By Christina M Wilson. Previously published at https://justonesmallvoice.com/who-is-the-suffering-servant-isaiah-devotional-2-44/.

Who Is the Suffering Servant?
Isaiah 52:13-53:12 

Congregations hear the Suffering Servant passage read aloud to them extremely often. The Easter season is a most popular time for church goers to consider this passage. In my personal experience, the reading always begins with 53:1. As a young person, I remember wondering, “Why is Isaiah so vague? He never identifies who he’s talking about. How can people be certain this passage refers to Christ?” That is a natural question, since the twelve verses all say, “he, he, his, him,” without further identification. I am sure I am not alone in my response (Cf. Acts 8:30-34). This is because reading passages out of context often leads to comprehension difficulties.

Context: The Servant’s Identity

Context is paramount when listeners and readers consider the meaning of any one verse. The Fourth Servant Song, as the passage which includes Isaiah 53 is popularly called, begins in Isaiah 52:13. There, God himself distinctly identifies the “he” used throughout the passage.

Behold, my servant shall understand, and be exalted, and glorified exceedingly. (Isaiah 52:13 Septuagint in American English LXE) (See prior post Devotional 2.42.)

God begins speaking of “my Servant” in 52:13. Following this, the text continues unbroken through the end of chapter 53. Therefore, the “he” referenced throughout chapter 53 is God’s Servant.

But Who Is the Servant?

IS THE SERVANT ISRAEL?

The Servant cannot be Israel for several reasons.

1. In the passage immediately following chapter 53, God does address Israel his people. This message to Israel differs from the message of the Servant Song that begins in chapter 52:13. In particular, the Servant always pleases God, whereas Israel rarely did. Concerning the Servant see Isaiah 52:13; 53:5, 9, 11 and 12. Concerning Israel see Isaiah 54:4-9.

2. Verse 5 states that the Servant “was wounded on account of our sins, and was bruised because of our iniquities.” It is true that God did wound and bruise Israel on account of their sin (consider for example, the exile). This sentence, however, reads as though the Servant were someone other than Israel. The verbs concerning the Servant are always singular in this verse. On the other hand, the adjectives which modify the lawlessness and sin are plural. Readers of plain, ordinary speech would think that the text mentions two characters. If the Servant were Israel, then there would be only one.

3. Verse 9 prophesies that the Servant will be buried in a concrete-literal tomb. This would not work as a metaphor for a group of people.

4. The book of Isaiah as a whole follows a particular storyline. The basic elements of the story follow.

1) Israel continues to sin and rebel against God.
2) God punishes them temporally through a series of wars. These culminate in their exile.
3) God calls them home. This serves as a physical sign of his having forgiven them.
4) God announces his comfort to them. He will bring this comfort to them through the actions of his Servant.
5) Finally, God promises the future well-being of his people. Their glorious future includes Gentiles joined with them.

God builds to a climactic presentation of his special Servant as the one through whom he will bless his people Israel and Gentiles the world over.

5. In general, readers can find a difference in content and language between Isaiah’s servant passages referencing the people Israel and those which reference his special Servant. First, in the former passages, God tends to speak at length in first person with reference to himself and what he will do for Israel. Further, these passages contain a large amount of prophecy concerning what will happen to Israel. Additionally, the servant passages concerning God’s people give little information about the people. God does not describe them in third person, except perhaps, in judgment. The following passages illustrate these points: Isaiah 41:8-20; Isaiah 44:1-5, 21-28; 45:4-8.

The special Servant passages also contain prophecies concerning what will happen to the Servant, and God does speak in first person about what he will do for him. But the big difference is that these passages present information about the nature and character of the Servant himself. See Isaiah 42:1-4; 49:2; and 52:13-15. In contrast to these, the passages that speak of God’s people as his servant lack these positive statements about them. If God describes them at all, he uses negative language (see Isaiah 52:1-5).

IS THE SERVANT ISAIAH?

In short, I find no support for this viewpoint. To give just one example, Isaiah the prophet “bore the sins” of no one (Isaiah 53:4 LXE).

WHO CAN THE SERVANT BE?

The list of characters in the book of Isaiah is very short:

1. Isaiah the narrator
2. Israel the nation
3. Israel the people
4. The enemies of Israel
5. The Gentiles who find favor with God
6. The Servant
7. God

If the Servant is neither Isaiah the prophet nor the people of Israel, then there is really no one else he could be other than the Servant of God identified throughout the book as someone whom God accords glory on a par with his own.

6 And he said to me, It is a great thing for you to be called my servant, to establish the tribes of Jacob, and to recover the dispersion of Israel: behold, I have given you for the covenant of a race, for a light of the Gentiles, that you should be for salvation to the end of the earth. 7 Thus says the Lord that delivered you, the God of Israel, Sanctify him that despises his life, him that is abhorred by the nations that are the servants of princes: kings shall behold him, and princes shall arise, and shall worship him, for the Lord’s sake: for the Holy One of Israel is faithful, and I have chosen you. (Isaiah 49:6-7 LXE) 

Readers should note that Isaiah’s vocabulary mentions the word “Christ” (anointed) only once in the entire book. In Isaiah 45:1 God calls Cyrus the Persian “my anointed.” Clearly, however, the New Testament identifies Isaiah’s “Servant” with Israel’s Christ, i.e., the Son of God.

1. Scripture identifies Jesus the Christ as God’s Servant in Acts 3:13, 26; 4:27 and 30.
2. New Testament readers find quotations from the Suffering Servant passage in Romans 15:15, 21; John 12:38; Romans 10:16; Matthew 8:17; Acts 8:32-33; 1 Peter 2:22; and Luke 22:37.

Summary

The key to God’s comfort for his people lies with his special Servant. Isaiah has been building up to the climax of this part of the “story” throughout the book, and in particular since chapter 40 began.

The next post will explore in greater detail the distinctives of this Servant passage against other servant passages in Isaiah which do reference God’s people Israel as his servant.

By Christina M Wilson. Previously posted at https://justonesmallvoice.com/isaiah-52-13-the-suffering-servant-isaiah-devotional-2-43/.

…Continued  from Isaiah Devotional 2.42

The Suffering Servant Song Begins

Septuagint Isaiah 52:13 (LXX) begins a new section that extends through the end of chapter 53. This magnificent portion is known popularly as the great Suffering Servant song. It is the fourth Servant Song in Isaiah (1).

Brief Outline

Differences with the Masoretic

THREE VERBS VERSUS FOUR
DIFFERENT MEANINGS
…..1. First Verb: “My Servant shall understand”
…..2. Second Verb: [My Servant shall] “be exalted”
…..3. Third Verb: [My Servant shall be] “glorified exceedingly”

Second Verb: [My Servant shall] “be exalted”

An interesting feature of the Septuagint is that it shares the same language as the New Testament. Further, the Koine Greek of the New Testament is very similar to modern Greek. For example, when I studied Greek, I learned to read Koine with modern pronunciation. Anyone who reads modern Greek most likely could read the New Testament with ease, as well as the Septuagint. Further, the Septuagint translators of the Hebrew Bible wrote only three hundred years before Christ ministered and his followers later wrote what became known as the New Testament. In other words, the language hadn’t changed much between the two events. Beyond this, the “lingua franca” of the Mediterranean region, including Palestine, was Greek. There is strong textual evidence that the authors of the New Testament quoted the Septuagint freely. All this goes to say that the New Testament authors knew their Scripture in Greek.

