the LORD, his Servant, Jesus Christ, has brought comfort and compassion. This joy of the universe is in direct contrast to Isaiah’s opening statement in 1:2 where he exhorted the heavens and the earth to listen to God’s condemnation of his people [see also Psalm 50:3,4; Jeremiah 2:12, 13]. This joy of the universe is also in direct contrast to the agony of the universe described by Paul in Romans 8:18 – 23. Just as the earth was cursed because of our original sin (Genesis 3), so also the earth will be liberated when Jesus Christ returns and establishes the new heavens and earth. See Study 26.

What do these verses say about this joy of the created universe in response to the saving work of God?
Psalm 96:11 – 13

Psalm 98:7 – 9 (read the whole Psalm)

Isaiah 55:12

Revelation 5:11 – 13