TODAY IN THE WORD

[Soldier4Christ]

Tuesday, September 2, 1997
Read: Isaiah 42:3-4
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TODAY IN THE WORD
Earlier this year, former prisoner of war Pete Peterson was appointed as the first U.S. ambassador to Vietnam since the war's end in 1975. Peterson spent six-and-a-half years undergoing torture and other mistreatment under the Vietnamese communists, yet he was willing to return to the place where he had suffered so much.

Pete Peterson's return to Vietnam in his official capacity is another reminder of the many P.O.W.s from that war who, although weak and oppressed, were not completely broken by their experience.

Isaiah's first Servant Song addresses the weak and oppressed through the image of a ""bruised reed"" and a ""smoldering wick"" (v. 3). These metaphors describe people who are near to being crushed and extiguished --but they are still people for whom there is hope of restoration. Such hope can only be found in the Lord's Servant.

Today's verses continue to describe Jesus Christ's earthly ministry and triumphant reign in His coming millennial kingdom. We know that Jesus had compassion on those who were ""harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd"" (Mt. 9:36). The bruised, the broken, and the downtrodden who reached out to Jesus found a gentle Shepherd.

Another side of Jesus' character, His righteousness and justice, will be the distinguishing mark of His Second Coming and millennial rule. As we noted yesterday, only the Son of God can bring universal justice to the earth. Even the most distant lands, ""the islands"" (v. 4), will rejoice in His law.

Verse 4 also contains two interesting word plays in the Hebrew language. The Servant is said not to ""falter,"" a word that means to dim or fade, like a smoldering wick. And the Servant will not ""be discouraged""--literally, be crushed or bruised, an obvious reflection of the bruised reed. There is a strength in the Servant that allowsHim to help the broken.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Do you ever feel bruised by life's bumps? Has your light ever flickered and almost gone out? If you answered yes, welcome to the human race! Experiences in which we feel weak and helpless are universal, but they are not all bad. It's in our weaknesses that we discover God's power (2 Cor. 12:10).

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Isaiah 42:5-7
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TODAY IN THE WORD
In China, an advocate of democracy has called on the government to reverse its condemnation of the 1989 democracy protests in Beijing's Tiananmen Square and release those still in jail.

Leng Wanbao was himself put in prison in 1989 for leading demonstrations in support of the students, where he then spent time in solitary confinement. He was released in 1994 and has continued to be active on behalf of Chinese dissidents. Human rights observers believe that Mr. Leng's recent appeal will lead to his re-arrest.

We can admire this man's courageous attempt to free prisoners sitting in dark cells, however unlikely his chance of success. But when the Servant of the Lord purposes to open prison doors and release those held captive by sin and fear, no power on earth can thwart Him.

This is the assurance God Himself gives the Servant in the verses we are studying today. In a sense, we are privileged to be in on a conversation between the almighty creator God and His Servant, the Lord Jesus Christ. Our real privilege, of course, is that we are the direct beneficiaries of what God promises the Servant.

The assurance is this: because God has called the Servant to fulfill His righteous will, the Servant will complete His ministry both to Israel and to the Gentiles.

Jesus' ministry to Israel is ""to be a covenant for the people"" (v. 6)--that is, to fulfill God's covenant promise of a Redeemer, the Messiah, who would live a righteous life and take away the sins of His people.

Jesus is the fulfillment of this calling down to the very letter of the Law (Mt. 5:17-18). And when He came to earth, He also brought light and salvation to the Gentiles, setting free those held in sin's bondage (Isa. 42:7).
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
We talk a lot about the benefits of salvation. One reason is that they are so incredible, it will take us all eternity to realize what Jesus did for us.

Another reason is that the benefits begin in the here-and-now, not just in the sweet-by-and-by. That means no matter where you are or what you're facing today, your salvation holds a very real blessing for you.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Isaiah 42:8-9
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TODAY IN THE WORD
The government of the Netherlands has decreed an unusual plan to promote the music of its native composers. Unfortunately, while the Dutch are well-known in the world of painting, Dutch composers ""pretty much wallow in obscurity,"" according to one report. So the government has ordered its national orchestras to play at least seven percent Dutch music in future concerts.

