Looking at Isaiah

“Because the Sovereign Lord helps me, I will not be disgraced. Therefore, I have set my face like a stone, determined to do his will. And I know that I will not be put to shame.” – Isaiah 50:7

            The first several verses of chapter 50 speak of God’s willingness to fight for Israel. The Lord made it very clear that he wasn’t the one who caused them to be exiled to Babylon.  It was their sin. In verse 4 there is a sudden change. It speaks of the Obedient Servant, who is Jesus Christ. Verse 6 contains words we see referenced in the Gospels, which say: “I offered my back to those who beat me and my cheeks to those who pulled out my beard. I did not hide my face from mockery and spitting.” This is prophecy regarding our Lord Jesus for this is exactly what happened to him when Roman soldiers at the Jewish Religious Leaders behest took him away.

            The phrase that catches my eye is “determined to do his will”.  Do you have that sort of determination? You must know what God’s will is for your life. There is a general will, such as spreading the gospel and there is a very specific, personal will based on the gifts God has given you. Mine is writing and to a lesser extent speaking. These are gifts he has given me and his will for me is to use those gifts with the help of the Holy Spirit to minister to whosoever will listen. We all have gifts … do you know what yours are? If not, ask God to reveal that to you. 

            These verses tell us Christ knew what was in store for him. He also knew from the foundations of the earth that his life would have to be sacrificed for the salvation of all for all time. Christ was doing the will of the Father. That was God’s specific, personal will for Jesus. It was a lonely road that he was called to travel and a particularly gruesome way to die, but he was determined to do what he was told for the sake of all others. Even when Christ balked momentarily by asking if “the cup could be taken from me”, he immediately followed with “nevertheless, not my will but your will be done.” Even today the name Jesus is the only name that is used in conjunction with a curse word. No one ever took Buddha’s name in vain or Mohammed’s, only Jesus Christ. We will continue looking at chapter 50 next time. Until then, walk with the King and be a blessing!

Resource: The Life Application Study Bible.