The Septuagint Greek word for “shall be exalted” is “ὑψωθήσεται” (eep-so-thee-se-tay). In a concrete-literal sense, the word means to be raised or lifted up in elevation. The base word (root, or lemma) can refer to something that is high in elevation. Examples of this usage in Isaiah occur with reference to the house of the Lord, which will be located on the top of a high hill (Isaiah 2:2) and cedars, which have grown to a great height (Isaiah 2:13). An example of this word being used as an adjective to indicate height occurs in the phrase “high hill” Isaiah 30:25. The prophet writes of a “high cave” in Isaiah 33:16.

The same word also supplies a broad range of metaphorical meanings. In fact, its metaphorical occurrences in Isaiah far outnumber its concrete-literal occurrences. For example, Septuagint Isaiah uses “ὑψωθήσεται” to indicate raising children (1:2 and 51:18), to lift the voice loudly in calling to or addressing others (13:2, 37:23, 40:9, 52:8), to indicate strength or power (an “exalted: arm, as in Isaiah 26:11), and to be lifted up with pride (19:13). Additionally, Isaiah often uses the word to indicate an honorable or socially elevated position. This usage resembles the word “glorified.” See Isaiah 2:17 and 4:2.

In several places, Isaiah uses the word “exalt” or “lift” ambiguously. In these instances, the word contains elements of both physical height and socially positional exaltation. One well known example occurs in Isaiah 6:1. Another example occurs in Isaiah 2:2. There the prophet states that in the last days the house of the Lord will be physically on top of the mountains and physically lifted up above the hills. However, the text undoubtedly contains the further element of exaltation (height) in the sense of glory. Isaiah writes with ambiguity in other places, as well. Isaiah 57:15 provides excellent examples of multiple uses of the adjective “high.” The context in this verse indicates both physical height and exaltation of position.

Nevertheless, Isaiah’s use of the word “ὑψωθήσεται” (eep-so-thee-se-tay) to indicate being lifted or raised up in physical height is relatively infrequent. A study of the Greek text of Isaiah (by means of a Greek concordance) reveals a significantly greater usage of several synonyms to indicate a physical lifting in height. In other words, had the Gospel of John never been written, it would be highly justifiable to interpret “ὑψωθήσεται” (eep-so-thee-se-tay) in Isaiah 52:13 LXX as a repetitious synonym of the following word, which is “shall be glorified.”

Because the Hebrew text uses three verbs in this location instead of the Septuagint’s two, the meaning of physical height and socially positioned honor for the Servant becomes clearer. Compare the Greek and Hebrew below.

Behold, my servant shall understand, and be exalted, and glorified exceedingly. (Isaiah 52:13 LXE)

Behold, my servant shall act wisely; he shall be high and lifted up, and shall be exalted. (ESV)

“Look, my servant will succeed! He will be elevated, lifted high, and greatly exalted– (NET)

NEW TESTAMENT APPLICATION

The New Testament presents Jesus as Israel’s incarnated Savior and Isaiah’s prophesied Servant of God (Matthew 2:2; 27:11, 37; John 5:19). Jesus exploited the ambiguity inherent in the word “ὑψωθήσεται.” He recalled to his listeners Moses’s bronze serpent, which he “exalted” or “lifted up” in the wilderness. Moses had used a pole to physically elevate the serpent where everyone could see it (Numbers 21:5-9). Jesus explained to Nicodemus that the Son of Man must be “lifted up,” just as Moses “lifted” the serpent in the wilderness (John 3:14). In saying this, Jesus referred to his crucifixion. But he chose to use the word “ὑψωθήσεται”  rather than one of its more common synonyms, just as Isaiah had chosen in Isaiah 52:13 LXE. Two other times John uses this word in connection with Jesus’s being physically elevated on the cross. These occur in John 8:28 and 12:34. (See also John 8:28 mGNT and John 12:34 mGNT).

The activity of being crucified surely does not indicate an exaltation of social position or honor. Rather, being “lifted up” or “exalted” on a cross is just about the lowest, most shameful condition that ever could befall a person in biblical days. Nevertheless, because Jesus submitted himself to the physical lifting up of crucifixion, God gave him the highest exaltation (glory) of any human being ever (Philippians 2:8-9). Now the word Paul uses in the Philippians text is an intensified form of the same verb the prophet uses in Isaiah 52:13. And this is also the verb that Jesus chose to indicate the manner of his death by being nailed to a cross.

In summary, by means of the cross, God exalted Jesus both physically (being nailed to the cross lifted him up) and positionally (because he endured the cross, God exalted, that is glorified, him.) Although we as readers today may never know this side of the grave exactly what Isaiah intended in 52:13, we can be assured that God understands the effective use of literary ambiguity (double meaning) at least as well as we. In explaining the cross to others, Jesus emphasized the physical aspect of the word “ὑψωθήσεται.” Yet, in his letters Paul indicates its metaphorical use in terms of glory. Quite possibly, through Isaiah, God intends both.

CONTEXT DETERMINES MEANING

(See Isaiah Devotional 2.42 for a previous discussion of this verse’s context.)

The broadest context of Isaiah 52:13 LXE is God’s Servant in relation to God’s comforting Zion. The specific near context of this verse is the suffering the Servant will endure. The fourteen verses immediately following 52:13 establish the context of the Servant’s suffering joined with Zion’s deliverance. All the verbs of verse 13 occur within this context.

“Lifted Up” in the Context of God’s Mercy on Zion

At least two other uses of “lift up” or “exalt” occur in Isaiah within the context of God’s merciful saving of his people. First, the text presents an early example in Isaiah 30:18 LXE. The story line of this chapter is Israel’s sin, God’s punishment of his people, God’s urging them to repentance, and the saving mercy he will display when they do. Verse 18 announces the means God will use to enact his grace. That means is his “exaltation,” or “lifting up.” We have already noted the double meaning of this word: one physical (the cross) and one metaphorical (glory). Note the richness of this verse when read in a Christian context.

And the Lord will again wait, that he may pity you, and will therefore be exalted that he may have mercy upon you: because the Lord your God is a judge: blessed are they that stay themselves upon him. Isaiah 30:18 LXE

A second example of Isaiah’s use of “exalt” ὑψόω (eep-so-oh) in the context of his mercy occurs in Isaiah 33:10.

Isaiah 33:10 Now will I arise, says the Lord, now will I be glorified; now will I be exalted. (LXE)

In the above text, the final verb of the three is ὑψωθήσομαι (eep-soe-thee-so-may). This is the same verb in a slightly different grammatical form as the one Isaiah uses in 52:13. The entire context of chapter 33 concerns God’s saving his people from her enemies. Yet the underlying cause of Israel’s misery remained her own sin. Isaiah 33:24, just a few verses down, establishes the context as that of God’s mercy over sin. Ultimately, God achieves his purpose of giving mercy by means of his “exaltation” on the cross. There he dealt with the sin of his people.

Third Verb: [My Servant shall be] “glorified exceedingly” 

The third verb Isaiah uses in Isaiah 52:13 Septuagint is “shall be glorified exceedingly” The verb itself is “δοξάζω” (dox-sa-zoe). The intensifier “exceedingly” is an adverb. “Glorify” is a frequent verb in all of Greek Scripture, both Old and New Testaments. Its most common meaning is the one here. God’s Servant will be honored, held in a high position of great esteem; he will radiate God’s beauty and excellence.

