THE SERVANT OF JEHOVAH
THE SERVANT SONGS FROM ISAIAH –
PART IV
ISAIAH 52:13-15 AMP.


BEHOLD! MY SERVANT!

The Servant Songs of Jehovah’s Servant are prophetic of the Messiah, Jesus Christ. God the Father approved His Son as His Servant to bring redemption to mankind and gave us this picture of His Servant’s perfect character. Jesus, in His own words, said, I and the Father are one,” attesting that He was indeed GOD (John 30:30). The Jews recognized His claim to be GOD and wanted to stone Jesus for ‘this offense’ of blasphemy because He ‘a mere man’ would make Himself equal with GOD (John 10:33). Again Jesus claimed to be GOD when He told the Jews, “I tell you the truth before Abraham was born I AM! (John 8:58). And again, they wanted to stone Him for blasphemy. Jesus, by announcing His identity as “I AM” is a direct application of the Old Testament name for GOD (Exodus 3:14), which the Jews would have recognized as His claim of being GOD.

It is important to recognize that Jesus Christ was, indeed, GOD. Only GOD in the flesh could be the sin sacrifice, the perfect Lamb, required by GOD the Father to atone for mankind’s sin and disobedience and to bring redemption to mankind. Only GOD could pay mankind’s debt; only Jesus, a Man in the flesh, could die and shed His blood. John 1:1 says “the Word was God,” and John 1:14 says “the Word became flesh.” This clearly identifies that Jesus is GOD in the flesh, Immanuel (GOD with us). Thomas, when He saw the resurrected LORD declared, “My LORD and my GOD! (John 20:28). The apostle Paul describes Jesus as “our great GOD and SAVIOUR, JESUS CHRIST” (Titus 2:13), while the apostle Peter says, “our GOD and SAVIOUR JESUS CHRIST” (2nd Peter 1:1). Old Testament prophecies announced His deity, “For to us a child is born, to us a Son is given, and the government will be on His shoulders. And He will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty GOD, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace” (Isaiah 9:6). GOD the Father testifies of His Son, “Thy throne, O GOD, is forever and ever: the sceptre of Thy kingdom is a right sceptre” [of righteous power and authority]. “You loved righteousness, and hated wickedness: therefore GOD, Thy GOD [the Father], has anointed You [Messiah] with the oil of gladness above Thy fellows” (Psalm 45:6, 7). GOD the Father has given Messiah, Jesus Christ, a kingdom and asked Him to people it with righteous men and women, who have come through faith, believing in Messiah as their Way of Salvation. Jesus’ deity is why He is the only way of salvation, as He declares, “I AM the Way and the Truth and the Life. No one comes to the Father” [GOD] “except through Me” [GOD the Son and Servant of the Father] (John 14:6). And the Holy Spirit comes to accomplish all the Words spoken by the Father and Son.



ISAIAH 52:13-15 AMP.
SERVANT SONG - PART IV

(v13) “Behold, My Servant shall deal wisely
and shall prosper” [deal prudently],
“He shall be exalted and extolled,
and shall stand very high.

• “Behold, My Servant shall deal wisely and shall prosper.” “Prosper” is the Hebrew word “sakal,” and is used in 1st Samuel 18:5 as “behaved wisely;” in Deuteronomy 29:9 and Joshua 1:7, as “prosper;” in Joshua 1:8, as “good success,” in Isaiah 52:13, as “deal prudently;” and in Daniel 9:25, as “understand.” The Servant of GOD’S task was to bring Israel back to GOD, raise up the tribes in Israel, be a light to the Gentiles, be salvation to all the earth, be for a blood covenant of the people, establish the earth by restoring the waste places of the earth, loose prisoners from spiritual bondage, free men from darkness, and guide men to their eternal destiny (Isaiah 49:3-10). Messiah, being found in the form of Man, was rejected, despised, smitten, and wounded for the salvation of mankind, for the saving of the nations. As Jesus meekly suffered all the pain of His false arrests, cruel, merciless beatings, vicarious sufferings from the crown of thorns, and unjust crucifixion, which drained His life blood from Him, He knew the Father would exalt Him to the highest position of leadership, above all powers and principalities, to accomplish the purposes and plans of ALMIGHTY GOD. His exaltation was planned before the world existed. His inhuman humiliation and vicarious suffering was the meek obedience to the Father GOD to see GOD’S high purposes accomplished:
• (1) mankind’s Salvation realized and
• (2) Messiah’s ultimate exaltation recognized by every creature, and by every nation, as He becomes King of kings and LORD of lords over all.
• The holy, anointed One was given a name above all names that every creature, great and small, shall bow their knee and give JESUS CHRIST glory as Majesty and King of the earth, the heavens, and the universe.
• “He shall be exalted and extolled, and shall stand very high.” The book of Hebrews 1:2-4, 8 expresses Messiah’s exalted position: GOD “has in these last days spoken unto us by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things, by whom also He made the worlds; who being the brightness of His glory, and the express image of His person, and upholding all things by the Word of His power, when He had by Himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high; being made so much better than the angels, as He has by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they.” “Unto the Son, He [God the Father] has said, Thy throne, O God is forever and ever: a sceptre of righteousness is the sceptre of thy kingdom.” There is coming a day soon when an angel will say, “The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our LORD, and of His CHRIST; and He shall reign forever and ever in His position as LORD and MASTER of the Universe (Revelation 11:15).

