Isaiah 50: When God Helps You

Isaiah 50 delves into some of the circumstances that the servant of the Lord will experience.  Rather than acclaim and acceptance, he will face rejection and scorn.  Yet he remains undaunted, for he knows that God is helping him.

"I gave my back to those who struck me, and my cheek to those who pulled out the beard; I did not hide my face from insult and spitting" (vs. 6).  The servant here seems willing to undergo abuse and mistreatment without resistance.  Christians see in these words a prophecy of the trials of Jesus in the hours leading up to his crucifixion.

Most of us would naturally lash out at those who did such things to us, or, at the very least, attempt to defend ourselves.  Yet the servant takes a very different approach.  He rests in his relationship with God and trusts in the Lord to help him through his ordeal.  Like Jesus will one day do, Isaiah foresees the servant responding to injustice with submission and acceptance of the Lord's will.

Here is what Isaiah says of the helping relationship between God and His servant:

• "The Lord has given me the tongue of a teacher" (vs. 4).

• "Morning by morning he wakens  - wakens my ear to listen as those who are taught" (vs. 4).

• "The Lord has opened my ear, and I was not rebellious, I did not turn backward" (vs. 5).

• "The Lord helps me; therefore I have not been disgraced" (vs. 7).

• "He who vindicates me is near" (vs. 8).

• "It is the Lord who helps me; who will declare me guilty?" (vs. 9)

When God is with you, it doesn't matter who is against you!  My mom used to tell me, "One man plus God makes a majority."  Jesus could stand and endure through his trials because he knew that God was with him, helping him.  We can do the same!