Jottings

by J. Miller | Category: Jottings | Apr 1958

The subject of the Lord as Jehovah's Servant will ever be a feast to the heart of all who love Him. The sublime words of Paul to the Philippians concerning His self-humbling from the throne of heaven to the cross on Calvary, have been, and will for ever be, a source of endless delight. He was and will ever be in the form of God, but He emptied Himself and took the form of a bond-servant, in which is implied His incarnation (Philippians 2. 6-8). The Lord's servant character is bound up with His becoming Man, taking unto Himself our common humanity, but, let it be noted, apart from sin. The scripture in Romans S. 8 makes this abundantly clear, that God sent His Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, not in sinful flesh, and being holy and sinless He came to be an offering for sin.

We are introduced to Jehovah's Servant in Isaiah 42.1-7. Verses 1-4 of this portion are quoted in Matthew i2. 18-21, and be it noted that in the work He did and in His withdrawing Himself that He would not be involved in any strife with the Pharisees, the words of Isaiah were fulfilled.

This Divine Servant was a source of continual delight to the God He served. God upheld Him and put His Spirit upon Him, as at the Jordan, when the Holy Spirit came upon Him as a dove and abode upon Him,

"God anointed Him with the Holy Spirit, and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with Him" (Acts 10. 38).

After His temptation for forty days in the wilderness we are told that "Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit into Galilee; and a fame went out concerning Him through all the region round about" (Luke 4.14).

Why did God put His Spirit upon Him? What was the need for this, seeing He was a Divine Being? Herein is part of the mystery of the incarnation and the servant-character of the Lord. He did not use His divine power to assist His

weak humanity. He would be empowered by the Holy Spirit, as God's servants had been in the days before He came to earth, and as the apostles and the saints have been in their service since. It may seem strange to us to think of Him in this way, of the One who made all things and in whom all things consist.

Said Isaiah,

"He shall not cry, nor lift up, nor cause His voice to be heard in the

street " (verse 2).

"To cry," here, means to shriek. It describes the cry from the rabble mob. It does not mean that the Lord never cried in the street as He called on sinners to come to Him. In Jerusalem on the last day of the feast of Tabernacles,

"Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto Me, and drink. He that believeth on Me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water" (John 7.37, 88).

The graciousness of the Lord is seen in the simile that is used about the bruised reed and the smoking flax. In days of old lighting was a primitive art. A wick of flax was drawn through a hollow reed and inserted in a vessel containing oil. Sometimes the reed was bruised, hindering the oil from flowing freely to the light, hence the smoking flax or dimly burning wick. The method followed was to break the reed at the bruised part and relight the lamp. This bruised reed and smoking flax are used to show those that are bruised by sin that the Lord would strengthen and bind up the bruised sinners so that they might perform their proper functions in life. He would neither break them not quench them. Such was the graciousness of Jehovah's Servant in dealing with sinners.

The Lord who is Jehovah's Servant would not break the bruised reed, nor would He quench the smoking flax. He would bind up the bruised and heal them, and would remove all that hindered the light from shining from such as sin had bruised.

In contrast to this He Himself was not to fail or burn dimly, nor would He be discouraged or bruised. His light was clear and steady. Though weary oftentimes (for He became a co-sharer of the things that affect us, but not a co-sharer in sin, He hungered and thirsted, was weary and wept), He yet entered into the needs and sorrows of others, as in the case of Samaria's daughter at Sychar's well.

Three times over in these four verses (Isaiah 42.1-4) judgement is mentioned. "He shall bring forth judgement to the Gentiles"; "He shall bring forth judgement in truth"; "Till He have set judgement in the earth." Is not this what the nations need, and what this poor world lacks. There are no judgements, no righteous decisions. Councils many there are, and councillors unnumbered, but there is no judgement. Men talk and talk and then give up in the hopeless search for righteous judgement and often, perhaps, they do not really want it. But He who deals so graciously with men now, having borne God's righteous judgement on their behalf, will, at length, set judgement on the earth. His will be a just balance and correct weights and measures. It says in Isaiah 2.4

"He shall judge between the nations, and shall reprove many peoples:

and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruninghooks: nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more."

Here is the Judge and here the judgement. His decisions will be scrupulously just. War will not only be caused to cease by Him, but it will be seen to be useless to correct wrongs between nations. What has war between nations ever justly settled ?

Jehovah the Creator speaks of calling His Servant in righteousness, and that He would hold His hand and keep Him. This matter of the Lord as Jehovah's Servant being kept or preserved is one which is deep and profound. Two Hebrew words are used regarding this, Natsar, to guard, to protect; and Shamar, to hedge about, to guard, to protect.

"I the LORD ... wilt hold Thins hand, ant will keep (Natsar) Thee (Isaiah 42.6).

"In a day of salvation have I helped Thee: and I will preserve (Natsar) Thee" (Isaih 49.8).

"Preserve (Shamar) Me, 0 God: for in Thee do I put My trust" (Psalm 16.1).

"For He shall give His angels charge over Thee, to keep (Shamar) Thee in all Thy ways " (Psalm 91.1]).

It is not my purpose to make any attempt to comment here on the preserving care of Jehovah of His Servant. I simply quote the scriptures which deal with this matter for the thoughtful consideration of others. There was once quoted to me the words of Psalm 36.6

"0 LORD, Thou preservest (Yasha) man and beast"

as equivalent to what is contained in the four passages quoted above. The word Yasha means to free or succour, to be safe, to preserve, and indicates the mere physical preservation of men and beasts, in that they are succoured and made safe. I consider that there is something mar to he learned as to Jehovah's Servant in the four passages I have quoted.

Jehovah's Servant is given as a covenant of the people. Of old the covenant was contained in the ten commandments written on the two tables of stone which Israel pledged their word to receive and keep. Christ is the Covenant here. The reception of Him by faith brings the believer into Covenant relationship with God. This is of course to be followed by having His law written on our heart and mind (Hebrews 10.15-18). He is also a Light to the Gentiles, to open blind eyes and to bring the prisoners out of the dungeon.

J. Miller | Apr 1958
Jottings