Aren't you glad that our great God needs no promotion plan or any other help to make His name known? One fact we are reminded of in Isaiah's initial Servant Song is that God alone has the power and authority to do everything He wills to do. Because of who God is, it is impossible for any other so-called god to share His glory (v. .

God's power is so great, in fact, that He can reveal what He intends to do far in advance of its fulfillment. These final two verses of this Song are a further word of assurance to the Servant--and to us--that God will accomplish all He has said.

Remembering the context of the Servant Songs helps us understand why God raises the issue of idols here (see Sept. 1). In Isaiah 41:21-23, God challenges the false gods of other nations to do what He can do: foretell the future and then make the predictions come to pass.

That challenge will always go unanswered, because there is no god like the one true God. In today's verses, God is still addressing His Servant, assuring Him that His prophecies in verses 6-7 will take place. We considered that prophecy yesterday in light of the fulfillment and salvation Jesus brought at His first coming.

But for the Jews to whom Isaiah was writing, the prophecy of a release from captivity was directly related to the Babylonian captivity that lay ahead. Although His people would go into captivity, God would set them free. He was announcing this many years before it happened.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
If God can foretell and fulfill the futures of people and of nations, is anything too hard for Him (Gen. 18:14)?

We know the answer to that! Here's an exercise you can do today to bring that truth home. Jot down the biggest concern or challenge you are currently facing--or maybe the top two or three.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Matthew 3:11-17
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TODAY IN THE WORD
Perhaps the most celebrated coronation in western Europe's history occurred on Christmas Day, 800 A.D.--Charlemagne was crowned emperor of the Roman Empire by Pope Leo III. After Leo crowned Charlemagne, the crowd shouted, ""To Charles Augustus, crowned of God, great and pacific emperor of the Romans, life and victory.""

I'm not sure if the crowds shouted when John baptized Jesus, but it was definitely a turning point in Jesus' ministry. To the people of His day, Jesus was merely the son of Joseph, the carpenter from Nazareth. And to many people today, He is simply a historical figure.

But those who are willing to trace the Savior's roots discover that the Bible teaches His true identity. As the second Person of the eternal Godhead, Jesus has no beginning and no end (Jn. 8:58). And even Jesus' brief earthly ministry did not simply begin at His birth, or at His baptism. In the eternal plan of God, Jesus was already the Lamb of God, ""slain from the creation of the world"" (Rev. 13:.

Jesus' ministry was prophesied extensively in the Old Testament. This month, we are considering one important set of these prophecies, Isaiah's Servant Songs, alongside the correlating New Testament passages.

The opening of the first Servant Song, as we saw earlier, reveals one vital detail of Jesus' earthly ministry (Isa. 42:1). God the Father would anoint His Son with the Holy Spirit in a very special way.

That prophecy finds its fulfillment in Jesus' baptism by John (Mt. 3:13ff.). Jesus submitted to baptism, not as an admission of sin, but to identify with the message of righteousness that John was preaching.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
One of the greatest blessings available to us today through Christ's finished work is experiencing the filling of the Holy Spirit.

Every believer can live a Spirit-filled life. In fact, we are commanded to be filled (Eph. 5:18). If you are a believer, you already possess the Holy Spirit. The issue in His filling is whether you are giving Him control of your life on a day-to-day basis.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Matthew 12:14-21
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TODAY IN THE WORD
Pastor Gardner Taylor was preaching one Sunday evening when the lights in his small, Depression-era church in Louisiana suddenly flickered and went out. Taylor stood quietly in the darkness, not knowing what to do or say. Finally, an older deacon in the congregation called out, ""Preach on, preacher, we can still see Jesus in the dark."" Gardner Taylor has been doing just that ever since: proclaiming the light of the Word of God amid the darkness.

