The Servant Song

It's a privilege to be with you anytime are here to worship with you and strictly privileged to open God's word this morning when wish you a Merry Christmas and what a wonderful time of year to be able to to preach and to receive God's word.

I don't know about you, but by far and away Christmas is my favorite holiday. I enjoy the time with family. It's nice to have a break from school's fund exchange gifts.

I will admit it's hard to resist the cookies but Christmas is my favorite time of year, primarily because of the song Christmas is a time of singing, even though even the world recognizes that although it singing is often different, so I'm grateful that we can be here this evening were willing to participate in lessons and carols with you. God has placed within the human soul and inclination to sing some of you do it better than others of us audibly but but there is within the human soul lay a desire to express lament and sorrow took to me used to to relate even instruction.

Certainly, praise through song. It should be no surprise to us than the Christianity is distinct among the religions of the world in its use of music. No other religion uses music like Christianity.

In fact, there are, as you know quite a few songs in the Bible itself.

The most recognizable of those course of the collection of 150 songs that we call the Psalms. So my question for us this morning in question, the Lord would have us consider is why should we sing and what should we sing about working to consider one of what are called Isaiah's servant songs and that is Isaiah 42.

The passage that we've read already this morning. When I consider this under for headings.

The first of them is this the songs context.

Every song is a context right were familiar with some of the stories of the hymns in our hymnal.

Well this song has a context, it would be good for us to consider what that is. First of all light. Why is it called a song minutes.

There's no indication at the beginning of Isaiah 42.

This is to be sung in income and meter or that there's there's no you 3444 what we know this is a song well, it's an attribution of four different passages in the later chapters of Isaiah that really is relatively recent only think in the late 1800s did people begin to call these servant songs that you're familiar with this, but the songs we find in Isaiah 42 passage with red, we find a second one in Isaiah 49 will mention it, just briefly later on the third one probably the least familiar of the four is in Isaiah 5011 and the most familiar. The one that's most often quoted in the New Testament is the servant song of the suffering servant in Isaiah 53 it actually begins in Isaiah 52 verse 13.

Why are they called servant songs well. In the latter chapters of Isaiah about 20 times. There are references to to a servant and actually it's a little bit of an interpretive puzzle because it that works servant doesn't always refer to the same person or group of people. Once I believe it refers to Isaiah himself quite a few times. It refers to the nation Israel, the people collectively but at least eight times it actually refers to a person who is beyond certainly beyond Isaiah and and beyond the nation of Israel, the servant of the Lord and that is true of our passage here this morning. The New Testament picks up this understanding. If you recall on acts eight when the Ethiopian eunuch is traveling in and that any any runs across this this evangelist and he's reading Isaiah 53 in any he welcomes them into the chair and he says you know he's he's asked, do you understand what you're reading it and he says well it is the writer speaking of himself or someone else and that man was gloriously converted and baptized that very day because of Isaiah 53 and its revelation of the Messiah.

Well, if you'll notice in verse 10 of chapter 42 in Isaiah, but notice what it says sing to the Lord a new song sing his praise from the end of the earth. If you hold your place their turn with me ahead a few chapters in notice chapter 49 verse 13. This is at the end of the second servant song and Isaiah says shout for joy, O heavens, and rejoice, O earth break forth in the joyful shouting and if you'll notice, actually the verse after the last servant song chapter 54 verse one. Notice what it says there shout for joy right so these are the songs these. These are occasions for rejoicing. Well what's what's the context well, you're familiar with the ministry of Isaiah. It it actually spanned approximately 50 years. This this assembly has been gathering for almost 50 about that length of time and Isaiah prophesied during the reigns of four different kings of Judah personally desire began his reign well but then he became proud and fell hard, he died a leper and then a relatively unknown king in Jotham and then Ahaz who was a a wicked king and then finally a very good King Hezekiah and that that spans about 50 years.

