1. The Servant Songs of Isaiah
- Song 3
Laindon Bible Study
14th November 2012

2. Study 5
Study 4
Study 3
Study 2
Study 1
Our five studies (God willing)
Our (rephrased) key question:
Reminder – our
What will it take for us to be God’s servant?
What does it take to be God’s servant?
14th November 2012
The Servant Songs of Isaiah - Song 3
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3. Previous Song (2) – Origin of service
Isaiah 49 v 1-6
1 Listen, O isles, unto me; and hearken, ye people, from far; The Lord hath called
me from the womb; from the bowels of my mother hath he made mention of
my name. 2 And he hath made my mouth like a sharp sword; in the shadow of his
hand hath he hid me, and made me a polished shaft; in his quiver hath he hid
me; 3 And said unto me, Thou art my servant, O Israel, in whom I will be glorified.
4 Then I said, I have laboured in vain, I have spent my strength for nought, and in
vain: yet surely my judgment is with the Lord, and my work with my God. 5 And
now, saith the Lord that formed me from the womb to be his servant, to bring
Jacob again to him, Though Israel be not gathered, yet shall I be glorious in the
eyes of the Lord, and my God shall be my strength. 6 And he said, It is a light thing
that thou shouldest be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and to restore
the preserved of Israel: I will also give thee for a light to the Gentiles, that thou
mayest be my salvation unto the end of the earth.
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The Servant Songs of Isaiah - Song 3
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4. A one slide recap of Song 2
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NCV heading for Song 2 a good summary: ‘God calls his special servant’
The individual servant epitomises all that national Israel should have been
Once again, ultimate fulfilment is Jesus, as per quotation in Acts 13 v 47 (Weymouth)
Historical relevance (incipient fulfilment) in the life and times of Hezekiah:
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The origin of our Lord’s service:
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The importance of Hezekiah’s guiding mother, Abijah, “from the womb” (Isa. 49 v 1,5 cp. 2 Chron. 29 v 1)
In day of his calamity Hezekiah felt he had “laboured in vain”, as did the servant (Isa. 49 v 4 cp. Isa. 37 v 3)
Following his recovery Hezekiah was in a sense a “light to the Gentiles” (Isa. 49 v 6 cp. 2 Kings 20 v 12)
Jesus conceived in the womb of his mother Mary through God’s power (Isa. 49 v 1,5 cp. Luke 1 v 35)
Jesus named by the Angel Gabriel before his actual birth (Isa. 49 v 1 cp. Luke 1 v 31)
Jesus’ words (sword, arrows) given to him by his Master (Isa. 49 v 2 cp. John 7 v 16)
Jesus formed to be God’s ideal servant (Isa. 49 v 5 cp. Phil. 2 v 7)
This was a work cooperating with his Master, glorifying God before his people (Israel)
We too are “chosen... predestinated... according to his good pleasure” (Eph. 1 v 4-9)
Key summarising words for the song (connecting to the origin of service): made,
called, named, taught, word-led, cooperation, submission and God’s glory
14th November 2012
The Servant Songs of Isaiah - Song 3
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5. Servant’s
situation
Tone
Divinely
selected
–v1
Not
discouraged
–v4
Delighted in
–v1
ch. 49 v 1-6
Origin
Laboured/
spent – v 4
Submission
– v 1/5
Strengthened
–v5
Three ch. 50 v 4-9
Basis
Smitten/
Resolve
ashamed – v 6 – v 7
Helped
– v 7/9
Cut off
–v8
Prolonged
– v 10
One
Two
Four
ch. 42 v 1-4
[probably to v7]
ch. 52 v 13 –
ch. 53 v 12
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Results
The Servant Songs of Isaiah - Song 3
Satisfaction
– v 11
God’s
provision
Intensity
Service
theme
Song
Servant’s
response
Intensity
Isaiah
reference
(minimum)
Intensity
The Four Servant Songs table 1
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6. The Four Servant Songs table 2
