1. The Servant Songs of Isaiah
- Introduction & Background
Laindon Bible Study
16th February 2012

2. Our four five studies (God willing)
Study 1
Our four studies (God willing)
Study 2
Study 3
Study 4
Study 5
What does it take to be God’s servant?
16th February 2012 The Servant Songs of Isaiah - Introduction / Background 2

3. The Prophecy of Isaiah key facts
• Isaiah probably prophesied from about 739-680 BC, during
reigns of Kings Uzziah790-739 BC, Jotham739-731 BC, Ahaz731-715 BC
and Hezekiah715-686 BC
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4. A familiar chronological chart
c.60?
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5. The Prophecy of Isaiah key facts
• Isaiah probably prophesied from about 739-680 BC, during
reigns of Kings Uzziah790-739 BC, Jotham739-731 BC, Ahaz731-715 BC
and Hezekiah715-686 BC
• He prophesied to the Kingdom of Judah (Southern Tribes)
• His name means “Yah/Yahweh has saved” (Strong/BDB)
• His book has 66 chapters*, 1,292 verses and 37,044 words,
making it the 5th largest book in the Bible (and the 3rd largest
prophecy)
• He is the most quoted OT prophet in NT (62 of the 110 direct
quotes, 103 of the 272 allusions/possible allusions)
– Isaiah provides many of the detailed prophecies of the Messiah;
e.g. birth (ch. 7), mission (ch. 9), sacrifice (ch. 53) and return (ch. 63)
* cp. 66 books of Bible
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6. The four major prophets
Earlier Contemporaries
Lion? Ox? Man? Eagle?
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7. The Prophecy of Isaiah in outline
Section 1 Section 2 Section 3
(chs. 1-35) (chs. 36-39) (chs. 40-66)
• Prophecies of • Historical • Prophecies of
condemnation content, days of comfort
(judgement) Hezekiah (deliverance)
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8. Identifying the Four Songs
• First recorded separation was by the German Lutheran
theologian Bernhard Lauardus Duhm (October 10, 1847
– November 1, 1928) in his 1892 commentary on Isaiah
• Different writing style, standing out in both form and content
• Songs 1 and 4 are in 3rd person (he, him, his) and both start
with same introductory formula “Behold*,+ my servant”
• Songs 2 and 3 are in 1st person (I, me, my) and both
acknowledge “the Lord” or “the Lord God”
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9. Locating the Four Songs
• Are all contained in Isaiah – Section 3 (ch. 40-66)
• Phrase “my servant” appears 12 times in ch. 41-53,
compared to only 3 times in the previous 40 chs.
(and those 3 are specific – Isaiah, Eliakim, David)
ch. 41-53 – A STARK CONTRAST
Israel as Individual
servant servant
More often More often
“thee” “thy” “him” “he”
“thou” “his” “me” “I”
Characterised Characterised
by failure by success
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10. Who is the servant?
Historical setting The fulfilment
Prophet Isaiah? The Lord Jesus
Christ?
King Hezekiah?
The nation of
Other prophet or Israel?
servant of God?
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11. The importance of being a servant
5 Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:
6 Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be
equal with God:
7 But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the
form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:
Q. How can we exhibit this mind?
A. By referring to places like Isaiah’s Songs!
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12. The importance of being a servant
• Jesus refers to a scale for service:
42 But Jesus called them to him, and saith unto them, Ye know that they which are
accounted to rule over the Gentiles exercise lordship over them; and their great ones
exercise authority upon them.
43 But so shall it not be among you: but whosoever will be great among you, shall be
your minister:
44 And whosoever of you will be the chiefest, shall be servant of all.
45 For even the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to
give his life a ransom for many.
- attendant - big - first - slave
- waiter - significant - foremost - bondservant
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13. The Four Servant Songs table 1
Isaiah
Intensity
Intensity
Intensity
Service Servant’s Servant’s God’s
Song reference
theme situation response provision
(minimum)
Divinely Not
ch. 42 v 1-4 Delighted in
One Tone selected discouraged
[probably to v7]
v 7] –v1
–v1 –v4
ch. 49 v 1-6 Laboured/ Submission Strengthened
Two ch. 49 v 1-6 Origin
[possibly to v13] spent – v 4 – v 1/55
1/ –v5
Smitten/ Resolve Helped
Three ch. 50 v 4-9 Basis
ashamed – v 6 – v 7 – v 7/99
7/
ch. 52 v 13 – Cut off Satisfaction Prolonged
Four Results
ch. 53 v 12 –v8 – v 11 – v 10
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14. The Four Servant Songs table 2
Isaiah Direct
Song reference quotes in Quotations
(minimum) NT
ch. 42 v 1-4
One 1 42 v 1-4 cited Matthew 12 v 18-21
[probably to v7]
Two ch. 49 v 1-6 1 49 v 6 cited Acts 13 v 47
Three ch. 50 v 4-9 Nil No citations
52 v 15 cited Romans 15 v 21;
53 v 1 cited John 12 v 38;
53 v 1 cited Romans 10 v 16;
53 v 4 cited Matthew 8 v 17;
ch. 52 v 13 –
Four 9 53 v 4-5 cited 1 Peter 2 v 24;
ch. 53 v 12 53 v 7-8 cited Acts 8 v 32-33;
53 v 9 cited 1 Peter 2 v 22;
53 v 12 cited Mark 15 v 28;
53 v 12 cited Luke 22 v 37
11
(/ 110 = 10%)
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15. The Fourth Servant Song table 3
Isaiah Direct
Part of OT passage particularly drawn on
ch. 52 / 53 quotation NT
52 v 15 “...that which had not been told them shall they see...” Romans 15 v 21
53 v 1 “Who hath believed our report?” John 12 v 38
53 v 1 “Who hath believed our report?” Romans 10 v 16
53 v 4 “...he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows...” Matthew 8 v 17
53 v 4-5 “...with his stripes we are healed.” 1 Peter 2 v 24
53 v 7-8 “...he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter...” Acts 8 v 32-33
53 v 9 “...he had done no violence, neither... any deceit in... mouth.” 1 Peter 2 v 22
53 v 12 “...he was numbered with the transgressors...” Mark 15 v 28
53 v 12 “...he was numbered with the transgressors...” Luke 22 v 37
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16. 16th February 2012 The Servant Songs of Isaiah - Introduction / Background 16

