THE SERVANT OF THE LORD
Isaiah 42:1-11. Behold My servant, &c.
It is difficult for us who have history, with all its definiteness, to realise the inestimable value of prophecy, notwithstanding its vagueness, to God’s ancient people. But try to put yourself in their place. It was very difficult for them to be God’s people, because it is difficult always to be loyal to an unpopular and apparently hopeless cause. How small was the true Israel! a little speck of light surrounded by a vast continent of darkness. The thought that that darkness would ever be dispelled seemed a vain dream. Besides, there was the terribly depressing influence of the apparent failure of all previous efforts to dispel it. The Law appeared to have been given in vain, kings and prophets raised up to no purpose. In spite of all that the most faithful of them had accomplished, the vast mass even of the chosen people were given over to iniquity, and over all the other nations there brooded gross darkness, the very shadow of death. Idolatry with all its abominations prevailed the whole world over. How, then, could any man reasonably hope that the earth should ever be “full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea”? It was contrary to reason to cherish this hope; but yet God’s little band of faithful people did cherish it. In this they were mightily helped by prophecy. The confident assurances of the prophets enabled them to look beyond the things that were seen and temporal, to those that were unseen but eternal. So they walked by faith, not by sight, and rejoiced in hope of the glory of God.
Chief among the predictions that were thus helpful to them was that of a Messiah—an Anointed One—who should triumphantly accomplish all the purposes of God in regard to this earth. In this particular prophecy He was held up before them as the “Servant” of God. This was a phrase with which they were familiar. By other discourses of Isaiah, they had been taught to regard themselves—their nation—as called to be the servant of God—the instrumentality by which the knowledge of God was to be diffused throughout the earth and men everywhere won to His service (Isaiah 41:8-9). This was in accordance with the terms of the covenant into which God had originally entered with them (Exodus 19:6). A glorious calling, but how poorly had they responded to it! But now they were taught to look for One who should be all that they ought to have been, and accomplish all that they ought to have accomplished.
This prediction they would study with minutest care, and as they did so they would think much and often of such points as these:—
I. THE PERSONAL CHARACTERISTICS OF THIS “SERVANT OF GOD.”.
This much would be clear to them—
1. That His character would be more than blameless; that all conceivable moral and spiritual excellences would meet in it. “In whom My soul delighteth”
2. That He would be unostentatious, thus differing wonderfully from all earthly conquerors (Isaiah 42:2).
3. That He would be gentle (Isaiah 42:3).
4. Yet that this gentleness would not arise from weakness. He Himself would never be broken nor extinguished; over all opposition He would triumph.
We, who have history to guide us, know how wonderfully all these predictions have been fulfilled in Jesus Christ.
II. HIS MISSION.
1. He was to be the maker of a new covenant with God’s ancient people (Isaiah 42:6), that “new covenant” of which other prophets wrote and spoke (Jeremiah 31:31-34).
2. He was to be “a light of the Gentiles.” He was to dispel the darkness that brooded over them by bringing “judgment,” i.e., true religion, to them. The effects of the accomplishment of His mission are set forth in beautiful figures in Isaiah 42:7. How blessed and glorious the task assigned to this Servant of the Lord!
III. THE MANNER IN WHICH HE WOULD ACCOMPLISH IT.
His conquests were not to be accomplished as earthly conquests had been.
1. His progress was not to be violent or clamorous (Isaiah 42:2). He was to conquer by simply doing what was right and speaking what was true (Matthew 13:14-21; John 18:36-37). The kingdom of God cannot be extended by legal enactments or force of arms.
2. His triumphs were to be advanced by strengthening what was bruised and fainting. Here history comes to the help of the students of prophecy; it is by His gentle treatment of His feeble followers that our Lord has made them strong, and so made His Church a power in the earth (H. E. I. 951; P.D. 474).