(v14) “For many the Servant of GOD became an
object of horror;
many were astonished. His face and His whole
appearance [His visage] was marred
more than any man’s and
His form beyond that of the sons of men…”

Many people looking upon Messiah [Jesus\Yeshua] were so astonished at the horrible way His visage was marred more than that of any other man, and His pathetic form, covered in blood from horrible physical mutilation, was more terrible to look upon than any other son of men. He, the holy One, was “the Man of Sorrows.” Those looking at Him were so stunned and shocked by His dreadful appearance that they hid their agitated faces from Him in frightful disgust when they saw His horrific, exhaustive agonies, as JEHOVAH GOD (the Father) made Messiah’s righteous soul an offering for sin (Isaiah 53). There are really no words to say how terrible and repugnant His visage was to those witnessing His sufferings, struggles, and death. Messiah (Jesus/Yeshua) had no personal sin, sickness, pain, or suffering for His own self, but the exhaustive ‘fasting’ to hear His Father’s voice, perpetual ‘watching’ for the Father’s exact timing, and intense ‘praying’ for mankind took a toil on His appearance, too. The pure, innocent Lamb of GOD came into the world to carry OUR sin, OUR sorrows, and OUR sufferings by taking them upon Himself and bearing them unto death so that we might be free from sin and sorrow. The pure, holy One became sin. Being touched ‘by sin’ must have been more horrible than even the physical, mental, and emotional suffering the Righteous One went through. The Righteous One that knew no sin became sin (our sin) and was then judged by the Holy Father GOD, the Judge of the whole earth. Only the Son of God could have lived through all the beatings and humiliations in word and deed that Messiah went through. No one could take His life, for He was GOD, but He G A V E His Life that mankind might be free to worship the Almighty GOD and Him, the Son, in the liberty of the Holy Spirit.


v15) “So shall He startle and sprinkle many nations;
The kings shall shut their mouths because of Him:
For that which has not been told them shall they see;
And that which they have not heard shall they consider and understand."

Christ Jesus will startle many with fright as they look at the brightly lit sky and see the glorious appearing of His second coming (Titus 2:13). All nations (Israel and all Gentile nations) of the earth will mourn because they have not believed in Him, as they see Jesus Christ, as the LORD of HOST, the GREAT GENERAL, come with His armies of angels and saints to defeat His contentious enemy at Armageddon. The LORD, with ten thousands of His saints, comes to execute judgment upon all, and to convince all that are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds, which they have ungodly committed, and of all their hard speeches, which ungodly sinners have spoken against Him (Jude 14, 15) …and sprinkle many nations (those that repent and accept His righteousness). Here is the opportunity for the nations that have come against Jesus to repent and be born-again of the SPIRIT of GOD.
• The LORD GOD is a GOD of mercy and this verse concerning “the sprinkling of the nations” means that those nations now have their ‘last’ opportunity to recognize Him for ‘who He is’ before judgment is passed on them. The gentile nations and Israel finally see that the Messiah, the LORD of heaven and earth, King of the Universe, having the preeminence in all things, is the PRINCE OF LIFE. The ‘BLOOD OF JESUS’, which brings ‘forgiveness, peace, and eternal life’, that was shed for all mankind has never lost its power. The Second Coming of Christ is a manifestation of His love, for He is the “Resurrection” and the “Life.” Now those nations can receive Messiah as LORD and Saviour and have His blood sprinkled on them for deliverance and salvation. The nations recognizing Jesus as Messiah, accepting His salvation, and His sprinkling His blood over them, probably, happens in a moment of time. Yet, after the battle of Armageddon, there will be lots of ‘mop up.’ “Immediately” after the tribulation, when the enemy has been dealt with, then King Jesus sends His angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other (Matthew 24:29-31). “His elect” is the Jewish elect and any tribulation saints that have believed in Him and accepted His blood sacrifice. This is not the ‘Church,’ for the Church has already been raptured to heaven and come back with Him. Then shall King Jesus sit upon the throne of His glory, as the Millennium begins and He takes the government of the world upon His shoulders once and for all: and before Him shall be gathered all nations; and He shall separate them one from another…those that have accepted His blood covenant sacrifice and those who, like goats, refuse His sacrifice and still believe a lie. He will separate them as a shepherd divides his sheep from the goats: And He shall set the sheep on His right hand, but the goats on the left. Then shall the King say unto them on His right hand, those nations that have been sprinkled with the blood of His covenant, “Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world” (Matthew 26:31-34). The Millennium is a period of Universal Righteousness upheld by the Word of His power and by the ever “effective” blood of the Lamb. Christ will unite the hearts of fathers and sons, all children and parents will be turned toward one another; families will be united in Christ; the Holy Spirit will be outpoured upon all flesh and even all of Israel will be saved a result of the ministry of Elijah and Enoch, God’s two witnesses in the last days (Malachi4:5-6; Rev. 11:3-10; Acts 2:16-21; Rom. 11:25-29; Isa. 66:7-8 and other prophecy will literally be fulfilled.)





