The Son Became Servant
Agur
(gatherer) – unknown to anyone – could be an inspired non-Hebrew writer. He introduces himself as ‘too stupid
and without understanding of a man’. There
is probably no other person in the Bible who so demeans himself (cf.
Proverbs 30:1-3). Following some thought-provoking
marvels he suddenly lifts his survey to the metaphysical realm with the
question, “What is his name, and what is his son’s name?” (cf. 4c). He immediately proceeds to supply a profound affirmation: “Surely you
know!” This person who calls himself ‘stupid’ is one of the wise writers in the Old Testament who
knew God and His Son. The prophet
Isaiah who probably lived a few hundred years after Agur and a few hundred years
prior to the advent of the Son joyfully celebrated the unique verity (9:6). Antecedent to both writers, the Psalmist conveyed another inspired truth
regarding the Son who was ordained to redeem men and ultimately reign over the
whole human race (45:6; cf. Heb. 1:8, 9).
Isaiah
refers to him also as God’s servant in six places (cf. 42:1, 9 (2x), 49:6, 52:13;
53:11). While there are disagreeing views on these passages,
the reality of one person making atonement for many is quite obvious. It pleased God the Father to allow the
humiliation of his everlastingly begotten only Son to the status of
servant. This one is the foremost
servant in history who served the whole of humanity. In the N.T., Paul lays before his readers the most striking
account about the ‘doulos’. Christ described his ministry on earth
in the most concise manner. “Even as the
Son of man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many” (Matthew 20:28). The Son
of God became Son of man to serve his fallen kin by offering that perfect life
as a ransom for many. He never
lost his eternal identity of being one with the Father and yet became
identified with the low estate of servant: “God sent His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin” (Romans
8:3). Such an unthinkable mission made it necessary for him
to assume the humblest and utterly despised classification of servant.
The
Old Testament is replete with Messianic prophecies, all of which point to the
coming of Christ to redeem men and women from their bondage to sin. This event is beyond comparison with
any other single act in all eons.
The Incarnation reveals the puzzle of the eternal Son’s metamorphosis
into the extraordinary status of the God-sent Servant.
I. The Righteous Servant is Humbled on Behalf of Sinners,
52:14, 15; 53:1-4
Man’s
unbelief in God’s most amazing act strikes Isaiah profoundly. Unbelief is probably the greatest barrier to the God-ordained
grant of free salvation. The
writers, John and Paul, quote Isaiah to remind their readers regarding human
unbelief toward God’s mighty provision (cf. John 12:38; Romans 10:16). Probably the greatest tragedy in the realm of
religion is the de-sinning of sin, particularly evidenced in these turbulent
times. When sin is jettisoned, naturally he who came to make
atonement for it is discarded in the same way. The Jews rejected Him outright (John 1:11). Throughout history men and women everywhere spurned
the One who came to redeem them.
Christ often lamented for man’s unbelief (cf. Mark 6:6; Luke 24:25, 26).
The sin committed against the Holy Spirit was primarily the same
rejection (cf. Mark 3:28-30). The irony is that human unbelief is directed toward
Him who willingly became identified with us humans in order to rescue us.
Man’s
wrestling with unbelief reaches into four areas:
·
Scientific – “I cannot
believe in anything that cannot be proved in the laboratory.”
·
Deliberate – Man’s
hardheadedness is extremely difficult to change. (John 8:24, 45; Acts 14:2; Hebrews 3:12)
·
Wavering – “Lord, I
believe; help my unbelief!” (Mark 9:24)
·
Ignorance – “…because I
had acted ignorantly in unbelief” (I Timothy 1:13)
The
Son became servant to activate faith in your inmost being and reveal to
everyone the transcendent riches of God.
The Holy Spirit is in continuous operation to destroy human unbelief
toward Christ in these areas.