Song
One
Two
Isaiah
reference
(minimum)
ch. 42 v 1-4
[probably to v7]
ch. 49 v 1-6
Three ch. 50 v 4-9
Four
ch. 52 v 13 –
ch. 53 v 12
Direct
quotes in
NT
Quotations
1
42 v 1-4 cited Matthew 12 v 18-21
1
49 v 6 cited Acts 13 v 47
Nil
9
No citations
52 v 15 cited Romans 15 v 21;
53 v 1 cited John 12 v 38;
53 v 1 cited Romans 10 v 16;
53 v 4 cited Matthew 8 v 17;
53 v 4-5 cited 1 Peter 2 v 24;
53 v 7-8 cited Acts 8 v 32-33;
53 v 9 cited 1 Peter 2 v 22;
53 v 12 cited Mark 15 v 28;
53 v 12 cited Luke 22 v 37
11
(/ 110 = 10%)
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7. Teachableness
Trust
Song 3 – Basis of service
Commitment
Surrender
Isaiah 50 v 4-9 God’s Servant Obeys NCV The LORD’s Servant Trusts in the LORD’s
Help GWT The Servant’s Humiliation and Vindication NRSV
4 The Lord God hath given me the tongue of the learned, that I should know
how to speak a word in season to him that is weary: he wakeneth morning by
morning, he wakeneth mine ear to hear as the learned. 5 The Lord God hath
opened mine ear, and I was not rebellious, neither turned away back. 6 I gave my
back to the smiters, and my cheeks to them that plucked off the hair: I hid not
my face from shame and spitting.
7 For the Lord God will help me; therefore shall I not be confounded: therefore
have I set my face like a flint, and I know that I shall not be ashamed. 8 He is near
that justifieth me; who will contend with me? let us stand together: who is mine
adversary? let him come near to me. 9 Behold, the Lord God will help me; who is
he that shall condemn me? lo, they all shall wax old as a garment; the moth shall
eat them up.
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8. Song 3 & Hezekiah
Isaiah 50 v 4-9
4 The Lord God hath given me the tongue of the learned,
that I should know how to speak a word in season to him
that is weary: he wakeneth morning by morning, he
wakeneth mine ear to hear as the learned. 5 The Lord
God hath opened mine ear, and I was not rebellious,
neither turned away back. 6 I gave my back to the smiters,
and my cheeks to them that plucked off the hair: I hid not
my face from shame and spitting.
7 For the Lord God will help me; therefore shall I not be
confounded: therefore have I set my face like a flint, and I
know that I shall not be ashamed. 8 He is near that
justifieth me; who will contend with me? let us stand
together: who is mine adversary? let him come near to
me. 9 Behold, the Lord God will help me; who is he that
shall condemn me? lo, they all shall wax old as a
garment; the moth shall eat them up.
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The Servant Songs of Isaiah - Song 3
Hezekiah “spake
comfortably” to besieged
people who “rested
themselves upon the
words of Hezekiah” a
In a figure, Hezekiah’s
affliction as if “plowers
plowed upon my back” b
Hezekiah assured people
“with us is the LORD our
God to help us” c
As Psalm of Hezekiah? d
Overall: Rabshakeh voice
of reproach to Hezekiah e
a
2 Chron. 32v6/8, b Psa. 129v2-3
(Song of Degrees) , c 2 Chron. 32v8,
d Psa. 102v26, e 2 Kings 18v17-37
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9. Summarised in God’s words...
“[Hezekiah] trusted in the Lord God of
Israel; so that after him was none like
him among all the kings of Judah, nor
any that were before him... and he
rebelled against the King of Assyria,
and served him not.”
(2 Kings 18v5,7 cp. Isaiah 50 v 5)
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10. The basis of Jesus’ service
Isaiah 50 v 4-9
given me the tongue of the
learned, that I should know how to speak a word in
season to him that is weary: he wakeneth morning by morning, he
4
The Lord God hath
wakeneth mine ear to hear as the learned. 5 The Lord God hath opened mine ear,
I gave my
back to the smiters, and my cheeks to
them that plucked off the hair: I hid not
my face from shame and spitting.
