There are four passages in Isaiah's prophecy (42.1-21; 49.1-7; 50.4-9; 52.13 – 53.12) that speak in a specific way about the Lord Jesus as Jehovah's perfect Servant.
The Context of the Servant Passages in Isaiah
God first identifies His perfect Servant in chapter 42 verse 1, "Behold my servant …". In previous chapters God has made reference to the nation of Israel as "My servant", for example in chapter 41 verses 8-9, "But thou, Israel, art my servant, Jacob whom I have chosen, the seed of Abraham my friend … Thou art my servant; I have chosen thee, and not cast thee away". God greatly desired Israel to represent Him as His servant, to be the model nation to all the surrounding nations, to exhibit the character and ways of God, as well as to evangelise the nations around them. God's purpose was that all the nations of the earth would come to Jerusalem and observe a nation worshipping and serving their God. That divine purpose will yet be accomplished in the millennial reign of our Lord Jesus. But, sadly for Israel, their first opportunity to serve in this way resulted in abject failure.
The nation's failure was particularly displayed by their constant idolatry, breaking the very first commandment "Thou shalt have no other gods before me" (Ex 20.3). In Isaiah 41 we read of all the help that Israel had received from a faithful God. In verse 10 God says "Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness". God repeats twice more "Fear not; I will help thee" (v 13); "Fear not … I will help thee" (v 14). So there was no lack of help on God's part toward them.
God invited the nation to defend their service, "Produce your cause, saith Jehovah; bring forward your arguments, saith the King of Jacob" (41.21, JND¹). It is evident that an idolatrous nation could bring forth nothing for God's pleasure; the Lord says "Behold, ye are of nothing, and your work of nought" (v 24) and, specifically in connection with their idols, "Behold, they are all vanity; their works are nothing: their molten images are wind and confusion" (v 29). So we notice that, twice over, God says "Behold …", inviting consideration of the failure of the nation of Israel as the servant of Jehovah.
It is against this background of a failed servant that gave to God no pleasure and nothing of value, that God said "Behold my servant ... in whom my soul delighteth" (42.1) and "He shall not fail …" (42.4). God has ever delighted to behold His own well beloved Son in all His worth and beauty, and He now invites all to similarly behold His perfect unfailing Servant, and to take a long, meditative and appreciative look at the perfections of His Person and service. As the bright shining jewel set against the dark background of Israel's failure, God's perfect Servant shines forth in all His beauties and perfections in these Servant passages in Isaiah's prophecy.
The contrast between the Lord Jesus as the perfect Servant and Israel as the failed servant is further emphasised in Isaiah 42. In verse 21, concluding the section dealing with the perfect and faithful Servant, we read "The Lord is well pleased for his righteousness' sake; he will magnify the law, and make it honourable". Then, concerning Israel as the failed and unfaithful servant, "But this is a people robbed and spoiled …" (v 22), and "… they would not walk in his ways, neither were they obedient unto his law" (v 24). What a stark contrast this is - the perfect Servant, Christ, magnified the law; the failed servant, Israel, disobeyed the law of the Lord, and thus came under the chastening hand of divine judgement, "Therefore he hath poured upon him the fury of his anger" (v 25).
As we see how God would delight to own and recognise His Son as "My servant", we remember that there have been others of His servants who He has delighted in some measure to acknowledge in a similar way, yet all others come far short of the perfect Servant of Jehovah, the Lord Jesus. It is interesting to note that many of these other recognised servants of God are united in being similarly occupied with Christ - they too would delight to behold God's perfect Servant, the Lord Jesus.
Abraham – The Obedient Servant of God
God said to Isaac "I am the God of Abraham thy father … and will bless thee, and multiply thy seed for my servant Abraham's sake" (Gen 26.24). There is certainly much in the life and service of Abraham - his path of faith and obedience to God - that is memorable. But when we behold Jehovah's perfect Servant, the Lord Jesus Christ, we can appreciate the consistent obedience He ever displayed, above all as the One who "took upon him the form of a servant … and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross" (Phil 2.7-8).
Yet Abraham was only able to move in such an obedient and devoted path insofar as he himself was beholding the perfect Servant. The Lord Jesus said to the Jews "Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day: and he saw it, and was glad" (Jn 8.56). This was particularly the case on Moriah, when Abraham was willing to offer up his beloved son Isaac as a burnt offering to God. As Abraham saw the provision of the ram that could be offered in the stead of his son "… Abraham called the name of that place Jehovah-jireh: as it is said to this day, In the mount of the Lord it shall be seen" (Gen 22.14). Abraham was the obedient servant who delighted to see God's gracious provision of the Lamb of God. His heart rejoiced and he was made glad by beholding afar off God's perfect Servant, the Lord Jesus, in the day of His devoted service for God, His perfect sacrifice and subsequent resurrection.
Moses – The Faithful Servant of God
In the book of Numbers, God said "My servant Moses is not so, who is faithful in all mine house" (Num 12.7). Moses was a servant who was not like others who were unfaithful - he was faithful in the house of God. Moses was motivated to pursue faithful service for God by beholding God's perfect Servant. The Hebrew writer speaks of Moses "Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season; esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt: … for he endured, as seeing him who is invisible" (Heb 11.25-27).
Moses was occupied with beholding the unseen Christ and, as he fulfilled his faithful service in God's house, he wrote of Christ. The Lord Jesus said to the Jews "For had ye believed Moses, ye would have believed me: for he wrote of me" (Jn 5.46). Moses was beholding the perfect Servant, and writing of Him, in all the types and shadows of the old economy - "And beginning at Moses … he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself" (Lk 24.27).
Isaiah – The Humble Servant of God
"… Like as my servant Isaiah hath walked naked and barefoot three years for a sign and wonder upon Egypt and upon Ethiopia" (Isa 20.3). Isaiah's experience was one of shame and ignominy for three years as, in his service, he had to walk such a pathway of humility. God's perfect Servant had three years of public service before men who heaped even greater shame and derision upon Him. What condescending grace our Lord Jesus displayed when He came down from the heights of glory and humbly walked among sinful men. "For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich" (2 Cor 8.9).
The apostle John indicates that the prophet Isaiah was occupied with beholding the glory of God's perfect Servant - "These things said Esaias, when he saw his glory, and spake of him" (Jn 12.41). John has just quoted from two separate passages of Isaiah's prophecy (53.1 and 6.9-10), indicating their fulfilment in the rejection of the Lord Jesus as the Messiah by the nation of Israel. That nation would not believe in the Lord Jesus, and did not appreciate His glory, despite the many corroborating signs He did before the people. John was likely thinking in particular of Isaiah chapter 6; the prophet's vision of the Lord's exalted position in heaven, and how His glory was acknowledged by those mighty seraphim.
Job – The Suffering Servant of God
In the opening of the book of Job, God said to Satan "Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil?" (Job 1.8). God was pleased to own Job as His servant; a man who suffered so greatly yet he never wavered in his trust in God. Job, too, was occupied with beholding God's perfect Servant - "For I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth … Whom I shall see for myself, and mine eyes shall behold, and not another …" (19.25-27).
Thus God's servants of old beheld Christ in all His glory, and today the saints of God can still respond to the divine invitation "Behold my servant". We can delight to behold God's perfect Servant, the Lord Jesus Christ, in His perfect service of obedience, faithfulness, humility and suffering, and seek to "follow his steps" (1 Pet 2.21). (To be continued …)
¹ J N Darby, The Holy Scriptures - A New Translation from the Original Languages.
