The Coming Servant, Part 4: Isaiah 52.13-53.12 (7)

Pray Psalm 22.27, 28.
All the ends of the world
Shall remember and turn to the LORD,
And all the families of the nations
Shall worship before You.
For the kingdom is the LORD’s,
And He rules over the nations.

Review Isaiah chapters 52.13-53.12.

Reflect.
1. This passage examines the extremes of the Servant’s work, from grief to glory. How do you see that?

2. What results from the Servant’s suffering?

Meditate.
Everything in the book of Isaiah has been moving toward this passage. All the warnings, admonitions, promises, and exhortations – all find their resolution here, in the suffering of the coming Servant of the LORD. The story of Israel and her covenant with God is consummated here. The promise to Abraham of blessings for all the peoples of the earth is accomplished here. The down payment on eternal glory and a world without sin is deposited with the suffering of the Servant of the LORD.

By His suffering He bears the guilt and shame of His people, takes their sin away, heals their iniquity, and provides a fount of blood for the sprinkling of the nations. His suffering is enormous, but it had to be, because so many and so great are the sins of the human race. Through His suffering the Servant gains the victory over sin and His adversaries, and He receives the world as His allotment, which He divides among His people.

It pleased God to bring His Servant to this great distress, because by that suffering, the good pleasure of God for the world and its salvation begins to be realized. The curse of sin is reversed; the power of God for salvation is sprinkled among the nations, transgressors are transformed into heirs, and the suffering One rejoices to see the labor of His soul bearing fruit for the glory of God.

“‘Tis mystery all: the Immortal dies! Who can explore his strange design?” asked Charles Wesley. We can understand the mystery of redemption and salvation, but only to a certain extent. We rest in the wisdom and grace of God, Who redeems the world and satisfies His righteousness and justice through the suffering of His faithful Servant, our Lord Jesus Christ.

Prepare.
1. Without this passage, we cannot understand the book of Isaiah. Why not?

2. What did the Servant accomplish by His suffering?

3. What’s your primary takeaway from Isaiah 52.13-53.12?

“Behold, my servant shall be wise,” that is, shall be illustrious; these words certainly concern our Lord. Indeed, he was called a servant by his Father, because, in the first place, he was sent by his Father in order to fulfill his will in procuring salvation for all humankind, and in the second place, because he assumed the aspect of a servant. “He shall be exalted and lifted up, and he shall be very high” through his virtues and miracles. Ephrem the Syrian (306-373 AD), Commentary on Isaiah 52.13

Thank You, Lord Jesus Christ, for…

Pray Psalm 22.26-28.
The suffering of Jesus, God’s anointed Servant, was unto our salvation and the salvation of the world (Jn. 3.16). Pray that God will enlarge your vision of Christ’s work, and will send you out into it today for the sprinkling of the nations with His blood and grace.

Sing to the Lord.
Psalm 22.26-28 (Darwall: Rejoice, the Lord is King)
The suff’ring King shall eat and praise with us the Lord.
Forever we His praise repeat and trust His Word.
Praise God above, all you who keep His vows and who His mercies love!

All nations shall repent and hasten to the Lord;
All those to whom His truth is sent shall praise His Word.
The Lord is King!  His sovereign rule on high now we His people sing!

T. M. Moore

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Except as indicated, Scripture taken from the New King James Version. © Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved. All psalms for singing adapted from The Ailbe Psalter. All quotations from Church Fathers from Ancient Christian Commentary Series, General Editor Thomas C. Oden (Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press, 2006).All psalms for singing are from The Ailbe Psalter (available by clicking here).