1. The Servant Songs of Isaiah
- Song 4
Could Song 4
have any other
fulfilment?
Laindon Bible Study
12th December 2012
“Behold, my servant...”
cp. 2 Chro. 32 v 16
If so, how can
we relate it to
King Hezekiah?

2. Study 5
Study 4
Study 3
Study 2
Study 1
Our five studies conclude
The heart of the matter:
How can we model ourselves upon God’s ideal servant?
12th December 2012
The Servant Songs of Isaiah - Song 4
2

3. * God’s Word
Translation
•
•
•
•
Useful heading in GWT* for Song 3: ‘The LORD’s Servant Trusts in the LORD’s Help’
The servant’s situation and response intensified (but so also did God’s provision)
This Song not quoted in NT, however once again content was very clearly Messianic
Historical relevance in times of Hezekiah, particularly Rabshakeh’s voice of reproach:
–
–
–
–
•
The comforting and restful words of Hezekiah to the besieged city (Isa. 50 v 4 cp. 2 Chron. 32 v 6,8)
Hezekiah’s affliction, as if “plowers plowed upon my back” (Isa. 50 v 6 cp. Song of Degrees: Psa. 129 v 2-3)
Hezekiah, Judah’s most trusting King, confident in the LORD’s help (Isa. 50 v 7,9 cp. 2 Chron. 32 v 8)
Overall: Hezekiah, God’s servant, rebelled against Assyrians, not God (Isa. 50 v 5 cp. 2 Kings 18 v 5,7)
The basis of our Lord’s service was sacrifice through choice:
–
–
–
–
•
•
•
A one slide recap of Song 3
Jesus’ tongue (words) guided only by God (Isa. 50 v 4 cp. John 7 v 16-17 & 12 v 49-50)
Jesus endured physical trials and affliction (Isa. 50 v 6 cp. Matthew 26 v 67)
Jesus stedfastly set his face to go up to Jerusalem (Isa. 50 v 7 cp. Luke 9 v 51)
Jesus trusted fully in God’s help and salvation (Isa. 50 v 7,9 cp. Psa. 22 v 19)
An insight into the process by which Jesus learnt, his ear wakened each morning
We too can be justified: “If God be for us, who can be against us?” (Rom. 8 v 31-34)
Key summarising words for the song (connecting to basis of service): teachableness,
subjection, surrender, dependence, trust, choice, commitment and endurance
12th December 2012
The Servant Songs of Isaiah - Song 4
3

4. 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
12th December 2012
Results
The Servant Songs of Isaiah - Song 4
Satisfaction
– v 11
God’s
provision
Intensity
Service
theme
Song
Servant’s
response
Intensity
Isaiah
reference
(minimum)
Intensity
The Four Servant Songs table 1
4

5. Intensity of service (situation/response)
Pictorially represented
12th December 2012
The Servant Songs of Isaiah - Song 4
God’s provision 5

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%)
12th December 2012
The Servant Songs of Isaiah - Song 4
6

7. Despised
Rejected
Song 4 – Results of service
Smitten
Cut off
Isaiah 52 v 13-53 v 12
13 Behold, my servant shall deal prudently, he shall be exalted and extolled, and be very high. 14 As many were
astonied at thee; his visage was so marred more than any man, and his form more than the sons of men: 15 So
shall he sprinkle many nations; the kings shall shut their mouths at him: for that which had not been told them
shall they see; and that which they had not heard shall they consider. 53v1 Who hath believed our report? and to
whom is the arm of the Lord revealed? 2 For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a
dry ground: he hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should
desire him. 3 He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it
were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not. 4 Surely he hath borne our griefs, and
carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. 5 But he was wounded for our
transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his
stripes we are healed. 6 All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the
Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all. 7 He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his
mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not
his mouth. 8 He was taken from prison and from judgment: and who shall declare his generation? for he was cut
off out of the land of the living: for the transgression of my people was he stricken. 9 And he made his grave with
the wicked, and with the rich in his death; because he had done no violence, neither was any deceit in his
mouth. 10 Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an
offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his
hand. 11 He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant
justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities. 12 Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall
divide the spoil with the strong; because he hath poured out his soul unto death: and he was numbered with the
transgressors; and he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.
1st October 2011
Christ in the Prophets
7

