Thus says the Lord:
“Where is your mother's certificate of divorce,
with which I sent her away?
Or which of my creditors is it
to whom I have sold you?
Behold, for your iniquities you were sold,
and for your transgressions your mother was sent away.
2 Why, when I came, was there no man;
why, when I called, was there no one to answer?
Is my hand shortened, that it cannot redeem?
Or have I no power to deliver?
Behold, by my rebuke I dry up the sea,
I make the rivers a desert;
their fish stink for lack of water
and die of thirst.
3 I clothe the heavens with blackness
and make sackcloth their covering.”
4 The Lord God has given me
the tongue of those who are taught,
that I may know how to sustain with a word
him who is weary.
Morning by morning he awakens;
he awakens my ear
to hear as those who are taught.
5 The Lord God has opened my ear,
and I was not rebellious;
I turned not backward.
6 I gave my back to those who strike,
and my cheeks to those who pull out the beard;
I hid not my face
from disgrace and spitting.
7 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.
10 Who among you fears the Lord
and obeys the voice of his servant?
Let him who walks in darkness
and has no light
trust in the name of the Lord
and rely on his God.
11 Behold, all you who kindle a fire,
who equip yourselves with burning torches!
Walk by the light of your fire,
and by the torches that you have kindled!
This you have from my hand:
you shall lie down in torment. Isaiah 50 ESV
Isaiah 50: 4-11 The Servants Obedience
4-9. The tongue of those who are taught - We come to God as babes, and yet so many assume they are learned before their time. The disciples walked with Christ, learned from Him, and Paul, though devout in his studies as a Jew, a Pharisee's Pharisee, a man of rank, when his name was Saul, yet had to be born again and taught by the Spirit. He trained Timothy and always pointed him back to the word. The book of Acts is full of defense and presentation of the gospel, always taking it's listener back to the prophets, to Abraham, and the acts of God in Scripture, all that which pointed to the Messiah, Jesus, Whom they now proclaimed. Christ spent many hours alone, sought the Father daily, walked with Him, listened to Him.
14Remind the believers of these things, charging them before God to avoid quarreling over words, which succeeds only in leading the listeners to ruin. 15Make every effort to present yourself approved to God, an unashamed workman who accurately handles the word of truth. 16But avoid irreverent, empty chatter, which will only lead to more ungodliness,… 2 Timothy 2: 14-16
Him who is weary - Those that mourn over their sin, are tired of chasing a righteousness that cannot be found by works of the flesh. It is the most overlooked blessing, to rightfully apply the Word, in season, and pronounce the gospel to a tired and thirsty soul. If there is anything we should not want to twist, it is the life giving message of the gospel; it is God's word.
…14How then can they call on the One in whom they have not believed? And how can they believe in the One of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone to preach? 15And how can they preach unless they are sent? As it is written: “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!” 16But not all of them welcomed the good news. For Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed our message?”… Romans 10: 14-16
The Lord God has opened My ear - The request to remain, the willful submission of the Servant.
If, after the six years of servitude, a servant wished to make a life-long commitment to his master – in light of the master’s goodness and his blessings for the servant – he could, through this ceremony, make a life-long commitment to his master. This was a commitment not motivated by debt or obligation, only love for the master.
ii. In the ceremony, the servant’s ear would be pierced – opened – with an awl, in the presence of witnesses – then, he shall serve him for ever (Exodus 21:5-6). Psalm 40:6 also speaks of this ceremony taking place between the Father and the Son, where the Psalmist speaks prophetically for the Messiah: Sacrifice and offering You did not desire; my ears You have opened. Jesus was a perfect bond-slave to the Father (Philippians 2:7). - Guzik
I gave my back to those who strike - Chose to.
15And wishing to satisfy the crowd, Pilate released Barabbas to them. But he had Jesus flogged, and handed Him over to be crucified. 16Then the soldiers led Jesus away into the palace (that is, the Praetorium) and called the whole company together. 17They dressed Him in a purple robe, twisted together a crown of thorns, and set it on His head.…
…18And they began to salute Him: “Hail, King of the Jews!” 19 They kept striking His head with a staff and spitting on Him. And they knelt down and bowed before Him. 20After they had mocked Him, they removed the purple robe and put His own clothes back on Him. Then they led Him out to crucify Him.… Mark 15: 15-20
i. There is no specific mention in the gospels of those who plucked out the beard of Jesus as part of His pre-crucifixion suffering, but from this passage in Isaiah we know it happened. What terrible agony Jesus endured! It is even more than what the gospel writers explain to us! “We have before us the language of prophecy, but it is as accurate as though it had been written at the moment of the event. Isaiah might have been one of the Evangelists, so exactly does he describe what our Savior endured.” (Spurgeon)
ii. “He suffered the deepest humiliation, for to pluck out the hair (of the beard) and to cover someone’s face with spit was, according to Near-Eastern concepts, the most humiliating suffering that could be inflicted upon a man.” (Bultema)
I hid not my face -
iii. “Many of us could give to Christ all our health and strength, and all the money we have, very heartily and cheerfully; but when it comes to a point of reputation we feel the pinch. To be slandered, to have some filthy thing said of you; this is too much for flesh and blood. You seem to say, ‘I cannot be made a fool of, I cannot bear to be regarded as a mere impostor;’ but a true servant of Christ must make himself of no reputation when he takes upon himself the work of his Lord. Our blessed Master was willing to be scoffed at by the lewdest and the lowest of men.” (Spurgeon)
Therefore I have not been disgraced - He has chosen to be obedient even unto death, He is the only One Who could ever cry, "unfair", and it hold infinitely true. He trusted the Father, held fast to His words, He knew God would not leave His Holy One forsaken.
