What is the Mission of the Servant of the Lord?
Servant of the Lord—Light of the World
The Lord said: It is too small a thing that you should just be my servant to raise up only the tribes of Jacob and to restore the ones I have preserved in Israel, so I will appoint you to be a light for the nations, so that my salvation will be known to the end of the earth. (Isaiah 49:6)
Wow, we are already halfway through the first month of the new year. You might even be used to writing 2020. Something is changing outside, too, which is the light is returning. It is just gradual now, but it is getting more noticeable—more daylight.
The verse we are considering is part of “The Lord’s Servant Song.” In this text, the servant of the Lord is presented, along with his mission and its results.
We have the advantage of looking at this song from the vantage point of the New Testament. After hearing it, we can rejoice that this promise has been fulfilled. The song is a brief summary of a conversation between God the Father and his servant. We have come to know this servant by a name: Jesus.
In verse three of this chapter, Jesus quotes God the Father’s promise to him, “You are my servant Israel, in whom I will display my glory.”
In verse four, Jesus looks at his life of humility and his suffering and death. He says, “I have labored in vain. I spent my strength and came up empty, with nothing.”
In the Gospel, we see what Good Friday looked like. Despite all the good that Jesus did, all the teaching and healing, where did all of this get him? The cross! But verse four continues, “Yet a just verdict for me rests with the Lord, and my reward is with my God.”
This brings us to this wonderful promise that God the Father gave his Son and us. Jesus is indeed the King of the Jews. His death and resurrection prove it. But this victory isn’t just for the physical descendants of Israel. It is for all nations. As a result, the servant of the Lord is the light of the world! Jesus has fulfilled this promise. Rejoice in that light. As it shines in your heart, reflect it onto others in this world.
Prayer: Lord Jesus, we praise you for being the light of the world. We especially thank you for seeing to it that your light is shining in our hearts. Help us reflect your amazing light in everything we say and do. Amen.