8. Song 4 & Hezekiah (part 1)
Isaiah 52 v 13-53 v 6
13 Behold, my servant shall deal prudently, he shall be exalted and
extolled, and be very high. 14 As many were astonied at thee; his
visage was so marred more than any man, and his form more than
the sons of men: 15 So shall he sprinkle many nations; the kings shall
shut their mouths at him: for that which had not been told them
shall they see; and that which they had not heard shall they consider.
53v1 Who hath believed our report? and to whom is the arm of the
Lord revealed? 2 For he shall grow up before him as a tender
plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: he hath no form nor
comeliness; and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we
should desire him. 3 He is despised and rejected of men; a man of
sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces
from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not. 4 Surely he
hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem
him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. 5 But he was wounded for
our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the
chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are
healed. 6 All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every
one to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us
The Servant Songs of Isaiah - Song 4
all. 12th December 2012
Song starts with a prophecy
(“shall” x2). Hezekiah was
“extolled” following
miraculous destruction of
Assyrian host (“magnified” =
same Hebrew word) a
Hezekiah “sick unto death” b,
seemingly struck down by a
form of leprosy c
a
2 Chron. 32v23, b 2 Chron. 32v24,
c Isa. 38v21 d 2 Chron. 32v31
8
e 2 Chron. 28v1,24-25 f Deut. 28v27,35

9. Hezekiah’s malady
Elephantiasis?
Pleurisy?
Plague?
Isaiah 38 v 1,21 (see also 2 Kings 20 v 7)
1
In those days was Hezekiah sick unto death. And Isaiah the prophet the son
of Amoz came unto him, and said unto him, Thus saith the Lord, Set thine
house in order: for thou shalt die, and not live.
21 For Isaiah had said, Let them take a lump of figs, and lay it for a plaister
upon the boil, and he shall recover. Heb. shechiyn “used of man (leprosy)” Thayer
• Total of 13 appearances in scripture: 4 about 6th Egyptian plague (Exo. 9),
2 as a warning of punishment to Israel (Deut. 28), 1 about Job’s affliction
(Job 2), 2 about Hezekiah’s illness (above) and 4 in law of leprosy (Lev. 13)
Leviticus 13 v 20
20
And if, when the priest seeth it, behold, it be in sight lower than the skin,
and the hair thereof be turned white; the priest shall pronounce him unclean:
it is a plague of leprosy broken out of the boil.
12th December 2012
The Servant Songs of Isaiah - Song 4
9

10. Song 4 & Hezekiah (part 1)
Isaiah 52 v 13-53 v 6
13 Behold, my servant shall deal prudently, he shall be exalted and
extolled, and be very high. 14 As many were astonied at thee; his
visage was so marred more than any man, and his form more than
the sons of men: 15 So shall he sprinkle many nations; the kings shall
shut their mouths at him: for that which had not been told them
shall they see; and that which they had not heard shall they consider.
53v1 Who hath believed our report? and to whom is the arm of the
Lord revealed? 2 For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant,
and as a root out of a dry ground: he hath no form nor comeliness;
and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire
him. 3 He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and
acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he
was despised, and we esteemed him not. 4 Surely he hath borne our
griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken,
smitten of God, and afflicted. 5 But he was wounded for our
transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of
our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. 6 All we
like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own
way; and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.
12th December 2012
The Servant Songs of Isaiah - Song 4
Song starts with a prophecy (“shall”
x2). Hezekiah “extolled” following
miraculous destruction of Assyrian
host (“magnified” = same word) a
Hezekiah “sick unto death” b,
seemingly struck down by a form of
leprosy c
Surrounding Kings do
Hezekiah obeisance, due in
part to the “wonder that was
done in the land” d
Hezekiah born to wicked King
& amidst wicked generation e
Although people perhaps
concluded Hezekiah must be
personally guilty, he actually
suffered curse of whole
nation’s disobedience f
a
2 Chron. 32v23, b 2 Chron. 32v24,
c Isa. 38v21 d 2 Chron. 32v31
10
e 2 Chron. 28v1,24-25 f Deut. 28v27,35

11. Song 4 & Hezekiah (part 2)
Isaiah 53 v 7-12
7 He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his
mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep
before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth. 8 He was
taken from prison and from judgment: and who shall declare his
generation? for he was cut off out of the land of the living: for the
transgression of my people was he stricken. 9 And he made his grave
with the wicked, and with the rich in his death; because he had done
no violence, neither was any deceit in his mouth. 10 Yet it pleased the
Lord to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make
his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his
days, and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hand. 11 He
shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his
knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear
their iniquities. 12 Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great,
and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he hath poured
out his soul unto death: and he was numbered with the
transgressors; and he bare the sin of many, and made intercession
for the transgressors.
When Rabshakeh spoke to
the people, Hezekiah set the
example of answering “not a
word” g
Exact phrases Hezekiah uses
in his recovery Psalm (“cut
off” & “land of the living”) h
Stricken = Heb. nega “mark
(of leprosy)” Thayer
61 of the 78 appearances of
nega are in Lev. 13/14
Fifteen years added to
Hezekiah’s life, dies when
Manasseh, his son, aged 12 i
Spoils received by the King j
g
i
12th December 2012
The Servant Songs of Isaiah - Song 4
2 Kings 18v36, h Isa. 38v10-12,
2 Kings 20v6 cp. 2 Kings 21v1,
j 2 Chron. 32 v 23,27-29
11