…8We are hard pressed on all sides, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; 9persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed. 10We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body.… 2 Corinthians 4: 8-10
Therefore I have set My face like a flint - There is the goal, the tape at the end of the race, fixed upon the prize, and He cannot be detoured.
…6For I am already being poured out like a drink offering, and the time of my departure is at hand. 7I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. 8From now on there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day—and not only to me, but to all who crave His appearing.… 2 Timothy 4: 6-8
He Who vindicates me is near, who will contend with Me - His confidence is in God, and we must rest assured of that same confidence through Him.
…30And those He predestined, He also called; those He called, He also justified; those He justified, He also glorified. 31What then shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? 32He who did not spare His own Son but gave Him up for us all, how will He not also, along with Him, freely give us all things?… Romans 8: 30-32
10-11. Who among you fears the Lord -
…9Instruct a wise man, and he will be wiser still; teach a righteous man, and he will increase his learning. 10The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.11For through wisdom your days will be multiplied, and years will be added to your life.… Proverbs 9: 9-11
And obeys the voice of His Servant -
14If you ask Me for anything in My name, I will do it. 15If you love Me, you will keep My commandments. 16And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Advocate to be with you forever—… John 14: 14-16
Let him who walks in darkness -
…12For it is shameful even to mention what the disobedient do in secret. 13 But everything exposed by the light becomes visible, for everything that is illuminated becomes a light itself. 14So it is said: “Wake up, O sleeper, rise up from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.”…
…15Pay careful attention, then, to how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, 16redeeming the time, because the days are evil. 17Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is.… Ephesians 5: 12-17
…6If we say we have fellowship with Him yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. 7But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin. 8If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.… 1 John 1: 6-8
Behold, all you who kindle a fire - Jesus said, "I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life, no one comes to the Father but by Me." A popular thing now a days is for men to believe in Universalism, that all ways lead to God, and certainly there is some truth to that, all ways that are not in Christ will lead to God's just wrath, and only One way leads to reconciliation with God, and that is received by faith in the One He sent, in Christ alone.
“Those who ‘light fires’ refers to men who had their own schemes and their own gods. Because they had rejected the light of God’s Word, they would face terrible punishment.” (Wolf)
ii. “Torment… is only found here but its verb… guarantees its meaning of grief, pain and displeasure – even the ‘place of pain’ – specifically the pains of sin under the curse of God.” (Motyer)
Walk by the light of your fire - There is a very clear picture of this in the Old Testament when the sons of Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, decided to fulfill their priestly duties with strange, unauthorized fire, approaching God in a way that He did not permit. See link below
You shall lie down in torment - Do not trust in your own works, your own righteousness. I have told the story a few times, but it is worth repeating. My stepmother asked me more than once, "Am I saved, do you think I am saved?" She had doubts, but she was looking to things she had done, things she had received praise from men for, and at times she thought it didn't matter anyway, because a pastor had told her that everyone goes to heaven regardless of what they believe. We talked often, about Who Jesus was according to Scripture, and we did not avoid reading the passages she didn't like, when she was at my house, for I would rather be innocent of her blood. The only thing that is ever worth doing in these cases is returning a person to the reality of their fallen nature and the simple truth of the gospel, over and over again, not growing weary in well doing. She asked me again, "do you think I am saved?" I asked her, "would you rather hear it from me or from God?" She thought about it for some time, and then said, "from God, in the end that's all that matters." Many in our world believe in their own righteousness, works based religion, blessing of a priest, trust in idolatries like the worship of Mary, thinking she has a softer ear and could mediate on their behalf, but she doesn't hear you. Some trust in their own limited intellect and reason, but will hit wall after wall, and find in the end they could not even detect their own error.
…4who wants everyone to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. 5For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, 6who gave Himself as a ransom for all—the testimony that was given at just the right time.… 1 Timothy 2: 4-6
…20Where is the wise man? Where is the scribe? Where is the philosopher of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? 21For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not know Him, God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who believe. 22Jews demand signs and Greeks search for wisdom,…
…23but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, 24but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. 25For the foolishness of God is wiser than man’s wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than man’s strength.… 1 Corinthians 1: 20-25
…10Now then, why do you test God by placing on the necks of the disciples a yoke that neither we nor our fathers have been able to bear? 11On the contrary, we believe it is through the grace of the Lord Jesus that we are saved, just as they are. 12The whole assembly fell silent as they listened to Barnabas and Paul describing the signs and wonders God had done among the Gentiles through them.… Acts 15: 10-12
…4But because of His great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, 5made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in our trespasses. It is by grace you have been saved! 6And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with Him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus,…
…7in order that in the coming ages He might display the surpassing riches of His grace, demonstrated by His kindness to us in Christ Jesus. 8For it is by grace you have been saved through faith, and this not from yourselves; it is the gift of God, 9not by works, so that no one can boast.… Ephesians 2: 4-9
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