1. Celebrating the Servant-Savior
The Gospel of Isaiah
Jason S. DeRouchie, PhD
Professor of Old Testament and Biblical Theology
Bethlehem College & Seminary
Bethlehem Baptist Church, spring 2018

2. ISAIAH 52:13–53:12 The Servant’s Global Exaltation and Reward through Substitutionary Suffering
I. Yahweh Foresees His Servant’s Global Exaltation through Substitutionary Suffering (52:13–15) II. The Prophet Describes the Servant’s Substitutionary Suffering (53:1–10) A. The Servant’s Divine-Human Nature and Homeliness (vv. 1–2) B. The Servant’s Experience of Suffering (53:3) C. The Substitutionary Nature of the Servant’s Suffering (53:4–6) B’. The Servant’s Humble Response to His Suffering (53:7) A’. The Human and Divine Perspective on His Suffering (53:8–10) III. Yahweh Promises to Reward His Servant’s Substitutionary Suffering with the Prize of a Global People (53:11–12)

3. The Divine Perspective (v. 10)
Yahweh’s desire for the Servant’s suffering
Luke 22:22. For the Son of Man goes as it has been determined, but woe to that man by whom he is betrayed!” (Cf. 24:26.)
Acts 4:27–28. For truly in this city there were gathered together against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, along with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel, 28 to do whatever your hand and your plan had predestined to take place. (Cf. 2:23.) .

4. Yahweh’s purpose for the Servant’s suffering
The condition: If you offer as a guilt offering his soul …
Lev 6:2–7. If anyone sins and commits a breach of faith against the LORD …, 5 he shall restore it in full and shall add a fifth to it, and give it to him to whom it belongs on the day he realizes his guilt. 6 And he shall bring to the priest as his compensation to the LORD a ram without blemish out of the flock, or its equivalent for a guilt offering. 7 And the priest shall make atonement for him before the LORD, and he shall be forgiven for any of the things that one may do and thereby become guilty. .

5. Yahweh’s purpose for the Servant’s suffering
The condition: If you offer as a guilt offering his soul …
The result: Then …
He shall see offspring;
He shall prolong days;
The will of Yahweh will prosper through him.
Implication 1: Resurrection!
Luke 24:46. Thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead.
1 Cor 15:4. He was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures. .

6. Yahweh’s purpose for the Servant’s suffering
The condition: If you offer as a guilt offering his soul …
The goal: Then …
He shall see offspring;
He shall prolong days;
The will of Yahweh will prosper through him.
Implication 1: Resurrection!
Implication 2: Christ had motivation to endure!
Heb 12:2. [Look] to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. .

7. Yahweh’s purpose for the Servant’s suffering
The condition: If you offer as a guilt offering his soul …
The goal: Then …
He shall see offspring;
He shall prolong days;
The will of Yahweh will prosper through him.
Implication 1: Resurrection!
Implication 2: Christ had motivation to endure!
Heb 12:2. [Look] to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. .

8. He shall see offspring
Heb 2:10. For it was fitting that [God], for whom and by whom all things exist, in bringing many sons to glory, should make the founder of their salvation perfect through suffering.
Offspring of God’s Servant, Israel the person
Isa 45:25. In the LORD all the offspring of Israel shall be justified and shall glory.
Isa 49:3, 6. And he said to me, “You are my servant, Israel, in whom I will be glorified.” … 6 It is too light a thing that you should be my 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 .

9. Offspring of Abraham in Christ
Gal 3:16, 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…. 29 And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s offspring, heirs according to promise.
Children of Jerusalem that is above
Gal 4:26–27. But the Jerusalem above is free, and she is our mother. 27 For it is written, “Rejoice, O barren one who does not bear; break forth and cry aloud, you who ware not in labor! For the children of the desolate one will be more than those of the one who has a husband.” (Cf. Isa 54:1 with 2–3.) .

10. He shall prolong days
Deut 17:18–20. And when [the king] sits on the throne of his kingdom, he shall write for himself in a book a copy of this law, approved by the Levitical priests. 19 And it shall be with him, and he shall read in it all the days of his life, that he may learn to fear the LORD his God by keeping all the words of this law and these statutes, and doing them, 20 that his heart may not be lifted up above his brothers, and that he may not turn aside from the commandment, either to the right hand or to the left, so that he may continue long in his kingdom, he and his children, in Israel.
2 Sam 7:16. And your house and your kingdom shall be made sure forever before me. Your throne shall be established forever. .

