Wednesday 20 April 2011

Background

We are now in the middle of our journey through Holy Week andread the next Servant Song given by God to the prophet Isaiah. TheMessiah is to bring forth justice and, despite being abhorred bythe nations, will offer life and hope and a vision of God'ssplendour for all to see.

This is not going to be popular. Here in Isaiah 50, the servant isnot exalted, but vilified. This song is an intensely personalreflection on the Servant. It emotively speaks of the depths ofdespair and brokenness alongside the heights of Godly hope. This isa song that speaks of the whole spectrum of human experience andemotion, and yet offers divine grace and determination in the midstof trial and suffering.

To the Sovereign Lord, the Servant inclines his ears. He tilts hishead in order to be instructed. This image shows the intimacy ofrelationship between the Lord and the Servant: the Creator and theSon. To God, the Servant never turns away. We are reminded even inthe Garden of Gethsemane of Jesus turning his head towardsJerusalem (inclining his ear towards the coming culmination ofGod's kingdom).

To those who despise and beat the Servant, however, the Servantoffers his back. To those who would pull out his beard, he offershis cheek. To those who spit, he offers his face. We are thusreminded of Matthew 27:26-31, as Jesus is hurled in front ofthe people and the soldiers to be mocked, spat upon, taunted,beaten and condemned.

There is a stark contrast between the Servant's intimaterelationship with God and his relationship with God's people.

The hope in this passage does not come from a sense of belligerenceon behalf of the Servant. Rather, to those who themselves feltbeaten, mutilated, trampled upon, mocked and betrayed, the Servantcomes to show that it is the "Lord God who helps me" (verse9).

To Ponder

"Morning by morning he [God] wakens/wakens my earto listen as those who are taught." (verse 4) God has woken youthis morning. What instructions is God offering to you today?

How might this passage help/hinder a Christianresponse to domestic violence?

Where have you found the help of the SovereignLord in your life?