1. The Servant Songs of Isaiah
- Song 2
Laindon Bible Study
23rd May 2012

2. Study 1
Our five studies (God willing)
Study 2
Study 3
Study 4
Study 5
Reminder – our key question:
What will it take for us to be God’s servant?
What does it take to be God’s servant?
23rd May 2012 The Servant Songs of Isaiah - Song 2 2

3. A one slide recap Study 2
• ESV heading for Song 1 a good summary: ‘The Lord commissions his special servant’
• Core of the song is chapter 42 verses 1-4, but with an addendum in verses 5-7
• Ultimate fulfilment our Lord Jesus Christ, as seen by its quotation in Matt. 12 v 18-21
• Historical fulfilment (the servant that people of day could “Behold”) was Hezekiah:
– The contest between the servants of Sennacherib and God’s servant Hezekiah (2 Chron. 32 v 9-10,16)
– The historical heart of Isaiah (36-39), which immediately precedes the songs section, all about Hezekiah
– The pattern of his life – a spiritual revival, a special passover, scorned/derided and his life threatened
• The tone of our Lord’s service:
– He did not desire to make himself known, rather he wanted to speak about his Heavenly Father (Master)
– He displayed eloquence without screaming, clarity without loudness & distinction without showiness
– He did not shriek or call aloud, the soundness of his arguments did not rest upon sound (volume)
– He provided gentle encouragement to his listeners, fanning the dying embers back into flame
• The witness of his God-given powers was a light to both Jews and Gentiles
• We too must “not strive; but be gentle... patient, in meekness” (2 Tim. 2 v 24-26)
• Key summarising words (which epitomise the tone of service): meekness, calmness,
gentleness, quietness, patience, endurance, encouragement and compassion
23rd May 2012 The Servant Songs of Isaiah - Song 2 3

4. The Four Servant Songs table 1
Isaiah
Intensity
Intensity
Intensity
Service Servant’s Servant’s God’s
Song reference
theme situation response provision
(minimum)
Divinely Not
ch. 42 v 1-4 Delighted in
One Tone selected discouraged
[probably to v7] –v1
–v1 –v4
Laboured/ Submission Strengthened
Two ch. 49 v 1-6 Origin
spent – v 4 – v 1/5 –v5
Smitten/ Resolve Helped
Three ch. 50 v 4-9 Basis
ashamed – v 6 – v 7 – v 7/9
ch. 52 v 13 – Cut off Satisfaction Prolonged
Four Results
ch. 53 v 12 –v8 – v 11 – v 10
23rd May 2012 The Servant Songs of Isaiah - Song 2 4

5. The Four Servant Songs table 2
Isaiah Direct
Song reference quotes in Quotations
(minimum) NT
ch. 42 v 1-4
One 1 42 v 1-4 cited Matthew 12 v 18-21
[probably to v7]
Two ch. 49 v 1-6 1 49 v 6 cited Acts 13 v 47
Three ch. 50 v 4-9 Nil 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;
ch. 52 v 13 –
Four 9 53 v 4-5 cited 1 Peter 2 v 24;
ch. 53 v 12 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%)
23rd May 2012 The Servant Songs of Isaiah - Song 2 5

6. Word-led Submission
Cooperation
Song 2 – Origin of service God’s glory
Isaiah 49 v 1-6 God calls his special servant NCV The servant brings salvation HCSB
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.
The individual servant epitomises all national Israel should have been...
23rd May 2012 The Servant Songs of Isaiah - Song 2 6

7. Song 2 & Hezekiah
Isaiah 49 v 1-6 The importance of
1 Listen, O isles, unto me; and hearken, ye people, from far; Hezekiah’s mother in
The Lord hath called me from the womb; from the bowels of his upbringing. Her
my mother hath he made mention of my name. 2 And he name, Abijah, means:
hath made my mouth like a sharp sword; in the shadow of ‘Yah is (my) father’ a.
his hand hath he hid me, and made me a polished shaft; in Also note the shadow
his quiver hath he hid me; 3 And said unto me, Thou art my in Isaiah’s prophecy b
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, In the day of his
and in vain: yet surely my judgment is with the Lord, and my calamity (the land
work with my God. 5 And now, saith the Lord that formed me invaded, his own life
from the womb to be his servant, to bring Jacob again to ebbing) Hezekiah felt
him, Though Israel be not gathered, yet shall I be glorious in exactly this way c
the eyes of the Lord, and my God shall be my strength. 6 And Gentile powers saw
he said, It is a light thing that thou shouldest be my servant Israel’s king raised up d
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 a2 Chron. 29v1, b Isa. 7v14,
thou mayest be my salvation unto the end of the earth. c Isa. 37v3, d 2 Kings 20v12
23rd May 2012 The Servant Songs of Isaiah - Song 2 7