12. Hezekiah an amazing type of Christ
Cleansed the
desecrated
house of God
Instituted a
special
passover
Defeated God’s
blasphemous
enemies
Recovered
from a fatal
condition
Exalted in the
sight of all
nations
Received from
God a precious
seed
12th December 2012
The Servant Songs of Isaiah - Song 4
12

13. An astounding set of echoes
“Who in the days of his flesh, when he had
“For it became him, for whom are all
things, and by whom are all things, in
offered up prayers and supplications
bringing many sons unto glory, to make with strong crying and tears unto him
the captain of their salvation that was able to save him from death, and
perfect through sufferings.” Heb. 2 v 10
was heard in that he feared;” Heb. 5 v 7
2 Kings 20 v 5
5
Turn again, and tell Hezekiah the captain of my people, Thus saith the Lord,
the God of David thy father, I have heard thy prayer, I have seen thy tears:
behold, I will heal thee: on the third day thou shalt go up unto the house of
the Lord.
“And said unto them, Thus it is written,
and thus it behoved Christ to suffer, and
to rise from the dead the third
day:” Luke 24 v 46
12th December 2012
“Surely goodness and mercy shall follow
me all the days of my life: and I
will
dwell in the house of the Lord
for ever.” Psa. 23 v 6
The Servant Songs of Isaiah - Song 4
13

14. Song Four throughout the NT
Isaiah
Part of OT passage particularly drawn on
ch. 52 / 53
Direct
quotation NT
52 v 15
“...that which had not been told them shall they see...”
Romans 15 v 21
53 v 1
“Who hath believed our report?”
John 12 v 38
53 v 1
“Who hath believed our report?”
Romans 10 v 16
53 v 4
“...he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows...”
Matthew 8 v 17
53 v 4-5
“...with his stripes we are healed.”
1 Peter 2 v 24
53 v 7-8
“...he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter...”
Acts 8 v 32-33
53 v 9
“...he had done no violence, neither... any deceit in... mouth.”
1 Peter 2 v 22
53 v 12
“...he was numbered with the transgressors...”
Mark 15 v 28
53 v 12
“...he was numbered with the transgressors...”
Luke 22 v 37
1st October 2011
Christ in the Prophets
14

15. The results of Jesus’ service (part 1)
Isaiah 52 v 13-53 v 6
13 Behold, my servant shall deal prudently, he shall be exalted and extolled, and be
visage was so marred
more than any man, and his form more than the sons
of men: 15 So shall he sprinkle many nations; the kings shall shut their mouths
very high.
14
As many were astonied at thee; his
at him: for that which had not been told them shall they see; and that which they
had not heard shall they consider. 53v1 Who hath believed our report? and to
1. Jesus physically altered
by his hard labour;
personal appearance
not notable (John 8v57)
whom is the arm of the Lord revealed? 2 For he shall grow up
before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: he hath no
form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him,
there is no beauty that we should desire him.
3 He is despised and rejected of men ; a man of sorrows, and
acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was
despised, and we esteemed him not. 4 Surely he hath borne
our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him
stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. 5 But he was wounded for our
transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace
was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. 6 All we like sheep have gone
astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord hath laid
on
him the iniquity of us all.
12th December 2012
The Servant Songs of Isaiah - Song 4
English Standard Version
“As many were astonished at you—
his appearance was so
marred, beyond human
semblance,
and his form beyond that of the
children of mankind—”
New English Translation
“(just as many were horrified by
the sight of you)
he was so disfigured he no longer
looked like a man;
his form was so marred he no
longer looked human –”
15

