Distinguished as the place of Cyrus might be as the righteous man from the east, whom God employed to break the pride of Babylon and set the captives free to return to the land of Israel, a greater is here. “Behold, my servant, whom I uphold; mine elect, in whom my soul delighteth; I have put my spirit upon him: be shall bring forth judgment to the Gentiles. He shall not cry, nor lift up, nor cause his voice to be heard in the street. A bruised reed shall he not break, and the smoking flax shall he not quench: he shall bring forth judgment unto truth. He shall not fail nor be discouraged till he have set judgment in the earth: and the isles shall wait for his law.” (Ver. 1-4.) We know that Christ is intended (the typical, as I suppose, giving occasion to the introduction of the Antitype). It is the more remarkable as being lost after this brief moment, when the prophetic strain resumes its previous course, and the servant of Jehovah elsewhere in this chapter and to the end of chapter 48 is unequivocally not Christ, but Israel.
Here, however, it is the Lord, the object of Jehovah's delight as of His choice, the vessel of the power of the Spirit, and the manifester of judgment to the nations, compared with whom the Gentile avenger of God's honor on the source and patron of all idols was little indeed. Yet He whose glory was thus beyond all competition displayed it first in perfect, unobtrusive lowliness. Might of far-reaching testimony even was not what characterized Him thus, meek retirement rather, not only in presence of murderous hatred, but away from the multitude that followed Him and the admiration of the healed who would have spread His fame. He “charged them that they should not make him known, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet, saying, Behold my servant,” &c. (Matt. 12:14-2114Then the Pharisees went out, and held a council against him, how they might destroy him. 15But when Jesus knew it, he withdrew himself from thence: and great multitudes followed him, and he healed them all; 16And charged them that they should not make him known: 17That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet, saying, 18Behold 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 show judgment to the Gentiles. 19He shall not strive, nor cry; neither shall any man hear his voice in the streets. 20A bruised reed shall he not break, and smoking flax shall he not quench, till he send forth judgment unto victory. 21And in his name shall the Gentiles trust. (Matthew 12:14‑21).) This state of things is seen here terminated by the victory of His second advent, when He shall set judgment in the earth and the isles shall wait for His law. The intervening action of the Holy Ghost here below, while He is exalted on high, does not enter into account.
This leads the Lord in magnificent terms to speak of what He will accomplish through His own name and glory, in contrast with graven images. (Ver. 5-16.) Then, in verses 17 et seq., the utter shame of such as trust in these lying vanities is insisted on, so as to touch the consciences of the guilty Jew. “Hear, ye deaf; and look, ye blind, that ye may see. Who is blind but my servant? or deaf as my messenger that I sent? who is blind as he that is perfect and blind as the Lord's servant? Seeing many things, but thou observest not; opening the ears, but he heareth not.” (Ver. 18-20.) It is Israel who are in view. Such were their privileges, such their responsibility, and such their woeful failure. Jehovah, contrariwise, is right in all His ways. “The Lord is well pleased for his righteousness' sake; he will magnify the law, and make it honorable. But this is a people robbed and spoiled; they are all of them snared in holes, and they are hid in prison-houses: they are for a prey, and none delivereth; for a spoil, and none saith, Restore. Who among you will give ear to this? who will hearken and hear for the time to come? Who gave Jacob for a spoil and Israel to the robbers? did not the Lord, he against whom we have sinned? for they would not walk in his ways, neither were they obedient unto his law. Therefore he hath poured upon him the fury of his anger, and the strength of battle: and it hath set him on fire round about, yet he knew not; and it burned him, yet he laid it not to heart.” (Ver. 22-25.)
After of judgment to the nations to His name, which entailed on Israel the fury of Jehovah (yet misunderstood and unfelt through the blinding influence of idolatry), in chapter 43. He proclaims His faithfulness who had called Israel by their name and made them His own. “When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee: and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned, neither shall the flame kindle upon thee. For I am the Lord thy God, the Holy One of Israel, thy Savior: I gave Egypt for thy ransom, Ethiopia and Seba for thee. Since thou vast precious in my sight, thou hast been honorable, and I have loved thee: therefore will I give men for thee, and people for thy life. Fear not: for I am with thee: I will bring thy seed from the east and gather thee from the west; I will say to the north, Give up; and to the south, Keep not back: bring my sons from far, and my daughters from the ends of the earth; even every one that is called by my name: for I have created him for my glory. I have formed him; yea, I have made him. Bring forth the blind people that have eyes and the deaf that have ears. Let all the nations be gathered together, and let the people be assembled: who among them can declare this and show us former things let them bring forth their witnesses that they may be justified: or let them hear and say, It is truth. Ye are my witnesses, saith the Lord, and my servant whom I have chosen: that ye may know and believe me, and understand that I am he: before me there was no God formed, neither shall there be after me.” (Ver. 2-10.) This renders the subject (namely Israel as God's servant) as plain as His own mercy in the last days. The Jews by their idol-loving were the blind people that had eyes and the deaf that had ears. Yet were they alone of all nations Jehovah's witness and His servant. They will yet know, believe, and understand. It was because of Him whom they rebelled against that they have been so spoiled; it is because of Him that they will be delivered, pardoned, and blessed; for as He, Jehovah, is the only God, so is He equally the sole Savior. It was for Israel's sake that He had sent to Babylon and brought down their pride; and new things should cause the old wonders to be forgotten when God gives water in the wilderness and rivers in the desert for His chosen people, formed for Himself to show forth His praise. It was God who once, for their sins, profaned the princes and people of Israel; it is He who for His own sake will blot out their transgressions and justify themselves. Before that day dawn, we know (what is to them still a secret) the great salvation by His grace, whereby alone He can thus deal with the guilty, and yet most righteously withal: Christ, the cross of Christ, is the only key.