Partakers Christian Podcasts

2. 12 Days to Christmas - Messiah's Mission

2. Messiah's Mission

Isaiah 49:1 - 13

49:1 Listen, islands, to me; and listen, you peoples, from far: Yahweh has called me from the womb; from the bowels of my mother has he made mention of my name: 49:2 and he has made my mouth like a sharp sword; in the shadow of his hand, he has hidden me: and he has made me a polished shaft; in his quiver has he kept me close: 49:3 and he said to me, "You are my servant; Israel, in whom I will be glorified." 49:4 But I said, "I have labored in vain, I have spent my strength for nothing and vanity; yet surely the justice due to me is with Yahweh, and my reward with my God." 49:5 Now says Yahweh who formed me from the womb to be his servant, to bring Jacob again to him, and that Israel be gathered to him (for I am honorable in the eyes of Yahweh, and my God has become my strength); 49:6 yes, he says, "It is too light a thing that you should be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and to restore the preserved of Israel: I will also give you for a light to the nations, that you may be my salvation to the end of the earth." 49:7 Thus says Yahweh, the Redeemer of Israel, and his Holy One, to him whom man despises, to him whom the nation abhors, to a servant of rulers: "Kings shall see and arise; princes, and they shall worship; because of Yahweh who is faithful, even the Holy One of Israel, who has chosen you." 49:8 Thus says Yahweh, "In an acceptable time have I answered you, and in a day of salvation have I helped you; and I will preserve you, and give you for a covenant of the people, to raise up the land, to make them inherit the desolate heritage: 49:9 saying to those who are bound, ‘Come out!'; to those who are in darkness, ‘Show yourselves!' "They shall feed in the ways, and on all bare heights shall be their pasture. 49:10 They shall not hunger nor thirst; neither shall the heat nor sun strike them: for he who has mercy on them will lead them, even by springs of water he will guide them. 49:11 I will make all my mountains a way, and my highways shall be exalted. 49:12 Behold, these shall come from far; and behold, these from the north and from the west; and these from the land of Sinim." 49:13 Sing, heavens; and be joyful, earth; and break forth into singing, mountains: for Yahweh has comforted his people, and will have compassion on his afflicted.

The Servant

This is the second Servant song, and here the Servant Himself is speaking! We have no idea of his actual name but He does have a name (Isaiah 49:1)! In the first Servant song, with the dispensing of justice as part of His identity, the Servant is a King! But not just a King, something more as well! In this song, the Servant appears as if He is a prophet by the things He is saying. He was called Isaiah 49v1) just as Jeremiah was. The words he speak are as if a double-edged sword (Isaiah 49v2). Despite the opposition (Isaiah 49v4), He perseveres to gain the reward and to glorify God (Isaiah 49v3). And while we find His name is Israel! Not the nation of Israel itself, but as a person who embodies all that Israel was meant to be and do. This Servant would glorify God in all His ways. This servant is a Prophet who is also a King. This Servant is a perfect incarnation of God's light, covenant and salvation.

The Servants Mission!

In verse 5, the Servants mission is clear. Firstly the Servant will be a light to the nation of Israel and then to be a light to the nations. Isaiah 49:4 & 7 intimates the Servant will suffer for being who He is - despised and abhorred in slavish servitude. This Servant will be despised by the very people He has been sent to. But He will eventually be worshipped and honoured by rulers and kings. The Servant is on a mission to bring all people back into relationship with God who is "the Redeemer of Israel, and his Holy One". The exiled people will be restored to the land (Isaiah 49v8). People are described as being freed from captivity and have all manner of needs met (Isaiah 49v9-10)! The Servant will gather people back to God just as a Shepherd gathers his flock of sheep. And it wont just be a restored Israel, but all peoples from all lands and nations, hence Isaiah 49:12 "Behold, these shall come from far; and behold, these from the north and from the west;" This Servant King and Servant Prophet will shepherd people back into relationship with God and dispense God's justice throughout the whole world. That is all part of the Messiah's mission - to bring comfort to people and compassion on the afflicted (Isaiah 49:13). Then as if bursting from the seams with praise, we read "Sing, heavens; and be joyful, earth; and break forth into singing, mountains: for Yahweh has comforted his people, and will have compassion on his afflicted."

