The title of my message tonight is Our Redeemer As He Describes Himself. Isaiah 50 is a prophetic self-portrait of the Lord Jesus Christ, the Messiah, our Redeemer.
Divisions:Without introduction, I want us to go directly to our text. Keep your Bible open on your lap. I will show you three things in these eleven verses that ought to speak to our hearts.
1. The Cause of Our Separation from God (v. 1).
2. The Coming of Our Savior Who Is God (v. 2-9).
3. The Call of Our Sovereign In The Gospel (vv. 10-11).
Many try to silence the accusations of an accusing conscience by laying the blame for their sins and their sorrows at the feet of Divine Sovereignty – "We are in the shape we are in because God is sovereign and this is his will too. When the Jews were in Babylon, they said, "The Lord has divorced us! He has sold us into bondage. "But the facts were they had forsaken God and they had sold themselves into bondage. The same is true of us.
A. Our Troubles In This World Are The Results of Our Own Disobedience And Unbelief.
Our sorrows are the children of our sins. Our undoing is the result of our unbelief– (Isa. 59:1-2).
B. We Must Never Change God With That Which Is The Result Of Our Own Depravity, Guilt, And Unbelief.
We recognize and rejoice in God's glorious, absolute sovereign. He made all things. He owns all things. He rules all things. And he disposes of all things as he will. But we dare not blame the ruin of our race or the ruin of any man on God's sovereignty!
Matthew Henry was exactly right when he wrote, "All that are saved are saved by a prerogative of grace, but those that perish are cut off by an act of divine holiness and justice, not of absolute sovereignty."
1. If you are saved, it is God's fault – If you are lost, it is your fault! (Ezek. 33:11).
2. If we are blessed of God with his presence, power, and goodness, it is his work. – If we lack these things, it is our mischief – (Matt. 13:58).
3. If we are used of God for the salvation of sinners, it is his grace that works in us. – If we are not so used of God, it is because of our unbelief! (Matt. 17:20).
4. If we are blessed with the revelation and knowledge of God's glory, it is the result of his blessing. – If we do not see the glory of God manifest to us and in us, it is because of our unbelief. (John 11:40).
The cause of man's separation from God is to be found in his own bossem, not in the heart of God or the throne of God – "He delighteth in mercy!" (See Isaiah 48:17-19).
II. The Coming Of Our Savior Who Is God (vv. 2-9).Here comes One to rescue man! He is Jehovah's Servant. But he is more. This Servant of Jehovah is Jehovah Himself! Here our great God and Savior draws a portrait of himself. Look at this fivefold description the Lord Jesus Christ here gives of himself with reverence.
Note: It should be noted that Isaiah wrote these words under the inspiration of God the Holy Spirit, who here causes the prophet to speak like David as a type of Christ, or to speak prophetically for Christ.
A. First our Lord describes himself as A Mighty Redeemer (vv. 2-3).
"He came unto his own, but his own received him not." He called them to himself, but there was none that answered. He would have gathered Jerusalem's children, but they would not. They knew not, because they would not know the things that belonged to their happiness and salvation. When God calls men to happiness and peace, and they will not answer, they are justly left in misery to perish forever!
But let no one ever imagine that men and women are lost for want of power in our Redeemer. He is the omnipotent God! There is in him no lack of power to save– (Heb. 7:25).
Note: This Should cause us to be filled with deep gratitude. He who drowned Pharoah in the sea was himself drowned in our sins. He who covers the heavens with blackness, was himself plunged into darkness for us.
Note: This should also encourage confidence in him. He who is Lord of sea and sky is also the Lord of darkness and gloom.
B. Second, our Savior describes himself A Prophet Sent From God (v. 4).
As he is an able Savior, so he is also both a God-sent and a willing Savior. Here he describes himself as our Prophet.
1. He was anointed of God (John 3:34).
2. He learned as a man how to speak a word in season to the weary – (Heb. 2:10-18). "Grace is poured into thy lips!"
Note: That preacher has true learning, learning from God, who has learned to speak a word in season to the weary (Isa. 40:1-2).
3. Here is a Prophet from God who is God, who always is in communion with God – "He wakeneth morning by morning, he wakeneth mine ear to hear as the learned!"
C. Third, Our Savior identifies himself as Jehovah's Servant (v. 5).
1. A Voluntary Bondslave – "The Lord God hath opened mine ear." (Ex. 21:5). "Lo, I come!"
2. A Consecrated, Obedient Servant – "I was not rebellious."
This consecration and obedience to fulfill all righteousness was symbolically demonstrated at his baptism. – (Matt. 3). At no point did the Son of God refuse his Father's will - Not even in Gethsemane!
3. A Perserving, Faithful Servant – "Neither turned away back." He never once relinquished his commission, or turned back from the work he had undertaken.
What an example he is! Our Lord, as a Servant, was obedient even unto death for us! Consider him! Copy him!
D. Fourth, our Lord Jesus here describes himself as A Willing Sufferer – (v. 6).
1. His suffering was a matter of submission to his Father.
2. His submission was entire.
3. When we realize that the Sufferer who spoke these words is himself God we truly are amazed – Here is…
E. Fifth, our Savior describes himself as The Justified Substitute (vv. 7-9).
All the suffering he endured on this earth he endured as our Substitute. Yet, it was all by the deliberate choice of his love.
1. Our Lord Jesus Christ, as a man, lived by faith in God. "The Lord God will help me; therefore shall I not be confounded!"
2. The Son of God was resolute in his determination to suffer and die as our Substitute – "I set my face like a flint!" (John 11:16; Matt. 27:34; Heb. 12:1-2).
3. Though he died under the penalty of sin, three days later, in the resurrection, he was publicly justified (v. 8 ) in the Spirit; and we were justified in him (I Tim. 3:16; Rom. 4:25 –5:1).
4. Our great Substitute went to the cross with the full assurance of triumph (v. 9) – Shall we not come away from the cross with that same full assurance of triumph? (Rom. 8:31-39).
Here then is our Savior's Fivefold Description of himself –
1. The Mighty Redeemer
2. A Prophet Sent From God
3. Jehovah's Servant
4. A Willing Sufferer
5. A Justified Substitute. Now look at verses 10-11. Here is….
Let me show you three things in these two verses and I will be done.
A. The Character of All True Believers – (v. 10). 1. They fear the Lord.B. The Call Of God's Free Grace – "Let him trust in the name of the Lord, and stay upon his God!" This is the call of the gospel to all who fear the Lord.
1. Trust Christ.
2. Lean upon, stay upon your God.
3. Find rest and peace in your covenant relationship with your covenant God – "His God!"
1. If you kindle a fire of self-righteousness, God will leave you to walk in the light of your own fire.
2. If you gather and heap up the sparks of this world, God will leave you to your sparks.
3. At last, "ye shall lie down in sorrow!"
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