Isaiah 50 - Israel's Sin and the Obedient Servant.

The ESV wins the title for this chapter; the HCSB has none. This chapter opens with YHWH asking Israel to produce evidence to support their complaints of being abandoned by God.

Isaiah 50:1-3 (HCSB) This is what the LORD says: Where is your mother’s divorce certificate that I used to send her away? Or who were My creditors that I sold you to? Look, you were sold for your iniquities, and your mother was put away because of your transgressions. Why was no one there when I came? Why was there no one to answer when I called? Is My hand too short to redeem? Or do I have no power to deliver? Look, I dry up the sea by My rebuke; I turn the rivers into a wilderness; their fish rot because of lack of water and die of thirst. I dress the heavens in black and make sackcloth their clothing.

YHWH asks Israel, where is your mother's divorce certificate? This appears to refer to Zion as Israel's mother. The Mosaic Law (Deut 24:1-3) mandated a certificate when a man divorced his wife. While God had put her away because of Israel's transgressions (this word refers to violations of the law given to them). He asks where are the creditors - which would be the case IF they had been sold to settle a debt. They were sold because of their iniquities, their depraved acts. There is no one to validate Israel's contention - these acts were from God's hands and only His hands can redeem and deliver Israel.

YHWH reminds Israel of His redemption from Egypt by referring to the dry seabed (Ex 14:21); He points them to the end of the age by providing a peek into the judgment that will come on the world (Rev 6:12). This sets the stage for the Servant to be announced. Sin has been dealt with - Israel has no hope unless God Himself does something.

Isaiah 50:4-5 (HCSB) The Lord GOD has given Me the tongue of those who are instructed to know how to sustain the weary with a word. He awakens ⌊Me⌋ each morning; He awakens My ear to listen like those being instructed. The Lord GOD has opened My ear, and I was not rebellious; I did not turn back.

The Servant speaks, declaring that He has been given wise speech that will give hope to the weary; ears to hear wisdom from the Father. God has done this for a humble, obedient Servant who does the way He is instructed (see John 8:29).

Isaiah 50:6-7 (HCSB) I gave My back to those who beat Me, and My cheeks to those who tore out My beard. I did not hide My face from scorn and spitting. The Lord GOD will help Me; therefore I have not been humiliated; therefore I have set My face like flint, and I know I will not be put to shame.

Read the gospel accounts of the punishment meted out by the Romans (Mark 14:65; 15:19; etc.) and see the fulfillment of this account. Imagine the face of a man whose beard has been ripped from his flesh. Not seemly, someone no one would want to look at. The Creator spurned and beaten and mocked by the creature. As Peter declared in Acts 2:22-24, all this was God's predetermined plan.

The Son relied upon the Father's help, who for the joy that lay before Him endured the cross and despised the shame and has sat down at the right hand of God’s throne. Not humiliated, but glorified! This confidence in the Father was why the Servant could set His course for the cross and know He would not be put to shame. Flint is a hard rock, used to makes sparks to start a fire. There is a fire of judgment coming and all who are in Christ will not be put to shame. But woe be those who know Him not!

Isaiah 50:8-9 (HCSB) The One who vindicates Me is near; who will contend with Me? Let us confront each other. Who has a case against Me? Let him come near Me! In truth, the Lord GOD will help Me; who will condemn Me? Indeed, all of them will wear out like a garment; a moth will devour them.

The Servant alludes to Psalms 118:6, which Paul cited in Romans 8:31. If God is for us, who can stand against us? If God is our advocate, who can lay a charge against us? (see Romans 8:33) Our trust and confidence ought to be as that of the Servant - trusting in God for help, knowing nothing can condemn us (Romans 8:1). All who rail against the Servant and His body will wear out like a garment (like the Old Covenant - Heb 8:13) and moth-eaten (Job 12:38). These two signs indicated poverty - physical poverty for national Israel, spiritual poverty for those not in Christ.

Isaiah 50:10-11 (HCSB) Who among you fears the LORD, listening to the voice of His Servant? Who ⌊among you⌋ walks in darkness, and has no light? Let him trust in the name of Yahweh; let him lean on his God. Look, all you who kindle a fire, who encircle yourselves with firebrands; walk in the light of your fire and in the firebrands you have lit! This is what you’ll get from My hand: you will lie down in a place of torment.

Two types of people are addressed here: those who fear YHWH and listen to the Servant and those who walk in darkness and have no light. Note this: the right fear of God results in listening to what the Son has said and walking in obedience, in the light. Those who walk in the darkness know Him not. I think John picked up on this light/dark idea: 1 John 2:9-11 (HCSB) "The one who says he is in the light but hates his brother is in the darkness until now. The one who loves his brother remains in the light, and there is no cause for stumbling in him. But the one who hates his brother is in the darkness, walks in the darkness, and doesn’t know where he’s going, because the darkness has blinded his eyes." Walking in darkness is being apart from the grace of God in Christ. Walking in the light is being obedient to Him - love does not cause a brother to stumble.

Let the one who walks in darkness learn to trust in and lean on YHWH. None other than Him is trustworthy! Poor sinner - look unto Christ! He is the only One and only Way to bring peace with God!

If you don't, you will be like those who are content with a small fire that they lit and control - thinking the warmth of the flame will protect against evil. As when Lot fled to the wrong side of the valley, away from uncle Abraham and the covenant people of God, sin went with him - so it is with those who think a few burning sticks will protect them. They will not be protected from the One they refuse to submit to. They will be made to lie down in a place of torment, submitted to the fires of hell they cannot control, which will endlessly consume them rather than protect them.

Oh sinner - consider this! Judgment is coming. You have been storing up God's wrath since your birth. Look to the Servant, the God-man Jesus, Who is the Christ!