Jesus as the Servant

Paul quotes Isaiah 49:8 in 2 Corinthians 6:1-2 "As God's fellow workers we urge you not to receive God's grace in vain. For he says, "In the time of my favor I heard you, and in the day of salvation I helped you." I tell you, now is the time of God's favor, now is the day of salvation." Paul here is saying to the Corinthians to grasp hold of God's offer of salvation, right now! Right now, because it is a time acceptable to God! But who is Paul talking about? Paul is talking about Jesus Christ "All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men's sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation." 2 Corinthians 5:18-19. Jesus Christ said of himself that he was the Good Shepherd (John 10) and the Light of the World rescuing those in darkness (John 8:12) - all images portrayed in this Servant Song of Isaiah 49v1-13.. Jesus came to save the lost (John 12:47) and to gather all people from all places back into relationship with God. Jesus Christ, the man who was despised, abhorred and rejected by his own people just as the Servant of Isaiah 49 was to be. Jesus Christ, who is honoured and worshipped, just as Isaiah 49 tells us the Servant would be. Jesus Christ, the Servant King and Prophet, who had as His mission statement Mark 10v45 - "For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many."

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1. 12 Days to Christmas - Messiah's Identity

1. Messiah's Identity (Isaiah 42:1-9)

42:1 "Behold, my servant, whom I uphold; my chosen, in whom my soul delights- I have put my Spirit on him. He will bring justice to the nations. 42:2 He will not shout, nor raise his voice, nor cause it to be heard in the street. 42:3 He won't break a bruised reed. He won't quench a dimly burning wick. He will faithfully bring justice. 42:4 He will not fail nor be discouraged, until he has set justice in the earth, and the islands will wait for his law." 42:5 Thus says God Yahweh, he who created the heavens and stretched them out, he who spread out the earth and that which comes out of it, he who gives breath to its people and spirit to those who walk in it. 42:6 "I, Yahweh, have called you in righteousness, and will hold your hand, and will keep you, and make you a covenant for the people, as a light for the nations; 42:7 to open the blind eyes, to bring the prisoners out of the dungeon, and those who sit in darkness out of the prison. 42:8 "I am Yahweh. That is my name. I will not give my glory to another, nor my praise to engraved images. 42:9 Behold, the former things have happened, and I declare new things. I tell you about them before they come up."

In this chapter we have what is almost universally called "The 1st Servant Song". In this book of Isaiah, one of the key words is "Servant". In the previous chapter, Isaiah 41, the nation of Israel is also called a servant of God. Isaiah himself has been called a servant of God (Isaiah 20v3). However, here in chapter 42, it is as if the phrase "Servant of God" has taken on a new meaning - someone who is unique, special. God Himself is speaking, and announcing "my Servant".

By looking further into what God says, we know it cannot be Israel. If anything, Israel is the bruised reed or dimly burning wick. Remember Israel was to be a light to the nations and reflect God to the whole world. In chapter 41, Israel is described as always complaining resentfully, fearful, discouraged and embittered. Later on in chapter 42, Israel is seen as blind, deaf and disobedient. So this is not an ideal that Israel was to aspire to, but rather one person who would be God's response to Israel's failure and weakness. So what does the rest of this passage tell of the identity of the Servant, the Messiah whom God would send?

We get a clue in verses 1-4. This Servant will bring God great delight! This servant will be gentle, quiet, faithful, and encouraged. This Servant will have God's Spirit upon him, and this shows that the Servant will not do anything in his own strength, but rather rely on God's strength to persevere. All the things Israel were to be and do, but had not. Therefore this Servant was the opposite of Israel. The key word for this Servant, is justice. He will bring God's justice to the nations (Isaiah 42v1); faithfully bring God's justice (Isaiah 42v3) and set in place upon all the earth, God's justice. (Isaiah 42v4).

Justice, in this context, is God restoring order to the whole world against the ravages of sin and decay. Additionally, this Servant will be a covenant and a light as he is called out in righteousness. This covenant implies that God will provide welfare for all people and by the light of this Servant shall all the spiritually blind see, the spiritually dead made alive, those captive under the power of sin will be freed and those in spiritual darkness will see the light. Through this Servant, God will reverse all damaging effects that sin has caused the world since it entered into existence way back in Genesis 3. This servant will provide freedom, self-respect and justice for all. Firstly for Israel itself and then to the whole world.

Identifying Jesus Christ as this Servant!