It it's it's before it starts before Israel. The northern tribes fall than they fall.

The Judah is around for another hundred years after Isaiah prophesies you, you will remember.

Isaiah being being awakened to this vision, Isaiah 6 of the throne room of God and the thrice holy God. In his responding that that he has unclean lips. How can he speak of this kind of holy God in the temple and his slips are clean in his sins's iniquities are forgiven and he's commission to to preach to prophesy, but actually it's a very sobering commission by divine intention. Isaiah's ministry was one where that the people would would listen, but not perceive they would look she's Melissa but not understand. Look but not perceive it.

Have hearts that would not be opened in the faithlessness of the of the kings like Ahaz.

During this time anticipated divine judgment of judgment that we know as Babylonian conquests in captivity hundred years in the future. At the end of of Isaiah's time prophecy still 100 years in the future, many portions. Therefore, this book of Isaiah we we think the glorious parts and what were were considering one of this morning, but many portions of Isaiah drip with a a do with a certain judgment of wrath, the holy wrath of God. To borrow a line from a Christmas song that context in which this servant song was penned was was in the bleak midwinter spiritual and yet if you turn back with me passed.

Isaiah 42 back to Isaiah 41. You'll notice in verse 10 that there is there is hope in this bleak time. Isaiah says do not fear the Lord is with you. The Lord speaking through Isaiah, I am with you, do not anxiously look about you, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, Shirley.

I will help you, surely I will hold you with my righteous right hand. He will strengthen them. He will uphold them that there is hope, there is safety, but that safety hinges on whether they will trust in the right God is Isaiah 40 to 48 say over and over and over that there is only one God, and you must put your trust in him alone.

He is the only one who is salvation illustrated this way. Among our congregation this morning that there are many categories of people. For example, many of us fit the description of the adult. Some of us in the room this morning. Some of you in the room were children. Some of us fit the category of of man.

Others of you for the other category woman. Some of you are native North Carolinians. The rest of us a few the rest of us are not. Maybe a more ambiguous differentiation is that many perhaps are our young and there are others who are mature and I better stop. Are you get the point. There categories of people and there are certain people that with all of our differences fit that category will a dominant point in Isaiah 40 to 48. Is this there is one category that is transcendent above all of them.

Its importance outranks all other categories is the category of God, and there actually is only one being who fits that category and he is the board Jehovah and I wants to see this. It's worth taking a little bit of time to actually notice this because I think it will give us the context in which to really reprise appreciate rejoicing our passage this morning to turn with me just a little bit more chapter 43 verse 11 the Lord says I even I am the Lord, and there is no Savior besides me turn another patient. Chapter 44 verse six.

Thus says the Lord, that the king of Israel, and his redeemer the Lord of hosts, I am the first and I am the last and there is no God besides me 45 versus five and six I am the Lord, and there is no other besides me there is no God.

I will gird you, though you have not known me that men may know from the rising to the setting of the sun that there is no one besides me. I am the Lord, and there is no other verse 18, chapter 45 for thus says the Lord, who created the heavens. He is the God who formed the earth and made it, he established and did not create it a waste place performed it to be inhabited. I am the Lord, and there is none else. Verse 21 declarant set forth your case. Indeed, let them consult together was announced this from of old, who is long since declared, is it not I the Lord, and there is no other God besides me a righteous God and the Savior. There is no one except me turn to me and be saved. All the ends of the earth, for I am God and there is no other last verse, chapter 46 verse nine. Remember the former things long past, for I am God and there is no other. I am God and there is no one like me, declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times, things which have not been done saying my purpose will be established and I will accomplish all my good pleasure. In other words it in in these days, and in Isaiah's day's of general apostasy of hardness of heart, to the sound of God's word the Lord is making a case for his uniqueness among and over the false gods and idols of the nations and and and idols that have been brought into and among the people of God. So if you notice now back to chapter 41 verse 21 now will get a running start into our text this morning. Notice that the Lord again speaking charges. These these idols. These false gods to present their case writes a picture courtroom Lord says all right you make your case. Verse bring forth your arguments not remember these. These are idols that the craftsmen had to create an fashion that they had to actually verse seven says that they had to fasten them with nails so they wouldn't totter you you may have some things like this in your house that they they look nice on the outside but if your guests saw what was in back of them to prop them up and keep them together. It would be a little embarrassed are these these gods there there painted their shapes their crafted but they've actually got a nail them sedated.