Summary

Isaiah 52:13 Septuagint uses three verbs that foreshadow, or prophesy, the life of God’s Servant. The first is “shall understand.” God’s Servant will understand God’s ways and purpose and will live accordingly. Messiah Jesus fulfilled this prophecy (Matthew 13:54; Luke 2:52; 20:39-40; John 2:24-25). A second verb is “exalt.” It can be translated as “lift up.” Messiah Jesus fulfilled this prophecy when he was lifted up on the cross. The third verb is “shall be glorified.” Messiah God’s Servant Jesus also fulfills this prophecy. First, God resurrected him from the dead (1 Corinthians 15:3). Second, God “exalted” him (lifted him up) to heaven (Acts 1:9). Finally, God gave him the name that is above all other names and to him every knee shall bow, in heaven and on earth (Philippians 2:9-11) (2).

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1 The four Servant Songs occur in Isaiah 42:1-4; 49:1-6; 50:4-9; and 52:13-53:12.

2 Some readers may notice that in this post I break two of the rules a certain branch of hermeneutics (biblical interpretation) holds dear. First, I use the New Testament to inform my interpretation of the Old. I do this because this is a Christian post. Jesus God’s Son, albeit in the New Testament, teaches his followers to do just this (Luke 24:27, Jesus “hermeneuticked” to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself.) Second, in Septuagint Isaiah 52:13, the word “ὑψωθήσεται” (eep-so-thee-se-tay) has two possible and plausible lexical meanings for the same text. I see no reason to suppose that God, being aware of this, would not have intended both meanings. Both interpretations would be correct in context. Who, then, am I to even think of imposing my hermeneutical rules upon God Most High (who is lifted up in both height and glory)? And unfortunately, Isaiah is no longer present with us for me to ask him how he understood God’s word.

By Christina M Wilson. Previously published at https://justonesmallvoice.com/isaiah-52-13-the-suffering-servant-isaiah-devotional-2-42/.

The Suffering Servant Song Begins

Septuagint Isaiah 52:13 (LXX) begins a new section that extends through the end of chapter 53. This magnificent portion is popularly known as the great Suffering Servant Song. It is the fourth Servant Song in Isaiah (1).

Context

Isaiah has been building up to the Suffering Servant section of chapter 53. Three times he has called to Jerusalem and Sion. He urges them to 1) wake up and put on strength (Isaiah 51:9 Septuagint), 2) wake up and stand up (Isaiah 51:17), and 3) wake up and put on strength and glory (Isaiah 52:1). (Some commentators notice a progression in this series.) God has described the difficult position of the people of Sion and Jerusalem while in exile (Isaiah 51:17-21). He has owned himself as the one whose wrath the foreign invaders poured upon them (Isaiah 42:22-25 and 51:20-21). Through these invaders God expressed his great displeasure with his people’s sin and idolatry (Isaiah 44:9-21).

Mostly, however, the theme of this second half of the book of Isaiah has been comfort (Isaiah 40:1). The text constantly returns to this topic. As readers move through the chapters, they find that God intends to comfort his people through the advent of his very own Servant. Thus the context of the Servant dominates these chapters.

Readers heard the Servant himself speak in the third Servant Song, Isaiah 50:4-9. In Isaiah 50:6 the Servant indicates that he will suffer, “I gave my back to scourges, and my cheeks to blows; and I turned not away my face from the shame of spitting:” (LXE). The context of these chapters therefore includes the concept that the Servant will suffer. But this same passage also indicates that God will help the Servant. All men are mortal and will die. Isaiah 50:9, however, implies that God’s help to his Servant will surpass the harm that mortal men may inflict. Finally, Isaiah exhorts the people to trust God’s Servant in Isaiah 50:10. The text does not mention the Servant again until Isaiah 52:13.

A Few Details

Here is the Septuagint text of Isaiah 52:13.

Behold, my servant shall understand, and be exalted, and glorified exceedingly. (Septuagint Isaiah 52:13) 

A CHANGE OF SPEAKER

First, the text changes speakers with this verse. Backing up to Isaiah 52:6 and 7, it seems highly likely that God’s Servant speaks those verses. He is the one who is “present” with God’s people. Following those verses, it appears as though Isaiah takes over the speaker’s role. This conclusion mostly derives from the text’s repeated reference to the “Lord” in third person in verses 8 through 12.

If readers agree that “my Servant” in verse 13 refers to the Servant of the Lord, then the word “my” would indicate that God speaks verse 13. The only other person who might reasonably speak this verse is Isaiah. But surely the prophet in previous passages never refers to the Servant with his own personal pronoun “my”, and he wouldn’t do so here. The speaker must therefore be God. God continues to speak verse 14, where he addresses the Servant directly in second person (you and your).

Biblical support for the conclusion that God speaks about his Servant in Isaiah 52:13 and directly to his Servant in verse 14 appears in a verse similar to this one and prior to it. This occurs in the second Servant Song of Isaiah 49:1-6. There, in verses 3 and 6, God addresses the Servant directly.

Following God’s direct speech to his Servant in 52:14, the speaker seems to change again. Although it is possible that God continues speaking verse 15, it seems unlikely. This is because the speaker no longer addresses the Servant directly, as in verse 14. Rather, the speaker refers to the Servant in third person. Even though a change of speakers seems abrupt here, Isaiah does make abrupt changes frequently. Considering all the evidence, it seems most reasonable to assume that Isaiah the prophet speaks verse 15.

CONCERNING THE SERVANT

God, in his own voice (see the subheading just above), describes the Servant with the personal adjective “my.” God states, “Behold, my servant shall… ” By speaking thus, God acknowledges his Servant as his own. The effect is to distinguish the Servant from the rest of God’s people. Continuously throughout the entire book of Isaiah, God specifies the shortcomings of his people Israel (or Sion or Jerusalem.) By saying, “Behold, my servant shall … “, God places his Servant in his own unique category. The three verbs which follow apply to the Servant. These words and prior texts  preclude the possibility that the Servant is anyone other than the one who stands with God from distant eternity past. (See the post The Singular Servant: Isaiah Devotional 2.9.)

Differences with the Masoretic

The Greek Septuagint text of Isaiah 52:13 differs from the Hebrew Masoretic in a few ways.

13 Behold, my servant shall understand, and be exalted, and glorified exceedingly. (Septuagint Isaiah 52:13) 

Behold, my servant shall act wisely; he shall be high and lifted up, and shall be exalted.
(Isaiah 52:13 ESV)

“Look, my servant will succeed! He will be elevated, lifted high, and greatly exalted– (Isaiah 52:13 NET)

THREE VERBS VERSUS FOUR

First, while the Septuagint contains three verbs after the auxiliary “shall,” the Masoretic has four. The Septuagint lists “understand,” “shall be exalted,” and [shall be] “glorified.” The Masoretic lists “shall act wisely,” “shall be high,” [shall be] “lifted up,” and “shall be exalted.” As we consider the following, readers should bear in mind that one of Scripture’s purposes in this verse is to distinguish God’s Servant from the rest of his people. His people have fallen short; how will the one God calls “my Servant” be different?

DIFFERENT MEANINGS

1. First Verb: “My Servant shall understand”

In the Septuagint, the Greek word for “understand” is συνίημι (see-nee-mee). According to Thayer, the word has no meaning that could be translated as “to succeed.” In the context of Isaiah, the Servant, as distinct from the people of Israel, shall understand the will of God. In context, that would include his Law and his purpose.