16. The results of Jesus’ service (part 1)
Isaiah 52 v 13-53 v 6
13 Behold, my servant shall deal prudently, he shall be exalted and extolled, and be
visage was so marred
more than any man, and his form more than the sons
of men: 15 So shall he sprinkle many nations; the kings shall shut their mouths
very high.
14
As many were astonied at thee; his
at him: for that which had not been told them shall they see; and that which they
had not heard shall they consider. 53v1 Who hath believed our report? and to
whom is the arm of the Lord revealed? 2 For he shall grow up
before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: he hath no
form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him,
there is no beauty that we should desire him.
3 He is despised and rejected of men ; a man of sorrows, and
acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was
despised, and we esteemed him not. 4 Surely he hath borne
our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him
stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. 5 But he was wounded for our
transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace
was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. 6 All we like sheep have gone
astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord hath laid
on
1. Jesus physically altered
by his hard labour;
personal appearance
not notable (John 8v57)
2. Jesus the arm of the
Lord’s salvation
(Isaiah 52v10, 59v17)
3. Jesus ‘disesteemed’
and not acknowledged
(John 1v10-11, 6v60-66)
4. Jesus fulfilled the type
of the scapegoat
him the iniquity of us all.
12th December 2012
The Servant Songs of Isaiah - Song 4
(Leviticus 16v20-22)
16

17. The results of Jesus’ service (part 2)
Isaiah 53 v 7-12
7 He
was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he
opened not his
mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her
shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth. 8 He was taken from
prison and from judgment: and who shall declare his generation?
for he was cut off out of the land of the living: for the
5. Jesus’ words at his
trials very few, mostly
silent (Matthew
26v63, 27v12-14, Luke
23v9, also see whole of Psalm
39)
transgression of my people was he stricken. 9 And he made his grave with the
wicked, and with the rich in his death; because he had done no violence, neither
was any deceit in his mouth. 10 Yet it
pleased the Lord to bruise
him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an
offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the
pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hand. 11 He shall see of the
travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge
shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities. 12
Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil
with the strong; because he hath poured
Revised Standard Version out his soul unto death: and he was
numbered with the transgressors; and he bare the sin of many, and made
“Yet it was the transgressors. Lord to bruise him;
intercession for the will of the
6. Jesus without progeny
(Psalm 22v6 imagery)
7. Jesus submitted to
God’s will over his own
(Luke 22v42)
8. The future seed of the
Lord Jesus Christ, his
own generation
he has put him to grief; when he makes himself an
offering for sin, he shall see his offspring, he shall
prolong his days; the will of the Lord shall prosper in
12th December 2012
The Servant Songs of Isaiah - Song 4
his hand;”
(Psalm 22v31 imagery)
17

18. Real contrast – he & him / we & our
Isaiah 52 v 13-53 v 12
13
Behold, my servant shall deal prudently, he shall be exalted and extolled, and be very high. 14 As many were astonied at thee; his visage was so marred
more than any man, and his form more than the sons of men: 15 So shall he sprinkle many nations; the kings shall shut their mouths at him: for that which
had not been told them shall they see; and that which they had not heard shall they consider. 53v1 Who hath believed our report? and to whom is the arm of
the Lord revealed? 2 For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: he hath no form nor comeliness; and when we
3 He
is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows,
and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and
we esteemed him not. 4 Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we
did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. 5 But he was wounded for our
transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon
him; and with his stripes we are healed. 6 All we like sheep have gone astray; we have
turned every one to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all. 7 He
was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a
lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his
mouth. 8 He was taken from prison and from judgment: and who shall declare his
generation? for he was cut off out of the land of the living: for the transgression of my
people was he stricken. 9 And he made his grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death; because he had done no violence,
shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him.
neither was any deceit in his mouth. 10 Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for
sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hand. 11 He shall see of the travail of his soul, and
shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities. 12 Therefore will I divide him a portion
with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he hath poured out his soul unto death: and he was numbered with the
transgressors; and he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.
12th December 2012
The Servant Songs of Isaiah - Song 4
18

19. The lesson from this final song for us
12th December 2012
The Servant Songs of Isaiah - Song 4
19

20. Conclusion Song 4
• Despised
• Rejected
• Smitten
• Cut off
• Restored
• Exalted
• Magnified
• Satisfied
12th December 2012
The Servant Songs of Isaiah - Song 4
20

21. Conclusion Four Songs
What will it take for us to be God’s servant?
Tone
Origin
Basis
Results
(Song 1)
(Song 2)
(Song 3)
(Song 4)
Gentle
Word-led
Teachableness
Despised
Patient
Cooperation
Trust
Rejected
Quiet
Submission
Commitment
Smitten
Encouraging
God’s glory
Surrender
Cut off
12th December 2012
The Servant Songs of Isaiah - Song 4
21

22. 12th December 2012
The Servant Songs of Isaiah - Song 4
22