For the Lord God will help me; therefore shall I not be
confounded: therefore have I set my face like a flint, and I
and I was not rebellious, neither turned away back. 6
7
know that I shall not be ashamed. 8 He is near that justifieth me; who will
contend with me? let us stand together: who is mine adversary? let him come
the Lord God will help me
near to me. 9 Behold,
; who is
he that shall condemn me? lo, they all shall wax old as a garment; the moth shall
eat them up.
14th November 2012
1. Jesus’ tongue (words)
guided only by God
(John 3v34, 7v16-17,
8v28/38/40, 12v49-50, 17v8)
2. Jesus endured physical
trials and affliction
(Matthew 26v67, 27v26)
3. Jesus stedfastly set his
face to go up to
Jerusalem (Luke 9v51)
4. Jesus trusted fully in
God’s help and
salvation (Psalm 22v19)
The Servant Songs of Isaiah - Song 3
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11. The process by which Jesus learnt?
“...he wakeneth morning by morning,
he wakeneth mine ear to hear as the learned.” (v.4)
Mark 1 v 35
35 And in the morning, rising up a great while before day, he went out, and
departed into a solitary place, and there prayed.
Luke 4 v 42
42 And when it was day *NRSV: ‘At daybreak’, TLB: ‘Early the next morning’+, he
departed and went into a desert place: and the people sought him, and
came unto him, and stayed him, that he should not depart from them.
Compare Isaiah 30 v 21
21 And thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, saying, This is the way,
walk ye in it, when ye turn to the right hand, and when ye turn to the left.
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12. Service (and sacrifice) through choice
• “I was not rebellious” (did not turn his back to God)
• “I gave my back... my cheeks” (to adversaries)
• “I hid not my face” (from man’s shame)
• “I set my face” (knowing not ashamed by God)
John 10 v 17-18
17 Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I
might take it again. 18 No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of
myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again.
This commandment have I received of my Father.
The power of choice...
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13. Verses 4-6
Isaiah 50 v 4-6
4 The Lord God hath given me the tongue of the learned, that I should know how
to speak a word in season to him that is weary: he wakeneth morning by morning,
he wakeneth mine ear to hear as the learned. 5 The Lord God hath opened mine
ear, and I was not rebellious, neither turned away back. 6 I gave my back to the
smiters, and my cheeks to them that plucked off the hair: I hid not my face from
shame and spitting.
“of the learned”
(Heb. limmuwd) =
disciple, one who is
taught (same original
word as is found in
Isaiah 8 v 16 / 54 v 13)
14th November 2012
“hath opened mine ear”
(Heb. pathach) =
open wide (contrast
with national servant, as
in Isaiah 48 v 8)
[NB different word but
also cp. Psalm 40 v 6 &
Exodus 21 v 5-6]
The Servant Songs of Isaiah - Song 3
“plucked off the hair”
to pluck out hair from
the beard or head one of
the highest insults or
indignities (cp. 2 Samuel
10 v 4-5, Ezra 9 v 3 and
Nehemiah 13 v 25)
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14. Verses 7-9
Isaiah 50 v 7-9
7 For the Lord God will help me; therefore shall I not be confounded: therefore
have I set my face like a flint, and I know that I shall not be ashamed. 8 He is
near that justifieth me; who will contend with me? let us stand together: who
is mine adversary? let him come near to me. 9 Behold, the Lord God will help
me; who is he that shall condemn me? lo, they all shall wax old as a garment;
the moth shall eat them up.
The language of a legal court:
• Justifieth
• Contend
• Stand Together
• Adversary
• Come near
• Condemn
Mercifully it is God who, as judge,
has the power to acquit
Compare with the experience of Job
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The mosaic law, which was (and is)
unable to acquit natural man, is to
“wax old as a garment” (see use of
quote in Hebrews 1 v 11); this as a
consequence of the work of the
servant (the Lord Jesus Christ), who
brought salvation from ‘outside of
the law’
The Servant Songs of Isaiah - Song 3
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15. The lesson from this song for us
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16. Conclusion Song 3
• Teachableness
• Subjection
• Surrender
• Dependence
• Trust
• Choice
• Commitment
• Endurance
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