Let’s Go – Wider

Isaiah 54:1-10

: Part 2 of Let’s Go! Last week,…Deeper, today, Wider!

——————————————————–

(taken from

)

There are four “Servant Songs” of 

 that describe the service, suffering, and exaltation of the 

, the Messiah. All four songs show the Messiah to be God’s meek and gentle Servant. He is a royal figure, representing Israel in its ideal form; He is the high priest, atoning for the sins of the world. Isaiah predicts that this Servant of the Lord would deliver the world from the prison of sin. In the royal terminology of the ancient Near East, a servant was a “trusted envoy,” a “confidential representative,” or “one who is chosen.” The Servant Songs are found in 

; 

; 

; and 

.

.

By contrast, God’s Servant, the Messiah, faithfully completes all the work He is given to do (cf. 

; 

). The Servant of the Lord is God’s faithful and true witness to humanity.

In 

 Peter calls Jesus the “servant” of God. That verse says, in part, “The God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, the God of our fathers, has glorified his servant Jesus.” Peter’s description of Jesus as a “servant” is accurate for at least four reasons:

1) Jesus always did the will of the Father (

; 

).

2) Jesus never sought to please Himself but always to please the Father (

).

3) Jesus finished the work that God had sent Him to do (

).

4) Jesus came to glorify the Father (

; 

).

——————————————————-

: So, Isaiah 52 and 53 are descriptions of a ‘suffering servant.’ A prophetic word about not only Israel’s suffering, but we believe about Jesus too.

: Isaiah 54-66 now step into the blessings/promises/vindication that will come by the servant.

2. Now to the benefit of his progeny, is a description of opportunity!

3. This section of poem speaks of the servants ‘offspring’ (53:10), it is Zion who actually gives birth to this righteous people (54:3), who are ‘taught by the Lord’ (54:13) as was the servant (8:16). The servant was to be ‘exalted, lifted up, very high’.

The theme moves from difficulty/suffering to vindication and blessing.

: In chapter 54 there is a ‘heavenly council scene’ type setting.

The charge went forth to ‘speak tenderly to Jerusalem.’

: What are they told to do?

Capacity – Widen what you already have/posses/desire.

.

Opportunity

Faith / Belief

Dream / Claim / Pursue

Re-establish / Re-strengthen / Confirm / Hold-fast

: I encouraged you last week, lets go deeper; this week it’s lets go wider!

Because of Jesus who suffered, we are now children of His and can not only go deeper but wider/broader.

The price has been paid, Let’s Go wider!