11. Ps 21:4[5]. He asked life of you; you gave it to him, length of days forever and ever. (Cf. Ps 16:10 with Acts 2:25–28 and 13:35.)
Rev 11:15. The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he shall reign forever and ever. .

12. The will of the LORD will prosper through him
Isa 42:4. He will not grow faint or be discouraged till he has established justice in the earth; and the coastlands wait for his law.
Isa 49:6. It is too light a thing that you should be my 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.
Isa 50:7–9. But the Lord GOD helps me; therefore I have not been disgraced; therefore I have set my face like a flint, and I know that I shall not be put to shame. 8 He who vindicates me is near. Who will contend with me? Let us stand up together. Who is my adversary? Let him come near to me. 9 Behold, the Lord GOD helps me; who will declare me guilty? Behold, all of them will wear out like a garment; the moth will eat them up.
John 17:14. I glorified you on earth, having accomplished the work that you gave me to do. .

13. ISAIAH 52:13–53:12 The Servant’s Global Exaltation and Reward through Substitutionary Suffering
I. Yahweh Foresees His Servant’s Global Exaltation through Substitutionary Suffering (52:13–15) II. The Prophet Describes the Servant’s Substitutionary Suffering (53:1–10) III. Yahweh Promises to Reward His Servant’s Substitutionary Suffering with the Prize of a Global People (53:11–12)

14. Yahweh Promises to Reward His Servant’s Substitutionary Suffering with the Prize of a Global People (53:11–12)
The reason for his reward (53:11)
His suffering leads to known future satisfaction.
Heb 12:2. [Look] to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.

15. The definition of his satisfaction: the great exchange with “the many”
Some of God’s earlier promises:
Isa 1:27. Zion shall be redeemed by justice and those in her who repent by righteousness.
Isa 45:25. In the LORD all the offspring of Israel shall be justified and shall glory.
Isa 46:13. I bring near my righteousness; it is not far off, and my salvation will not delay; I will put salvation in Zion for Israel my glory.
Isa 51:5. My righteousness draws near, my salvation has gone out, and my arms will judge the peoples; the coastlands hope for me, and for my arm they wait. (Cf. 50:8 with 53:1.)
See also Isa 49:8; cf. 2 Cor 5:21–6:2

16. The definition of his satisfaction: the great exchange with “the many”
Some of God’s earlier promises
Fulfillment:
Matt 20:28. The Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.
Rom 5:15, 19. But the free gift is not like the trespass. For if many died through one man’s trespass, much more have the grace of God and the free gift by the grace of that one man Jesus Christ abounded for many…. 19 For as by the one man’s disobedience the many were made sinners, so by the one man’s obedience the many will be made righteous.
Cf. 2 Cor 5:21–6:2 with Isa 49:8; Phil 3:8–9; Tit 3:5–7; 1 John 1:9–21

17. The nature of his reward (53:12)
The makeup of his reward declared (53:12ab).
Isa 53:12ab (DeRouchie): Therefore I will give a share to him in the many, and strong ones he shall apportion as spoil.
John 6:37. All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out.
Eph 1:4–5. In love 5 he predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, 6 to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved. (Cf. Isa 44:2 LXX.)
Isa 44:1–3. But now hear, O Jacob my servant, Israel whom I have chosen! 2 Thus says the LORD who made you, who formed you from the womb and will help you: Fear not, O Jacob my servant, Jeshurun [LXX = “Beloved Israel”] whom I have chosen. 3 For I will pour water on the thirsty land, and streams on the dry ground; I will pour my Spirit upon your offspring, and my blessing on your descendants.

18. The basis of his reward restated (53:12c–f)
He poured out his soul to death. Phil 2:8–9. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. 9 Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name. (Cf. 52:13.)
He was numbered with the transgressors.
Luke 22:37. I tell you that this Scripture must be fulfilled in me: “And he was numbered with the transgressors.” For what is written about me has its fulfillment.
2 Cor 5:21. For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

19. He makes intercession for transgression.
He bore the sins of many. Rom 5:19. For as by the one man’s disobedience the many were made sinners, so by the one man’s obedience the many will be made righteous.
He makes intercession for transgression.
Rom 8:34. Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised— who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us.
1 John 2:1. My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.