“You are my servant, Israel, in whom I will be glorified” (Isaiah 49:3).
Israel is the servant of the Lord. Israel is the Lord's chosen representative through whom the rest of the world will know and glorify God. She is that beautiful beacon to the world through whom God's renown is intended to be spread. Again, the vocation of Israel as originally given to Abraham is clearly alluded to... “through your descendents (Israel) all the nations of the earth will be blessed.”
But then something peculiar happens two verses later. Who is “the servant” now? “And now the Lord says, he who formed me from the womb to be his servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob and to bring back the preserved of Israel: I will make you as a light for the nations, that my salvation may reach to the end of the earth.” This servant is more than the nation of Israel. This servant is doing something to Israel! We see more fully three chapters later that not only is this servant an individual, but we see how he will bring back Israel. Through suffering. But that's moving too far ahead. The question now is, why does Isaiah mix his terms? Why call him the servant of the Lord when he just got done calling Israel the Lord's servant?
It's because there is a typological connection. This servant, this individual, is the embodiment of Israel. He takes on Israel's vocation. “To be a light for the nations, to bring salvation to the end of the earth” (49:6). He suffers punishment of sin, like Israel (Is 52:13-53:12, cf. Is 40:2) And after receiving punishment, he will be restored and prosper, like Israel (Is 49:10-11, cf. Is 44:1-5). And most importantly, he becomes the beacon for the world to see the redemption of God. The great promise of global redemption in Abraham, though unfulfilled by human will-power in law-based Israel, became stunningly fulfilled only by divine initiative. “The Lord saw it, and it displeased him that there was no justice. He saw that there was no man, and wondered that there was no one to intercede; then his own arm brought him salvation...” (Is 59:15-16). Absolutely majestic –in more than just the literary sense.
Israel is the servant of the Lord. Israel is the Lord's chosen representative through whom the rest of the world will know and glorify God. She is that beautiful beacon to the world through whom God's renown is intended to be spread. Again, the vocation of Israel as originally given to Abraham is clearly alluded to... “through your descendents (Israel) all the nations of the earth will be blessed.”
But then something peculiar happens two verses later. Who is “the servant” now? “And now the Lord says, he who formed me from the womb to be his servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob and to bring back the preserved of Israel: I will make you as a light for the nations, that my salvation may reach to the end of the earth.” This servant is more than the nation of Israel. This servant is doing something to Israel! We see more fully three chapters later that not only is this servant an individual, but we see how he will bring back Israel. Through suffering. But that's moving too far ahead. The question now is, why does Isaiah mix his terms? Why call him the servant of the Lord when he just got done calling Israel the Lord's servant?
It's because there is a typological connection. This servant, this individual, is the embodiment of Israel. He takes on Israel's vocation. “To be a light for the nations, to bring salvation to the end of the earth” (49:6). He suffers punishment of sin, like Israel (Is 52:13-53:12, cf. Is 40:2) And after receiving punishment, he will be restored and prosper, like Israel (Is 49:10-11, cf. Is 44:1-5). And most importantly, he becomes the beacon for the world to see the redemption of God. The great promise of global redemption in Abraham, though unfulfilled by human will-power in law-based Israel, became stunningly fulfilled only by divine initiative. “The Lord saw it, and it displeased him that there was no justice. He saw that there was no man, and wondered that there was no one to intercede; then his own arm brought him salvation...” (Is 59:15-16). Absolutely majestic –in more than just the literary sense.
And His majesty sings out for all to hear.......
ReplyDeleteFor a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us;
And the government will rest on His shoulders;
And His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Eternal Father, Prince of Peace.
7. There will be no end to the increase of His government or of peace,
On the throne of David and over his kingdom,
To establish it and to uphold it with justice and righteousness
From then on and forevermore.
The zeal of the Lord of hosts will accomplish this.
The zeal of His mighty arm has and will continue to accomplish justice and righteousness for those whose spiritual ears hear His song.