Now Think On This
Steve Martin
“For the Lord God helps Me, therefore, I am not disgraced; therefore, I have set My face like flint, and I know that I will not be ashamed.” (Isaiah 50:7, NASU)
The Webster dictionary gives these synonyms for the word RESOLVE, when used as a noun - decidedness, decision, decisiveness, determination, determinedness, firmness, granite, purposefulness, resoluteness, resolution, stick-to-itiveness.
Resolve - something we must have in these days. Resolve - even more so must we possess in the days and years to come.
As our ultimate example and the One we are commanded to follow, Jesus knew He had come for a distinct purpose and was determined to complete the mission, at all costs. When the time came for Him to move on it, He did not flinch, back down, or seek an escape route out of there. He had the resolve, the firmness, the determination to do what it took to get the job done.
As the apostle Luke records in chapter 9:51, “When the days were approaching for His ascension, He was determined to go to Jerusalem;” (NASU) Or as the NKJV translates it, “Now it came to pass, when the time had come for Him to be received up, that He steadfastly set His face to go to Jerusalem.”
Isaiah did rightly prophesy about the Messiah Yeshua as written above, “I have set My face like flint.” That is exactly what He did.
To put this in full context, one must read the other verses that come before and go beyond that verse. It gives a wider picture of what He was committed to do.
"The Lord God has given Me the tongue of the learned, that I should know how to speak a word in season to him who is weary. He awakens Me morning by morning; He awakens My ear to hear as the learned. The Lord God has opened My ear; and I was not rebellious, nor did I turn away. I gave My back to those who struck Me, and My cheeks to those who plucked out the beard; I did not hide My face from shame and spitting.
For the Lord God will help Me; therefore, I will not be disgraced; therefore, I have set My face like a flint, and I know that I will not be ashamed. He is near who justifies Me; who will contend with Me? Let us stand together. Who is My adversary? Let him come near Me. Surely the Lord God will help Me; Who is he who will condemn Me? Indeed, they will all grow old like a garment; the moth will eat them up."
As any toughened combat soldier, long before prepared to engage in battle; or the proven athlete, measured and strengthened through years of practice for his competitive field; or the years of perfected, intense time given the trained surgeon, now performing through the grueling hours in the operating room – these similar years of ourselves being trained, groomed, and prepared for this hour must show itself strong as we stand courageously and boldly in these days of increasing pressure to bow down and give up.