Those of us who received superlative satisfaction from believing in
Christ, God’s servant who came to redeem us, are under obligation to pray. We need to plead that the Holy Spirit
will universally break human unbelief in all these areas. We also need to examine ourselves and
remove the slightest trace of unbelief toward Christ, who demands total
commitment.
II. The Righteous Servant was judged on
behalf of sinners (7, 8, 10)
There
is an inescapable divine judgment awaiting every unrepentant sinner whether
he/she anticipates it or not. This
judgment is fully just – above all other judgments. The guilty person will encounter all his sins at the
end. There will be no excuse or
getting out of it. Christ often
mentioned this. The judgment to
come carries a forceful warning by Christ himself. These are the most authoritative and solemn alarm
signs. Millions who never stood
before a temporal judge will find their final destiny to be determined by the
Eternal Judge. Philip the
evangelist illuminated the Ethiopian treasurer who was wrestling with a passage
from Isaiah. The official
—acquainted with court procedures— was struck by the harsh judgment of the
innocent servant. The faultless
Judge who was tried and executed by faulty judges under the cloud of injustice
mystified the Ethiopian nobleman.
Immediately convinced, he believed and sought baptism.
One
night the Servant of God was praying in the Garden. Suddenly a band of soldiers and officers led by the
betraying disciple stormed him with lanterns, torches and weapons. They seized and bound him after which
they took him to the religious hierarchy.
Anna the high priest interrogated him harshly. The Benefactor was tried by those he had come to make
beneficiaries. Their verdict was
unmistakable. They had to have the
death sentence pronounced by the timid, indecisive, compromising governor the
next morning. God’s Servant was tossed between Pilate and contemptuous King
Herod, followed by a jeering crowd. In an atmosphere of derision, he was led to
Golgotha, assisted with the weight of the cross by Simon of Cyrene. After a mock trial during which he was
slapped, flagellated and denigrated not opening his mouth like a dumb sheep,
the Judge of individuals and nations was sentenced to the harshest form of
death.
III. The Righteous Servant was Tortured on Behalf of Sinners (5)
The
sinless-deathless Christ was identified with our race in his Incarnation. He was born to suffer and die for our
redemption. John’s introduction to
the crowds was, “Behold the Lamb of God”. He
assumed the equitable deserve for sin.
Job said, “Man born of a woman is full of trouble” (5:7;
14:1). Man born of a woman is born to die (cf. 2
Samuel 14:14; Ezekiel 18:4; Romans 6:23; Hebrews 9:27). Only one person since Adam died for others. It was the most protracted and agonizing death. The spiritual distress surpassed the
physical. Sinful people’s death is
the consequence of sin. Sinless
Christ’s death was consequence of our sin. His death was followed by His
gracious descent into Hades to lead captivity captive. His death immediately opened the door
to Paradise, where he took the penitent criminal as well as the saints of the
Old Testament who were longing to see the Savior’s face. His torture became the herald of
deliverance from all agony to those who believed in His substitutionary
sacrifice, surrendering their destiny to Him.
IV. The Righteous Servant will Usher
Sinners to Eternal Glory (11)
He
fulfilled perfect service to Adam’s helpless race. He forgave all those who disliked and hated Him. He alone gave us the example of how to
forgive our enemies, and love them.
He alone offered the example of serving our fellow-humans, seeking their
welfare. He alone unfolded the
‘why’ of suffering which buffets our race to this day. He alone established His Church from
the blood-bought multitude, once shackled by sin’s power. He alone made Paradise a
certainty. He alone gave mankind
unfading hope. He alone provided
to all generations the tangible message of true brotherhood. He alone validated life’s purpose and
goal. He alone gave the reality of
resurrection. He alone calmed
troubled hearts with utmost serenity.
He alone in His absence is the Giver of the mighty Comforter. He alone taught us to expect the
brightest future where evil will exist no more. He alone will wipe away all tears from our eyes, converting
them to joy. All these and a host
of other blessings because the Righteous Servant came from heaven to serve
us. Have you received the benefit
of His unparalleled service? If
so, how do you serve Him?