Why did My Savior Come to Earth? God’s Suffering Servant in Isaiah

Two Anointed … Two Servants  Israel was to be God’s Servant… Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be mine own possession from among all peoples: for all the earth is mine: 6 and ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and a holy nation. – Ex. 19:5-6  Israel failed and went after other god’s (42:18-20). They had become a “blind servant”… to captivity they would go!

Two Anointed … Two Servants  Cyrus, the servant of Jehovah, would be raised up to allow their return (45:1-6).  Both Israel and Cyrus point toward the ideal Servant: Jesus Christ.  The Messiah (anointed) would keep God’s covenant, be the perfect high priest, and free God’s people from the spiritual bondage of sin (52:13 – 53:12)

My Servant, My Chosen – 42:1-9  Endowed with the Spirit - For he whom God hath sent speaketh the words of God: for he giveth not the Spirit by measure.” (John 3:34)  His Mission: “…that the Gentiles are fellow- heirs, and fellow-members of the body, and fellow-partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel,” (Eph. 3:4-6)  Method: “bruised reed not break” (Jn.18:33)  His Success: “If I be lifted up…will draw all men unto myself” (Jn. 12:32) Four Servant Songs

A Light to the Gentiles – 49:4-7  V. 6 “…It is too light a thing that thou shouldest be my servant…. and to restore the preserved of Israel: I will also give thee for a light to the Gentiles, that thou mayest be my salvation unto the end of the earth.” Acts 13:47 “For so hath the Lord commanded us, saying, I have set thee for a light of the Gentiles, That thou shouldest be for salvation unto the uttermost part of the earth. 48 And as the Gentiles heard this, they were glad, and glorified the word of God:…” Four Servant Songs

A Prophet Smitten – 50:4-11  V. 4, “The Lord Jehovah hath given me the tongue…”  John 7:16, “…My teaching is not mine, but his that sent me.”  v.6 – Shame and spitting (Mt. 26:27, 68)  Mt. 27:27-31 Four Servant Songs

The Suffering Servant 52:13-15 – The Servant’s Destiny “sprinkle” = that of blood: atone, purify 53:1-3 - His Career: “we esteemed him not” (John 1:11, …his own received him not, yet the remnant did, Rom. 10:16ff) 53:4-6 – His Suffering (Rom. 5:6-11) 53:7-9 – The Servant’s Submission (Heb. 10:4-10) 53:10-12 – Servant’s Reward (Col. 2:15) Four Servant Songs

Have This Mind in You…  To triumph with Jesus, every soul must have the same spirit that characterized him. “…who, existing in the form of God, counted not the being on an equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, being made in the likeness of men; 8 and being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, becoming obedient even unto death, yea, the death of the cross. 9 Wherefore also God highly exalted him, and gave unto him the name which is above every name;” – Phil. 2:5-9