They can even stand upright, and so the Lord says all right make your case. One way that humans show that they cannot produce legitimate substitutes for the one true God is that we cannot predict the future and we certainly cannot make it come to pass. Did you predict everything was going to happen in your life this year and did you bring it to pass. I mean sovereignly other religions sometimes have have prophecies. It's true, but but there's conspicuously ambiguous to the Lord challenges the gods in verses 22 and 23 and and actually all that they can come up with. This is empty it's it's worthless. It's been and what that means is that all of those who choose these gods all these idolaters not only around the people of God but but among them they actually are an abomination.

Verse 24 he who chooses you is an abomination. So as Psalm 115 says they have malls, but they cannot speak their ears with the cannot see they have the eyes of the can't see their ears with the cannot hear they have noses, but they cannot smell they have hands but they cannot feel they have feet, but they cannot walk they cannot make a sound with their throat. Listen to this.

Those who make them will become like them. Everyone who trusts in them that's that's what's going on here in Isaiah. What are you trusting in not just the surrounding nations but but you, the suppose it people of God.

Israel particularly here in these in the southern tribes of Judah. Who are you trusting in Paul explains in Romans one idolatry lies at the heart of sin we we we exchange worship of the Creator for worship of the creature. We start to worship something with in the system with with with in creation instead of the creator who is sovereign over the creation brought into being. We may painted up we make it look nice. We may prop it up so that it seems to bring us some luck but it is no God there's only one being who fits that category idols are false not only because they are carved graven images but even more so because the gods they represent. Don't actually exist. And so in response to that they've made their case and there is no case to make. And so the Lord says all right now I'm to make my case and he and he gets to evidences two pieces of evidence to examples that that he brings out to make this case that he alone is God. The first one we see in chapter 41 verse 25 he says I have aroused one from the north and he is come for the rising of the sun. He will call on my name and he will come upon rulers is upon mortar even as the potter treads Clay when we don't have time to explore all of this, but we find out in chapter 44 verse 28 he's actually named this is Cyrus talking about 100 5060 or so years in the future and and he's named one from the north we don't know that Cyrus worship the Lord is the one true God.

We we do know that Cyrus speaks of the Lord, appointing him in Ezra chapter 1 verse two, he says, thus says Cyrus king of Persia, the Lord, the God of heaven has given me all the kingdoms of the earth and he has appointed me to build him a house in Jerusalem which is in Judah. No one else can bring history to pass like this but but that's not all. Cyrus interestingly is is called a shepherd at the end of chapter 44. He's actually called a a Messiah, she asked the anointed one at the beginning of chapter 45, but that's that's not even the main point.

We find that in chapter 42 verse one behold my servant, whom I uphold is the similarity with the end of chapter 41 verse 29 behold all of them are false. Their works are worthless their molten images are wind and empty emptiness contrast. Behold my servant, whom I uphold not only is there good news of a shepherd who who would who would send will of God, a remnant back to rebuild the temple, post-exile, 539 BC, but the Lord has a servant whom any eternity he has covenanted with to deliver all his people from the bondage so much deeper than captivity. The bondage of our sin. Only the Lord of the true God could independently enter time and accomplish salvation.

In this way that this is what he's claiming, I am the one true God, and you'll know it because I have a servant, and he will come and he will deliver his people from there's the Lord distinguishes himself in many ways, not the least of which is that he declares the end from the beginning and then he brings it to pass.