Today's text reminds us that things haven't changed since the days of Jesus Himself. Those who want to see Him--that is, believe in and follow Him--will not be blinded by the darkness. But those who refuse to trust in God's chosen Servant will continue to stumble in the dark.

This latter condition describes the Pharisees of Jesus' day. Because Jesus exposed their hypocrisy and lack of concern for God's people (Mt. 12: 1-13), these men went into a murderous rage, plotting the Lord's death.

But Jesus continued healing those in need, warning them not to reveal who He was. To explain Jesus' compassion, and His public silence, Matthew quoted Isaiah 42:1-4, the opening verses of Isaiah's first Servant Song. There is no question here that Jesus is the direct fulfillment of God's prophetic words.

Notice the contrast between the Pharisees' attitude toward Jesus and that of God the Father's. Though these earthly leaders rejected Jesus, He was the chosen Servant of God. Ultimately, God's vote was the only one that counted.

Isaiah's picture of the Servant as One who rejects public outcry (Mt. 12:19) fits well with Jesus' warning (v. 16). If word went out of His healing power, crowds bent on a miracle would come, distracted from Jesus' real message of sin and salvation.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
When it comes to the claims of Jesus Christ, there are some people who don't want to see the truth.

Even though we cannot know for sure who will or won't respond, we can and must pray for these people. And at the same time, we can ask God to lead us to people who are genuinely searching for spiritual reality.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Luke 2:21-32
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TODAY IN THE WORD
D.L. Moody once told the story of a shepherd who, it was said, could call each of his sheep to him by name. A man in the area went to the shepherd to ask if the story were true. The shepherd took the man out to his pasture and called out a name. One sheep looked up and answered the call, while the others kept feeding and paid no attention. As his visitor watched in amazement, the shepherd then called about a dozen of his sheep to him one after another.

God knows each of His children the way that shepherd knew his sheep. As evidence, we have the brief but intriguing story of a man named Simeon. God knew exactly who this faithful disciple was, and He knew exactly when to call Simeon into the outer court of the temple (v. 27). It was at the precise moment when Mary and Joseph were bringing Jesus for His circumcision.

This was an important event in Jesus' life, and a momentous day for the nation of Israel--although most of the people were oblivious to it. But God was bringing His newborn Servant to the temple, the center of Israel's religious life, and He wanted a witness to the event. So He called on another servant, Simeon (vv. 28-29).

The words that Simeon spoke while holding Jesus show that he knew his Old Testament well. In particular, Simeon was familiar with Isaiah's prediction that the Lord's Servant would minister both to Israel and to the Gentiles (Isa. 42:6). Simeon made reference to this text in the final verse of his own song of praise (Lk. 2:32).

Here again we find an indication that the glorious Servant in Isaiah is none other than the Lord Jesus. The baby in the Jerusalem temple would grow up to be the glory of Israel as its promised Messiah, the One sent by Israel's covenant-keeping God in fulfillment of His promise.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
One reason Simeon was such an effective witness for God at the needed moment was that he knew the Scriptures well.

There's a lesson here for us. Our witness can and should include what God has done for us personally, but we must also realize the power of showing His Word to others.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Isaiah 49:1-3
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TODAY IN THE WORD
Like so many great servants of God, Matthew Henry felt God's call on his life at a very early age. It was said that Henry, who was born in 1662, could read and comment on the Bible at the age of three. He received Christ as his Savior at age eleven. Henry was determined to become a minister as his father had been, and he served in a church in Chester, England, for twenty-five years. Those early exercises in Bible study paid off, too, as Matthew Henry published a Bible commentary that is still widely used today.

God's call on the life of His Servant, Jesus, was evident even before His conception. The Servant of the Lord, whose portrait is drawn in the prophet Isaiah's Servant Songs, says of Himself, ""Before I was born the Lord called me"" (v. 1).

The Servant is the speaker in these opening verses of Isaiah 49. He invites the distant nations to listen to His words, because His birth and mission will impact them as well as Israel. This call to the ""islands"" and the ""nations"" echoes Isaiah 42 where it is prophesied that the Servant will establish justice on the entire earth (vv. 1, 4).

