The citizen. [volume] (Berea, Ky.) 1899-1958, 1911-06-29
Jehovah's Suffering
Servant


on him the iniquity OF us all"-Isa bs:6.
TIE lesson is from the second part Of
the Book OF Isaiah.
Whenever written n belongs 10 the time
Of the exile, Just before the return.
II brought hope, inspiration. instruction.
nfe, and Hight In the darkest period in
the history OF Israel
Gods peculiar people were In exile
among heather populations. Their
homeland, Palestine, had been devas-
tated Jerusalem lay in ashes. The
temple was heap Of ruins. The na.
ton was like the stump of a mighty
tree which had been cut down. The
tree had been cut down because II re-
fused TO bear the good fruit for which
God had planted II. But In captivity
the people had been learning their les
son, and the time had come when II
was possible for a new shoot to
spring up from the barren stump. and
renewed nation to take up its ap-
pointed mission. But in order TO do
this. the nation must be made TO see
clearly what they must be and do. ans
the deepest motives toward this end
be inspired within them. All this is
a parable for the world.
II throws no little light on our les
son TO realize its relation 20 the
prophecy as a whole According TO
all critics the whole lesson really be.
longs TO the ffty.third chapter OF
Isaiah. the fifty-second ending at the
twelfth verse. The prophecy consists
Of 81 chapters, Of which the fifty-third
is the central one. making the whole
prophecy TO consist OF three sections.
First, the first thirteen chapters are
trumpet call to the captive Isreailtes
who have been hanging their barps
on the willows" unable to Sing the
songs of Zion" to awake to faith in
God, and obedience and loyalty to
him, and to be prepared for their de
llverance. Second: Chapter SO pre-
sents the means by which the re-
demption can be accomplished, the
heroic service Of his people, and the
supreme selfsacrificing love Of his
son. Third: The succeeding thirteen
chapters present the results Of the re-
deeming nation. and the redeemed
world.
The service Of God was q commits
sion TO witness and prophecy for God
upon earth" Israel was elected not
to salvation, but 10 SERVICE" or rather
as in the case Of any individual, the
nation was elected to salvation that
II might be Of service. II was neces-
sary that the servant" who was to
carry out Gods purpose of saving the
world should be nation, from the
condition of the ancient world. "of
all possible combinations of men the
nation was the only form which In the
ancient world stood a chance OF sur
viving in the struggle for existence"
The servant OF God was the nation OF
Israel
Jesus Christ did Gods service for
the worlds redemption by bearing the
sorrows and sins Of man. His suffer
ings were not because he himself had
done wrong, but In order that he
might save us from them. He bore
them on his heart and sympathy. He
bore them away by his healing power.
He bore them as the martyr and the
hero suffers that he may save the op
pressed and the wronged and perse
cuted from their sufferings. He bore
them away by Transforming them into
character. He bore them by giving
his life for our sins, so that by re-
moving sin he removed most Of the
griefs OF man. Christianity has been
the chief power In removing the griefs
and sorrows OF mankind.
The prophet foresees these things
fulfilled In Jesus Christ The picture
in these verses is almost a photograph
of what took place five hundred years
later He was oppressed, his suffer
ings were unjustly inflicted on him.
Read the story of his trial. He opened
not his mouth IN protest. He submit
ted to the wrong.
Jesus was put to death with the
wicked on the cross, and they thought
TO bury him IN q criminals grave.
They appointed his grave with the
wicked, but by striking providence
l1t saw pcA "
a rich man, Joseph Of Arimathea. who
provided him with an honorable burial
In his own rock-hewn tomb.
Yet II pleased the Lord because he
saw the good TO be gained. He shall
see his seed, his spiritual descendants.
filled with his spirit and carrying out
bis plans. He shall prolong his days.
He rose from the dead, assembled TO
heaven, and is the everlasting leader
and king. OF all kings he is the most
glorious. OF all kingdoms his is the
largest. noblest. best beyond all com
pare.
This far-off vision Of Jesus. and OF
the redeemed world. Is one OF the
strongest proofs OF a revelation from
God. Professor Ramsay declares that
the Bible is unique among ancient re
l.gions In that 10 the Hebrew proph-
cts, and TO them alone. the better age
lay always In future"
"The best is yet to DO,
The last OF life for which the FIRST was
made"
We see In this lesson the one source
OF power for saving man. and trans
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