If I bear witness of myself, my witness is not true.

Zion and Jerusalem,  December 17, 2012

If I bear witness of myself, my witness is not true.

(New Testament | John 5:31)

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.

For the Lord GOD will help me; therefore shall I not be confounded: therefore have I set my face like a flint, and I know that I shall not be ashamed.

He is near that justifieth me; who will contend with me?  let us stand together: who is mine adversary?  let him come near to me.

Behold, the Lord GOD will help me; who is he that shall condemn me?  lo, they all shall wax old as a garment; the moth shall eat them up.

Who is among you that feareth the LORD, that obeyeth the voice of his servant, that walketh in darkness, and hath no light?  let him trust in the name of the LORD, and stay upon his God.

Behold, all ye that kindle a fire, that compass yourselves about with sparks: walk in the light of your fire, and in the sparks that ye have kindled.  This shall ye have of mine hand; ye shall lie down in sorrow.

(Old Testament | Isaiah 50:5 - 11)

Isaiah speaks Messianically—Messiah shall have the tongue of the learned—He shall give his back to the smiters—He shall not be confounded—Compare Isaiah 50. About 559–545 B.C.

YEA, for thus saith the Lord: Have I put thee away, or have I cast thee off forever? For thus saith the Lord: Where is the bill of your mother's divorcement?  To whom have I put thee away, or to which of my creditors have I sold you?  Yea, to whom have I sold you?  Behold, for your iniquities have ye sold yourselves, and for your transgressions is your mother put away.

Wherefore, when I came, there was no man; when I called, yea, there was none to answer.  O house of Israel, is my hand shortened at all that it cannot redeem, or have I no power to deliver?  Behold, at my rebuke I dry up the sea, I make their rivers a wilderness and their fish to stink because the waters are dried up, and they die because of thirst.

I clothe the heavens with blackness, and I make sackcloth their covering.

The Lord God hath given me the tongue of the learned, that I should know how to speak a word in season unto thee, O house of Israel.  When ye are weary he waketh morning by morning.  He waketh 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 smiter, and my cheeks to them that plucked off the hair.  I hid not my face from shame and spitting.

For the Lord God will help me, therefore shall I not be confounded.  Therefore have I set my face like a flint, and I know that I shall not be ashamed.

And the Lord is near, and he justifieth me.  Who will contend with me?  Let us stand together.  Who is mine adversary?  Let him come near me, and I will smite him with the strength of my mouth.

For the Lord God will help me.  And all they who shall condemn me, behold, all they shall wax old as a garment, and the moth shall eat them up.

Who is among you that feareth the Lord, that obeyeth the voice of his servant, that walketh in darkness and hath no light?

Behold all ye that kindle fire, that compass yourselves about with sparks, walk in the light of your fire and in the sparks which ye have kindled.  This shall ye have of mine hand—ye shall lie down in sorrow.

(Book of Mormon | 2 Nephi 7:Heading - 11)

http://www.defendproclaimthefaith.org/servant_song_1.html

If I bear witness of myself, my witness is not true.

There is another that beareth witness of me; and I know that the witness which he witnesseth of me is true. Ye sent unto John, and he bare witness unto the truth. But I receive not testimony from man: but these things I say, that ye might be saved.

He was a burning and a shining light: and ye were willing for a season to rejoice in his light.

But I have greater witness than that of John: for the works which the Father hath given me to finish, the same works that I do, bear witness of me, that the Father hath sent me.

And the Father himself, which hath sent me, hath borne witness of me.  Ye have neither heard his voice at any time, nor seen his shape.

And ye have not his word abiding in you: for whom he hath sent, him ye believe not.

Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me. And ye will not come to me, that ye might have life.

I receive not honour from men.

But I know you, that ye have not the love of God in you.

I am come in my Father's name, and ye receive me not: if another shall come in his own name, him ye will receive.

How can ye believe, which receive honour one of another, and seek not the honour that cometh from God only?

Do not think that I will accuse you to the Father: there is one that accuseth you, even Moses, in whom ye trust. For had ye believed Moses, ye would have believed me: for he wrote of me. But if ye believe not his writings, how shall ye believe my words?

(New Testament | John 5:31 - 47)

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/2870898/posts

But in the person of the Servant, Israel offers up the response to God that is fitting, for He is the ideal disciple, fully embodying the piety and service Israel was called to live out. He speaks out to Israel and to us, from Isaiah’s prophecy;

Each of the four verses verse begins the phrase, ‘the Lord God’, Adonai YHWH’, the Sovereign, personal infinite, self existent God, is the one who is the Servant’s focus, and empowerment.

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 Servant is personally taught by God, he awakens each morning to hear what ‘the LORD GOD will speak to Him, for his ears are attuned to the Holy One.

The phrase ‘morning by morning’, speaks of His ongoing dependence upon God. All is not laid out at once, the Servant must rely on the ‘daily bread’ set before Him by the Father.

He is ever attentive for he has prepared his life for total obedience to that voice.

The Servant takes the Words he hears, and speaks them in season, at the God appointed time and place, to those who are weary and heavy laden. His is a ministry of the Word to those bent under the heavy load of sin and guilt.

The Lord GOD hath opened mine ear, and I was not rebellious, neither turned away back…

It is the LORD GOD, ‘Adonai YWHW’ who speaks to the Servant. He has his full attention, morning by morning. There is not a hint of hesitation in him, he is listening and ready to comply. He doesn’t draw back, there is no apostasy in his soul, he is not rebellious.

One thinks of similar scriptures, such as Psalm 40:6-8;

Sacrifice and offering thou didst not desire; mine ears hast thou opened: burnt offering and sin offering hast thou not required. Then said I, Lo, I come: in the volume of the book it is written of me,I delight to do thy will, O my God: yea, thy law is within my heart…

We can’t help but remember the Messiah’s description of himself as a “Father pleaser” in the gospel of John,

Jesus saith unto them, My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work.(John 4:34)

And he that sent me is with me: the Father hath not left me alone; for I do always those things that please him.(John 8:29)

Then answered Jesus and said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father do: for what things soever he doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise. For the Father loveth the Son, and sheweth him all things that himself doeth: and he will shew him greater works than these, that ye may marvel.(John 5:19-20)

Finally, a man who will truly put God first! Finally true piety, real devotion to God! On Israel’s behalf, this one will render the true worship, and complete service that is due the Father! At last, a human being a representative for all of us, who really does,“Love the Lord His God, with all of his heart, soul ,mind and strength!“

FOR I say unto you, that ye shall not see me henceforth and know that I am he of whom it is written by the prophets, until ye shall say: Blessed is he who cometh in the name of the Lord, in the clouds of heaven, and all the holy angels with him.  Then understood his disciples that he should come again on the earth, after that he was glorified and crowned on the right hand of God.

(Pearl of Great Price | JS-Matthew 1:1)

The above are reflections of a un unworthy servant in the hands of Christ.

Miguel Ángel Tinoco ROD-TREE-JESSE