Idols cannot do that. The glory belongs to the Lord alone.

Secondly, first we saw the songs context. Secondly, let's consider the servant's character and calling the servant's character and calling verses one through four, we see that the servant has unique relationships. He has a unique relationship with the Lord himself. He says my servant whom I'm up I uphold, my chosen one. My my electric one in whom my soul delights. This idea of upholding this is not the same ideas as having uphold hold up the. The graven image okay or else it would taught her the idea is I hold him up.

I I hold onto. He's mine.

This is my servant which were together in this and in this isn't this isn't just a transactional relationship.

This isn't just some sort of business agreement that they teamed up for a while now. He says this is one in whom my soul fights God the father pronounces this kind of delight in Jesus the son in Matthew, Rudy was baptized, behold, my beloved son in whom I am well pleased.

And at the Transfiguration same thing.

It's picking up on the idea of this verse, we tend to think of the son of God humbling himself to serve us, and he has some of our our Christmas Carol speak of that wonderful reality but foundational even said that ministry is that God the son served his father. He is the servant of whom he is the servant of the Lord. He's the Lord's servant. He emptied himself by taking the form of a servant was made in the likeness of men. And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross, he became obedient under whom his father is the servant of the Lord in whom the Lord delights. We know that this is not just talking about Israel. Certainly not talking about Isaiah. It's not talking about Cyrus.

We know that because this is quoted in the New Testament will take the time to look at Matthew 12 verses 18 to 21 quotes these first four verses of this this passage is not only did the father delight in this servant.

He's loved by the father. He's bestowed with the Holy Spirit. There is a tribunal relationship right here in these opening verses. Look what it says I've put my spirit upon him is picks up a theme. Isaiah had introduced in in chapter 11, then a shoot will spring from the stem of Jesse, and a branch from his roots will bear fruit.

The spirit of the Lord will rest on him. It's picked up again later in Isaiah 61 is the spirit of the Lord is upon him.

We know that that was fulfilled in Jesus. Jesus himself tells us so there was in the synagogue and they headed in the scrawl in any opened it up to Isaiah 61 and he read the first verse and 1/2 or so and then he rolled back up and he said this day Scripture has been fulfilled in your he's got not only unique relationships but a unique ministry. Notice what he will do and what he will not do, he will bring forth justice to the nations. He will not cry out, or raise his voice or make his voice heard in the street. A bruised reed he will not break it. Smoking flax. He will not extinguish. He will faithfully bring forth justice. He will not be disheartened or crushed. He will establish justice in the earth. This servant doesn't dominate as a typical ruler would do has done.

He doesn't advertise himself. He isn't dismissive of the poor and the week he doesn't break a bruised reed those who are inherently weak and then on top of that are beaten about by the wind.

Does that sound familiar to you. Does to my own soul. The servant is not glory in impressive people in an impressive things. This servant has a kingdom that belongs to those who are poor in spirit, and who mourn, he says come to me all who are weary and heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

The servant will face great adversity, but he will not wither or be crushed. One commentator says the point is plain.

Like the child us a child is born, the child in chapter 9. In the branch in chapter 11 God's answer to the oppressors of the world is not more oppression, nor is his answer to arrogance, more arrogance. It's not just the shift in power. It's it's not just a new dynasty. It's not just overpowering but the previous he will rather in quietness, humility and simplicity. He will take all of the evil into himself and return only grace. This is power.

This is the servant.

This is the way the Lord shows his exclusive identity and he has a unique achievement. He is going to bring forth. He's going to establish justice in our world. Of course, is still crying out for for the reign of the Messiah perfectly in person on the earth but but Romans does tell us in that first chapter pulses. I'm not ashamed of the gospel for it's the power of God in salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.

