Celebrating the Servant-Savior The Gospel of Isaiah Jason S. DeRouchie, PhD Professor of Old Testament and Biblical Theology Bethlehem College & Seminary www.jasonderouchie.com Bethlehem Baptist Church, 2017

Celebrating the Servant’s Saving Mission The Servant Calls the Coastlands to Receive His Mission (49:1–12) God Declares the Servant’s Mission (49:1c–6) God Clarifies How Some Rulers Will Receive the Servant’s Mission (49:7) God Describes the Servant’s Mission (49:8–12) The Servant Calls the Universe to Rejoice in His Mission (49:13)

Celebrating the Servant’s Saving Mission The Servant Calls the Coastlands to Receive His Mission (49:1–12) God Declares the Servant’s Mission (49:1c–6) God Clarifies How Some Rulers Will Receive the Servant’s Mission (49:7) God Describes the Servant’s Mission (49:8–12) The Servant Calls the Universe to Rejoice in His Mission (49:13)

God Clarifies How Some Rulers Will Receive the Servant’s Mission (49:7) Speaker: “Yahweh, the Redeemer of Israel, his Holy One”––ambiguity. Is this “Israel” the nation (v. 6) or “Israel” the person (v. 3)? Certainly “Israel” the nation needs redemption (v. 6), but may “Israel” the person may also need it in light vv. 4, 7. “Israel” the nation is not a “Holy One” (e.g., 42:18– 20). Already we have seen a close tie between Yahweh “the Holy One of Israel” (v. 7) and his royal deliverer (see 7:14; 9:6; 53:2). All these suggest “Israel, His Holy One” in v. 7 refers to the individual servant person.

Indirect object and speech: “You” (vv. 6, 7, 8) – 2nd, masculine, singular = all refer to the Servant person who is “abhorred by the nation.” One deeply despised, abhorred by the nation Israel, the servant-nation, hates Israel, the servant- person (compare 49:3, 6). Isa 53:3. 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.

The servant of rulers who moves others to worship God Isa 52:13–15. Behold, my servant shall act wisely; he shall be high and lifted up, and shall be exalted. 14 As many were astonished at you— his appearance was so marred, beyond human semblance, and his form beyond that of the children of mankind––15 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.

The servant of rulers who moves others to worship God Isa 52:13–15. Behold, my servant shall act wisely; he shall be high and lifted up, and shall be exalted. 14 As many were astonished at you— his appearance was so marred, beyond human semblance, and his form beyond that of the children of mankind––15 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. Rom 15:20–21. And thus I make it my ambition to preach the gospel, not where Christ has already been named, lest I build on someone else’s foundation, 21 but as it is written, “Those who have never been told of him will see, and those who have never heard will understand” (Isa 52:15 LXX).

God Describes the Servant’s Mission (49:8– 12) God’s past protection of the Servant (49:8bc) Initial fulfillment?

God Describes the Servant’s Mission (49:8– 12) God’s past protection of the Servant (49:8bc) Initial fulfillment: God’s preservation of a remnant culminating in Christ and his faithfulness to Christ in his life and death unto resurrection

Perpetual fulfillment: 2 Cor 5:17–6:5 (esp. 6:2). Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come [allusion to Isa 42:9; 43:19; 48:6; 65:17; 66:22]. 18 All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; 19 that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. 20 Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. 21 For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. 6:1 Working together with him, then, we appeal to you not to receive the grace of God in vain. 2 For he says, “In a favorable time I listened to you, and in a day of salvation I have helped you” [from Isa 49:8 LXX]. Behold, now is the favorable time; behold, now is the day of salvation. 3 We put no obstacle in anyone’s way, so that no fault may be found with our ministry, 4 but as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way: by great endurance, in afflictions, hardships, calamities, 5 beatings, imprisonments, riots, labors, sleepless nights, hunger.

God’s purpose for the Servant as a covenant to the peoples (49:8d–10) To establish land Gen 22:17–18. I will surely bless you, and I will surely multiply your offspring as the stars of heaven and as the sand that is on the seashore. And your offspring shall possess the gate of his enemies, 18 and in your offspring shall all the nations of the earth be blessed, because you have obeyed my voice. Gen 26:3–4. Sojourn in this land, and I will be with you and will bless you, for to you and to your offspring I will give all these lands, and I will establish the oath that I swore to Abraham your father. 4 I will multiply your offspring as the stars of heaven and will give to your offspring all these lands. And in your offspring all the nations of the earth shall be blessed.

To apportion the desolate heritages Isa 49:19 Isa 54:2–3. Enlarge the place of your tent, and let the curtains of your habitations be stretched out; do not hold back; lengthen your cords and strengthen your stakes. 3 For you will spread abroad to the right and to the left, and your offspring will possess the nations and will people the desolate cities. Gal 3:16–18, 29. Now the promises were made to Abraham and to his offspring. It does not say, “And to offsprings,” referring to many, but referring to one, “And to your offspring,” who is Christ. 17 This is what I mean: the law, which came 430 years afterward, does not annul a covenant previously ratified by God, so as to make the promise void. 18 For if the inheritance comes by the law, it no longer comes by promise; but God gave it to Abraham by a promise…. 29 And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s offspring, heirs according to promise.