THERE IS NO APPEAL FROM SPIRITUAL DEATH ONCE YOU ARE DEAD!

However, as long as you live in this world, you can still choose to receive eternal life by accepting Jesus Christ. Even though you are spiritually dead and are living separated from GOD, you can be made spiritually alive in this world and enjoy eternal life now and in the world to come. Once you have died, however, there is no way to come back and receive Jesus. There is no appeal from the second death, which is separation from GOD forever.
• Won’t you take this opportunity to accept Jesus Christ as your LORD and SAVIOUR today, while it is still called today?

THE SERVANT OF JEHOVAH
THE SERVANT SONGS FROM ISAIAH –
PART III
ISAIAH 50:4-9 AMP.


BEHOLD! MY SERVANT:

What is a servant? A servant is one that works for and obeys a master. A servant also ministers to another to fulfill physical or emotional duties, such as setting a table and serving a meal, or managing the work of another’s business and regularly performs that office to suit another. Faithful obedience is the character of a servant.

What is Character? The character of a person is marked by the distinctive qualities of that peculiar person. Peculiar means having one’s own particular set of characteristics. Therefore, character is the essence or substance of ‘who I am.’ Therefore the Father GOD, the Justice Judge and Ruler of all eternity, looked to find the integrity of righteousness and faithfulness in His Son that was necessary to accomplish His Plan for man. The Father looked and found mercy and compassion for others, as the Son was an obedient son to His parents. Peace, gentleness, faith, and goodness issued out of His heart toward His Father GOD and toward His fellowmen. The anointing of power of the Holy Spirit rested upon Jesus/Yeshua when John the Baptist baptized Him in the Jordan River; and a voice of the Father God from heaven said, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased,” signifying that He approved His Son as the obedient Servant ready to purchase mankind’s deliverance from Satan’s stolen rule and to redeem mankind with salvation to eternal life.

ELISHA, THE SERVANT AND PROPHET OF JEHOVAH GOD:
In the courts of the king of Israel, Elisha was the godly advisor that the king called upon to hear GOD’S word. When the king of Syria determined to capture and kill the king of Israel, Elisha, hearing from the Father GOD, would advise the king of Israel not to go to a certain place for that was where the Syrians’ ambush was that day. After three times of being thwarted by Israel, the Syrian king shouted, “Who is the traitor among us who tells Israel’s king where we will be every time we go out?” A fearful soldier told him, “No one is a traitor in our camp.” The Syrian king then demanded, “Then how do they know our strategy?” The young man, evidently aware of Elisha’s reputation for being the GOD of Israel’s mouthpiece, trembling told him, “Elisha, the prophet that is in Israel, tells the king of Israel the very words that you speak in your bedchamber.” The reputation of your character goes before you, as people learn of the qualities of your life, either good or bad qualities. The qualities of righteousness and goodness went before Jesus when He healed the blind man, raised Jarius’s daughter from death, healed the lameness of the man at the pool of Bethesda, and raised a young boy from his casket in the streets and gave the boy to his mother, who was overjoyed with surprise at having her son alive again! The reputation of a man is judged not just by how he lives, but also by how he dies. Jesus didn’t die squeamishly because He saw the horror of it all, but He gave His life willingly, knowing the Promise from the Father was the redemption of mankind. Now, the healings and the things that Jesus did in His earthly life cannot all be recorded, for all the books about Him would fill the earth. Only a sampling of all the things that He said and did are written in the Bible to help us know HIM…and these things are marvelous to hear about! Jesus’ reputation as a Man of GOD still precedes Him, as the gospel story is told and retold to watch Him, even today, again and again deliver people from sin and sickness!

JOHN WYCLIFFE and THE LOLLARDS:
John Wycliffe, an English religious reformer of the 14th century, gave his life to publish the Bible from the ancient languages into an English Bible so that the common man could read and understand the way of JEHOVAH GOD. In the last decades of the 14th century Lollards, a righteous group of men that followed in Wycliffe’s footsteps even after his death, were numerous and carried out the mission that GOD had given to Wycliffe to spread the Word of GOD in English. Because of the vigorous persecution and many executions caused by the English prelate Thomas Arundel, their numbers decreased during the reign of King Henry IV. The Lollards remained numerous as a formidable group against the traditional Church through the reign of King Henry V. During the early years of the reign of King Henry VI, the Lollards were persecuted and many burned at the stake in London and the eastern counties. At the risk of being executed by burning as heretics, Lollards put as many English Bibles into as many hands of the people as possible. Ultimately Wycliffe’s English Bible strongly influenced the Bohemian religious reformer John Huss (Jan Hus) in his revolt against the traditional church. Martin Luther also acknowledged his great debt to understanding GOD’S Word to Wycliffe’s influence, as he translated a book for His Lutheran brethren. The determined purpose of these Lollards to allow the English common man to know His GOD is one of the things that lead to the rising forces of Protestantism in the reign of King Henry VIII.



