Getting Job-ed
Behold, my servant shall act wisely; he shall be high and lifted up, and shall be exalted. As many were astonished at you— his appearance was so marred, beyond human semblance, and his form beyond that of the children of mankind—so shall he sprinkle many nations. Kings shall shut their mouths because of him, for that which has not been told them they see, and that which they have not heard they understand. Who has believed what he has heard from us? And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?For he grew up before him like a young plant, and like a root out of dry ground; he had no form or majesty that we should look at him, and no beauty that we should desire him. He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief; and as one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not. Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned—every one—to his own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all. Isaiah 52:13-53:6 ESV
At the time of the first century BC, the common expectation was that the king that was to come would overthrow Rome, potentially even through a military revolution. As we have observed, the promises to David were that the King would come and have an everlasting Kingdom (2 Samuel 7). However, Isaiah 52:13-53:6 gives an interesting perspective: this victory will not be through military might or standard conquering techniques- it will come through apparent defeat.
The Servant of Yahweh
What can we observe from Isaiah 52:13-53:6 about the Servant of Yahweh that the text was pointing forward to?
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He will be tortured. The Servant will be tortured to the point that He is “beyond human semblance” (Is. 52:13 ESV) and will be wounded and pierced (Is. 53:5).
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He will be despised and rejected. The Servant will be rejected by people, chastised, ridiculed, and mocked (Isaiah 53:3-5). Yet He will be humble with an image that no one would even give Him a second glance (not a celebrity).
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He will be the atonement for our rebellion against a holy God. “But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities… and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all” (Isaiah 53:5-6 ESV). Although we have rejected Him and turned away from Him, He bore our sins to make His people in right standing with a holy God.
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He will carry our griefs and sorrows. Not only did He atone for the sins of His people, He actually carries their griefs and sorrows (Isaiah 53:4). Not only is He our savior, but He is also our friend.
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He will be exalted. “Behold, my servant… he shall be high and lifted up, and shall be exalted” (Is. 52:13). Although rejected, tortured, and crushed, the Servant will be exalted. His victory will come through what appears as defeat. Philippians 2:9-11 ESV: “Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”
Conclusion
There is coming a day when everyone will stand before God and give an account of their life. The question: did you submit and love the rule of the One true King or not? There will be three perspectives on that day: 1.) you submitted to the King in this life and then at that moment you are so happy and thankful to be in His presence forevermore and be under His final and definite rule (Revelation 21:3-4); 2.) you weep because to you didn’t submit to the Kingship of Jesus in this life and the consequences are immanent; or 3.) you hated the King in this life, and you hate Him in the next life. Both 2 and 3 show the meaning of Matthew 22:13 ESV: “In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” Here is the plea this Christmas season: choose life (Deuteronomy 30:15-20 ESV). Follow and love the Servant, make Him your King.
-Austin
