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 !