Isaiah 50:10-11

TEXT: Isaiah 50:10-11

c. OUTCOME CONFIRMED

10

Who is among you that feareth Jehovah, that obeyeth the voice of his servant? he that walketh in darkness, and hath no light, let him trust in the name of Jehovah, and rely upon his God.

11

Behold, all ye that kindle a fire, that gird yourselves about with firebrands; walk ye in the flame of your fire, and among the brands that ye have kindled. This shall ye have of my hand; ye shall lie down in sorrow.

QUERIES

a.

How could people of Isaiah's day obey the servant?

b.

What is the fire that is kindled?

PARAPHRASE

Whoever among Israel says he fears Jehovah must give obedient belief to all I have said about the coming Servant. There will be times when you will have to struggle through dark hours of tribulation because you belong to Jehovah and you may not be able to understand it all. Remember what I say about My Servant. He too shall suffer dark tribulation. But you, Israel, follow the Servants obedient life and trust in the name of Jehovah. Put yourself totally dependent upon your God. On the other hand, you among Israel who ignite the hellish fire of rebellion against Me and My Servant and arm yourselves with the fiery darts of Satan, you go ahead and build your fires as big as you want and gather as many of Satan's firebrands as you desire. Those who play with that fire are sure to be burned up with it. I will take this fire you have ignited and turn it upon you and you will be struck down to suffer torments.

COMMENTS

Isaiah 50:10 STRENGTH: Israel is offered two options in relation to Jehovah's prediction of the coming Servant. The outcome depends on one's attitude toward Jehovah's coming Servant, Parenthetically, it may be well to point out here that the Servant cannot possibly be the nation Israel since fearing the Lord and hearkening to the voice of the Servant are synonymous. Hearkening to human Israel (even the best of Israel) cannot be seriously equated with fearing Jehovah. By obeying the voice of the Servant is meant believing, accepting and obeying the predictions of the coming Servant insofar as their limited revelation of God's will at that time would direct them in such obedience. Israel must believe that God's redemptive purposes were to be fulfilled in a coming suffering Christ (1 Peter 1:10-12) and prepare themselves to be used by Jehovah as the instrument of that coming by obeying God's instructions for them. Israel may have to walk in centuries of darkness (tribulation and indignation) but she must trust in the name of Jehovah and yisshae-n (Hebrew for lean upon for support) rely upon God. Israel is to follow the example of the mysterious Servant who will come and be willingly obedient even in the face of extreme humiliation. Then Israel may expect to be vindicated and exalted as is predicted of the Servant. That is Israel's first optionthe one Jehovah desires she choose.

Isaiah 50:11 SORROW: The other option is rebellion. Those who opt for rebellion are those who play with fire. Fire is used chiefly as a figure of destruction, doom, torment, wrath, anger. Those who rebel against God are toying with forces that destroy those who continue to kindle them. Rebellion against the Creator is self-destructive for the creature (Romans 1:18 ff). Jehovah speaks ironically, walk ye in the flame of your fire. or, Go ahead and rebel if you insist.. (cf. Isaiah 1:2; Isaiah 1:20; Ezekiel 2:3; Ezekiel 20:8; Ezekiel 20:13; Ezekiel 20:21; Daniel 9:5; Daniel 9:9; Isaiah 30:1; Isaiah 30:9; Isaiah 65:2, etc.). The Lord will take this rebellion in His hand and turn it against the rebels until they are struck down in sorrow. Rebellion can never lead to happiness. It always leads to sorrow. When the Jewish people rejected their Servant-Messiah their rebellion eventuated in the Roman holocaust. The sorrow of the Jew has been unceasing. He can never find happiness until he obeys the voice of the Servant.

QUIZ

1.

Why does this verse preclude the possibility of national Israel being the Servant?

2.

How may Israel of Isaiah's day obey the voice of the Servant?

3.

Why is rebellion self-destructive?

4.

How did the rebellion of the Jews against the Servant lead to their sorrow?