For in it the righteousness of God has been revealed, the righteousness, the justice of God is revealed in the gospel. The gospel of the Messiah. Ultimately, the Lord servant will bring wholeness and peace to the earth forever, but already he has brought justice he's brought in person he's paid for. He's earned it. He grants it to all who would believe only the Lord can do this. Thirdly, not only do we see this context and the servants calling we see the Lord's covenant commitments in verses five through nine verse five is you'll notice transitions. Thus says God, the Lord, who created the heavens and stretch them out to spread out the earth and its offspring, who gives birth to the people on the spirit in spirit to those who walk in it. Now he turns instead of addressing us. He turns to address the servant, he says I the Lord.

I have called you in righteousness. We see that he reiterates in verse five. His identity, he's the one who created the heavens.

He spread them out salon similarities to passage were pretty familiar with in Isaiah 40 he's the one. It covers the land with grass. He's the one who animates and gives life we scurry around Christmas time to buying presents and and and and and making things and and in traveling and and and trying to trying to to have the life experience the life of of Christmas time. But who gives us life who sustains us, who brought us into the world. We see in verses six and seven that the Lord reveals his covenant of redemption. What the servant accomplishes is the Lord's doing. Notice how he says over and over.

I will I will I will. He deserves full credit. The servant is not left isolated to to carry out this redemptive mission. This is this is actually the work of the triune God. The Lord commits to this he commits to accompany the servant, he says, I will hold you hold your hand the commits to safeguarding him. I will watch over you.

I will keep you he commits to ensuring his success. I've appointed you for this. This will be accomplished. Theologians refer to this as the covenant of redemption. 1658, Congregationalist Puritans, like John Owen and Thomas Goodwin wrote this in something called the Savoie declaration, it pleased God in his eternal purpose to choose and ordain the Lord Jesus, his only begotten son, according to a covenant made between them both to be the mediator between God and man the prophet, priest and king. The head and savior of his church, the heir of all things, and judge of the world. This servant verse six tells us is going to be the covenant to the people. It's not just that the Messiah is is part of God's covenant. They they entered into the members of the Trinity into a covenant of redemption, but he actually then is the covenant he's the fulfillment of God's promises to his people. He is the seed of Abraham, in whom all the families of the earth will be blessed.

He is the righteousness of the Mosaic law demands. He is the shoot from the stem of Jesse, who establishes David's seed in kingdom and throne forever. The night of his betrayal and arrest Jesus Christ said this is the new covenant in my blood. I am the new covenant to you. He said earlier that night on the way the truth and the life no man comes to the father but by me. He's a covenant of the people think. This is talking about that the people of Israel because in chapter 49 there's the same contrast, the people of Israel but then also the Gentiles are to come to momentarily check 49 verse six says it's too small a thing that you should be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob and restore the preserved ones of Israel, how could the Lord say it's too small a thing, to fulfill my promises to Israel because he's going to do even more than that. He says I will make you also a light of the nation, so that my salvation may reach to the end of the earth. He is a light to the nations.

Its undeniable proof that this servant came and accomplish the Lord's will. The only true God.

Its undeniable proof because were sitting here this morning. Most of us are not Jews or Gentiles in a land far far away.

2700 years after these words were written were sitting here. We stood a few months ago and we saying praise to this servant to this Lord. He is a light to the nations. This isn't the kind of light that you know sort of adds ambience, but isn't really necessary. The world cannot squint and make out the truth, much less accomplish it, by nature, we are prisoners in a pitch black dungeon of our own sin were dead in our trespasses and sins, we are children of wrath. We have no hope this servant.

This Messiah came to preach the gospel to the poor, to proclaim release to captives.

Recovery of sight to the blind, to set free those who are oppressed, Christ did not come to call those who think they are righteous. He came to call sinners to repent. In other words, this servant is a deliverer. He is a savior for all nations and we are living testimony of that this morning. The Lord is going to reassert his exclusivity in verses eight and nine. Notice what he says I am the Lord.

