Isaiah 42

From: Messages of God's Love: 1933

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. 12:18-20¹⁸Behold 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. (Matthew 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. 1:21²¹For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost. (2 Peter 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. 1:10-12¹⁰Of which salvation the prophets have inquired and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace that should come unto you: ¹¹Searching what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow. ¹²Unto whom it was revealed, that not unto themselves, but unto us they did minister the things, which are now reported unto you by them that have preached the gospel unto you with the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven; which things the angels desire to look into. (1 Peter 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; 24:16⁴³When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walketh through dry places, seeking rest, and findeth none. ⁴⁴Then he saith, I will return into my house from whence I came out; and when he is come, he findeth it empty, swept, and garnished. ⁴⁵Then goeth he, and taketh with himself seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter in and dwell there: and the last state of that man is worse than the first. Even so shall it be also unto this wicked generation. (Matthew 12:43‑45)
¹⁶Then let them which be in Judea flee into the mountains: (Matthew 24:16) Rev. 13:14-15¹⁴And deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by the means of those miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the beast; saying to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast, which had the wound by a sword, and did live. ¹⁵And he had power to give life unto the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed. (Revelation 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. 5:9⁹And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation; (Revelation 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.

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