The Servant says His mouth is like a ""sharpened sword"" (Isa. 49:2), terminology that reminds us of John's description of the risen and exalted Christ (Rev. 1:16, 2:12, 16).

As we read today's passage, the picture of the Servant and His ministry comes into clear focus. Because the Servant is Jesus Christ, the Messiah, we understand verse 1 as a reference to the events surrounding His birth. The sharpened sword in His mouth reminds us that Jesus was the Word of God in the flesh.

In verse 3, God calls His Servant ""Israel,"" leading some to believe that the nation itself is the Servant. But it is obvious that the Servant is distinct from Israel, for He is called to bring Israel back to the Lord.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Do you remember when you first felt the calling of God on your life?

The Bible urges us again and again to recall God's grace and blessings on our lives and praise Him for His goodness. What better way to start a new work week than to look back and rejoice at the people and circumstances God used to bring you to Himself? Even five minutes spent recounting God's grace in your life could set the tone for your entire week.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Isaiah 49:4-6
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TODAY IN THE WORD
Mission annals recorded a noteworthy obituary earlier this year. Gikita Waewae, who died in Ecuador in February at age eighty, led the small band of Waorani (formerly called Auca) warriors who killed Jim Elliott and four other missionaries in an Ecuadoran jungle in 1956. This martyrdom, easily the most famous of the twentieth century, seemed to many like a waste of five young men's lives. But God used the incident to draw thousands of young people into missions and to open the hearts of the Waorani people, including Gikita Waewae, to the gospel.

God has always worked in mysterious ways. The martyrdom of the ""Ecuador Five"" is evidence of that. Consider also the Servant of the Lord's lament that His ministry was for ""no purpose,"" ""in vain,"" and ""for nothing"" (v. 4).

The prophet Isaiah must have puzzled as he recorded these words as coming from the Servant's own mouth. How could such a glorious Person view His purpose as futility?

Today's reading is a great example of the advantage we have in reading Isaiah's Servant Songs on this side of the Cross, with the full revelation of God in our hands. In light of this, it's our understanding that the Servant's reference to ""futility"" in His mission was fulfilled in Israel's rejection of Jesus at His first coming (Isa. 49:7).

But it is impossible that God's sovereign purpose would be thwarted by any human action. Here is where the mystery of His working comes to light. Israel's rejection of her Messiah became the occasion for God to send Him to offer salvation to the Gentiles. Not only will Israel be restored, but the Servant will also become the light that brings salvation to every corner of the earth (Isa. 49:6).
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
It's thrilling to see how God works His perfect will in people's lives despite setbacks and suffering.

However, it's not as easy to be glad when we are facing a painful or trying circumstance that seems to have no purpose. It can be hard to get a proper perspective on a problem, especially when God is not yet finished with the trial.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Isaiah 49:7-9
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TODAY IN THE WORD
When the Magi came from the East to worship Jesus, the newborn king of the Jews, it is doubtful that they understood the full impact of their role in the divine drama. But the fact that these nobles, whether three or three hundred, came to bow down before Jesus is a great testimony to the prophetic truth of God's Word.

What happened in Bethlehem (Mt. 2:1-12) was just a small foreshadowing of the worship the Messiah will receive when He comes again. At that time, He will receive universal praise and worship.

Jesus was despised and rejected by Israel at His first coming. He was the ""servant of rulers"" in His earthly ministry (Isa. 49:7). But at His return, earthly kings and princes will leave their thrones to fall before Him.

The second Servant Song of Isaiah reaches beyond the first coming of the Messiah to encompass His return in glory as King of Israel and Ruler of all nations. Even though the triumphant Second Coming of Jesus Christ is yet in the future, it is as certain as the character of God.

How do we know? Because God Himself promised His Servant that it would come to pass. The Lord is the speaker in verses 7-9. And because He is faithful and is the ""Holy One of Israel"" who has chosen the Messiah for this mission (v. 7), nothing can prevent Him from carrying out His will.