The Hebrew word the Septuagint translates is שׂכל (sakal). This word has two families of meaning. One meaning is “to understand, have insight.” Another meaning is “to succeed.” As shown above, the ESV translates the text with the first meaning, and the NET with the second. The Amplified Bible translates both meanings, writing, “My Servant shall deal wisely and shall prosper.” This discussion follows the Septuagint.

Here are further examples of Isaiah’s use of the verb “understand.”

Isaiah 6:9 You shall hear indeed, but you shall not understand; and you shall see indeed, but you shall not perceive. (LXE)

Isaiah 43:10 Be you my witnesses, and I too am a witness, says the Lord God, and my servant whom I have chosen: that you may know, and believe, and understand that I am he: before me there was no other God, and after me there shall be none. (LXE)

Isaiah 56:11 Yea, they are insatiable dogs, that known not what it is to be filled, and they are wicked, having no understanding: all have followed their own ways, each according to his will. (LXE)

By stating in Isaiah 52:13, “My Servant shall understand,” God distinguishes him as being different than the other children of Israel.

Jesus made several statements containing the word “understand.” When Jesus speaks in the following examples, he uses the same verb as the one God uses in Isaiah. In the other examples, the gospel narrators use Isaiah’s verb.

Matthew 13:13 This is why I speak to them in parables, because seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand. 14 Indeed, in their case the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled that says: “‘”You will indeed hear but never understand, and you will indeed see but never perceive.” 15 For this people’s heart has grown dull, and with their ears they can barely hear, and their eyes they have closed, lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears and understand with their heart and turn, and I would heal them.’ (Matthew 13:13-14 ESV)

Mark 7:14 And he called the people to him again and said to them, “Hear me, all of you, and understand: (ESV)

Mark 8:17 And Jesus, aware of this, said to them, “Why are you discussing the fact that you have no bread? Do you not yet perceive or understand? Are your hearts hardened? (ESV)

Luke 18:34 But they understood none of these things. This saying was hidden from them, and they did not grasp what was said. (ESV)

Luke 24:45 Then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures, (ESV)

2. Second Verb: [My Servant shall] “be exalted”

To be continued…

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1 The four Servant Songs occur in Isaiah 42:1-4; 49:1-6; 50:4-9; and 52:13-53:12.

By Christina M Wilson. Previously published at https://justonesmallvoice.com/isaiah-52-1-12-lxx-isaiah-devotional-2-40/.

… Continued from Isaiah 52:1-12 LXX: Isaiah Devotional 2.39 – justonesmallvoice.com

Recap: Evidence of the Incarnation in Verse Six

1. “In that day” 
2. Use of the Particular Phrase “I AM (ego eimi) he” 
3. The Statement “Therefore, my people shall  know my name.” 
4. The Statement, “I am present” 
5. The Context Following Verse 6

Verses 7-10 Support Verse 6

The context which follows verse 6 supplies a final support for the understanding that Septuagint Isaiah 52:6 speaks of the Servant’s incarnation. First, verse 7 signals an immediate shift in tone from chastisement to joyful remedy. Verses 7-10 announce not just the salvation, or deliverance, of Zion (Israel), but of the whole Gentile world to the end of the earth. We begin with verse 7.

Isaiah 52 … 6 I am present 7as a season of beauty upon the mountains, as the feet of one preaching glad tidings of peace, as one preaching good news: for I will publish your salvation, saying, O Sion, your God shall reign. (LXE)

Readers will find that various translations of Isaiah 52:7 from both the Greek text and the Hebrew text differ somewhat one from another. But the main thrust of the verse in every translation points in the same direction–that of joyful gladness. A messenger arrives upon the mountains of Sion to proclaim salvation and the sovereignty of God. The news is good news. The messenger announces peace.

Who Is the Messenger?

1. Some may say that John the Baptist is the messenger of verse 7. Scripture calls this prophet “the messenger of the covenant” in whom God delights (Malachi 3:1). New Testament readers know, however, that John preached a message of repentance. “2 ‘Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.’ …7 But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his baptism, he said to them, ‘You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come?'” (Matthew 3:2-7 ESV) See also Acts 18:24 and 19:4.

2. In keeping with God’s proclamation in verse 6, the messenger in verse 7 most likely is God’s Servant (Christ the Son).

PEACE

The peace Christ the Servant announces is a new peace between humanity and God.

John 3:16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. (ESV)

47 If anyone hears my words and does not keep them, I do not judge him; for I did not come to judge the world but to save the world. 48 The one who rejects me and does not receive my words has a judge; the word that I have spoken will judge him on the last day. 49 For I have not spoken on my own authority, but the Father who sent me has himself given me a commandment– what to say and what to speak. 50 And I know that his commandment is eternal life. What I say, therefore, I say as the Father has told me.” (John 12:47-50 ESV)

John 14:27 Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. (ESV)

YOUR GOD REIGNS

Christ the Servant also announced, “O Zion, your God reigns” (SAAS) (1).

From that time Jesus began to preach, saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” (Matthew 4:17 ESV)

OTHER MESSENGERS

3. The Apostle Paul also interprets Isaiah 52:7. He gives a plural reading for Isaiah’s singular preacher of good news in verse 7. These harbingers of the message of peace and God’s sovereignty are the apostles and other believers who go out to their friends and neighbors to share the glad tidings of salvation.

14 How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? 15 And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!” (Romans 10:14-15 ESV)

The Message of Salvation

The prophet in Isaiah 52:7 introduces the word “salvation.” The name “Jesus” (Joshua) approximately transliterates the Hebrew word for salvation (Strong’s number 03444). The Hebrew spelling is יְשׁוּעָ֑ה. Its pronunciation is Yeshua.

She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” (Matthew 1:21 ESV)

Verses 8 and 9

Septuagint Isaiah 52:8-9 continues the theme of gladness and joy. Verse 8 focuses on the people, while verse 9 focuses on the place.

VERSE 8

THOSE WHO GUARD

8 For the voice of them that guard you is exalted, and with the voice together they shall rejoice: for eyes shall look to eyes, when the Lord shall have mercy upon Sion. (LXE)

Those who “guard” Sion are its watchmen. The watchmen are stationed on the mountains in order to see what is happening in the distance. They are the ones who bring news. Prophets are also spiritual watchmen. Many Old Testament prophets saw the advent of Messiah from a distance and shouted out his arrival with joy. Isaiah is but one of these.

You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is they that bear witness about me, (John 5:39 ESV)

And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself. (Luke 24:27 ESV)

10 Concerning this salvation, the prophets who prophesied about the grace that was to be yours searched and inquired carefully, 11 inquiring what person or time the Spirit of Christ in them was indicating when he predicted the sufferings of Christ and the subsequent glories. (1Peter 1:10-11 ESV)

EYES LOOK TO EYES IN ONENESS

The Septuagint phrase, “eyes shall look to eyes” is an interesting figure of speech. We have such a phrase in English that signifies agreement, “We saw eye to eye with each other.” Fred Miller translates the Septuagint phrase this way. The same phrase is used in the Hebrew text. Seeing “eye to eye” does bring joy–the joy of oneness. When John the Apostle describes the oneness of God the Father and the Logos, he uses the phrase “face to face.” “The Word was with God” (John 1:1). Most students have heard their pastors or teachers expound the Greek of this phrase, “πρὸς τὸν θεόν.” They explain that the word πρὸς (pros) signifies face to face (or, eye to eye).