8. The NT quotation of Song 2
Isaiah 49 v 6 Acts 13 v 46-47
6 And he said, It is a light thing 46 Then Paul and Barnabas waxed bold, and said, It
that thou shouldest be my was necessary that the word of God should first
servant to raise up the tribes of have been spoken to you: but seeing ye put it from
Jacob, and to restore the you, and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting
preserved of Israel: I will also life, lo, we turn to the Gentiles.
give thee for a light to the 47 For so hath the Lord commanded us, saying, I
Gentiles, that thou mayest be have set thee to be a light of the Gentiles, that thou
my salvation unto the end of shouldest be for salvation unto the ends of the
the earth. earth.
How can this be understood? Who is the “thee” in v. 47?
Acts 13 v 47 John 13 v 20
47 For such is the Lord's command to us. "`I have 20 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He
placed Thee,' He says of Christ, `as a light to the that receiveth whomsoever I
Gentiles, in order that Thou mayest be a Saviour send receiveth me; and he that
as far as the remotest parts of the earth.'" receiveth me receiveth him that
Weymouth sent me.
23rd May 2012 The Servant Songs of Isaiah - Song 2 8

9. The origin of Jesus’ service
Isaiah 49 v 1-6 1. Jesus conceived in the
1 The Lord
Listen, O isles, unto me; and hearken, ye people, from far; womb of mother Mary
hath called me from the womb; from through God’s power
the bowels of my mother hath he made (Luke 1v35)
mention of my name. And he hath made my 2
2. Jesus named before his
mouth like a sharp sword; in the shadow of his hand actual birth (Luke 1v31)
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 3. Jesus’ words (sword,
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 arrows) given to him by
the Lord that formed
work with my God. 5 And now, saith his Master (John 7v16)
me from the womb to be his servant, to 4. Jesus formed to be
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
God’s ideal servant
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.
(Philippians 2v7)
23rd May 2012 The Servant Songs of Isaiah - Song 2 9

10. The impact of this origin on Jesus’ service
• A work of glorification of His Father
– “Thou art my servant, O Israel, in whom I will be glorified” (Isa. 49v3)
– “I have glorified thee on the earth” (Jho. 17v4)
• A work of cooperation with His Father
– “my judgment is with the Lord, and my work with my God” (v.4)
– “God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself” (2 Cor. 5v19)
• A work focussed on the people of His Father
– “to bring Jacob again to him” “to raise up the tribes of Jacob” (v.5,6)
– “I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of... Israel.” (Matt. 15v24)
23rd May 2012 The Servant Songs of Isaiah - Song 2 10

11. Verses 1-2
Isaiah 49 v 1-2
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;
From the outset, the phraseology Two descriptions of servant’s words (“mouth”):
of the song emphasises the “sharp sword” (cp. Jesus in Rev. 1v16, 2v12/16)
reliance of the servant upon his Uncovering and exposing motive
master (and shows their deep “polished shaft” (NET: “sharpened arrow”)
mutual bond): (cp. use of symbol Psa. 57v4, 64v3, albeit –ive)
“The Lord... called me... he made Piercing and touching conscience
mention of my name... he...
made my mouth like a sharp “hid me” – two different Hebrew words –
sword... he hid me... made me a together convey idea of concealed, kept close,
polished shaft... he hid me...” kept secret and held... How Jesus instructed(?)
23rd May 2012 The Servant Songs of Isaiah - Song 2 11

12. Verses 3-5 John 17 v 1-6
Isaiah 49 v 3-5
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.
“laboured in vain... strength for nought”, an insight ...”yet” God is the rebalancer,
into Jesus’ feelings of despair, his Master’s message rewarding the servant for his
having been rejected? [note: parallelism] motive force, not results alone:
“And when he was come near, he beheld the city, “But the Lord will vindicate me;
and wept over it, Saying, If thou hadst known, my God will reward me.” (NET)
even thou, at least in this thy day, the things which “yet surely my right is with the
belong unto thy peace! but now they are hid from Lord, and my recompense with
thine eyes.” (Luke 19 v 41-42) my God.” (ESV)
23rd May 2012 The Servant Songs of Isaiah - Song 2 12

13. Verse 6
Isaiah 49 v 6
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.
“It is a light thing...” the servant’s Luke 2 v 29-32
work/influence is beyond “Jacob
and Israel”, it also encapsulates 29 Lord, now lettest thou thy servant
“the Gentiles” and “the end of depart in peace, according to thy word:
the earth”. 30 For mine eyes have seen thy
Compare with Abrahamic salvation, 31 Which thou hast prepared
promises: “...in thee shall all before the face of all people; 32 A light
families of the earth be blessed.” to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of
(Genesis 12 v 3) thy people Israel.
23rd May 2012 The Servant Songs of Isaiah - Song 2 13

14. The lesson from this song for us
23rd May 2012 The Servant Songs of Isaiah - Song 2 14

15. Conclusion Song 2
• Made
• Called
• Named
• Taught
• Word-led
• Cooperation
• Submission
• God’s glory
23rd May 2012 The Servant Songs of Isaiah - Song 2 15

16. 23rd May 2012 The Servant Songs of Isaiah - Song 2 16