Verses 8-9 look ahead to the millennial kingdom of Christ, called here the ""time of [God's] favor"" and ""the day of salvation."" The reference to Messiah as a ""covenant"" for the people of Israel echoes Isaiah 42:6, where we learned that the Messiah's mission would serve to fulfill God's promises.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Have you bowed before Jesus and confessed Him as your Lord and Savior (Phil. 2:10-11)? We certainly hope you have.

But we try not to take it for granted that all of our Today in the Word readers have put their faith in Christ and have the assurance of sins forgiven and eternal life.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Isaiah 49:10-13
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TODAY IN THE WORD
Comet Hale-Bopp created quite a bit of interest last spring as it passed near the sun and was easily visible in the night sky. The comet was discovered in July, 1995, while it was still out beyond the orbit of planet Jupiter. Astronomers say such a discovery was unusual, since comets typically need to be closer before they can be observed. But Hale-Bopp is extremely large and bright, making it visible to telescopes even from such a great distance.

With a nucleus four times larger than Halley's Comet, Hale-Bopp easily outshines its well-known fellow comet. In an even greater way, the Servant of the Lord easily outshines any person who came before Him--or since, for that matter.

This is because the Servant is not a mere human, not just another brilliant light in God's heaven. He is, as we have seen, Jesus Christ, the Lord of heaven and earth. As we complete the second of four Servant Songs in the book of Isaiah, Jesus' glory shines through in all of its splendor.

The final verses of the Song in Isaiah 49 describe a time of joy and restoration unlike any we have yet seen on earth. God the Father is speaking to the Servant, offering incredible promises regarding what He will do in ""the time of [His] favor"" (v. .

This is a reference to Christ's millennial kingdom, a period yet in the future when the people of Israel will return to their land from the corners of the earth (v. 12). In that day, God will fulfill the promises of His new covenant to Israel (Jer. 31:31-34) as the Servant fulfills His ministry as ""a covenant for the people"" (Isa. 49:.

It doesn't take much imagination to picture the joy of the ""captives"" (Isa. 49:9), people held in spiritual as well as physical bondage, as they are led to freedom and blessing by Christ.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Verse 13 reminds us that singing is one form of heavenly worship we will evidently be doing throughout all eternity.

Since that is the case, we need to be practicing now! Singing is a wonderful way to enhance your daily worship and devotional time. If you don't have a good hymnal close by, make sure to add one to your devotional library.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Matthew 1:18-25; Luke 1:68-70
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TODAY IN THE WORD
Are you baking Christmas cookies? Wrapping presents? Or possibly trimming the tree? No, your calendar doesn't need adjusting. We know it isn't Christmas Day. But these classic ""Christmas texts"" are a powerful witness to the fulfillment of Isaiah's Servant prophecies in the life of Jesus.

The angel's announcement to Joseph emphasized that even at this early stage in Mary's pregnancy, the baby in her womb was already a very special Person (Isa. 49:1).

Jesus' existence did not begin with His conception by the Holy Spirit. But from the standpoint of Christ's earthly ministry, the Father set Him apart in Mary's womb to be the Savior of His people Israel--and of the world.

The salvation that Jesus came to bring to Israel was the focus of Zechariah's praise in Luke 1:67-79. Isaiah 49:5 leaves no doubt as to the Servant's purpose in bringing Israel back to the Lord. Although the nation rejected Him at His first offer of salvation, the Servant will come again to redeem His people and establish His kingdom.

Even Jesus' name was not left to human decision. The Servant Himself had said that from His birth, the Lord had made mention of His name (Isa. 49:1). This also referred to the extent to which God intended the name of His Redeemer to be proclaimed.

Also in Isaiah 49:1, the Servant called on all the distant lands to hear His proclamation of God's special blessing upon Him. This was partially fulfilled in the visit of the Magi (see September 10).

