Isaiah 50 contains a lot of prophecy about all that Jesus would face during Holy Week and while on the Cross, and it also contains Jesus’ attitude about all of that. Speaking of Jesus, it says “I have set my face like a flint…” Isaiah 50:7
Flint is a very hard rock. The Bible speaks of flint when it talks about the firmness of a horse’s hoof in Isaiah 5:28. It uses it to refer to the toughness of an impossible task in Deuteronomy 8:15, and it is connected with someone who is unwavering in their determination and devotion in Ezekiel 3:8-9.
What that phrase means as it relates to Jesus and His mission is that Jesus made a firm decision regarding the completion of God’s plan. Failure was not an option. Complete conformance to the Father’s will was His only goal. He was determined to fulfill God’s plan. Nothing could stop Him. Nothing could deter Him. Nothing could dissuade Him. Nothing could distract Him. He was gunning for the Cross during every moment of His earthly life. In other words, Jesus lived with His game face always on, and it flowed from the commitment of His heart.
Jesus unflinchingly faced everything Holy Week held. It was quite a pendulum swing. He experienced one of the highest highs of His life on Palm Sunday. He rode into Jerusalem on Sunday, being praised like a King would be celebrated after returning from a war victory, only to be impaled on a Cross just five days later. He purposed in His heart there would be no backing out. He had set his face like a flint on Jerusalem and all that awaited Him there.
There is no way Jesus could have endured the betrayals, the disappointments, the beatings, the mocking, the spitting, the hatred, the physical violence, the emotional abuse, the impalement to the Cross, and the placing of the sins of humanity on Him, no way He could have endured any of it, if He had not set His face like flint on obediently following God’s plan. His mind had been made up before those moments came because He was determined to succeed.
Believers, if you are going to stay on track in your walk with and witness for Jesus and accomplish what He has for you, you are going to have to adopt His attitude and set your face like flint on the will of God for your life.
None of us will be asked to bear the load Jesus bore, but His perfect obedience under the worst of circumstances should inspire us to be fully committed to God’s will no matter what we have to go through to accomplish it. “It is finished,” Jesus cried from the cross. Those last three words were not words of surrender, but words of victory. He had been determined to succeed, and succeed, He did.
Hebrews 12:1-3-Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, 2 fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. 3 Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.
Consider Him. Think about all Jesus willingly went through! When God asks you to simply invite someone to church, to exercise faith and patience during a time of testing, to be faithful and steadfast in prayer, to begin a relationship with an unbeliever, to take on a new ministry assignment, to minister to an enemy, to help a neighbor, to endure teasing or even bullying for the sake of the Gospel, or whatever “extra” difficulty you might face if you are seeking to be faithful to God’s will, consider Him. Think about the opposition from His own. Think about the disobedience of the nation that had been selected to be a light to the entire world and how many turned on the One sent to fulfill God’s promise for salvation. Think about the way the religious leaders never gave Jesus a chance, and think about the way the Romans dismissed any claim made about who Jesus was. Think about the betrayal of His friends. Think about the shame of being crucified, of being labeled guilty, when He was totally innocent.
Jesus set His face like a flint, and He was unwavering and unstoppable as a result. Salvation became possible because Jesus was determined to finish the work God gave Him. Had He stopped short, we would still be lost. Jesus died for the will of God. Could we live for it? Are you a deterred or determined disciple of Christ? Will you adopt Jesus’ attitude and go all in for the will of God?
