Isaiah 42
42
The Lord’s Servant
1“Take a good look at my servant! # 42:1 Here we are introduced to the Lord Jesus, the Messiah, as the Chosen Servant of the Lord, sustained by Yahweh, sent on a divine mission to bring light and freedom to the hearts of his covenant people. Starting with ch. 42, Isaiah gave us four Servant Songs: (1) This chapter presents Jesus as the Faithful Servant who brings light to the nations. (2) In Isa. 49:1–13 he is the Chosen Servant to bring salvation to the nations and to restore Israel. (3) In Isa. 50:4–9, we have the song of the Obedient Servant who reveals the Father. (4) In Isa. 52:13–53:12 we find him as Suffering Servant. See also Matt. 12:18–21.
I love him dearly, # 42:1 Or “I find all my delight in him.” See Matt. 3:17. for he is my chosen one.
I have taken hold of him in my strength, # 42:1 Or “whom I uphold [by my strength].”
and I have clothed him with my Spirit. # 42:1 Or “placed my Spirit upon him.”
He will cause justice to spring up for the nations.
2He will be gentle and will not quarrel with others in public.
He will not exalt his own voice.
3He would never crush a broken heart # 42:3 Or “A bruised [bent-over] reed.” A reed can be seen as a biblical metaphor for the feebleness of humanity. Jesus, God’s Servant, is extraordinarily gentle. Rather than break weak ones, he restores and heals them. See Matt. 12:20.
nor disregard the weak and vulnerable. # 42:3 Or “nor extinguish a smoldering candle [those whose light and faith is growing dim].”
He will make sure justice comes to those who are wronged.
4His inner being will not become faint or discouraged,
nor will his light grow dim before he establishes justice on the earth.
Even the distant lands beyond the seas
will hunger for his instruction.” # 42:4 These first four verses give us the qualifications for ministry: (1) chosen and anointed by God, (2) committed to reach the unreached, (3) gentle and compassionate, and (4) not discouraged but having unfailing courage.
5Here are the words of the true God, Yahweh,
the one who created the starry heavens and stretched them out.
He is the one who formed the earth and filled it with life.
He gives breath to every person
and spirit to everyone everywhere.
6“I, Yahweh, have commissioned you in righteousness to succeed.
I will take your hand in love and watch over you.
I will give you as a covenant # 42:6 The Hebrew text is clear that this covenant is a person, the Servant of the Lord. In him is found all the blessings of the covenant. He is the embodiment of God’s covenant promises. for the people,
a walking-light to the nations.
7Your mission is to open blind eyes,
to set prisoners free from dark dwellings,
and to open prison doors to those who are held by darkness. # 42:7 See Isa. 61:1–2; Luke 4:16–21.
8I am Yahweh; that is my name.
I will not give my glory to another god
nor my renown to idols.
9Don’t you see that what I have prophesied has come to pass? # 42:9 Or “The former things [prophecies], behold—they have come!”
And now I am foretelling the future.
I declare it to you before it sprouts up.” # 42:9 A possible metaphor for the resurrection of Jesus.
A New Song for a New Day
10Sing to Yahweh a brand-new song! # 42:10 Every new thing God does requires a new song to declare it. See Rev. 5:9.
Sing his praise until it echoes from the ends of the earth!
Sailors and sea creatures, praise him!
Islands and all their inhabitants, sing his praise!
11Let the desert and its villages lift their voices in praise!
Let the tent villages of Kedar # 42:11 Kedar was a son of Ishmael (see Gen. 25:13), and his tribe were considered nomads. Kedar can also be seen as a metaphor for the old nature. shout their praises!
Let the residents of Sela’s cliffs # 42:11 Sela means “rock” (Song. 2:14). Sela was once the capitol of Edom. shout with glee,
with a celebration shout from the mountaintops! # 42:11 See Song. 4:8.
12Let them give Yahweh the glorious praise he deserves
and declare his praise in the islands!
Our Hero-God
13Yahweh goes out to battle like a hero # 42:13 As he carried our cross, Jesus went out from Jerusalem as a hero to conquer our foes.
and stirs up his passion and zeal like a mighty warrior.
Yes, his God-shout is a mighty battle cry;
he will triumph heroically over all his foes. # 42:13 Or “he shows himself superior to his enemies.” Every spiritual enemy is conquered by the Son of God—even death.
14For a long time, I said nothing. # 42:14 Or “I have been silent. Should I remain silent forever and hold my peace?” (LXX).
I restrained myself and kept silent.
Now I will groan, pant, and gasp like a woman in labor.
15I will level their hills and mountains # 42:15 Hills and mountains are frequently used as metaphors for governments, nations, and kingdoms.
and dry up all their vegetation.
I will turn rivers into islands and dry up their lakes.
16I will walk # 42:16 See John 16:13; Rom. 8:14. the blind by an unknown way # 42:16 See Josh. 3:4; John 14:6; Heb. 10:19–22.
and guide them on paths they’ve never traveled.
I will smooth their difficult road # 42:16 This can be seen as a metaphor for God changing our hearts and removing obstacles so we can walk with him. No obstacle within us will prevent God from accomplishing his plan.
and make their dark mysteries bright with light. # 42:16 Darkness is a frequent biblical metaphor for ignorance and light for understanding (revelation-light).
These are things I will do for them,
for I will never abandon my beloved ones. # 42:16 See Matt. 28:18–20; Heb. 13:5.
17But those who trust in idols,
who say to their metal images,
“You are our gods,”
will be turned aside in total disgrace. # 42:17 Or “in shame you will be ashamed.”
Blind and Deaf to Truth
18Hear me, you deaf! Look up, you blind, and see!
19Who is as blind as my servant Israel
or as deaf as the messenger I send? # 42:19 Israel was given a divine mission to serve God and his purposes. The nation was to become his messenger. See Rom. 11.
Who is as blind as my covenant friend,
as blind as Yahweh’s servant?
20Israel, you have seen so much, but you don’t get it!
You have been taught so much, # 42:20 Or “You have ears to hear.” but what did you really hear? # 42:20 See Prov. 28:9.
21For the sake of his righteousness,
Yahweh was eager to exalt his law and make it glorious. # 42:21 Or “it pleased Yahweh to praise his justice and make his law glorious.”
22But this is a people plundered and robbed,
trapped in holes and hidden in houses of bondage. # 42:22 Or “prisons.” This section (vv. 18–25) deals with God’s people in bondage. Judah was held captive in Babylon; the church is held captive to religious systems and to concepts from which Jesus came to set us free (see Gal. 4:3, 8). We must always be careful to hear and see and, with hearts open to God, receive the new thing God is doing on the earth today. Jesus was blind and deaf to doing anything other than the will of his Father. God is still restoring his church and making us like Christ, free and full of new life.
They are like prey that no one will rescue,
like spoil with no one to say, “Bring them back!”
23Doesn’t anyone understand this?
Will any of you pay attention to this in the future?
24Who gave up Jacob to looters and Israel to robbers?
It was Yahweh himself, against whom we sinned
by not walking in holy ways nor heeding holy words.
25So he poured out the heat of his anger
and they suffered the fury of war.
His anger enveloped them in flames,
but they still did not understand—
consumed by fire yet they did not take it to heart.
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Isaiah 42: TPT
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