These nobles from a far land came in response to God's sign of the star of Bethlehem. Their coming stirred up Herod's court in Jerusalem and led to the chief religious teachers citing Micah's prophecy of a coming One who would be ""the shepherd of my people Israel"" (Mt. 2:6). It is also possible that this is a reference to Gentile peoples coming to faith (Isa. 49:1).


TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Since we are talking about Christmas here in late summer, let's enjoy a little ""Christmas spirit"" this weekend.

What's your favorite Christmas activity? Perhaps it's getting a card or gift for a loved one. Or it may include a special meal with friends or family.

[Soldier4Christ]

TODAY IN THE WORD
After months of captivity, the hostages in the Japanese ambassador's residence in Lima, Peru, were liberated last spring. Peruvian authorities, listening to tiny microphones hidden around the residence, heard the hostage-takers playing soccer and realized they had their long-awaited chance. More than 100 army commandos detonated a bomb to stun the captors and rushed the compound, freeing all but one hostage, who died in the gunfire.

We have spent enough time in Isaiah's second Servant Song to know that the Lord's Servant was sent to set captives free. As we step back from Isaiah 49 to see how this great prophecy was fulfilled in Jesus, we meet the Savior in His hometown of Nazareth.

This should have been a real highlight in Jesus' career on earth. Here was the anointed Son of God, the miracle-worker, the great Teacher, the One who could draw crowds, returning to the place where He was raised.

You would think the people of Nazareth would hold a parade, or at least a banquet, for their most illustrious citizen. After all, Nazareth wasn't the kind of place that would be remembered for much of anything (Jn. 1:46).

Even though the mere presence of Jesus should have been enough to cause excitement, there was also the message He came to deliver. It was the good news of freedom for the captives (Isa. 49:9)!

We saw earlier this week that the ultimate fulfillment of the Servant's ministry of setting captives free will be in His millennial kingdom. But Jesus' announcement at Nazareth provided a foreshadowing of that ultimate fulfillment. And considering that the captives are those in the spiritual bondage of sin, Jesus' sacrifice for sin on the Cross was the very act of release itself.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
There are many ways in which we may feel ""held captive"" in our spiritual lives. Is there something you need freedom from today?

It's possible for us to fall prey to habits and attitudes that can bring us down. It may be an attitude of bitterness or unforgiveness that we have allowed into our lives, or a physical indulgence that is damaging to our body, keeping us in perpetual spiritual defeat.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Revelation 19:11-16
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TODAY IN THE WORD
After 100 years and a lot of neglect, the object of a familiar old joke is finally getting some attention. The joke started this way: ""Who is buried in Grant's Tomb?"" Answer: Ulysses S. Grant, Civil War hero and former President of the United States. Grant is buried in the largest mausoleum in the country, which overlooks the Hudson River in New York. The site, which is a national monument, had fallen on hard times--the victim of time, neglect and graffiti writers. But as part of a centennial celebration, the National Park Service has spent $1.8 million cleaning and repairing the tomb of General Grant.

There's another celebrated tomb that is open to the public today. It is visited by people from all over the world: the Garden Tomb outside Jerusalem. And whether it's actually the burial site of Jesus or not doesn't really matter for our purposes--wherever Jesus' tomb is, it's empty!

Jesus' burial site needs no maintenance or repair. We need not fear that it will deteriorate and bring dishonor to Christ. He is the risen and coming Lord, the King who will one day ride out of heaven to conquer and rule.

Is the majestic Ruler described in today's text the humble Servant of the Lord who came initially to give His life on the cross (Mk. 10:45)? Yes, He is. Look closely at John's description of the Lord, and you will see that ""out of His mouth comes a sharp sword"" (Rev. 19:15, see also 1:16).