WILLIAM TYNDALE (OR WILLIAM TINDAL):
After realizing that every plowboy in England in the 1500’s needed to hear the voice of GOD through His Word, the Bible, William Tyndale determined the working people of England would have an English Bible. Since the bishop in London, England, denied Tyndale the permission to publish his translation of the Bible, Tyndale went to Germany and found a printer, Peter Quentel, who helped him. However, before his manuscript was completely published, the Council of Cologne ordered the manuscript seized. With printer’s ink still on his hands and his robes flying behind him, he fled to the river at night and escaped by boat with his manuscript to another city. There he completed the printing of the Tyndale Bible in English. Many shipmasters befriended Tyndale and gave his Bibles out as discreetly as possible to all who wanted one. Finally, Tyndale was put in prison for 16 months, but eventually he was strangled and burned at the stake. Even though his unorthodox translations were vigorously opposed by ecclesiastical authorities in England, his version of the Bible, together with the earlier translations of the English theologian and religious reformer John Wycliffe, formed the foundation of the Authorized (King James) Version of 1611. Tyndale’s reputation still can be seen today from the way he lived his life…a life to please JEHOVAH GOD by extending His Kingdom with the souls of many men, women, and children, who read GOD’S word in English.

JESUS CHRIST:
Jesus, like John the Baptist, was filled with the Holy Spirit from His birth. GOD, the Holy Spirit, trained and disciplined the Son through prayer, learning the Scriptures, training by His parents, Mary and Joseph, and training by other godly elders (Psalm 119:97-104). No less than seven times while on earth, Jesus spoke “only what the Father has given Me to speak” (John 7:16; 8:28, 46, 47; 12:49; 14:10, 24; 17:8). Jesus was disciplined in His mature thinking, as seen in the parables He spoke. Compassion, courage, perseverance, honesty, loyalty, and faith were nurtured in Him, as a young Man. He understood responsibility and hard work, learning the trade of a carpenter from his father, Joseph; and also learning the trade of a carpenter from His Heavenly Father to shape and fashion mankind in “His image” to become the family of GOD. Here Jehovah’s faithful, obedient Disciple, enduring scorn, abuse, and painful beatings, continues to trust in JEHOVAH GOD to vindicate Him. JESUS CHRIST WAS, AND IS, AND WILL ALWAYS BE AWESOME!



JEHOVAH SAYS, “BEHOLD, MY SERVANT!”

THE SERVANT SONGS
ISAIAH 50:4-9 AMP.

(v4) [The Servant of GOD says] “The LORD GOD has given Me the tongue of [learned] disciples and of those who are taught, that I should know how to speak a word in season to him who is weary; He wakens Me morning by morning, He wakens My ear to hear as disciples—as those who are taught.”• GOD anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for GOD was with Him (Acts 10:38). He was endued with sound counsel and advice of prudence to provide leadership in decisions to achieve God’s plan and purpose. He operated in the gifts of the Spirit (Isaiah 11:2). Anointed with the Spirit of GOD and empowered for the work of the ministry and for the purpose of GOD, Jesus demonstrated the love of the Father for humankind by healing the sick, casting out devils and even raising the dead. To those who are weary and distressed, Jesus holds out His hand of hope and speaks a word of encouragement. GOD awakened Messiah early in the morning to prayer and communication in union with the Father and the Spirit to access the heart of GOD. He has opened His ear to understand the wisdom of fulfilling the purposes of GOD. “O LORD GOD, You have begun to show Your Servant Your greatness and Your strong hand; for what GOD is there in heaven or on earth who can do such works and mighty acts as Yours?” (Deuteronomy 3:24).


(v5) “The LORD GOD has opened My ear, and I have not been rebellious or turned backward.”• JEHOVAH GOD opened His Servant’s ear by showing in revelation and vision the path that Jesus would have to walk to redeem mankind. In the Garden of Gethsemane Messiah asked three times, if it be possible, let this cup pass from Me. Nevertheless, Messiah was not rebellious; neither did He turn away from GOD. He was willing to do the will of the Father regardless of the suffering, abuse, persecution, and horror that awaited Him. He knew that His Father would send more than 12 legions of angels (more than 72,000) to slay His persecutors and deliver Him from abuse and physical death, yet He endured the cross for the joy of bringing His Father a family of righteous, godly people. (Matthew 26:47-68; 27:26-30).