Christ (the Servant) identifies one of the joys of his followers as that of oneness.

John 17:11 ESV And I am no longer in the world, but they are in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, keep them in your name, which you have given me, that they may be one, even as we are one… 13 But now I am coming to you, and these things I speak in the world, that they may have my joy fulfilled in themselves… 21 that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us… 22 The glory that you have given me I have given to them, that they may be one even as we are one, 23 I in them and you in me, that they may become perfectly one,

The Apostle Paul picks up the theme of oneness in Christ.

5 May … God… grant you to live in such harmony with one another, in accord with Christ Jesus, 6 that together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. (Romans 15:5-6 ESV)

For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body– Jews or Greeks, slaves or free– and all were made to drink of one Spirit. (1Corinthians 12:13 ESV)

There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. (Galatians 3:28 ESV)

14 For he himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility 15 … that he might create in himself one new man in place of the two, so making peace, 16 and might reconcile us both to God in one body through the cross, thereby killing the hostility. (Ephesians 2:14-16 ESV)

4 There is one body and one Spirit– just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call– 5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism, 6 one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all. (Ephesians 4:4-6 ESV)

Complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. (Philippians 2:2 ESV)

MERCY UPON SION

Finally, the exaltation, the rejoicing, and the oneness will occur “when the Lord shall have mercy upon Sion” (verse 8, LXE). In the immediate context of the people hearing Isaiah, that time of mercy would occur when God would liberate them from their Babylonian captivity. In the larger context, however, a more enduring time of mercy would occur when the messenger(s) on the mountains would bring the good news of Sion’s redemption, their salvation.

Other Translations

ESV Isaiah 52:8 The voice of your watchmen– they lift up their voice; together they sing for joy; for eye to eye they see the return of the LORD to Zion.

NET Isaiah 52:8 Listen, your watchmen shout; in unison they shout for joy, for they see with their very own eyes the LORD’s return to Zion.

CJB Isaiah 52:8 Listen! Your watchmen are raising their voices, shouting for joy together. For they will see, before their own eyes, ADONAI returning to Tziyon.

VERSE 9

Let the waste places of Jerusalem break forth in joy together, because the Lord has had mercy upon her, and has delivered Jerusalem. (LXE)

As previously mentioned, verse 9 focuses on place. During the captivity, Jerusalem existed, but was hardly recognizable. Most of its citizens had been carried away into exile. The temple had been destroyed. Notice that the prophet is so sure of Jerusalem’s future deliverance that he writes using past tense. When the Lord shows his mercy on Jerusalem, all of her waste places shall rejoice.

The statement, if taken concrete-literally, must of course be interpreted as a metaphor. Piles of physical rocks and rubble do not express human emotion. Most readers will see Jerusalem in this verse as a symbol for the people and the place. This resembles the use of Sion in the previous verse. The Lord will show his mercy, his redemption and salvation, on the people of Sion, more so than upon a mere physical location. Some readers may go even further and find that the text refers basically to Jerusalem’s people. It is people who concern God far more than locations of his physical creation.

Nevertheless, in Scripture Jerusalem does represent a physical location where God’s people gather. Some readers seem to be very tied to a concrete-physical location, while others are content with a spiritual location. Ultimately, this verse will find its climactic fulfillment when the New Jerusalem comes down from heaven in the final age to come.

Revelation 3:12 The one who conquers, I will make him a pillar in the temple of my God. Never shall he go out of it, and I will write on him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem, which comes down from my God out of heaven, and my own new name. 

Notice in the above quotation the spiritual nature of the new Jerusalem which the writer himself interprets. He writes that Christ will make those who conquer “a pillar” in the temple of God. Surely, he does not mean a physical pillar? Secondly, he will write names “on him” who conquers. And yet the Old Testament forbade marking the body with tattoos (Leviticus 19:28).

Paul in Ephesians 2:19-22 speaks of believers forming a spiritual building together. The writer of the Letter to the Hebrews speaks of a heavenly city (Hebrews 12:22). One thing is certain, whether concrete-physical or spiritual-physical, the “city that is to come” (Hebrews 13:14) will be a glorious city.

_______
1 SAAS: “Scripture taken from the St. Athanasius Academy Septuagint^TM. Copyright © 2008 by St. Athanasius Academy of Orthodox Theology. Used by permission. All rights reserved.”

Evidence of the Incarnation in Verse 6 to be continued…

By Christina M Wilson. A reprint of https://justonesmallvoice.com/isaiah-52-1-12-lxx-isaiah-devotional-2-39/.

Recap: Three Addresses to Jerusalem

Isaiah 52:1-12 LXX (Septuagint) is the final triplet addressed to Jerusalem. These three addresses prepare the reader for the fourth Servant Song that begins in Isaiah 52:13 and continues through 53:12. By addressing Jerusalem three times, Septuagint Isaiah (LXX) differs from the Masoretic text (Hebrew), which contains only two direct addresses to Jerusalem. The three addresses are listed below.

1. Septuagint Isaiah 51:9-51:16
2. Septuagint Isaiah 51:17-51:23
3. Septuagint Isaiah 52:1-52:12

The prior three posts (2.36, 2.37, and 2.38) explored the first two addresses. Today’s post will consider the third.

Key Verse

The key verse of this section is Isaiah 52:6 LXX.

Therefore shall my people know my name in that day, for I am he that speaks: I am present, (Septuagint in American English)

Therefore my people shall know my name in that day, because I myself am the one who speaks: I am here, (New English Translation of the Septuagint, NETS)

Therefore my people shall know my name in that day because I AM (ego eimi) he, the one speaking. I am present (Fred Miller’s English Translation of the Greek Septuagint)

What Is Special About Verse 6?

The passage addressed to Jerusalem/Sion (Septuagint Isaiah 52:1-52:12) opens with the Lord’s rebuke. First, in verse one, the reader sees Jerusalem lying in the dust (verse 2). She has no strength and her clothing is not beautiful (verse 1). Further, she wears a band of captivity around her neck–she is a slave (verse 2). Pitifully, she was sold for nothing, a mere give-away (verse 3). Verse four rehearses Israel’s history (“my people”). They temporarily sojourned as strangers in Egypt. Then, Assyria forcibly carried some of them away. And now, “Why are you here?” (in Babylonia), asks the Lord. Verse five answers the question. The text strongly implies Jerusalem’s sin, though it does not overtly mention it here. Multiple other texts in all of Isaiah rehearse Israel and Jerusalem’s sins. Below is one example.

Behold, you are sold for your sins, and for your iniquities have I put your mother away. (Isaiah 50:2 LXE)

Because of their sinful behavior, the Lord sold them for “nothing” to Babylonia. Consequently, their sin and disgraced condition caused the Gentile nations to continually blaspheme the name of the Lord (verse 5 and Romans 2:23-24 ESV). Why mention Gentiles here? I believe it’s because God indicates throughout Isaiah that he plans to save Gentiles along with his own people. (See Isaiah 2:2; 11:10, 12; 25:6-7; 42:4, 6; 49:1, 6, 8, 22; 51:4-5). God’s people are special for the very reason that he always intended them to shine forth his light for everyone else. But their disobedience resulted in the nations blaspheming the Lord’s name rather than drawing the world’s people to him. This is why God places his singular Servant as his very own stand-in–the head, the representative–of Israel. (See Isaiah Devotional 2.27).