Now turn back to Isaiah 49:2 and read that the Servant says of Himself, ""[God] made my mouth like a sharpened sword."" The sword is the Servant's Word (Heb. 4:12), which goes out of His mouth and always accomplishes its purpose (Isa. 55:11).
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Sunday is a perfect day for this lesson, because it is the day when God calls His people together to hear His Word.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Isaiah 50:4-6
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TODAY IN THE WORD
During the Battle of New Orleans, American commander Andrew Jackson used martial law powers to jail a local newspaper editor who had criticized him. The editor appealed to a federal judge and obtained a writ of habeas corpus. So Jackson had the judge jailed too. But when martial law was lifted, the judge returned to his bench and issued a contempt citation against Jackson. The general appeared and paid a $1ꯠ fine, then told a supportive crowd, ""Concerning obedience to the laws...as the first duty of a citizen I did not hesitate to comply with the sentence.""

The Servant of the Lord was also obedient, even to His hurt, although the sentence against Him was totally unjust and applied with maximum cruelty.

It is difficult to read these opening verses of Isaiah's third Servant Song without wincing at the thought of the suffering Jesus endured on our behalf. Verse 6 is the only reference we have to a form of torture Jesus must have suffered before being nailed to the Cross.

What did the Lord's Servant do to deserve such punishment? His only ""crimes"" were teaching the Word of God, as we saw yesterday, and offering those who were spiritually weary the rest and refreshment of His salvation (Mt. 11:28-30).

Verses 4-5 are a wonderful picture of the obedient Servant, ever ready to hear and obey. After all, what is a servant's first obligation but to obey his master? Jesus asserted throughout His ministry that everything He did was in perfect agreement with and obedience to the Father.

That obedience took Jesus all the way to the Cross--and in the Servant's own words, ""I have not drawn back"" (v. 5).

It's true that Jesus prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane, ""My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me."" But the telling moment came when He added, ""Yet not as I will, but as you will"" (Mt. 26:39).
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
We think of the Lord's Prayer as our model for prayer as believers, and rightly so.

But Jesus' prayer of surrender and obedience in the Garden is also the prayer God wants to hear from our lips. Is it possible that you are hesitating to take a step of obedience or surrender that God is calling you to take? Perhaps it involves the issue we talked about on September 5.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Isaiah 50:7-9
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TODAY IN THE WORD
During Woodrow Wilson's first term as President, his wife Ellen died, and Wilson was devastated. Some months later he met a widow named Edith Galt. After a brief engagement, the couple was married in December, 1915. In the 1916 election, Wilson's opponents began circulating stories of his marital improprieties, suggesting that his wife had died of a broken heart. Wilson wrote to his former pastor, ""I do not know how to deal with the fiendish lies...other than to invite those who repeat them to consult anybody who has known me for any length of time.""

The Servant of the Lord knew exactly what it felt like to be slandered and falsely accused. No person has ever endured so patiently injustices and lies like the ones told against Jesus Christ by His accusers. Even Pilate, an experienced player in the game of setting up an opponent for a fall, was amazed that Jesus could hear so many charges against Him and not answer (Mk. 15:3-5).

But Jesus knew that His vindication lay not in hiring a defense lawyer and amassing evidence confirming His innocence. He left His defense with God (Isa. 50:7-8a).

Jesus knew exactly what awaited Him when He set out for Jerusalem and the Cross. But as the Lord's obedient Servant, He ""set [His] face like flint"" to do the Father's will (v. 7).

Now let's not get the wrong idea about the Servant's refusal to defend Himself. Jesus wasn't silent before His accusers because He was too meek to speak up. His silence was in fulfillment of prophecy--another Servant Song, as a matter of fact (Isa. 53:7).

Jesus knew the appropriate times to remain silent and when to speak up--earlier in His ministry, He was bold in challenging the religious leaders to prove any charge against Him (Jn. 8:42- 47). The language there is very similar to the Servant's challenge in verses 8-9 of today's text.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Woodrow Wilson's invitation to his accusers to check out the facts is a tried and true way of killing gossip.

As disciples of the One who was wrongly slandered more than any man, we should be the first to refuse accusations against another person without the facts. Why not make this commitment to the Lord concerning gossip: the next time a piece of gossip is brought to you, try to defuse it by offering to accompany the tale-bearer to the source(s) to seek the truth.