(v6) “I gave My back to the smiters, and My cheeks to those who plucked off the hair; I hid not My face from shame and spitting.”• It is hard to realize how Jesus lived through so many beatings and a scourging to be able to bear his own cross to the city gate, where Simon of Cyrene was forced to carry His cross the rest of the way to His crucifixion on Golgotha’s Hill (Matt. 26:67; 27:30, John 18; Luke 23). Jesus, according to Jewish Law, was brought illegally ‘at night’ to stand trial without any legal representation before Annas, a powerful political priest leader, and before the scribes and elders. Annas, father-in-law to the high priest, took Jesus bound to Caiaphas at his palace where the scribes and elders were again assembled. The chief priest Caiaphas, the elders, heads of families and the oldest of the tribes, and all the council, the heads of the twenty-four courses of priest, sought false witnesses against Jesus. They were all spitting in His face and saying to Him while slapping Him with the palm of their hands, “Prophesy to us! Who hit you? Finally two false witnesses were found who would testify against Jesus. When Caiaphas adjured Jesus to tell him if He was the Christ (the Messiah) and the Son of God? Jesus told him, “Hereafter shall you see the Son of Man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven” (Matt. 26:64). Then Caiaphas said that the Sanhedrin and council no longer needed other witnesses, for Jesus had blasphemed by saying He was equal to God! The priest and elders hated Jesus because He had shown the people how ‘legal’ and uncompassionate their worship of GOD was. They slapped Him with sudden, violent blows and mocked Him with angry, wrathful expletives all night, not allowing Him to sleep.

• Early the next morning, the Jews took Jesus bound to Pilate, the governor of Jerusalem, and demanded that Rome, who had the authority, crucify Jesus. The religious courts brought the charges that He was blaspheming GOD, but to Pilate and the Roman courts, Jesus was charged with inciting people to riot, forbidding the people to pay their taxes, and claiming to be King. Pilate asked Jesus, “Are you the King of the Jews?” However, Jesus answered nothing. Pilate marveled at Jesus, but sent Him with his Roman soldiers to the Praetorius, the open courtyard or judgment hall where the soldiers stripped Jesus and put on Him a scarlet cloak, perhaps a scarlet Roman military cloak, to mock Jesus for His claim of royalty! Then the Roman soldiers platted a crown of thorns for a king and placed it on Jesus’ head, and placed a reed in His right hand, like it was a royal scepter of authority. Then they insulted and spat upon Him, plucked out His beard, His outward symbol of dignity, one hair at a time, while beating the crown of thorns into His head. He gave His back to the smiters, who beat Him, insulted and spat upon Him. In Deuteronomy 25:9 spitting is used as part of a legal ritual of humiliation, and was regarded as a sign of contempt. During that time, it was an honor for a man to wear a beard. Pulling out Jesus’ beard, one hair at a time, was an insulting torture to break down his feelings of acceptance by His fellowman and to break His will into submission to them. [Satan tried to kill Jesus before He could go to the cross to die for mankind’s sins!]

• Then Pilate, finding out that Jesus was a Galilean sent Jesus to Herod, who was the tetrarch over Galilee. After Herod’s soldiers saw Jesus with the scarlet robe, they beat Him and crushed the crown of thorns further into His head, all the while throwing insulting verbal curses at Him and spitting in His face with vulgar remarks! Finally, the soldiers put Jesus’ own clothes upon him, and Herod sent Jesus back to Pilate for sentencing.


• Pilate then tried to release Jesus, but the multitude of people and the priest and elders demanded Christ Jesus be crucified! Pilate washed his hands of Jesus’ blood before the people, and said, Let His blood be on your hands!” After scourging Jesus, Pilate sent Him to be crucified. Scourging by the Romans was done with an instrument like a whip. The ‘whip’ had about a dozen leather cords or thongs attached to the handle with jagged pieces of bone or metal at each end of each cord to make the blow more painful and effective. Jesus was then tied to a post and the blows were applied to the bare back and loins, and often to the face and bowels. The flesh was cut in pieces by each blow. As the whip was brought down with full force again and again across Jesus’ shoulders, back, and legs, at first it only cut through the skin. The succeeding blows from the whip would cut into the subcutaneous tissues producing first an oozing of blood from the capillaries and veins of the skin. Finally spurting arterial bleeding from vessels in the underlying muscles would begin, and then the whip would tear into the deep skeletal muscles to produce ribbons of bleeding flesh. All the while a steady stream of loud, vulgar indignities came to His ears to humiliate Him and break His will, as the crown of thorns was struck again and again into his skull. Yet He never turned His face from the shame and spitting they rolled upon Him. He never spoke in frustration or anger toward His persecutors; He never was ‘unlovely’ to any of them.
• Finally, they sent Jesus to be crucified. The trials of Jesus represent the ultimate mockery of justice, as the most innocent Man was found guilty of false crimes and sentenced to death. BUT GOD had a better plan for MANKIND. Messiah Jesus suffered and died for our sins…for He had no sin. He died and was resurrected to NEW LIFE so that mankind has the opportunity to receive His Sacrifice and know Him as Lord and Saviour. He GAVE……so that ‘whosoever will’ can be saved to eternal life with Him forever!!

(v7) “For the LORD GOD helps Me; therefore have I not been ashamed or confounded; therefore have I set My face like a flint, and I know that I shall not be put to shame.”• Messiah knew that His Father and the Holy Spirit would help Him. He knew ‘Resurrection Morning’ was on the Way. He said I am not ashamed to be called the Servant of Jehovah; nor have I been confounded by all the suffering, hate, and scornful insults that man can fling upon Me. I, Messiah, know Who I AM and for what purpose GOD has sent Me. Therefore, I have set my face like a flint, which shows His determination to be the impenetrable obstacle that Satan could not bring down or go through before Messiah had accomplished Salvation for mankind and a peaceful reconciliation with the Father GOD and Him. In John 17, the Messiah asks this of His Father: “I have glorified You on the earth: I have finished the work, which You gave Me to do. And now, O Father, glorify thou Me with Your own self with the glory, which I had with You before the world was.” Messiah steadily set His face like a ‘flint’ to accomplished GOD’S purpose.


