The Suffering Servant
EXPOSITORY ARTICLE | Alex Hale | Cabot, Arkansas
Isaiah 52:13-53:12 is perhaps the most well-known passage in the entire book. This prophecy serves as the fourth and final servant song within the book (cf. 42:1-9; 49:1-13; 50:4-9). Isaiah inserts references to “the servant of the LORD” throughout chapters 40-55. While it is true that this servant is called Israel (49:3), he should be viewed as distinct from the people as a whole. To put it another way, the servant Isaiah speaks about is the representative of the whole. The servant is charged with two primary tasks: to bring salvation to Israel and serve as a light to the Gentiles (49:6). In chapters 50-52, Isaiah presents this servant as the true hope of Israel. Read More
In his book, Five Cries of Youth, Merton Strommen asserts that the loudest cry of young people is their need to be accepted or loved. As we think about our youth, do we not find that to be true? Many times our self-worth was tied to the opinions of others. Perhaps, for this reason, you wore your hair a certain way or dressed according to the trends of the day. Young people often struggle because of an inferiority complex, which stems from the idea that no one loves or appreciates them. We long to be loved and accepted.