Transition

The Lord through Isaiah issues his wake-up call to Sion/Jerusalem in verses one and two.

1 Awake, awake, Sion; put on your strength, O Sion; and o you put on your glory, Jerusalem the holy city: there shall no more pass through you, the uncircumcised and unclean. 2 Shake off the dust and arise; sit down, Jerusalem: put off the band of your neck, captive daughter of Sion. (LXE)

In these two verses, Isaiah issues crisp commands to his forgiven, yet still discouraged, people.

1. “Awake, awake, Sion;”
2. “… put on your strength, O Sion;”
3. “… and o you put on your glory, Jerusalem, the holy city:”
4. “Shake off the dust …”
5. “… arise;”
6. “… sit down, Jerusalem:”
7. “… put off the band of your neck, captive daughter of Sion.”

The prophet states God’s intentions clearly. He intends Jerusalem to sit down in his presence, not as a slave, but like a queen. (Luke 22:69; Colossians 3:1, 3-4; Hebrews 12:2; John 17:20-26; Revelation 19:7-9).

Then Verse Six

The people of Jerusalem represent all of  God’s people (“my people”, verse 4). Formerly, he sent them into exile (Isaiah 5:13; 27:6-8). Now, he commands them to sit in his presence. What causes this huge change in God’s actions toward Jerusalem? Verse six states the cause, as it clearly pronounces God’s incarnation in his Servant. Four times in verses three through seven the text states, “Thus says the Lord,” (verses 3, 4, and twice in verse 5). In verse six, for readers who have followed Isaiah closely, the voice of God and the voice of his incarnated Servant are indistinguishable.

Therefore shall my people know my name in that day, for I am he that speaks: I am present, (Septuagint in American English)

Therefore my people shall know my name in that day because I AM (ego eimi) he, the one speaking. I am present (Fred Miller’s English Translation of the Greek Septuagint)

Therefore my people shall know my name. Therefore in that day they shall know that it is I who speak; here I am.” (ESV)

Evidence of the Incarnation in Verse Six

1. “In that day”

The book of Septuagint Isaiah uses the phrase “in that day” multiple times. In general, the phrase introduces either a day of judgment or a day of salvation. Sometimes, the same day brings judgment to some and salvation to others. Examples of the latter occur in Isaiah 29:18-21 and Isaiah 30:23-28. But the places where Isaiah uses “in that day” to specifically refer to Christ/the Servant in his incarnation concern us most here. See the verses below as evidence.

10 And in that day there shall be a root of Jesse, and he that shall arise to rule over the Gentiles; in him shall the Gentiles trust, and his rest shall be glorious. 11 And it shall be in that day, that the Lord shall again show his hand, to be zealous for the remnant that is left of the people, which shall be left by the Assyrians, and that from Egypt, and from the country of Babylon, and from Ethiopia, and from the Elamites, and from the rising of the sun, and out of Arabia. (Isaiah 11:10-11, LXE) (Also see verse 10 quoted in Romans 15:12 ESV.)

1 And in that day you shall say, I will bless you, O Lord; for you were angry with me, but you have turned aside your wrath, and have pitied me. 2 Behold, my God is my Saviour; I will trust in him, and not be afraid: for the Lord is my glory and my praise, and is become my salvation. 3 Draw you therefore water with joy out of the wells of salvation. 4 And in that day you shall say, sing to the Lord, call aloud upon his name, proclaim his glorious deeds among the Gentiles; make mention that his name is exalted. 5 Sing praise to the name of the Lord; for he has done great things: declare this in all the earth. 6 Exalt and rejoice, you that dwell in Sion: for the Holy One of Israel is exalted in the midst of her. (Isaiah 12:1-6, LXE)

2. Use of the Particular Phrase “I AM (ego eimi) he”

Once more, here is verse six.

Therefore shall my people know my name in that day, for I am he that speaks: I am present, (Septuagint in American English)

The phrase “I am” contains tremendous significance in Israel’s history. When Moses asked the being in the burning bush his name, he (God) replied, “Exodus 3:14 God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM.” And he said, “Say this to the people of Israel, ‘I AM has sent me to you.'” This is the name “Yahweh,” by which Israel knew their Lord throughout their Old Testament history. Jesus (the Christ, the incarnated Servant) used this phrase several times with reference to himself. One example follows.

John 8:58 Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am.” (ESV)

The following verse states, “They picked up stones to throw at him.” They did this because the law prescribed stoning as punishment for blasphemy. Jesus said many other things to indicate he was God’s Son. And in fact, the religious leaders of Jesus’s day wanted him crucified for blasphemy.

The Jews answered him, “We have a law, and according to that law he ought to die because he has made himself the Son of God.” (John 19:7 ESV)

3. The Statement “Therefore, my people shall know my name.”

“In that day,” that is, in the day of God’s incarnation in the being of his singular Servant, “my people shall know my name.” Jesus the Christ fulfilled this prophecy also. Often, he asked his disciples concerning his name. On occasion his disciples knew the answer. Some examples of these statements follow.

Nathanael answered him, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!” (John 1:49 ESV)

Mark 8:27 And Jesus went on with his disciples to the villages of Caesarea Philippi. And on the way he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that I am?” 28 And they told him, “John the Baptist; and others say, Elijah; and others, one of the prophets.” 29 And he asked them, “But who do you say that I am?” Peter answered him, “You are the Christ.” (ESV)

John 20:27 Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here, and see my hands; and put out your hand, and place it in my side. Do not disbelieve, but believe.” 28 Thomas answered him, “My Lord and my God!” (ESV)

Acts 2:36 Let all the house of Israel therefore know for certain that God has made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified.” … 41 So those who received his word were baptized, and there were added that day about three thousand souls. (ESV)

4. The Statement, “I am present”

In Greek the statement, “I am present” can also mean, “I have arrived” (Thayer). English texts translate the Hebrew statement as, “Here I am.” (ESV, NET, NAU) God is the one speaking (“Thus says the Lord”–verse 5). God says, “I have arrived. Here I am. I am present.” Isaiah previously indicates this occurrence elsewhere.

Isaiah 7:14 Therefore Adonai himself will give you people a sign: the young woman will become pregnant, bear a son and name him ‘Immanu El [God is with us]. (Complete Jewish Bible, CJB)

And when Mary became pregnant with the Christ child, the angel of the Lord told Joseph, her husband, the following.

Matthew 1:20 But as he considered these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. 21 She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” 22 All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet: 23 “Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel” (which means, God with us). (ESV)

5. The Context Following Verse 6

… to be continued 

By Christina M Wilson. Previously published at https://justonesmallvoice.com/isaiah-5117-23-lxx-isaiah-devotional-2-38/.

Recap: Three Sections

The material in Septuagint (LXX) Isaiah from 51:9 through 52:15 divides into three sections.

1. Septuagint Isaiah 51:9-51:16
2. Septuagint Isaiah 51:17-51:23
3. Septuagint Isaiah 52:1-52:15

Section 2: Two Main Ideas

When seeking to understand Scripture, readers will sometimes work from details to the main idea. But other times, certain passages of Scripture will yield their main ideas before readers fully understand all the details. This section belongs to the latter category.