(v8) “He is near Who declares Me in the right; who will contend with Me? Let us stand forth together. Who is My adversary? Let him come near to Me.”• Messiah was dedicated to one end in life. He came to die, not live. His death was not just an event that happened, but He accomplished His purpose by giving His life. He was the Seed that had to die so a new and better life for all mankind could be accomplished. Messiah knew that GOD, who would vindicate His character, approved of what He did, and declared Him innocent. Messiah said, ‘Who is my adversary that can keep this from happening? Let my enemy come near now. Psalm 22 records that His prayer to the Father was: ‘Be not Thou far from Me, O LORD: O My strength, haste to help Me. Deliver My soul from the sword; My darling, My only One, from the power of the dog (Pilate, Gentile authorities). Save Me from the lion’s mouth for Satan roars as a lion. For You Father has heard Me from the horns of the unicorns, from the midst of My enemies.’ Messiah knew GOD was near and with His last breath committed His spirit into the hands of the Father.


(v9) “Behold, the LORD GOD will help Me; who is he who will condemn Me? Lo, they all shall wax old and be worn out as a garment; the month shall eat them up.”• Messiah knew He was innocent before the Father, with no guilt or sin in Himself. Who can condemn such a One? God the Father said to the Son: “Thy throne, O GOD, is forever and ever: a sceptre of righteousness is the sceptre of Thy kingdom. You have loved righteousness, and hated iniquity; therefore GOD, even Thy GOD, has anointed You with the oil of gladness above Thy fellow (above all others). And Thou, LORD, in the beginning have laid the foundation of the earth; and the heavens are the works of Thine hands: They shall perish; but You Messiah will remain; and they all shall wax old as does a garment; and as a vesture shall You fold them up, and they shall be changed: but You are the same, and Your years shall not fail” (Reference-Hebrews 1:8-12).

We, GOD’S servants, are ambassadors for Christ to preach, teach, and be a witness for Him and His righteousness. GOD has carefully placed the Word of GOD in our trust to guard it, to believe it, to apply it to our own character, and to share it with others. This privilege of sharing this AWESOME WORD is a rich and gracious gift…give to His children… to extend His kingdom with the souls of many, many, many of mankind to everlasting life, that none might be lost to everlasting hell!





ALL GLORY TO GOD!

THE SERVANT OF JEHOVAH
THE SERVANT SONGS
FROM ISAIAH - PART II

BEHOLD! MY SERVANT:

In the Garden of Gethsemane and under great duress, Jesus was willing to serve mankind. Taking on the garment of a meek and obedient servant, Jesus served as the perfect sacrifice to pay for man’s redemption and entrance into the family of GOD. The Servant of Jehovah sang FOUR Servant Songs from the book of Isaiah that exemplifies servanthood. This study concerns the 2nd Song of Jehovah’s Servant,
Jesus Christ.
ISAIAH 49: 1-8 NIV
Intro:

“The Lord is the portion of mine inheritance and of my cup:
Thou maintained my lot”…Psalm 16:5

The servant of the LORD…when the land was divided among the tribes (in book of Joshua), the priestly tribe of Levi had no inheritance, but were to live of the parts of the offerings which fell to the share of divine service.
Jehovah, Himself is called their share…
Deuteronomy 10:9; 18:1-2

The Messiah’s lot was the redemption of the human race…
Hebrew 2:9-15

The Messiah’s heritage is the redemption of men and the restoration of the earth to GOD, the Father…
Ephesians 1:10; Rev. 21-22

“God presides in the great assembly; He gives judgments among the ‘gods’: How long will you defend the unjust and show partiality to the wicked? Selah.
Defend the cause of the weak and fatherless;
Maintain the rights of the poor and oppressed.
Rescue the weak and needy;
Deliver them from the hand of the wicked?

I (GOD) said, “You are ‘gods’:
you are all sons of the Most High.
But you will die like mere men: you will fall like
every other ruler.” Rise up, O GOD, [Ruler of all the earth], judge the earth, for all the nations are your inheritance”…
from Psalm 82

Israel’s name as a nation and a kingdom would not have been cut off, if they had obeyed God (Isa.48:18-19). They never were cut off entirely as a race, for a remnant always was and always will be saved (Isaiah 1:9–reference).
Jehovah GOD commissioned the Messiah, His Son Jesus Christ, as HIS SERVANT…
to bring back Jacob (Israel) to Him
and to be a light to the nations,
so that His Salvation could extend to the end of the earth.


The essential character of a servant is obedience. Mankind, as GOD sees them, are naked before Him, with no covering at all. Jesus, as the Father’s Servant, was to guide mankind to drink of the waters of Salvation and Redemption.
This then provides each believer that trust in Him, and belongs to Him with a robe of righteousness, given by Jesus Christ, to hide their nakedness before the Father.
GOD the Father told Jesus that His obedience to death, as a Man, was so precious in His sight that He would not waste this act of obedience just to bring forth the twelve tribes of Israel, but He would also glorify Himself by giving Jesus as a light of Salvation for the Gentile world.



