Isaiah 42
THERE are two “servants” in this chapter; the Servant of verse 1 is Immanuel, God’s beloved Son, the only Man upon whom God has ever been able to look with unqualified delight. The servant of verse 19 is Israel.
The Son of God was not revealed to man until His coming into the world as the virgin’s Son; though His coming was foretold, we know, from the light the New Testament throws on the Old. We need the revelations made to the New Testament apostles and prophets in order to understand the prophecies of the Old.
The opening verses of our chapter are shown in Matt. 12:18-20 to refer to Jesus, the God-Man, as He passed on His solitary way from the manger of Bethlehem to the cross of Calvary; Isaiah, however could not have understood this at all clearly when he wrote his prophecy. He spake as he was moved by the Holy Ghost (2 Pet. 1:21).
The Old Testament saints did not know of God’s secret purpose to seek a bride for His Son, chiefly among the Gentiles, to share the Son’s glory eternally. That purpose was revealed to the apostle Paul, and we learn of it in the Epistle to the Ephesians (compare 1 Pet. 1:10-12 with Ephesians, chapters 1, 2, 3).
There will be a heavenly, and there will also be an earthly people of God, for His Word cannot fail. But the two bodies will never be merged into one, if we rightly understand the Scriptures.
Isaiah then passes at once, without the suggestion of any break or interval such as has occurred now for 1900 years, from the earthly life of our adorable Saviour and Lord to His coming again with power and glory (verses 2-4).
And now, from consideration of the Son of His love, God turns in verse 8 to the subject of idolatry. Many would scorn the thought that idol worship will ever be practiced generally by the enlightened people of the world, but if we believe God’s Word, we know that it is certainly coming back, and to be practiced by all except those who will receive Christ as their Saviour (Matt. 12:43-45; 24:16 Rev. 13:14, 15).
He and He only is the light of the Gentiles, and the One who will make good the new covenant with Israel. Through Him and His redemption work on the cross, Israel will have a new song (verse 10) though not the same song as the heavenly saints (Rev. 5:9).
Verses 19, 20, though addressed to Israel, in substance are true of mankind generally; shutting their eyes and stopping their ears to every message from God, they plunge along with ever hastening steps, toward a lost eternity.
May we not apply the present state of the Jews in certain lands to verses 22-24? Modern Germany adds its name to the list of oppressors of Jacob’s sons, and the dwellers in Palestine resent their appearing in that land that once was theirs as God’s gift.
As yet however, the fury of God’s anger and the strength of battle (verse 25) have not fallen on the Jews. This awaits the time of Jacob’s trouble, the time when God will visit them on account of their sins, before He blesses them as they never have been blessed before.
ML 12/17/1933