That is my name. The Lord sounds to us like a title you understands this is his covenant name right. Jehovah. He says I will not give my glory to another, nor my praise to graven images. The hold notice he's bringing us back to the larger context with that word, that word that wheat we saw at the end of chapter 41 beginning of this chapter.

Behold, pay attention, wake up, listen up. The former things have come to pass is remarkable. He's speaking as if the former things of of Cyrus have have already come to pass, even though there there yet hundred 60 years in the future. Now, I declare new things. Speaking of the work of the servant before they spring forth I proclaim them to you.

This is exclusive sovereignty. This is exclusive glory. No other God has such a servant.

No other God has made such a covenant.

No other God accomplishes such a deliverance, not even for worthy supporters that will jump on your bandwagon now know this God accomplished this salvation for rebels for prisoners. For those who are dead in their trespasses and sins.

The world this is is full of supposed gods. It was full. Then it's for now. The stage mean people can't move around that they can even do their own thing that they can't show their stuff because the six stages so full of God.

It's it's so full of of rivals.

People are are are pushing and and and and shoving it that they're trying to exalt that their way to success. The Lord promises that this servant will succeed. And of course we know today that he has the Lord will not share this glory with another, the glory of Christmas is not public domain. Praise belongs to this triune God alone. There is no other God. There is no one else worthy of worship. No one it's not just empty. It's it's abominable in the words of our text, and so we we come finally around full circle circle to where we began. Verse 10 I will respond. All this loosing sing to the Lord a new song, saying his praise from the end of the earth. The Lord prevails that the mighty man in verse 13 that the warrior he he prevails.

This seemingly low lease seed of of Eve crushes the head of the serpent, we see a joyful response we see a universal response made me notice it calls on on those who go down to the sea.

It calls to two islands and those who dwell on them.

It calls to the wilderness and its cities to these two these village settlements and Kedar let them shout for joy at the top of the mountains. I think you understand this is not an exhaustive list. You know that that the 72,000 people it for this particular these particular descriptions are the ones who are supposed to say this. This is representative. The point is universal.

God has done this so that people will truly worship him, so it so that people will recognize that he alone is the true God that he alone is worthy God has has told us what he's going to do 100 years before several hundred years before he did it and that is accomplish it. Why so that we would truly worship him, so it will sing his praise so that we will forsake all other false gods. Think of all of the joy filled Christmas carols and anthems that have been written by Gentiles from all across the globe. Psalm 90 80 sing to the Lord a new song, for he has done wonderful things. His right hand and his holy arm have gained the victory for him.

The Lord has made known his salvation he has revealed his righteousness notices he has revealed his righteousness in the sight of nations he has remembered his lovingkindness and his faithfulness to the house of Israel all the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God shout joyfully to the Lord, all the earth break forth and sing for joy and saying praises my friends Christmas is the celebration of the miraculous virgin birth of this servant who is Christ the Lord. Mary and Joseph named him Jesus. Why, for he will save his people from theirs. Only the one true God could declare the servant's character and the servants calling hundreds of years before he was born. I don't know who all I'm speaking to.

I know some of you if you're sitting here today still imprisoned in your sin, that there is no other God turned that there is no other hope it really is that bleak. Only the Lord has the words of life. He proclaimed member reread it a few moments ago he proclaimed turned to me and be saved. All the ends of the earth, for I am God and there is no other. The words of this servant song certainly are glad tidings of great joy which shall be for all people. It's certainly something, therefore, that we should sing about May the Lord enable studies was well in prayer. Heavenly father, thank you for setting your son, the Lord Jesus Christ before us today from this portion of your word. We are we are thrilled we are challenged, we are astounded we are puzzled. There are so many aspects of this that our human minds cannot fully understand and yet heavenly father we know that you are honored when we receive these things by faith and we are blessed when we do so, or father, send your spirit to enable everyone here today to lay hold of this servant the servant of the Lord by faith to the saving of their souls under the blessing of their lives.

We pray in Jesus name