Christ, the servant of God

Life and Ministry of the Christ in Isaiah

#8 Isaiah 42

In chapters 40-53 Isaiah speaks often of the servant of God. Many times in Isaiah 40-48 “the servant of the Lord is explicitly identified with Jacob-Israel. Only once in Isaiah 40-48 can a good case be made for an individual within Israel being the servant of the Lord rather than the nation as a whole being the servant, namely, Isaiah 42:1-7 (see the Targum). Otherwise, it is clear: When God is speaking of His servant in 40-48, He is referring to the nation as a whole, and in context, it is His people Israel suffering in Babylonian exile.” But, in 42:1-7, “it is clearly speaking of an individual Israelite who has a mission to his people…The servant of the Lord in Isaiah 42:1-7 liberates the captives, described as blind and imprisoned. It is this righteous individual, he who stands for his nation and represents his people, who lays down his life for their sin. And it is he who becomes a light to the nations.” (Dr. Michael Brown*)

Dr. Brown suggests we take a look at the Targum (ancient Jewish paraphrase / commentary) for Isaiah 42. This is how it begins: “Behold, my servant, the Messiah, whom I bring, my chosen in whom one delights: as for my Word, I will put my Holy Spirit upon Him; He shall reveal my judgment unto the nations.” Amen!

Let’s take a look at this prophecy of Christ, the servant of the Lord.

42:1  Behold my servant, whom I uphold; mine elect, in whom my soul delighteth; I have put my spirit upon him: he shall bring forth judgment to the Gentiles.
42:2  He shall not cry, nor lift up, nor cause his voice to be heard in the street.
42:3  A bruised reed shall he not break, and the smoking flax shall he not quench: he shall bring forth judgment unto truth.
42:4  He shall not fail nor be discouraged, till he have set judgment in the earth: and the isles shall wait for his law.

The Messiah is the servant of God, anointed with the Spirit of God, who will govern the Gentiles (1); he will not be a rabble-rouser (2); he will deal gently with the broken and hurting (3); his kingdom shall stretch from shore to shore (4).

Matthew says this is fulfilled in Jesus, Matthew 12:14-21:
14 Then the Pharisees went out, and held a council against him, how they might destroy him. 
15 But when Jesus knew it, he withdrew himself from thence: and great multitudes followed him, and he healed them all; 
16 And charged them that they should not make him known: 
17 That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet, saying, 
18 Behold my servant, whom I have chosen; my beloved, in whom my soul is well pleased: I will put my spirit upon him, and he shall shew judgment to the Gentiles.  
19 He shall not strive, nor cry; neither shall any man hear his voice in the streets.  
20 A bruised reed shall he not break, and smoking flax shall he not quench, till he send forth judgment unto victory.  
21 And in his name shall the Gentiles trust.

This appears to be mostly from the Hebrew, except the last phrase. In Hebrew it is, “and the isles shall wait for his law,” yet Matthew has, “And in his name shall the Gentiles trust,” which agrees exactly with the Septuagint.

Matthew describes the nature of the ministry of Jesus - he was not contentious, nor riotous, nor did he lead a protest or a strike; the broken and the fallen he sought and restored – as well as the extent of his ministry – and in his name shall the Gentiles trust. This was exactly what Isaiah had prophesied of Christ.

Isaiah, moved as he was by the Holy Spirit, went on:
42:6  I the LORD have called thee in righteousness, and will hold thine hand, and will keep thee, and give thee for a covenant of the people, for a light of the Gentiles;
42:7  To open the blind eyes, to bring out the prisoners from the prison, and them that sit in darkness out of the prison house.

Christ will be for a covenant of the people - he will, by the cross, establish the New Covenant, with its blessings of forgiveness of sins and restoration to God.

for the people – this is Israel, the Jews; As Paul explained, “Now I say that Jesus Christ was a minister of the circumcision for the truth of God, to confirm the promises made unto the fathers” (Romans 15:8)

for a light of the Gentiles – “And that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy” (Rom 15:9) Jesus Christ has opened the door for the Gentiles, invited them to come, and accepts them as they do! Amen!

The salvation of the Gentiles is further described in 42:8-12:

8 I am the LORD: that is my name: and my glory will I not give to another, neither my praise to graven images.  
9 Behold, the former things are come to pass, and new things do I declare: before they spring forth I tell you of them.  
10 Sing unto the LORD a new song, and his praise from the end of the earth, ye that go down to the sea, and all that is therein; the isles, and the inhabitants thereof.  
11 Let the wilderness and the cities thereof lift up their voice, the villages that Kedar doth inhabit: let the inhabitants of the rock sing, let them shout from the top of the mountains.  
12 Let them give glory unto the LORD, and declare his praise in the islands.

It is amazing to see how this has been fulfilled! The mercy of God extended to the Gentiles!

to open the blind eyes, to bring out the prisoners from the prison, and them that sit in darkness out of the prison house – this is a description of what it is to be lost: it is to be blind, to be a prisoner. This is also a description of Christ’s salvation: he will give sight to the blind and liberty to the prisoner. So, we who believe in Christ, Jew and Gentile, can sing,

I was lost in sin when Jesus found me,
But He rescued me, all glory to His Name!
And the cords of worldly pleasure bound me,
Till He saved me from sin and shame. ('Twas a Glad Day When Jesus Found Me, Albert Simpson Reitz)

Jesus is the Christ, the servant of God bringing salvation: he opens blind eyes and sets prisoners free; he restores the fallen and heals the broken. All glory to His name!

I hope you can sing with me this glorious hymn!

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* from the article, How Rabbi Blumenthal Missed the Forest for the Trees, by Michael L. Brown which you can read here