Isaiah part 42: The Greater Deliverance (49-55), part 5 - conclusion.

Part 5 is the arm of the Lord: the triumph of the Servant. It contains the fourth and final Servant Song. Most know it as Isaiah 53, while it actually begins at ISA 52:13. I paused for a long time and prayed before I started this blog, for we are walking on holy ground.

There is no way to do justice to this final section in one article, but that’s okay. Like all sections of the scripture that deal with the work of the Christ, they are meant to be returned to again and again. This section fully portrays His incredible sacrifice followed by the victory and freedom it gives to Israel and the world. This is one section of God’s word that is most precious. I hope you will read ISA 52:13-55:13 in a quiet and undisturbed place. I will try to summarize in a way that leads to our understanding, but I will not be able to highlight everything, and for that reason I will be brief.

This final division of the Book of the Servant is in two parts: the fourth Servant Song followed by a twofold invitation: 1) to sing of security, peace, and righteousness, which is followed by an 2) invitation for the whole world to come and enter into a covenanted pardon. It is wonderful.

There are many things to mention and ponder in the fourth Servant Song. One of the greatest is the frequent mention of the Servant, the only perfect and obedient Man, submitting to be a substitute sacrifice for us, for our sin.

 

ISA 53:4

Surely our griefs He Himself bore,

And our sorrows He carried;

 

ISA 53:5

But He was pierced through for our transgressions,

He was crushed for our iniquities;

The chastening for our well-being fell upon Him,

And by His scourging we are healed.

 

ISA 53:6

But the Lord has caused the iniquity of us all

To fall on Him.

 

ISA 53:8

That He was cut off out of the land of the living,

For the transgression of my people to whom the stroke was due?

 

ISA 53:11

My Servant, will justify the many,

As He will bear their iniquities.

 

ISA 53:12

Yet He Himself bore the sin of many,

And interceded for the transgressors.

 

How incredibly humbling this is. The second Song began to cast a shadow over Him …

 

ISA 49:4

But I said, "I have toiled in vain,

I have spent My strength for nothing and vanity;

Yet surely the justice due to Me is with the Lord,

And My reward with My God."

 

ISA 49:7

Thus says the Lord, the Redeemer of Israel, and its Holy One,

To the despised One,

To the One abhorred by the nation,

 

And in the third Song that shadow dominates …

 

ISA 50:6

I gave My back to those who strike Me,

And My cheeks to those who pluck out the beard;

I did not cover My face from humiliation and spitting.

 

In the fourth, that shadow invites us to walk within it and see that it is going to wound, and bruise, and violently kill the Servant because He is willing to bear the sins of others.

 

ISA 53:5

But He was pierced through

 

ISA 53:5

He was crushed

 

ISA 53:5

And by His scourging

 

ISA 53:7

He was oppressed and He was afflicted,

 

ISA 53:8

By oppression and judgment

 

ISA 53:10

But the Lord was pleased

To crush Him, putting Him to grief;

 

ISA 53:11

As a result of the anguish of His soul,

 

ISA 53:12

He poured out Himself to death,

 

Such violence done to Him, such grief upon Him who was innocent, such pain and anguish of a level none of us could know. And then … It is over!

 

Sing for Joy!

The result of His sin-bearing work, Zion is to shout for joy, for the sons of the desolate one (Sarah), referring to the sons who enter into the covenant [expound].

 

ISA 54:1

"Shout for joy, O barren one, you who have borne no child [Sarah];

Break forth into joyful shouting and cry aloud, you who have not travailed;

 

Due to the sacrifice of the Servant, God then calls Israel to enter with Him into eternal peace.

 

ISA 54:10

For the mountains may be removed and the hills may shake,

But My lovingkindness will not be removed from you,

And My covenant of peace will not be shaken,"

Says the Lord who has compassion on you.

 

God’s fulfilment of His covenant, as He lovingly brings Israel to Himself forever, which words fill the rest of this chapter, are some of most touching I’ve ever read.

 

Gentiles Too!

Due to the sacrifice of the Servant the whole world is invited into an everlasting covenant with God.

 

ISA 55:1-3

"Ho! Every one who thirsts, come to the waters;

And you who have no money come, buy and eat.

Come, buy wine and milk

Without money and without cost.

2 "Why do you spend money for what is not bread,

And your wages for what does not satisfy?

Listen carefully to Me, and eat what is good,

And delight yourself in abundance.

3 "Incline your ear and come to Me.

Listen, that you may live;

And I will make an everlasting covenant with you,

According to the faithful mercies shown to David.

 

Throughout the Book of the Servant, Isaiah allowed the suspense to mount. Something had to happen to bring to pass God’s desire for man. Now we meet the arm of the Lord (53:1), who accomplishes peace with God (53:5; 54:10), establishes people in righteousness (53:11; 54:17), and summons the whole world to pardon (55:6-7), and to a pilgrimage home (55:12).

No closing words from me could do anything or add anything to this. To God alone be all glory and majesty and honor.

To Him to all glory and honor and power

Pastor Joe Sugrue