Isaiah 42:1-4
This passage is the first of four poems regarding the 'Servant of Yahweh'. This was likely to have been written towards Israel. There are many who qualify as servants of the Lord. If the Lord calls, "Behold My servants," we ought to be listening and responding. However, in this case He is talking about the Elect One. This Elect One is their Messiah. We also know this because Jesus confirmed it in Matthew 12:14-21. Right after He had healed the withered hand of a man on the Sabbath, He quoted this and confirmed this passage of Isaiah was speaking about Him. Matthew told us that Jesus withdrew from this dispute. He got away from the quarrel with the Pharisees. In doing so, he was fulfilling this prophecy.
There was a great multitude that followed Him. Jesus healed them all. Yet, with this huge fan club, He remained a servant. For us, remaining a servant while being a leader is a struggle to maintain balance. Jesus is our example. His attributes were to be on display in the obedient children of God, Israel.
In this passage of Isaiah God commanded all people to put their focus on the the Elect One; the Messiah. God said He'd put His spirit on Him and He would bring forth justice to the Gentiles. The Jews couldn't imagine that their Messiah would save the gentiles. Yet that's what it says all the way back in Isaiah, 700 years before Jesus was born. The elect One; confirmed as Jesus, would bring justice and righteousness to the gentiles; that's you and me.
God's call to "Behold" His Servant is a 'heads up' to pay attention. It serves notice that God is pointing to the servant as someone extremely important and significant to them. Every ear was called to hear, every eye was to see and heart was to perceive and understand. But God would not force this on the hardhearted. Mankind has their freewill to listen or rebel. Jesus would not cry out drawing attention to Himself. He would not break the oppressed (bruised reed) bringing them into submission. He would not burden men, His yoke is easy and His burden light. He was, and is, the humble servant. He was gentle and the multitudes were attracted to him. And He healed them all without raising his voice or being forceful in any way.
Matthew 20:26-28
26 whoever desires to become great among you, let him be your servant. 27 And whoever desires to be first among you, let him be your slave— 28 just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many."
A reed had many uses in those days. It could be made into a musical instrument. They were used to measure things, weave into baskets, make walking sticks and much more. A reed was a stalk that was easily broken. The word "bruised" means crushed or oppressed here. A reed that is easily broken is crushed and oppressed. It's been stomped on and its usefulness is in question. If you were gathering reeds to use, you would not pick up the bruised reed. Yet, this says Jesus will not break it. He wouldn't write off the usefulness of the reed and trample it under foot.
Flax was a threadlike wick. When it was smoking it was giving off no light. Its usefulness was gone. Yet, this says Jesus will not quench it. He won't extinguish the little bit of fire that is left.
The bruised reed or the smoking flax is referring to anyone who is beat down for any reason. In the case of Matthew, it was a man with a withered hand. The world would say that man's usefulness was limited. But Jesus doesn't operate in the world's standards or by man's rules.
Isaiah 42:5-9
Here God the Father is speaking to God the Son. Isaiah spoke of the Messiah coming to the world in righteousness. He would come forth as a covenant to the people, a new covenant. Through this new covenant, Jesus would be a light to the Gentiles.
Jesus quoted these words and said he was the fulfillment of them in Matthew 11:5. During the days when Jesus walked on the earth the miracles he performed were a testimony to who He was. These were physical signs of the spiritual things he was doing. He opened the eyes of those who were spiritually blind. He delivered many from the prison of demon possession or mental disorders.
It is important to know who God is because He won't share His glory. No other can do these things. Many false religions and false gods copy the Living God. Jehovah God is the true God and won't share His glory.
The former things are the words Isaiah already spoke that will come to pass. The new things are the words He had not yet declared. All of the words God spoke through Isaiah would come to pass and God told of them beforehand.
Isaiah 42:10-13
This Psalm is a new song of praise in response to the new things declared in the first nine verses. The inhabitants of the earth will sing the praise of this coming servant. Salvation would come from this coming Messiah. He would bring forth new manifestations of Grace. This song He brings had never been sung before, it was a new song. The Lord would be zealous in this work. He would be the hope for those in exile, bondage or under tyranny. Nothing would thwart, conquer or overwhelm His plan.
Isaiah 42:14-17
The Servant will go forth into the world. From the beginning of time, God has restrained Himself, held back until the perfect time. Then the Messiah came forth. The Messiah is the perfect representation and the revelations of God the father. He came forth as a servant and gave His life a ransom. When He returns, He will return as a warrior and King. He will right all the wrongs. The sovereignty of God will reign on the earth.
Isaiah 42:18-20
Those who trust in idols will be ashamed because they remain in their sins. Many people of that time trusted in molded and carved images. Our images are different today but still fit the category of idols that replace the true and Living God. All though Israel was considered God's servant they were spiritually blind to the truth and deaf to the message Isaiah spoke. They've seen so many things for them to know who their God is yet they don't see. They've heard many truths but they don't hear.
Isaiah 42:21-25
In spite of all these things, God still upholds His standard of righteousness. The rules don't change because of man's inability to see and hear the truth. Israel, because of the blindness, became a people robbed and plundered. They were taken away to Babylon as a plunder. God allowed these things to happen. In doing so, He maintained His righteousness and showed Himself holy. God was glorified when they were re-gathered in the land.
Isaiah includes himself in the prophecy in verse 24 when he says 'we' have sinned. We've all sinned against the lord. We have all turned from His ways at some time and faltered in our obedience. For Israel, they felt the anger of the Lord yet they didn't know it was God and didn't take the warnings to heart.
I wonder how many times God has moved in our world and revealed His anger to us and our ways, yet we refuse to acknowledge it might be God punishing us. We've lost our ability to even explore the option. To say such a thing out loud will gain you the label of a close minded radical. Even those who label themselves Christian will disagree because their idol is a nice god who is okay with whatever we decide to do. Their god forgives everything automatically regardless of what the bible says.
©2018 Doug Ford
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