I. Main Idea One: Our Children Cannot Save Us

The passage Septuagint Isaiah 51:17-51:23 appears to yield its main ideas readily. The first main idea is that Jerusalem’s children cannot save her, but God will.

DETAILS

A. Jerusalem’s Children Cannot Save Her 

18 and there was none to comfort you of all the children whom you bore; and there was none to take hold of your hand, not even of all the children whom you have reared.

• The prophet most likely intends the name “Jerusalem” to mean the people of Jerusalem. And, Jerusalem’s people most likely refer to all the people in exile.
• Jerusalem had been a highly populated city. Twice in one verse the text states, “of all the children.” Apparently, the people of the city had produced lots of children.
• But these many children could provide neither “comfort” nor support for their parents while they were all in exile.

19 … who shall comfort you? 20 Your sons are the perplexed ones, that sleep at the top of every street as a half-boiled beet; they that are full of the anger of the Lord, caused to faint by the Lord God. 

• Verse 19 ends with a rhetorical question, “Who shall comfort you?“
• Verse 20 answers the question, Surely not your sons. They are every bit as helpless and confused as you are. They, too, are experiencing the anger of the Lord. God’s anger has left them weak. They are unable to look after themselves, let alone you.
• Which reader can explain the image of “a half-boiled beet”? Without understanding much about its literary details, it seems safe to conclude that a half-boiled beet would not be useful for much.

Do We Rely Upon Our Children?

How often do we as parents rely upon our children (cf. Psalm 127:4-5)? Do we hope that they will achieve success where we have failed? Do we hope that they will love and comfort us in our old age? For the people of Jerusalem, the Lord God says, No, this will not happen. Your children are no better off than you are. They have nothing to give you.

New Testament Teachings

The New Testament accords well with Isaiah’s statements in this passage. For our own spiritual well-being, we cannot rely upon our children. Cutting that emotional cord of reliance is one of the most difficult tasks God requires of parents.

Romans 8:23 ESV for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 

 John 1:12 But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, 13 who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God. (ESV)

B. God Will Save His People

Nevertheless, God alone will himself save his people. This is God’s message throughout Isaiah.

22 thus says the Lord God that judges his people, Behold, I have taken out of your hand the cup of calamity, the cup of my wrath; and you shall not drink it any more. (Isaiah 51:22 LXE)

Application: When we as parents turn to the Lord, we hope and pray that our children will see our testimony and turn to the Lord also. But their turning cannot be the basis of our standing with God.

II. Main Idea Two: Temporal Discipline Is Better Than Eternal Wrath

The second main idea has two parts. The first is that God disciplines his people temporally. The second is that God’s temporal discipline ends. 

DETAILS: GOD DISCIPLINES HIS PEOPLE

The passage provides much evidence that God strongly disciplines his people. Below are some of the phrases Isaiah writes.

• … Jerusalem, that have drunk at the hand of the Lord the cup of his fury: Isaiah 51:17 LXE
• … for you have drunk out and drained the cup of calamity, the cup of wrath: (ibid.)
• …  there was none to comfort you … there was none to take hold of your hand Isaiah 51:18 LXE  
• … your grief? downfall, and destruction, famine, and sword: Isaiah 51:19 LXE 
• … they that are full of the anger of the Lord, caused to faint by the Lord God. Isaiah 51:20 LXE  
• … you afflicted one, and drunken, but not with wine; Isaiah 51:21 LXE  
• … the cup of calamity, the cup of my wrath Isaiah 51:22 LXE  
• … of them that injured you, and them that afflicted you; who said to your soul, Bow down, that we may pass over: and you did level your body with the ground to them passing by without. Isaiah 51:23 LXE  

DETAILS: GOD’S TEMPORAL DISCIPLINE ENDS

• Awake, awake, stand up, O Jerusalem, [!] Isaiah 51:17 LXE
• thus says the Lord God that judges his people, Behold, I have taken out of your hand the cup of calamity, the cup of my wrath; and you shall not drink it any more. Isaiah 51:22 LXE  
• And I will give it into the hands of them that injured you, and them that afflicted you; Isaiah 51:23 LXE  

Application: What Feelings Are We Left With?

Although scholars, and even some pastors, may say that “feelings” should play no role in interpreting Scripture, often our feelings concerning Scripture do indeed guide our decisions to take certain actions. This is God’s whole purpose. God speaks to us through Scripture because he wants us to respond to his call.

I don’t know about you, but this passage leaves me with feelings of great joy and relief. It’s like waking up from a very bad dream and finding out that it was just a dream. It’s the feeling one gets when after having suffered for a very long time, that suffering ends. It’s the feeling I get when God shows his loving forgiveness for me after I have sinned greatly.

The second main point of this passage in Isaiah (Septuagint Isaiah 51:17-51:23) is that God tells his people that his harsh discipline of them has ended. He wants them to awake and stand up. Begin living again, but do it differently this time. This is also God’s call in Jesus Christ.

Good News in Jesus Christ

God displays his great love and mercy when he disciplines his children. How so? God’s purpose in discipline is to bring his children the incomparable gifts of salvation and eternal life. Earthly discipline ends, but eternal separation from God (hell) will never end. Isaiah in this passage prepares his listeners to understand their need for the Servant. The Servant appears as Savior in Chapter 53.

Many New Testament passages expand upon Isaiah’s message of discipline that leads to saving grace.

Hebrews 12:9 Besides this, we have had earthly fathers who disciplined us and we respected them. Shall we not much more be subject to the Father of spirits and live? 10 For they disciplined us for a short time as it seemed best to them, but he disciplines us for our good, that we may share his holiness. 11 For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it. (ESV)

2 Corinthians 7:1 Since we have these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from every defilement of body and spirit, bringing holiness to completion in the fear of God… 8 For even if I made you grieve with my letter, I do not regret it– though I did regret it, for I see that that letter grieved you, though only for a while. 9 As it is, I rejoice, not because you were grieved, but because you were grieved into repenting. For you felt a godly grief, so that you suffered no loss through us. 10 For godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation without regret, whereas worldly grief produces death. (ESV)

Matthew 4:17 From that time Jesus began to preach, saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” (ESV)

 Luke 13:5 No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.” (ESV)

Luke 17:4 and if he sins against you seven times in the day, and turns to you seven times, saying, ‘I repent,’ you must forgive him.” (ESV)

Finally, the letter to the Hebrews echoes God’s intent in Isaiah.

Hebrews 3:15 As it is said, “Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion.” (ESV)

And if anyone reading this has never turned to the Lord in the neediness of repentance, may the Lord grant you a softened heart to do so right now. Thank you, Lord, Amen.

By Christina M Wilson. Published at isaiah-51-9-16-lxx-isaiah-devotional-2-36.

Introduction

Isaiah Volume 2 (the section from Chapter 40 forward) centers on God’s Servant. While Volume 1 introduces the Servant several times, presentation of the Servant consumes Volume 2 (1). The book of Isaiah previews the revelation of God’s Servant in the New Testament. Many think of Isaiah as The Gospel of Isaiah. 

Believers worldwide know Chapter 53 of Isaiah possibly more than any other section. In the portion remaining between what this blog has already covered and the beginning of Chapter 53, Septuagint Isaiah divides neatly into three sections.

Three Sections

The material in Septuagint Isaiah from 51:9 through 52:15 divides into three sections.

