Celebrating the Servant's Saving Work | Isaiah 54
The Lord calls His people to celebrate four changes that they will experience because of the Servant's saving work: (1) from desolation to multiplication, (2) from desertion to reconciliation, (3) from agitation to fortification, and (4) from oppression to vindication. This sermon is part 7 in "The Suffering Servant," Bryan Craddock's series of verse-by-verse sermons on Isaiah 49-55.
Sometimes gifts just don’t measure up to our expectations. You get excited and think, “This is exactly what I need!” It could be a piece of clothing that you love. But then you wear it and find that it doesn’t fit well or look good. It could be a gadget that seems helpful. But then you discover that it doesn’t work as promised. Each disappointment may leave you a bit more skeptical about the next gift you receive. The ideal gift is the one that exceeds your expectations and meets needs that you do not even realize that you have. The saving work of Christ is like that!
As we have seen, the Prophet Isaiah describes him as the Suffering Servant. In chapters 52 and 53, he foretells the triumphs of his personal sacrifice. His astonishing wounds lead to his exaltation as he sprinkles the nations. His grievous affliction, for which most people reject him, brings true healing. He died in our place bearing the penalty of God’s wrath as our substitute. He then rose to life so that believers are counted righteous and sustained to glory through his ongoing intercession.
So, why should his sacrifice matter to us? What difference does it make? What makes his costly gift of salvation worth receiving and celebrating? The Lord answers those questions in Isaiah 54. He calls his people to celebrate four changes that they will experience because of the Servant’s saving work.
Now these changes speak directly to the needs of the Jewish people as they anticipate the coming Babylonian conquest that Isaiah foretold. But they still apply to us in principle, so we should join this celebration. We may not even realize it, but these are changes that we need.
From Desolation to Multiplication
Some people go camping to get away from it all. But a campground does not really provide that experience. They are often crowded and noisy. You’d have more peace and quiet in your own backyard. You must go off the beaten path to find a truly desolate place. That may feel peaceful for a while, but sooner or later it begins to feel lonely.
Of course, you can be surrounded by people and still feel alone. As we saw earlier in our study, that’s one of the lies that we tell ourselves when we are suffering. We think, “No one knows what I’m going through. No one understands. No one cares.” But the Lord is always there, and he is at work in our desolation.
He addressed Jerusalem’s feeling of being alone and hopeless back in Isaiah 49:18-26. He revealed his plan for them there, and he restates it here. Because of the Servant’s work, they will experience a change from desolation to multiplication. Isaiah 54:1 says,
"Sing, O barren one, who did not bear; break forth into singing and cry aloud, you who have not been in labor! For the children of the desolate one will be more than the children of her who is married," says the LORD.
Jerusalem would feel this sense of barrenness and desolation after being conquered by the Babylonians. Many of her people would be led away into captivity. But back in chapter 49, the Lord revealed that at some point her children would become a great multitude. So, here he calls them to sing and celebrate even before that happens. Why? Because they now understand how it will come about. Isaiah 53:10 speaks of the Servant having offspring. Verse 11 says that he makes many to be counted righteous.
Now some commentators argue that Zion or Jerusalem is completely out of the picture at this point, since it is not explicitly mentioned here. They say that this passage is all about the Church, but that interpretation ignores the strong connection with what was said to Jerusalem in chapter 49. So, Israel still seems to be in view, yet New Testament believers are also included in the justified offspring of the Servant. Paul quotes Isaiah 54:1 in Galatians 4:27 as he refutes Jewish legalism. He argues that Gentile believers are free from the law because we are children of the Jerusalem above not of Sinai.
Jerusalem’s desolation ultimately leads to a great multiplication of her children. In verses 2-3, the Lord says,
"Enlarge the place of your tent, and let the curtains of your habitations be stretched out; do not hold back; lengthen your cords and strengthen your stakes. For you will spread abroad to the right and to the left, and your offspring will possess the nations and will people the desolate cities.
A bigger tent will be needed as they leave behind their experience of desolation. In a sense, this prophecy begins to be fulfilled as people from the nations are saved through the witness of the Church. But this multiplication goes beyond evangelization. It describes the result of worldwide conquest in some of the same terms used in Psalm 2:7-9. There the Messiah says,
I will tell of the decree: The LORD said to me, "You are my Son; today I have begotten you. Ask of me, and I will make the nations your heritage, and the ends of the earth your possession. You shall break them with a rod of iron and dash them in pieces like a potter's vessel."
Christ will return to reign. His worldwide kingdom will be established. But as we wait for it, there will be times when we seem to be standing alone. We may not face conquest like the people of Jerusalem did 2,700 years ago. But we do face opposition from the unbelieving world. Sometimes our fellow believers also behave in hurtful ways or pursue all the wrong goals. As you seek to be faithful to Christ, it can feel as if you’re camping alone out in the wilderness. Nevertheless, we can rejoice and sing praise, because one day Christ will gather his people and unite us to experience true fellowship with him and with one another in the big tent of his kingdom. Celebrate the change from desolation to multiplication.
