July 7 - Isaiah 42:1-9

July 7 – Isaiah 42:1-9

“Here is my servant, whom I uphold, my chosen one in whom I delight; I will put my Spirit on him and he will bring justice to the nations. He will not shout or cry out, or raise his voice in the streets. A bruised reed he will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out. In faithfulness he will bring forth justice; he will not falter or be discouraged till he establishes justice on earth. In his law the islands will put their hope.”

This is what God the LORD says— he who created the heavens and stretched them out, who spread out the earth and all that comes out of it, who gives breath to its people, and life to those who walk on it: “I, the LORD, have called you in righteousness; I will take hold of your hand. I will keep you and will make you to be a covenant for the people and a light for the Gentiles, to open eyes that are blind, to free captives from prison and to release from the dungeon those who sit in darkness.

“I am the LORD; that is my name! I will not give my glory to another or my praise to idols. See, the former things have taken place, and new things I declare; before they spring into being I announce them to you.”

This passage is filled with good news.  The Good News about Jesus Christ!!!  Jesus fulfilled these prophecies when He came to live among men and it is so exciting!

The Messiah comes as a servant, with the Spirit of God placed on Him.  He will bring justice, He will come with gentleness and He will stand strong until justice is established.  Once again, Isaiah mentions the islands – this means that not only the nations on the main lands of the earth, but those on the remotest islands – everyone will be offered hope because of the Messiah.

Our Creator – God, the Lord – says …  We are not to forget Who is speaking here.  He is the creator of all things, the heaven and the earth, He gave breath to all mankind and life to everything that lives on the earth.

The Messiah has been called in righteousness and will receive all that He needs from God.  Now, notice this next verse “I … will make you to be a covenant for the people and a light for the Gentiles …” 

That is amazing.  Jesus Christ came to bring the New Covenant.  He re-established the Covenant in His name.  The people of Israel were a people of the Covenant, so He began His ministry with them, but He also came to be a light for the Gentiles.  All of the people of earth would be brought into God’s kingdom because of this servant.  He is a covenant for the people and a light for the Gentiles.  He brings hope to all who are downtrodden, for those that need it most.  He will not discriminate.

God is the Lord.  He is Sovereign.  He will not have anything to do with idols.  What has happened is in the past, a new thing is coming.

Then, He assures His children – before these new things come, He will announce them to you.  This shoots us to the opening words of John the Baptist who called out for repentance in preparation for the coming of the Messiah.  The scriptures remind us that it is John who is “The voice of one calling in the desert, Prepare the way for the Lord …” (Luke 3:4)