1. Septuagint Isaiah 51:9-51:16
2. Septuagint Isaiah 51:17-51:23
3. Septuagint Isaiah 52:1-52:15

Three Direct Addresses to Jerusalem

Each of the three sections begins with a direct address to Jerusalem.

1. Septuagint Isaiah 51:9 begins with the words, “Awake, awake, O Jerusalem, and put on the strength of your arm” (Brenton, modern English).  Note that the Masoretic text does not contain this address. Rather, the Hebrew states, “Awake, awake, put on strength, O arm of the LORD” (Isaiah 51:9 ESV).
2. Septuagint Isaiah 51:17 begins with, “Awake, awake, stand up, O Jerusalem” (LXE). In this and the next instance, the Masoretic reads nearly the same, “Wake yourself, wake yourself, stand up, O Jerusalem,” (Isaiah 51:17 ESV).
3. Septuagint Isaiah 52:1 reads, “Awake, awake, Sion; put on your strength, O Sion; and o you put on your glory, Jerusalem the holy city:” (LXE). The Masoretic writes, “Awake, awake, put on your strength, O Zion; put on your beautiful garments, O Jerusalem, the holy city;” (Isaiah 52:1 ESV).

Three Related Topics

Each of the three sections describes an oppression Jerusalem endures. Likewise, each of the three sections names the oppressor.

1. In Section 1 “mortal man” oppresses Jerusalem.
2. In Section 2 God oppresses Jerusalem.
3. In Section 3 sin oppresses Zion and Jerusalem.

Section 1: Septuagint Isaiah 51:9-51:16

Clearly, the Septuagint text (Greek tradition) differs significantly from the Masoretic text (Hebrew tradition) in verse 9, the first verse of this section.

Awake, awake, O Jerusalem, and put on the strength of your arm; awake as in the early time, as the ancient generation. (Septuagint, LXE)

Awake, awake, put on strength, O arm of the LORD; awake, as in days of old, the generations of long ago. Was it not you who cut Rahab in pieces, who pierced the dragon? (Isaiah 51:9, Masoretic)

Three Questions

1. Whom is being addressed?
2. Who is speaking?
3. What can today’s readers glean from the words?

1. WHOM DOES THE SEPTUAGINT SPEAKER ADDRESS?

In the Septuagint text, the speaker addresses “Jerusalem.” Most readers will notice that the speaker in the Masoretic text addresses the “arm of the Lord.” The Masoretic phrase is a figure of speech known as metonymy. In this figure, the arm of the Lord represents the attribute of God’s might. To “put on strength” means to get ready for battle. One paraphrase states, “Yahweh, wake up and do something for us! Show your power!” (Translation for Translators). This post will consider the Septuagint text only within its own context.

Difficulties

With Jerusalem as the addressee, readers must make allowance in verse 9 (above) for the historical fact that Jerusalem the city did not not exist in the time of the ancient generation. Then there is verse 10.

Are you not 10 she who made desolate the sea, the water, the abundance of the deep, who made the depths of the sea a way of passage for those being delivered and those who have been ransomed? (New English Translation Septuagint, NETS) (Note: Brenton translates “she” as “it.”)

Likewise, Jerusalem the city or even its people did not part the Red Sea. That event long predated the establishment of Jerusalem. So what sense might we make of this? One suggestion is that the word “Jerusalem” is a figure of speech (synecdoche) in which the name Jerusalem represents the entire Israelite people from the time God first called Abraham.

Positive Consistencies

I. INTERNAL CONSISTENCY

1. Readers may perhaps overcome the interpretive difficulty inherent in this verse by remembering Septuagint Isaiah 51:1-2. There also, the speaker (God) addresses a group of people. He applies the active voice to their activities. This means that the people hewed the rock and dug the pit (to hold water) of their own historical foundations. Contrary to this, the Masoretic text uses passive voice. Passive voice indicates that the people were recipients of actions performed by God. We proposed in a prior post that a reasonable explanation might be that the active voice draws attention to the active role which faith plays in following God’s commands (See Footnote 2 in Isaiah Devotional 2.35). That is, the people of Israel actively participated in acknowledging and following the faith of Abraham and Sarah as their first parents. In that sense, they hewed the rock and dug the pit to hold life-giving water.

The point here is that the wording of Septuagint Isaiah 51:9-10 shares a similar construction with regard to point of view. That is, they crossed the Red Sea which Moses dried up by exercising their combined faith in God’s power. By faith, it is as though the Israelites themselves achieved that feat. Indeed, their faith in God’s power and protection did play an active role in their crossing over the dried up sea (Hebrews 11:29 ESV).

2. A second point embedded in its use of the addressee “Jerusalem” is the text’s acknowledgment of one people of God. These people, collectively named Jerusalem, formed one people from the beginning of their history to their current time.

II. COHESIVE SYMMETRY

1. Three sections begin with a vocative address (a command directed at someone). The first sections begins in Septuagint Isaiah 51:9, the second in Isaiah 51:17, and the third in Isaiah 52:1. In the Septuagint, each of these sections addresses some form of Israel, either “Jerusalem,” “Sion,” or both. In the Masoretic, however, the first section addresses God and only the second two address Jerusalem and/or Zion.

2. The Septuagint text maintains a consistency of speaker. God and his Servant speak throughout chapters 49 through 51 up to this point, with two brief exceptions. In Isaiah 49:14 Israel speaks, and in 50:10 the prophet himself speaks. Use of the vocative “O Jerusalem” in Septuagint 51:9 continues the dominant consistency of the divine addressing humanity. God also speaks in the section following verse 10, that is, from verse 11 through 16. The Masoretic, on the other hand, breaks the consistency of this flow. The Masoretic inserts a somewhat out-of-context exclamation from the people towards God.

III. CONTEXT

Context favors the Septuagint translation. God’s entire message from chapter 40 onward is that he is awake and on the move. Sion does accuse the Lord of forsaking her in Septuagint Isaiah 49:14. The Lord then uses the next thirteen verses demonstrating that this is not so. Following this the Servant’s speaks in Isaiah 50:4-9. Then after this, the Lord encourages and comforts his righteous followers. And, throughout all these chapters, the Lord offers salvation to the Gentiles (e.g., Isaiah 49:6, 8 LXE). Clearly, God does not sleep but is highly active. It could be, of course, that God’s people have simply not been paying any attention at all. This is the condition the Masoretic text describes. Or, as in the Septuagint, rather than the people of Jerusalem calling on God to awaken, it is God who tries to rouse Jerusalem.

2. WHO SPEAKS?

The Septuagint text allows two possible speakers in Septuagint Isaiah 51:9-11. First, God may be addressing the people of Jerusalem, or second, the prophet Isaiah may be addressing them. Because the text switches from second person vocative (direct address) in verses 9-10 to third person in verse 11, the grammatical structure leans toward Isaiah as speaker (see also Isaiah 50:10). It would seem unlikely that God would refer to himself in third person in 51:11, and the three verses 9-11 flow smoothly one to the other.

3. CONTENT

What can today’s readers glean from the words of the first of the three sections addressing Jerusalem and Sion (Septuagint Isaiah 51:9-11)?

To Be Continued

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1 I use the divisions “Volume 1” and “Volume 2” as a convenience. Whether or not the book of Isaiah was written by one or more than one author does not feature in my devotional considerations. There is a noticeable shift, beginning in Chapter 40, which places God’s Servant at the center of the book’s focus.