SECOND SERVANT SONG…
ISAIAH 49: 1-8 NIV

(v1) “Listen to Me, you islands:
hear this, you distant nations:
Before I was born the Lord called me:
From My birth He has made mention of My name.
• GOD speaks to the Gentiles (v 1 – 3), and invites them to hearken to those counsels and doctrines, which the Jews rejected. Isaiah records these 3 verses as the words spoken by Jesus Christ. From His birth, this Servant was to be called “Jesus” (in Hebrew “Yeshua”), a holy name to embody His great character and His valued, good reputation, for the good reputation of a man is to be valued more than earthly possessions (References-Matthew 1:18-25; Luke 1:28-35; :1-19; Ecclesiastes 7:1; Isaiah 56:5, Jeremiah 32:20).

(v2) He made My mouth like a sharpened sword,
In the shadow of His hand He hid Me;
He made me into a polished arrow.
And concealed me in His quiver.
• Obedience is the essential character of a servant. GOD called Jesus-Messiah to perform a particular task for a particular purpose. He made the mouth of His Servant like a sharp sword, which is a symbol of judgment, justice, and destruction of sin and evil, so that righteous people can be united to GOD (Hebrews 4:12) GOD hid His Servant in the shadow of His hand, in the secret place or in His Righteous Presence, where no evil could be fall Him until the perfect (karios) time was at hand.

(v3) He said to Me, “You are My Servant,
Israel, in whom I will display my splendor.”
• Jehovah GOD said to Jesus (Yeshua), “You are My Servant, Israel.” Israel, as the name of David, is sometimes given to his successors, so here the name of Israel is given to Jesus Christ, not only because He descended from David’s loins, but also because He was made the true and the great Israel, who, in a more eminent manner, prevailed with GOD and man, as that name signifies, of whom Jacob, who was first called Israel, was but a type. GOD chose Israel (Yeshua) and the nation of Israel, like a polished weapon - an arrow of GOD’S deliverance, to bring salvation to all mankind. And GOD the Father said to Jesus (Yeshua) that He would display His splendor through Him. GOD was glorified in Christ Jesus, as He brought the history and destiny of Israel to its completion and its consummation, at the time, with His birth, life-mission, death, and resurrection. Messiah (Jesus) became the righteous Servant that would lead mankind out of the destitution of filthiness to live in the righteousness of GOD. The resurrection of Jesus Christ is the bridge that makes it possible for fallen man to cross over from death unto life and into the New Creation. Righteous acts and deeds of godly people are compared with golden garments made of golden threads woven together through a life of kind words and godly deeds, as they love and walk in the Spirit of GOD (Psalm 45:13). There is yet Messiah’s second Coming when that sharp, polished arrow, at the appointed time and place of the Father, will bring Israel to GOD to defend and protect them, and deliver them from their enemies forever. (Isaiah, Jeremiah, Zephaniah, Zechariah, etc., Revelation).

(v4) But I said, “I have labored to no purpose;
I have spent My strength in vain and for nothing.
Yet what is due Me is in the LORD’S hand,
And My reward is with My GOD.”
• The Messiah thought to Himself: it seems that My work has come to little or no success since I am so hated of men and despised by My own people (Psalm 22:6-8). Israel rejected their King, the Servant of GOD, yet Messiah was honored and accepted by GOD, as He accomplished the purposes of GOD the Father for mankind (Isa. 53:1-12; John 1:11; Acts 2:23). He left the results of His work with GOD the Father and in His hands, since Messiah had perfect confidence in GOD as to the final outcome of His work. He was never discouraged or despondent, for He committed Himself to GOD. He did not attempt to avenge wrongs, but He left His name, reputation, plans, and works with GOD the Father. This is the meekness and humility in the character of the Messiah. He obediently did the will of the Father, and left the reward of His deeds in the hands of the Father. Being meek, teachable, and humble before the Father, Messiah was strengthened in His character to be able to finish the will of the Father by giving His life as the “Seed” that would give every man the opportunity to be born of the Spirit of God and to receive a “new life.” Though the most faithful self-denial and holy living may, for a time, seem unfruitful (to the natural eye) – through no fault of the worker, the reward for holy living will be rewarded, as the worker commits himself (herself) and his work to GOD, and toil on in faith, seeing the purposes of GOD accomplished (with the spiritual eye) and knowing in whom he has believed.