Perhaps the best example to use, looking back with New Testament eyes, is when Jesus was baptized. Jesus went to John the Baptist, and presented Himself for baptism. John at first refuses to do it (Matthew 3v13-15). He knew that Jesus of Nazareth was the perfect Son of God who had no need to repent of sin. Through His baptism, Jesus identified with all sinners that He came to save. why did Jesus get baptized? In replying to John's initial refusal to baptize him, Jesus said "...it is proper for us to do this to fulfill all righteousness" (Mt.3v15). This looks forward to the cross, because it is only through the baptism of suffering that Jesus endured on the cross, that God is able to fulfill all righteousness. The "us" referred to means the Father Son and Spirit. When Jesus came up from the water, the Father spoke from heaven and identified Him as the beloved Son of God, and the Spirit visibly came upon Jesus in the form of a dove. The voice from God the Father ratified Jesus as the Son of God. Not a son of God as some may claim, but the one and only Son of God. This harks back to Isaiah 42, where God called the Servant a delight and the Spirit coming upon Him. Tomorrow, we will skip forward to Isaiah 49:1-26 and discuss the mission of this Servant Messiah. You may like to read this passage beforehand.

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12 Days to Christmas - Introduction

Twelve Days to Christmas

Introduction

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Today we start a "The Twelve Days of Christmas." Each study will be, by necessity, just brief introductions to the themes contained within them.

The birth of Jesus Christ is the most celebrated around the world. The celebrations transcend cultures, peoples, and languages. The celebrations are also just as diverse. Of course most people stop with Jesus being a baby and continue no further with Him. Jesus Christ is the most unique person in history. Jesus Christ is also the most divisive person to be found at any time and anywhere. Almost everyone has an opinion about Him, even if that opinion is based on ignorance, silence or misinformation.

As Christians we believe that Jesus' birth was the culmination of thousands of years of God telling the world that He was coming. From the time of the Fall when people showed active rebellion and disobedience towards God in Genesis 3, God was planning the time when He would step into history in the man, Jesus Christ. Throughout the Old Testament, we see that the birth, life and mission of Jesus Christ is the aim and focus of attention. We see it in the stories of people like Abraham and Moses. We see it in the nation of Israel, which was to be God's light to all the nations. We see it in the Israelite sacrificial system and law. We see it during the time of the Judges and the Kings. We especially see it through the prophets.

The whole Old Testament is joined together, because it all speaks about this baby, Jesus Christ. This baby, who was both 100% human and 100% divine, grew in wisdom and stature. This baby was born in order that He would die on a cross some 33 years later. He did not die for his own sins, but for the sins of the entire world - all past, present and future sins. This baby was born to die so that the entire world may have life and life everlasting, if each individual chooses to accept it. Let us discover together what two people had to say about him. These twelve studies will based in the book of Isaiah and the book of Zechariah. Firstly, let me introduce these two books to you.

Isaiah

The author is self-identified as Isaiah, and his name means "The Lord Saves". Isaiah wrote around the same time as Amos, Hosea and Micah. He started about 740BC and it was during this time, that Israel was declining and the Assyrian Empire rapidly expanding. In his writings, Isaiah reveals a great deal regarding God's judgment on sin and salvation from sin. During these studies, as we have seen, will primarily focus on the later chapters.

Key verses are:

Isaiah 9:6-7 - For to us a child is born. To us a son is given; and the government will be on his shoulders. His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. 9:7 Of the increase of his government and of peace there shall be no end, on the throne of David, and on his kingdom, to establish it, and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness from that time on, even forever. The zeal of Yahweh of Armies will perform this. Isaiah 53:5-6 - But he was pierced for our transgressions. He was crushed for our iniquities. The punishment that brought our peace was on him; and by his wounds we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray. Everyone has turned to his own way; and Yahweh has laid on him the iniquity of us all.

Zechariah

The author, again, is self-identified, in this case Zechariah. Zechariah, a young man, was not only a prophet, but also a member of a priestly family. He was born in Babylon and had returned to Jerusalem under Zerubbabel's leadership. Zechariah was active around the same time as the prophet Haggai. This period of time, 520BC to 480BC, occurred in the postexilic period after Israel was restored from Babylonian captivity.

Key verses are

Zechariah 8:3 - Thus says Yahweh: "I have returned to Zion, and will dwell in the midst of Jerusalem. Jerusalem shall be called ‘The City of Truth;' and the mountain of Yahweh of Armies, ‘The Holy Mountain.'" Zechariah 9:9 - Rejoice greatly, daughter of Zion! Shout, daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your King comes to you! He is righteous, and having salvation; lowly, and riding on a donkey, even on a colt, the foal of a donkey. So there we have a very brief introduction to the book of Isaiah and the book of Zechariah. Thank you.

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