Do you consider yourself a servant of God?

October 8, 2016

Good times for the servants of Yahweh (Isa 65:13-65:14)

“Therefore thus says Yahweh God.

‘My servants shall eat.

But you shall be hungry.

My servants shall drink.

But you shall be thirsty.

My servants shall rejoice.

But you shall be put to shame.

My servants shall sing

From gladness of the heart.

But you shall cry

Out of pain of the heart.

You shall wail

For anguish of spirit.’”

Yahweh pointed out that his servants would be fine. However, the others were in trouble. Yahweh’s servants would eat, drink, and rejoice, while the others would be hungry, thirsty, and put to shame. The servants of Yahweh would sing with gladness in their heart. The others would have a painful cry from the heart. They would wail because of their bruised spirit.

September 2, 2016

The servant of Yahweh (Isa 42:1-42:1)

“Here is my servant!

I uphold him!

My chosen!

My soul delights in him.

I have put my Spirit upon him!

He will bring forth justice

To the nations.”

A whole series of scholarly debates has risen about who this servant of Yahweh is. Is it the county and people of Israel or is it an individual prophetic person? Sometimes the reference is singular as here, but is that also symbolic? There are at least 4 of these chants or songs about the servant in Second Isaiah. This oracle has Yahweh speak directly about his servant, who will be upheld by him since he is the chosen one. Yahweh’s soul delights in him. He puts his Spirit upon him. This servant of Yahweh will bring about justice to all the nations. At first take, this appears to be an individual that Yahweh really likes. Being the chosen one, however, was a term used for Israel quite often.

April 7, 2016

Moses (Wis 10:15-10:16)

“A holy people,

A blameless race,

Wisdom delivered

From a nation of oppressors.

She entered the soul

Of a servant of the Lord.

He withstood dread kings

With wonders and signs.”

Based on the stories in Exodus, chapters 2-12, this abbreviated history of the Israelites turns to Moses, who is called a servant of the Lord, not just a righteous man. Of course, wisdom was the one who delivered this holy, blameless (ἄμεμπτον) race or seed (σπέρμα) from its oppressors. She entered the soul (ψυχὴν) of this brave servant of the Lord (θεράποντος Κυρίου) who opposed the dreaded kings, while producing signs and wonders in Egypt.