The Chosen Servant of Jehovah – Divinely Appointed
As we continue our consideration of the character of the Lord Jesus as the perfect Servant in relation to His God in Isaiah 42.1, we see that He is God's choice; "mine elect", the chosen Servant who was divinely appointed. When spoken of in Matthew 12.18, there is also the thought of Him being God's beloved One; "… my servant, whom I have chosen; my beloved, in whom my soul is well pleased …". He was the eternally beloved Son who was, by divine appointment, chosen to be the beloved Servant. There is a mystery far beyond human comprehension in relation to the dealings of the Godhead. We simply appreciate that, in divine eternal councils, He was chosen to fulfil divine purpose. There was a work which neither angelic being nor created intelligence could accomplish, because it required One who was divine to adequately represent the Godhead, and complete the will and work of God.
So Christ is the One who was God's elect, "disallowed indeed of men, but chosen of God, and precious" (1 Pet 2.4). He was God's choice to come into this world to represent deity, to fully tell out the Father, to declare the Father's Name and to fulfil all Scripture and prophecy. He was God's choice to show forth divine power, to make known divine love, grace and mercy, and to eternally glorify the Father. He was God's choice to be the Redeemer, to restore to God all that was lost when the first man, Adam, sinned, and to provide man's redemption. Christ alone was the Father's choice for all of these things, and He did not fail in any of them.
Returning to Heaven, the Lord Jesus confirmed He was the divine choice; "Who is gone into heaven, and is on the right hand of God; angels and authorities and powers being made subject unto him" (1 Pet 3.22). The psalmist confirms that Christ is divinely appointed to rule; "Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool" (Ps 110.1). In a future day He will be Heaven's choice to take the book, the very title deeds of Earth, "out of the right hand of him that sat upon the throne" (Rev 5.7). He alone will be the worthy One to open that book, and to loose the seals thereof. He will then be seen as God's choice to rule over this world; "Yet have I set my king upon my holy hill of Zion" (Ps 2.6). As God's elect One He is ever God's choice as the object of man's praise and angelic adoration for all eternity.
The Devoted Servant of Jehovah – Divinely Appreciated
Further, Christ is the devoted Servant who ever delighted God, and was uniquely appreciated by His Father; "in whom my soul delighteth" (Isa 42.1). The Father would open the heavens to declare at His baptism "Thou art my beloved Son, in thee I have found my delight" (Mk 1.11, JND¹). For those first 30 years of obscurity with respect to men, He ever delighted the heart of God, and equally so as He moved in His public service, the Father confirming again on the Mount of Transfiguration "This is my beloved Son, in whom I have found my delight" (Mt 17.5, JND).
The Father's delight was the prime motivation for the Lord Jesus as He came forth into this world; "I delight to do thy will [pleasure], O my God" (Ps 40.8). He would say in the course of His public service "… I do always those things that please him" (Jn 8.29). It was His great desire to bring delight and pleasure to the Father's heart, and that should be our motivation too, as we seek to serve our God. Sometimes younger believers ask if they are allowed to do certain things, or are permitted as Christians to go to certain places. The fact that such questions are asked is often an indication that they are trying to get approval for something that is not going to bring delight to God the Father, or may not be a good testimony for believers in God's assembly. So as we consider our activities, and how we spend our time, take into account whether or not they will please the Father; will they bring delight to the Father's heart; will they honour the Lord Jesus; will they bring glory to the Father's Name? If we are in local assembly fellowship we should also consider whether our activities will uphold the good testimony of God's assembly. Applying such standards should give us the guidance and direction we need for our lives.
The Anointed Servant of Jehovah – Divinely Led
Christ is also the anointed Servant; "I have put my Spirit upon him" (Isa 42.1). How lovely to see in the gospel records of the life of our blessed Saviour that, at the commencement of His public service, coming forth out of the waters of baptism, the Spirit descended in bodily shape like a dove, and rested and remained upon Him. He went forth in the power of the Spirit of God, and was led of the Spirit firstly into the wilderness, and then into Galilee. In the synagogue in Nazareth, He opened the book and read from Isaiah 61 "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me ...", and the passage then detailed the lovely character of His Spirit-directed ministry; "… to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised" (Lk 4.18).
Likewise, when Peter preached in the house of Cornelius, he bore testimony to "How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil …" (Acts 10.38). He was the anointed, Spirit-led Servant, and all that He did in His service, in bringing blessing to men, was in the power of the Spirit of God. There was an unbroken communion between the Servant and the Spirit.
What an example for the saints of God to follow. We are indwelt by the Spirit of God and, as sons of God, we are to be characteristically "led by the Spirit of God" (Rom 8.14). Paul instructs the Ephesian believers to "grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption" (Eph 4.30). This is a reliable guide for believers who seek to serve the Lord, following the example of the perfect Servant. We must go in for a spiritual ministry, moving in prayerful dependence, and with sensitivity to the leading and prompting of the indwelling Spirit of God. The only alternative is a fleshly ministry, when we move in our own strength and at the dictates of our own will. The flesh always desires to be active and busy, but the spiritual servant will wait in dependence upon the Spirit to direct the way he is to move. If our service is going to be pleasing to God we must seek to move in the power and supply of the Holy Spirit.
Such a Spirit-directed service was most evident in the life of the apostle Paul. He spoke about being "forbidden of the Holy Ghost to preach the word in Asia", and then "they assayed to go into Bithynia: but the Spirit suffered them not" (Acts 16.6-7). As he waited for divine guidance, Paul received the vision of the man of Macedonia asking for help. Assured of the leading of the Spirit, Paul and his brethren made their way to Philippi, bringing the gospel to a whole new continent, with much power and blessing.
Further, a Spirit-led ministry will bring glory to the Lord Jesus. The great interest and desire of the Spirit of God is to glorify Christ; "He shall glorify me" (Jn 16.14). As the Lord fulfilled His Spirit-directed service there was glory brought to Himself. Likewise, if we allow the Spirit to lead in all things, then our service here on earth will also be for the honour and glory of our Lord. (To be continued …)
¹ J N Darby, The Holy Scriptures - A New Translation from the Original Languages.