From Desertion to Reconciliation
When a young couple asks me to lead their wedding ceremony, I require them to meet with me for premarital counseling, but most of them don’t think that they need it. They believe that they have found the perfect person. They are caught up in the romance of it all and cannot imagine that they would ever have any problems. So, one of my goals is to politely shatter that fantasy. It is never easy to maintain a healthy marriage between two sinners.
With the familiarity of that struggle, perhaps it should not surprise us that the Old Testament Prophets often picture Israel as the Lord’s wife. Hosea was even called to portray God’s mercy in how he related to his unfaithful wife, Gomer. Unlike any man, God is a perfectly loving husband. But the Babylonian conquest that Isaiah foretells marks a very dark period in the Lord’s relationship with his people. In a sense, he deserts them. Yet even before that occurs, the Lord calls them to celebrate their future change from desertion to reconciliation. In Isaiah 54:4-5, he says,
"Fear not, for you will not be ashamed; be not confounded, for you will not be disgraced; for you will forget the shame of your youth, and the reproach of your widowhood you will remember no more. For your Maker is your husband, the LORD of hosts is his name; and the Holy One of Israel is your Redeemer, the God of the whole earth he is called.
Divorce has become so common in our society that there does not seem to be much shame associated with it, but that is not the case in this analogy. The Lord highlights his perfect character. He is the wise Maker who created them, the powerful Lord of hosts who defines right and wrong, the Holy One who redeemed them from their captivity, and the God who reigns over the whole earth. So, his decision to turn away is entirely justified.
His bride bears full responsibility for her unfaithfulness, but he calls her to put aside her fear. She will not ultimately be ashamed, confounded, or disgraced. In some sense, she will even forget the shameful things she had done and the reproach she bore, because she will be reconciled to him. Verses 6-8 say,
For the LORD has called you like a wife deserted and grieved in spirit, like a wife of youth when she is cast off, says your God. For a brief moment I deserted you, but with great compassion I will gather you. In overflowing anger for a moment I hid my face from you, but with everlasting love I will have compassion on you," says the LORD, your Redeemer.
The Lord takes the initiative in this reconciliation. His call is prompted by his compassion and everlasting love. There is no direct link between this passage and the previous description of the Servant’s work, but his atonement for sins is what makes it possible. In fact, Paul uses a similar husband and wife analogy in Ephesians 5:25-27. He says,
Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, so that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish.
The repetition of this analogy raises the question of how the New Testament Church relates to Old Testament prophecies about Israel. Is it the fulfillment of them, a distinct and separate work, or a little bit of both? It is difficult to say with certainty, but I think that passages like this chapter in Isaiah suggest that God never abandons the physical descendants of Israel.
No matter where you land on those questions, these passages from Isaiah and Paul give us a compelling picture of God’s saving grace. Because of our sins, we all deserve for him to desert us. But when he calls us to be reconciled to him in Christ, we can rejoice because he washes away all our shame and disgrace. Celebrate the change from desertion to reconciliation.
From Agitation to Fortification
A cruise ship feels like a glitzy floating city. But one time my wife and I were on board one that encountered stormy seas. The crew reported twenty-foot-high swells. We were never in any danger, but it doesn’t seem so luxurious when everything is tilting and bouncing around on the waves. We were grateful to set foot on solid ground the next day. It certainly could have been much, much worse.
In Isaiah 54:9-13, the Lord presents a picture like this, but one that is much more extreme. He likens the Babylonian conquest that Jerusalem will experience to the journey of Noah and his family on board the ark. Yet he also calls the people of Jerusalem to anticipate and celebrate the change from that deep agitation to a perfectly secure fortification. He begins in verses 9 and 10 by saying,
"This is like the days of Noah to me: as I swore that the waters of Noah should no more go over the earth, so I have sworn that I will not be angry with you, and will not rebuke you. For the mountains may depart and the hills be removed, but my steadfast love shall not depart from you, and my covenant of peace shall not be removed," says the LORD, who has compassion on you.
According to the account in Genesis 6-9, the mountains disappear in the Flood as God pours out his wrath upon the earth. It is not explicitly stated there, but such forces would remove hills and massively reshape the surface of the earth. Though Noah and his family were carried safely through, I doubt that they had a peaceful voyage. I’m sure that it was much worse than my cruise. They had to trust in the promise of God and believe in his steadfast love to carry them through.
The Lord calls the people of Jerusalem to exercise the same faith through the agitation of their time and to find peace in his covenant relationship with them. In his compassion, he is leading them toward an unshakable destination. In verses 11-13, the Lord says,
"O afflicted one, storm-tossed and not comforted, behold, I will set your stones in antimony, and lay your foundations with sapphires. I will make your pinnacles of agate, your gates of carbuncles, and all your wall of precious stones. All your children shall be taught by the LORD, and great shall be the peace of your children.
They are not just brought through the storm to solid ground. The Lord promises to deliver them to a secure walled city adorned with precious stones. Some try to find symbolic meaning in the gems that are mentioned, but it is difficult to identify with any certainty what each one is. The point is the glory of it all. This is not superficial glitz! This will be a place of perfect peace, grounded in the knowledge of the Lord.