(v5) And now the LORD says—
He who formed Me in the womb to be His servant
To bring Jacob back to Him
And gather Israel to Himself,
For I am honored in the eyes of the LORD
And My GOD has been My strength—
• Messiah (Jesus/Yeshua) was formed in Mary’s womb by GOD and also called to be His Servant from the womb. He named Messiah by name when He sent the angel Gabriel to Mary to reveal that name that is above all names – Jesus/Yeshua! His calling as Servant (v3) was to:
1. Bring apostate Israel back to GOD (v5)
2. To raise up the tribes of Israel (v6)
3. To restore and gather the preserved of Israel
4. To be a light to the Gentiles
5. To be salvation to all the earth
6. To be for a covenant for people (v8).
7. Also Messiah was called to restore the waste places of the earth and cause their habitation
8. To loose prisoners (v9)
9. To free men from darkness, and to guide men (v10).
• Messiah is glorious in the eyes of GOD to be honored and approved of by Him forever. It did not take the gathering of Jacob for the Messiah to be glorious in the eyes of Jehovah. An only beloved Son naturally would be more important that the work He could and would perform, yet Jesus was perfect in performing the will of Jehovah, and Jehovah honored His Son and sat Messiah at the right-hand side of His throne in Heaven (heavenly places) to rule with wisdom, authority, justice, mercy, and grace forevermore. Jehovah sent angels to the Garden of Gethsemane to strengthen His Son for the final work of the cross, where Messiah declared, “It is finished!” “I commit My Spirit into the hands of My Father.”

(v6) He says:
“It is too small a thing for you to be My servant
To restore the tribes of Jacob
And bring back those of Israel I have kept.
I will also make You a light for the Gentiles,
That You may bring My salvation to the ends of the earth.”
• This verse really means ‘Because of the great sacrifice required of giving Your life, I not only call You My Servant to accomplish the re-establishment of the tribes of Jacob and restoring the preserved of Israel, but I will appoint You to the task of being My salvation to the Gentile world, as well, and I will appoint You the greater task of being My salvation to the ends of the earth.’ Jehovah GOD told Jesus that His obedience to death as a Man was so precious in His sight that He would not waste it just to bring forth the twelve tribes of Israel, but that He would also glorify Himself by giving Messiah as a light for the Gentile world, as well. One day soon—all Israel will be gathered unto Messiah, and then they will recognize the One they pierced that has the nail-scars in His Hands and side. Then the whole earth…every nation…will recognize Messiah as Creator and Supreme Sovereign of the Universe.

(v7) This is what the Lord says—
The Redeemer and Holy One of Israel—
To Him who was despised and abhorred by the nation,
To the servant of rulers:
“Kings will see You and rise up,
Princes will see and bow down,
Because of the Lord, who is faithful,
The Holy One of Israel, who has chosen You.”
• Jehovah God, the Father, calls His only Son, The Redeemer and the Holy One of Israel, whom men despised, as did the Gentiles and the Jew. Israel, the nation, of which He was a member, abhorred both His person and His doctrine, as Sadducee and Pharisee despised Him. According to prophecy, the Holy One of Israel came in the form of a Servant, and was a servant of rulers, subject to and paying tribute taxes unto Caesar. However, Jehovah GOD says to Messiah that though for a time You shalt be despised, yet after a while You shall be advanced to such glory that earthly kings shall look upon You with reverence and arise from their seats to bow down and worship You. Because Jehovah GOD shall make good His promises to the Messiah, He says that even though You shall be rejected by Your own people, yet I (Jehovah GOD) will manifest to the world that You, and only You, are the Person who I (Jehovah GOD) have chosen to be My Servant and the Redeemer of mankind.

(v8) This is what the LORD says:
“In the time of My favor I will answer You,
And in the day of salvation I will help you;
I will keep you and will make you to be a covenant
for the people, to restore the land
and to reassign its desolate inheritances.
• Jehovah GOD says ‘in the time of My favor,’ or ‘in an acceptable time’ I will answer You. This is also stated in 2nd Corinthians 6:2: “For He (Jehovah GOD) says, I have heard You in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succoured You: Behold, now is the accepted time: behold, now is the day of salvation.” The “day of Salvation” began with the ratifying of the New Covenant with the blood that Jesus shed to open up the Way for the resurrection of Jesus, with NEW LIFE for all who will believe in Him. Hebrews 4:7 tells that there is a “limited” time – a certain “day” of Salvation. Since the birth, life, death, and resurrection, mankind has seen GOD’S “acceptable time” to be “saved”, to be born of the Spirit of GOD, to have eternal life. The only requirement to enter into the New Covenant ratified by the blood of Jesus Christ is to accept Him as Lord and Saviour of all and to follow Him with the commitment of faithfulness and purity. The “day of Salvation” is “today!” While this earth still has today, the present (the gift from Jehovah) is the acceptable time to know the Saviour Jesus Christ and receive eternal life. When Messiah comes again the second time will begin the Millennium, or the thousand year reign of King Jesus, who will rule this earth with a rod of iron and discipline; and then eternity begins with a New (restored) Heaven and a New (restored) earth.

WHILE IT IS STILL CALLED ‘TODAY,’ HEAR THE SPIRIT OF GOD CALLING TO ‘WHOSOEVER WILL’ COME AND DRINK OF THE LIVING WATER THAT JESUS GIVES THAT BRINGS EVERLASTING LIFE! MESSIAH JESUS/YESHUA IS THE ‘WAY,’ THE ‘TRUTH,’ AND THE ‘LIFE’ unto eternity!

HAPPY RESURRECTION DAY !

HAPPY EASTER !