The Serving Prophet
Introduction
One of the great things about being a parent or a grandparent is being able to read children’s stories. And as you will know, the best children’s stories work on several levels. They have an immediate appeal of course to the children, but on another level, they speak directly to adults.
And it is often so with the Bible. Our passage this morning from Isaiah 50 is one that operates in several levels.
As you may know this is one of several passages in Isaiah called the Servant Songs. These are poems or songs that in some way speak about the coming messiah, speak about Jesus, and particularly refer to him not as a king, but as a suffering servant. And it is no coincidence that this passage is set for today, for Palm Sunday, as we look forward to the central work of the Suffering Servant on the cross. So one level at which this part of the bible works is in looking forward to Christ.
But we must be careful not to forget that it was also a direct word from the prophet to the Jews in exile, in the sixth century BC. So it is also relevant on that level.
And finally, of course, we must not forget that it can speak to us now.
The world of the prophet
So let us first examine the world in which the prophet was speaking. What was the situation into which he was speaking? What were the circumstances of his hearers?
Well it is not immediately clear from this passage of the Scripture, but if you read the chapters around it you’ll see that there are references to Babylon at King Cyrus. So the situation that the prophet was writing to was the Babylonian exile. You will remember that a great many of the Jews were sent into exile to Babylon around 580 BC. This period of exile lasted for around 70 years, and the prophet is speaking around the end of that period of exile.
I can’t fully imagine what it must be like to be in that situation. But we get a sense of the feelings of many of those in exile from the verses around the passage we read this morning. There is a sense in which the Jews felt abandoned by God. V1. The idea that God has divorced his people and sent them away. There is a sense in which the Jews felt that God actually was powerless. (v2) and unable to act. There’s a sense in which the Jews felt that God simply didn’t care (49:13). A sense perhaps that God was irrelevant.
A sense of hopelessness, depression, and weariness (v4). So the prophet was speaking into a situation in which the people were at the very least confused about God.
500 years later, there was a similar confusion in the Jewish mind. At the time of Jesus, the suffering servant, the nation was under Roman occupation. There was a sense among the people that God had abandoned them again. There was a sense of confusion as to why God was doing nothing to liberate them. There was a sense perhaps that God simply didn’t care.
The funny thing is that it doesn’t sound entirely unfamiliar. We live in a world which in many ways is in exile from God. We live in a world which has exiled itself from God. We live in a world which allows in many ways decided that God is powerless, or simply doesn’t care, or maybe even doesn’t exist. And yet when the chips are down still people question God. So we live in a world which is certainly confused about God.
The word of the prophet
And so it is into the world of the prophet that the word of the prophet is spoken. It is into this situation that the prophet speaks with a word of God. ‘Thus says the Lord’v1. It is into to this situation that the Lord has given me a word.
At the first thing to note is that these words are the words of a servant. Verse 4 appears a little confusing. This phrase ‘The Lord has given me the tongue of those who are taught’ and ‘ to hear as those who are taught’ appears a little strange. It appears that in the year original Hebrew it’s a play on words that which naturally doesn’t translate very well. But it gives the sense of speaking the words as a pupil. God, the teacher has spoken to the prophet, the pupil. And the pupil is speaking those words, sharing the message of God. And it suggests that the prophet is merely a servant of God. It makes it clear that the prophet identifies closely with his hearers, with those to whom God’s message is sent. The prophet is a servant, both of God, and of the people to whom he is sent and to whom he speaks.
And he is sent to speak a word sustain his people. v4. A word to sustain the weary, to lift up the depressed, to inspire the doubter.
For the comforting word of God is that he has not divorced his people. The sustaining word from God is that he has not walked away, he has not abandoned his people. The fact of the exile is the consequence of the people’s abandonment of God. But the reverse is not true. God has not abandoned his people. V1. God says ‘where is your mothers bill of divorce’. It doesn’t exist. The implication is clear. God says ‘I have not abandoned you’.
God’s sustaining word to his people is that he cannot forget them. (49:15). He asks if a woman might ever forget her baby. No, it’s very unlikely. And God is even less likely to forget his own people, his own children.
The sustaining word of God to his people is that they may have failed to answer God, but he will always answer themV2
The sustaining word of God to his people is that they may choose to ignore his power, but his power is still evident v2.
And it is into the world of confusion that existed 500 year later that that the word of God was spoken by Jesus. Jesus entry into the world of Roman occupied Israel was a visible statement that God had not abandoned his people, his world. Jesus words and actions, suffering and death, spoke of God’s deep love for his people.
And I believe that this is a message that is still relevant today. For despite our world’s best efforts to ignore God, to consign him to the past, to ignore his power, God has not abandoned his world and his people. It seems to me that by and large people try to ignore God. And it is perhaps only when the going gets rough, when pain or suffering comes that people start to ask the questions of God. In his grace and love, God does not abandon his world. God does not forget his creation. God still loves his world and his people.
And so in our situation, who is it who is called to speak these words from God? Who is it who is called to bring these sustaining words to his people and his world?
I believe it is the responsibility of all of us. For all Christians are servants of God. All Christians are to be pupils of God and learning from him. All Christians in one way or another speak God’s word into the world. And all of us, when called upon to do so, are expected by God, but even better empowered by God, to speak or act out his sustaining words.
The walk of the prophet
The reality is that most of us do not consider ourselves as prophets. We consider ourselves inadequate to that kind of task. We consider ourselves incapable of speaking clearly about our faith. But it seems to me that in this passage we see clearly that the words of the prophet, to the world of the prophet come without a doubt from the walk of the prophet with God. The words that the prophet speaks come from his walk, from his relationship with God. We saw earlier that the prophet is to be regarded as a pupil. And the good pupil is in regular touch with his teacher. The prophet we read wakens morning by morning with God. He hears God’s word morning by morning, day by day. And so God’s word through the prophet comes from the prophets relationship with God.
So the prophet passes on the word that he has heard from God. But he does not do it in his own strength, for we also see that the prophet is helped by God. V7.
And this was just as true for Jesus, the suffering servant. Jesus himself spent time alone with God. Jesus himself was in regular contact with his father. Jesus himself relied upon Gods empowering.
And indeed the help that the prophet depended upon is necessary, because we also see that the walk of the prophet has its downs as well as its ups. V6. It is clear that the prophet has suffered some kind of persecution, or ridicule, or hostility in the course of his work. But he is clear and confident that God helps him, that he will not be put to shame and that he will be vindicated. And all this springs from the walk of the prophet with God.
And so it needs to be with us. We do nothing of any consequence as Christians unless we are walking with God, and unless we are in that living and lively relationship with him. We will not effectively be able to speak God’s words to our world unless we walk with him closely, morning by morning, day by day.
Conclusion
Although these words were written more than two and a half thousand years ago –
- our world is in just as much need as the world to which the prophet spoke.
- our world is in just as much need of prophets who will speak God’s word.
- our world still needs God’s people to speak God’s words.
- our world needs us as Gods servants to speak God’s words.
- the prophets words, and our words depend on our walk with God.
Let us resolve to deepen our relationship with God and strengthen our walk with him, that we may know his words, and that we may speak him to his world.