To free prisoners He will free physical prisoners. Isa 14:15–17. By you [O king of Babylon] are brought down to Sheol, to the far reaches of the pit. 16 Those who see you will stare at you and ponder over you; “Is this the man who made the earth tremble, who shook kingdoms, 17 who made the world like a desert and overthrew its cities, who did not let his prisoners go home?” Matt 11:2–6.  Now when John heard in prison about the deeds of the Christ, he sent word by his disciples 3 and said to him, “Are you the one who is to come, or shall we look for another?” 4 And Jesus answered them, “Go and tell John what you hear and see: 5 the blind receive their sight and the lame walk, lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear, and the dead are raised up, and the poor have good news preached to them. 6 And blessed is the one who is not offended by me.”

To free prisoners He will free physical prisoners. He will deliver spiritual prisoners. Isa 42:6–7. I will give you [i.e., the servant King] as a covenant for the people, a light for the nations, to open the eyes that are blind, to bring out the prisoners from the dungeon, from the prison those who sit in darkness. Isa 42:20–22. [My servant nation] sees many things, but does not observe them; his ears are open, but he does not hear. 21 The LORD was pleased, for his righteousness’ sake, to magnify his law and make it glorious. 22 But this is a people plundered and looted; they are all of them trapped in holes and hidden in prisons; they have become plunder with none to rescue, spoil with none to say, “Restore!”

Isa 61:1–2. The Spirit of the LORD is upon me, because the LORD has anointed me to bring good news to the poor; he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound; 2 to proclaim the year of the LORD’s favor, and the day of vengeance of our God.

Jesus’ deliverance of those physically enslaved provided a context to free those spiritually enslaved and to imprison those who thought they were not. Meeting a blind man, Jesus declares, “I am the light of the world” (John 9:5). He then heals the man so that he can physically see (9:6–7). The Pharisees question the man, who identifies Jesus as God’s agent of healing power; they cast the man from the synagogue (9:8–34). John 9:35–39. Jesus heard that they had cast him out, and having found him he said, “Do you believe in the Son of Man?” 36 He answered, “And who is he, sir, that I may believe in him?” 37 Jesus said to him, “You have seen him, and it is he who is speaking to you.” 38 He said, “Lord, I believe,” and he worshiped him. 39 Jesus said, “For judgment I came into this world, that those who do not see may see, and those who see may become blind.”

Jesus came to bind the “strong man” and to release those he has imprisoned. Matt 12:28–30. But if it is by the Spirit of God that I cast out demons, then the kingdom of God has come upon you. 29 Or how can someone enter a strong man’s house and plunder his goods, unless he first binds the strong man? Then indeed he may plunder his house. Matt 16:18–19. I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. 19 I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth shall have been bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall have been loosed in heaven.

Col 2:13–15. And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, 14 by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross. 15 He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in him (cf. 1:13–14).

The Result: Flourishing life under God’s care Isa 40:11. He will tend his flock like a shepherd; he will gather the lambs in his arms; he will carry them in his bosom, and gently lead those who are with young. Isa 41:17–18. When the poor and needy seek water, and there is none, and their tongue is parched with thirst, I the LORD will answer them; I the God of Israel will not forsake them. 18 I will open rivers on the bare heights, and fountains in the midst of the valleys. I will make the wilderness a pool of water, and the dry land springs of water. Rev 7:16–17. They shall hunger no more, neither thirst anymore; the sun shall not strike them, nor any scorching heat. 17 For the Lamb in the midst of the throne will be their shepherd, and he will guide them to springs of living water, and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.

God’s purpose to work a second exodus (49:11–12) Isa 2:2–3. It shall come to pass in the latter days that the mountain of the house of the LORD shall be established as the highest of the mountains, and shall be lifted up above the hills; and all the nations shall flow to it, 3 and many peoples shall come, and say: “Come, let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob, that he may teach us his ways and that we may walk in his paths.” For out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem. Isa 11:12, 16. He will raise a signal for the nations and will assemble the banished of Israel, and gather the dispersed of Judah from the four corners of the earth…. 16 And there will be a highway from Assyria for the remnant that remains of his people, as there was for Israel when they came up from the land of Egypt.

Isa 27:12–13. In that day from the river Euphrates to the Brook of Egypt the LORD will thresh out the grain, and you will be gleaned one by one, O people of Israel. 13 And in that day a great trumpet will be blown, and those who were lost in the land of Assyria and those who were driven out to the land of Egypt will come and worship the LORD on the holy mountain at Jerusalem. Isa 43:5–7. Fear not, for I am with you; I will bring your offspring from the east, and from the west I will gather you. 6 I will say to the north, Give up, and to the south, Do not withhold; bring my sons from afar and my daughters from the end of the earth, 7 everyone who is called by my name, whom I created for my glory, whom I formed and made.”

II. The Servant Calls the Universe to Rejoice in His Mission (49:13) The Servant Calls the Coastlands to Receive His Mission (49:1–12) God Declares the Servant’s Mission (49:1c–6) God Clarifies How Some Rulers Will Receive the Servant’s Mission (49:7) God Describes the Servant’s Mission (49:8–12) The Servant Calls the Universe to Rejoice in His Mission (49:13)