The Servant of the LORD in Isaiah

2019-12-25

There is strong objection among Jewish scholars that the LORD’s servant could possibly be Jesus. Isaiah 53 very much parallels Jesus life as the suffering servant that sacrificially on behalf of His people. They rightly reference that this servant is called Jacob or Israel in previous chapters. Is it that simple, however? Look at the following passage:

Listen, O isles, unto me; and hearken, ye people, from far; The LORD hath called me from the womb; from the bowels of my mother hath he made mention of my name. (2) And he hath made my mouth like a sharp sword; in the shadow of his hand hath he hid me, and made me a polished shaft; in his quiver hath he hid me; (3) And said unto me, Thou art my servant, O Israel, in whom I will be glorified. (4) Then I said, I have laboured in vain, I have spent my strength for nought, and in vain: yet surely my judgment is with the LORD, and my work with my God. (5) And now, saith the LORD that formed me from the womb to be his servant, to bring Jacob again to him, Though Israel be not gathered, yet shall I be glorious in the eyes of the LORD, and my God shall be my strength. (6) And he said, It is a light thing that thou shouldest be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob, 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. (7) Thus saith the LORD, the Redeemer of Israel, and his Holy One, to him whom man despiseth, to him whom the nation abhorreth, to a servant of rulers, Kings shall see and arise, princes also shall worship, because of the LORD that is faithful, and the Holy One of Israel, and he shall choose thee. (Isaiah 49:1-7)
  1. This servant is speaking in the first person here. This servant said that He was called by the LORD to be His servant.
  2. This servant’s mouth is like a sharp sword. Just like Jesus (Revelation 19:15).
  3. This servant is called Israel. It is undeniable that this servant is called Israel.
  4. This servant will glorify the name of the LORD. Nobody glorified God like Jesus who took away the sins of the world.
  5. This servant will gather Israel again. Now wait a minute... how will this servant Israel gather Israel? This servant must be someone distinct from the nation of Israel. The servant Israel is a person who is going to bring the diaspora of Israel again.
  6. This servant will also be a light to the Gentiles. The book of Acts shows how Gentiles turned to the real God from idols, and this continues today.

From this passage, we see that this servant Israel must be distinct from the nation Israel, because the nation Israel was to be saved by the servant Israel.