Let’s read Isaiah 50:4-6, “The Lord GOD hath given Me the tongue of the learned, that I should know how to speak a word in season to him that is weary: He wakeneth morning by morning, He wakeneth mine ear to hear as the learned. The Lord GOD hath opened mine ear, and I was not rebellious, neither turned away back. I gave My back to the smiters, and my cheeks to them that plucked off the hair: I hid not My face from shame and spitting.” As you read these verses it is obvious that they are speaking prophetically of the Lord Jesus Christ, for in the Gospel accounts we see them fulfilled perfectly in His life of obedience and suffering.

In verse 4 the Lord Jesus speaks of the humble place He took as a “learner” in communion with His heavenly Father. Is it not precious to muse on the fact that every morning He was willing to sit at His feet and to study His Word! We have a beautiful example of the Lord Jesus “learning God’s Word” in Luke 2:46-52. Jesus was twelve years old at this point in time and in verse 46 we learn that His parents found Him “in the temple, sitting in the midst of the doctors, both hearing them, and asking them questions.” Here is the “Lord of glory” taking His place as a “learner” in the midst of the teachers of the God’s Word. We know from verse 47 that He was an “excellent student” Who was taking God’s Word into His heart, for it says, “And all that heard Him were astonished at His understanding and answers.” I have always been humbled by the last verse in this chapter, for it reads, “And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man.” Think of it, Jesus was “God manifest in the flesh” Who KNOWS ALL THINGS, yet He took upon Himself humanity and as a Man He “increased in wisdom.”

In verse 5 we see that His ear was indeed opened for the receiving of God’s Word. I have no doubt that as He meditated upon the Word He eventually learned that God’s will for Him was to go to the cross to suffer for our sins. How did He react to this? Ah, how precious it is to read, “I was not rebellious, nor did I turn away.” In other words, HE WAS OBEDIENT to everything God commanded Him to do! We learn from Psalm 40:7-8 and Hebrews 10:7 that when He first entered the world He said, “Lo, I come: in the volume of the book it is written of me, I DELIGHT TO DO THY WILL, O MY GOD.” In John 4:34 He said, “My meat is to do the will of Him that sent Me, and to finish His work.” In anticipation of laying down His life at Calvary He prayed to the Father in John 17:4, “I have glorified Thee on the earth: I have finished the work which Thou gavest Me to do.” And finally in John 19:30 He cried out from the cross, “It is finished.” From the manger to the cross He was perfectly obedient to God’s word!

In verse 6 He was taught that His obedience to the Father’s will would involve untold sufferings from the hands of wicked and cruel men. Yet in love for you and me, He gave His “back to the smiters” and His “cheeks to them that plucked off the hair,” and He did not hide His “face from shame and spitting.” Can anyone read this passage and doubt that they are referring to the treatment Jesus received from those who “hated Him without a cause?” We read in John 19:1, “Then Pilate therefore took Jesus, and SCOURGED HIM.” Matthew 26:67 states, “Then did they SPIT IN HIS FACE, and BUFFETED HIM; and others SMOTE HIM WITH THE PALMS OF THEIR HANDS.” Man’s hatred for God was perfectly manifested here as they beat Him to a pulp and then led Him to Calvary to crucify Him. Yet God’s love was also on display, for He allowed men to do this to His only begotten Son so that salvation could be completed on the cross and then offered to repentant and believing sinners.

Every child of God will forever praise the Lord Jesus for being “obedient unto death, even the death of the cross” (Philippians 2:8). Is my reader a child of God? If not, won’t you receive Him right now as your Savior? John 1:12 declares, “But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe on His name” (NKJV).  (205.5)  (DO)