The Servant – Isaiah chapter 42, verses 1 to 4
Human evil
Human evil, a problem that no human can fix. Christmas is a landmark reminder that our world is broken. But the promised King is not what the world seeks: not a strong man, not a military conqueror. He comes through a womb, not a palace.
Here is the first of Isaiah’s “Servant Songs”. “Behold my servant”.
The Servant’s Identity
‘Here is my servant, whom I uphold,
Isaiah 42:1
my chosen one in whom I delight;
I will put my Spirit on him,
and he will bring justice to the nations.
THE Servant. Not any lesser servant, not Israel.
Who? Jesus. Look to his baptism. The Spirit of God descends on Him, “And a voice from heaven said, ‘This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.’” Matthew 3:17
The Servant’s Character
He will not shout or cry out,
Isaiah 42:2-3a
or raise his voice in the streets.
3 A bruised reed he will not break,
and a smouldering wick he will not snuff out.
Justice, justice, justice! Not only for Israel, but to the nations. How? By the sword, lobbying, legislation? By lots of noise? By slogans drawing attention to Himself? No, Jesus was the most secure person, he knew who he was and what he was to do. He told those he helped to be quiet about it. Humble and meek, acting only for our benefit.
The Servant’s Steadfastness
In faithfulness he will bring forth justice;
Isaiah 42:3b-4
4 he will not falter or be discouraged
till he establishes justice on earth.
In his teaching the islands will put their hope.’
He WILL bring justice. He is dependable, He never fails. He will do it by His suffering, ch. 52,53. “Therefore he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them.” Hebrews 7:25 . He never fails. He will never leave us. Justice is much more then a legal issue, it is the restoration of what should be for true happiness. We cannot make a perfect world, free from evil, but He can and will.
The Hope of the World.
“Therefore, the hope of the world lies in the Servant of the Lord, the delight of God, the quiet leader, the man for others who wields the only true power that exists – the power to reorder human civilisation, not by bullying but by suffering, not by imposing demands on us but by absorbing our sins and miseries into himself… This is Jesus.”
Ray Ortlund