17. Gentle Quiet
Patient
Song 1 – Tone of service Encouraging
Isaiah 42 v 1-4 [5-7]
1 Behold my servant, whom I uphold; mine elect, in whom my soul
delighteth; I have put my spirit upon him: he shall bring forth judgment to the
Gentiles. 2 He shall not cry, nor lift up, nor cause his voice to be heard in the
street. 3 A bruised reed shall he not break, and the smoking flax shall he not
quench: he shall bring forth judgment unto truth. 4 He shall not fail nor be
discouraged, till he have set judgment in the earth: and the isles shall wait for
his law. [5 Thus saith God the Lord, he that created the heavens, and
stretched them out; he that spread forth the earth, and that which cometh
out of it; he that giveth breath unto the people upon it, and spirit to them
that walk therein: 6 I the Lord have called thee in righteousness, and will hold
thine hand, and will keep thee, and give thee for a covenant of the people, for
a light of the Gentiles; 7 To open the blind eyes, to bring out the prisoners
from the prison, and them that sit in darkness out of the prison house.]
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18. Word-led Submission
Cooperation
Song 2 – Origin of service God’s glory
Isaiah 49 v 1-6
1 Listen, O isles, unto me; and hearken, ye people, from far; The Lord hath
called me from the womb; from the bowels of my mother hath he made
mention of my name. 2 And he hath made my mouth like a sharp sword; in
the shadow of his hand hath he hid me, and made me a polished shaft; in his
quiver hath he hid me; 3 And said unto me, Thou art my servant, O Israel, in
whom I will be glorified. 4 Then I said, I have laboured in vain, I have spent my
strength for nought, and in vain: yet surely my judgment is with the Lord, and
my work with my God. 5 And now, saith the Lord that formed me from the
womb to be his servant, to bring Jacob again to him, Though Israel be not
gathered, yet shall I be glorious in the eyes of the Lord, and my God shall be
my strength. 6 And he said, It is a light thing that thou shouldest be my
servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and to restore the preserved of Israel: I
will also give thee for a light to the Gentiles, that thou mayest be my salvation
unto the end of the earth.
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19. Teachableness Commitment
Trust
Song 3 – Basis of service Surrender
Isaiah 50 v 4-9
4 The Lord God hath given me the tongue of the learned, that I should know
how to speak a word in season to him that is weary: he wakeneth morning
by morning, he wakeneth mine ear to hear as the learned. 5 The Lord God
hath opened mine ear, and I was not rebellious, neither turned away back. 6 I
gave my back to the smiters, and my cheeks to them that plucked off the hair:
I hid not my face from shame and spitting. 7 For the Lord God will help me;
therefore shall I not be confounded: therefore have I set my face like a flint,
and I know that I shall not be ashamed. 8 He is near that justifieth me; who
will contend with me? let us stand together: who is mine adversary? let him
come near to me. 9 Behold, the Lord God will help me; who is he that shall
condemn me? lo, they all shall wax old as a garment; the moth shall eat them
up.
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20. Despised Smitten
Rejected
Song 4 – Results of service Cut off
Isaiah 52 v 13-53 v 12
13 Behold, my servant shall deal prudently, he shall be exalted and extolled, and be very high. 14 As many were
astonied at thee; his visage was so marred more than any man, and his form more than the sons of men: 15 So shall
he sprinkle many nations; the kings shall shut their mouths at him: for that which had not been told them shall they
see; and that which they had not heard shall they consider. 53v1 Who hath believed our report? and to whom is the
arm of the Lord revealed? 2 For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: he
hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him. 3 He is
despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from
him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not. 4 Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we
did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. 5 But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised
for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. 6 All we like
sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us
all. 7 He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter,
and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth. 8 He was taken from prison and from
judgment: and who shall declare his generation? for he was cut off out of the land of the living: for the
transgression of my people was he stricken. 9 And he made his grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death;
because he had done no violence, neither was any deceit in his mouth. 10 Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise him; he
hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his
days, and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hand. 11 He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be
satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities. 12 Therefore
will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he hath poured out
his soul unto death: and he was numbered with the transgressors; and he bare the sin of many, and made
intercession for the transgressors.
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21. What does it take to be God’s servant?
Tone Origin Basis Results
Gentle Word-led Teachableness Despised
Patient Cooperation Trust Rejected
Quiet Submission Commitment Smitten
Encouraging God’s glory Surrender Cut off
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22. Today’s final thought the prospect
“Well done, thou good and faithful
servant: thou hast been faithful
over a few things, I will make thee
ruler over many things: enter thou
into the joy of thy lord.”
(Matthew 25 v 21)
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