Jehovah's Servant (2)

by R.A. Parker, Stoke-on-Trent, England | Category: Jehovah's Servant | Jul 1994

There can be little doubt that the first eight verses of Isaiah 49 refer to the Lord Jesus as the Lord's Servant. Before He was born He was named Jesus; when He was born He was so called. His mouth was made like a sharp sword. Only He could answer to the polished shaft who had been hidden in the Father's quiver, but now sent out from Him on a mission. So too do the words, "Thou art My Servant; Israel in whom I will be glorified", apply to the Lord Jesus. The nation of Israel had failed the Lord miserably. In Isaiah's day, Israel as a nation was on the slippery slope into captivity because of disobedience. They should have served the Lord according to His will. So now Isaiah in his true prophetic style writes of events concerning the Lord Jesus as though they had already happened. He identifies "My Servant", God's only begotten Son as the true Israel in whom, said God, "I will be glorified".

The Wrestler:

We need to go back to Genesis 32 to enjoy the truth and grasp the importance of the Lord's name as Israel. Jacob was to meet his brother Esau. Because he had taken the birthright from Esau, Jacob was greatly afraid and distressed (v.7). He purposed in his heart that a present would appease Esau (v.20) so he sent it on before him. When night came, he also sent over the ford of Jabbok, (which means emptying - pouring Out) his two wives, two handmaids, and eleven children. We should note the order: he took them, and sent them over the stream, and sent over all that he had (v.23). In other words, everything. So Jacob, the Supplanter, was alone. In that condition a man wrestled with another Man that night until the break of day. The other Man says, "Let Me go, for the day breaketh". Jacob says, "I will not let Thee go except Thou bless me". "What is thy name?" - "Jacob". "Thy name shall be called no more Jacob but Israel" (v.28).

The name Israel has a double meaning as can be seen from the Revised Version margin notes: "He who striveth with God, or God striveth". In the Authorized Version the word striveth is "princely power". Not only did Jacob strive in the night with God and prevail, but God also strove and prevailed, so that the Person who wrestled with Jacob, described as a man, was God whose name is Israel.

There are three places on earth where the true Israel wrestled with God and with man.

Gethsemane - striving with God:

In the garden of the olive presses, we see the Lord's Servant striving with God, not using His princely power against God but rather striving with the will of God. Three times over, the emptied Man steadfastly repeated the words, "Not My will, but Thine be done". Striving with God and prevailing in the night watches:

'Tis midnight, and from all removed

The Saviour wrestles 'lone with fears;

E'en that disciple whom He loved

Heeds not his Master's grief and tears.

Gabbatha - God striveth:

Can there ever be a more rewarding contemplation than to consider the Man who stood before the chief priests and elders in the night of the betrayal, emptied and poured out, striving to fulfil the Word of God. Wrestling now to be silent when they spit upon Him, blindfold Him, buffet, scourge, pluck the hair from His cheeks, crown Him with thorns and mock and taunt Jehovah's Servant:

He was oppressed, yet He humbled Himself and opened not His mouth; as a lamb that is led to the slaughter, and as a sheep that before her shearers is dumb; yea, He opened not His mouth (Is. 53:7).

Truly God striving with men and prevailing at the place of the Pavement.

Golgotha:

Finally, at the place of the skull, His judgement taken away, we see the mighty Wrestler unto blood, striving against sin (Heb. 12:3,4). Charles

Wesley's lovely hymn captures the theme:

He left His Father's throne above,

So free, so infinite His grace,

Emptied Himself and came in love,

And bled for Adam's helpless race.

The Reward:

In Genesis 32:29 we read that Jacob, now Israel, was blessed, but his reward is not revealed. For this information we must go to Genesis 35:9 where God appeared to Jacob again, confirming his new name and spelling out the reward which he obtained when he wrestled with the true Israel during the night and prevailed. If God so blessed Jacob for his wrestling, how much more has He rewarded His Servant for His wrestling in the days of His flesh?

He shall see His seed, He shall prolong His days, and the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in His hand. He shall see of the travail of His soul and shall be satisfied (Is. 53:10,11).

And what shall we say concerning the revelation of that future day when foreknown and foreordained persons are conformed to the image of His Son that He might be the Firstborn (the preeminent One) among many brethren (Rom. 8:29)?

We too are wrestlers (Eph. 6:12) and for our wrestling here there are to be rewards there. Let us consider Him then who resisted unto blood, striving against sin, that we wax not weary, fainting in our souls (Heb. 12:34).

R.A. Parker, Stoke-on-Trent, England | Jul 1994
Jehovah's Servant