Isaiah 50:2-3

After many years as *exiles, nobody imagined that they would ever see their own country again. It was impossible. So, when the *Lord promised to bring the *exiles home, nobody believed him.

• But several times the *Lord told the people that they had a wonderful future (see Isaiah 12:3-6; Isaiah 35:3-10; Isaiah 49:22). And later, he will repeat this good news (see Isaiah 51:3; Isaiah 60:10; Isaiah 61:1-11).

• God reminds his people that he has done such ‘impossible’ actions in the past. For example, when he rescued his people from Egypt (see Exodus 10:21-22).

The Servant obeys the *Lord

Verses 4-11 provide the third of the ‘Servant Songs’ (see my notes at the beginning of Chapter 42 and the notes on 42:1).

v4 The *Lord God has given me a tongue (speech) that a teacher has trained well. So I will know how to speak words of comfort to those who are tired. He wakens me every morning. He prepares my ears to hear clearly. So I can listen carefully, like a student that a teacher has trained well. v5 The *Lord opened my ears. So I understood clearly what he wanted me to say. I did not hesitate to obey him. But I knew that I would suffer as a result. v6 I made my back bare to those who struck me. And I let them pull off the hair from my cheek. Nor did I hide my face from shame and insult.