The Apostle John offers a similar but more elaborate description of a new Jerusalem in Revelation 21. He speaks of seeing pearly gates and streets of gold. Then verses 22 and 23 tell us,
And I saw no temple in the city, for its temple is the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb. And the city has no need of sun or moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and its lamp is the Lamb.
Of course, this Lamb in Revelation is the same individual that Isaiah calls the Servant. He is the one who suffered and died for our sins and rose from the dead so that we could be counted righteous. He is Jesus Christ, and through faith in him we have the hope of entering that city and experiencing its perfect peace. So, no matter how stormy our journey gets, we can look forward to the destination that is assured us in Christ. Celebrate the change from agitation to fortification.
From Oppression to Vindication
For centuries, smiths have skillfully crafted sharp, deadly weapons. They use the intense heat of a forge to melt ore and remove impurities. They apply force through hammer blows to harden and shape metal. Some of those weapons have been used for self-defense. But in this fallen world, many have been used for evil purposes, to threaten and oppress.
In his sovereignty, the Lord carries out a similar work in people’s lives. He uses the heat of trials, even the oppressive deeds of wicked people, to melt our hard hearts so that we will repent and believe in Christ. When we trust in him, we are counted righteous, but he does not stop there. He applies the force of his Word to shape us into the righteous image of Christ. Sometimes it even hits us like a hammer blow to the heart!
This sanctification process is not easy, but we can celebrate the change from the oppression of this world to the ultimate vindication of righteousness in eternity. In Isaiah 54:14, the Lord says,
In righteousness you shall be established; you shall be far from oppression, for you shall not fear; and from terror, for it shall not come near you.
As soon as Adam and Eve ate the forbidden fruit, they began to experience fear. They worried about how the Lord would react. Before long other threats arose within their own family. Jealousy prompted their firstborn son, Cain, to kill his brother Abel. A descendant of Cain named Lamech became even more vengeful. In time, others began to impress their will upon others, ruling through fear. That is the sad reality of our world.
Our sinful inclination is to respond to such threats by seeking power for ourselves. We fight fear with fear, but that does not solve the problem. Our true need is for Christ to reign and establish righteousness throughout the land. That is the character of his kingdom. Oppression will cease, and the reign of terror will end.
But we are not there yet, so how should we live until then? How should Isaiah’s countrymen respond, knowing that their city will be brutally conquered by the Babylonians? In verses 15-16, the Lord says,
If anyone stirs up strife, it is not from me; whoever stirs up strife with you shall fall because of you. Behold, I have created the smith who blows the fire of coals and produces a weapon for its purpose. I have also created the ravager to destroy;
We must trust the Lord, accepting the mystery of human responsibility and divine sovereignty. On the one hand, those who stir up strife bear responsibility for it. Their actions oppose God’s commands. It is not from him. At the same time, he grants human beings the knowledge that enables smiths to produce weapons. He even sustains the life of those who ravage and destroy.
But there at the end of verse 15, he says that those who stir up strife will ultimately fall. In verse 17, he expands upon that promise, saying,
no weapon that is fashioned against you shall succeed, and you shall refute every tongue that rises against you in judgment. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD and their vindication from me, declares the LORD."
From a short-term perspective, weapons do seem to succeed. But the folly of oppression and even unrighteous speech will ultimately be made clear as the Lord brings judgment. Those who serve him will receive an inheritance, not because of our righteous deeds, but because we are justified in Christ. Through his saving work, righteousness will be vindicated.
So, we must live as those who believe in the return of Christ and the triumph of righteousness. Even in the face of hostility, we should display confidence. In Romans 12:17-19, Paul says,
Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all. If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, "Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord."
Are you seeking to live peaceably, even when evil is done to you? You can only do so when you live with a conscious awareness of your own need for mercy. As is often said, “There go I but for the grace of God.” Trust Christ to establish us in his righteousness. Celebrate the change from oppression to vindication.
__________
The Servant suffered to bring about these amazing changes. He leads his people from desolation to multiplication, from desertion to reconciliation, from agitation to fortification, and from oppression to vindication.
Perhaps you have never thought about some of these ideas, but don’t they describe the needs that you feel in your soul--relationships with people and with God and the hope of stability and righteousness? If you have never done so, I encourage you to confess your need for salvation. Ask the Lord to save you. Place your faith in Christ. If you would like to learn more about the changes that he brings about through his saving work, Ephesians 2 would be a good chapter to read.
If you’re a believer, do you need to grow in hope and celebration? The gospel should change our outlook on life. We should have joy and confidence because of Christ’s saving work and his coming kingdom. We should overflow with the hope of the gospel, sharing it with others.
May we faithfully serve the Servant who suffered in our place!
Reflect
Which of these changes is most encouraging to you? Why?
What could you do to maintain a more consistent attitude of hope and celebration?
How might these changes be helpful in communicating the gospel?