3. His triumphs were to be secured by unwearied perseverance (Isaiah 42:4).
IV. THE GUARANTEES THAT IN THIS MISSION HE WOULD SUCCEED.
1. He would not undertake it in His own strength (Isaiah 42:1; Isaiah 42:6).
2. He who had called Him to it was no other than the Almighty (Isaiah 42:5).
3. The mission which He had undertaken was one that this Almighty Creator could not fail to sympathise with (Isaiah 42:8).
V. THE REASON ASSIGNED WHY THEY SHOULD TRUST IN THIS GLOWING PREDICTION (Isaiah 42:9).
This promise was made by Him who had fulfilled His former promises: in this He would not fail.
These were the hopes and expectations which sustained God’s ancient people, and we may derive comfort from them to-day. Christ’s triumphs are incomplete. Much remains to be accomplished; so much, that we sometimes doubt whether it can be accomplished. But these doubts are condemned—
1. by history;
2. by God’s Word. The kingdoms of this world shall yet become the kingdoms of God and of His Christ—M. N.
I. THE PERSON HERE REFERRED TO.
“The Servant of the Lord.” Who is intended by that phrase? Some have answered, Cyrus, because there is an undeniable reference to him in the beginning of the 41st chapter, where he is spoken of as “the righteous man from the east.” But the allusion cannot be to Cyrus here, for he was far from answering to the description given in Isaiah 42:2-3: his sternness and severity are inconsistent with tenderness. Others allege that the prophet means himself. But how was “he a light to lighten the Gentiles”? And may we not presume that the phrase here designates the same person as in the other places in which it is employed, in many of which it is clearly impossible to hold that it describes Isaiah? Others think that it means Israel; but this servant was to be given “for a covenant of the people,” and, therefore, he must be distinct from the people. In a sense, indeed, the true spiritual Israel are one with Jesus, and they may be regarded as identified. This is the view of Alexander. But even in this view the passage must be taken first of Him, and is true of them only through their union to Him. So we adopt the view that this passage is purely Messianic,—a view which is adopted even by some eminent Jewish interpreters, and which has the sanction of Matthew 12:17-21. When, therefore, the question is put, “Of whom speaketh the prophet this—of himself, or of some other man?” we answer without any hesitation, of Jesus who is called Christ.
II. THE DESCRIPTION HERE GIVEN OF HIM.
This is comprised in Isaiah 42:1-4. He is the beloved and the chosen of God, and to this prediction corresponds the declaration at the baptism of Jesus, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” He is endued with the Spirit of God, and to this answers the descent of the Holy Ghost on Jesus as He came up from Jordan (Acts 10:38). It is added, “He shall bring forth judgment to the Gentiles,” which means that He should set up or establish His religion among the Gentiles, and for that the way was prepared in His death and resurrection, and by His great commission to His followers. But the most interesting part of this description is that which follows, and which brings out the humility and tenderness of Jesus (Isaiah 42:2). There was nothing of the love of ostentation about Him. Unlike the Pharisees of His time. When they did anything they supposed to be meritorious, they sounded a trumpet before them. He left His works to speak for themselves. Nay, even sometimes, when He saw that they were not moved by a proper spirit, He forbade those who had been benefited by His miracles from blazing abroad a report concerning them. He said, “The kingdom of God cometh not with observation.” And the whole system of getting up attractions of a factitious character to herald the preaching of the Gospel is out of harmony with His spirit and example. If crowds came after Him, that was an effect of something they had seen in Him, or received from Him. They were not collected by any flourish of trumpets which He caused to be sounded before Him. Few things in these days would do more good in the Churches than the study and imitation of this feature of the Redeemer’s character.
Akin to this humility is the tenderness here described. How beautiful the words, “A bruised reed shall He not break, and the smoking flax shall He not quench!” In the shepherd’s pipe, if a reed be bruised it gives forth a false note, and the player forthwith takes it out, breaks it, and throws it away. In the lamp, if the wick has gone out it emits an evil odour, and the attendant utterly extinguishes it. But not so with Jesus. That which others would reject as useless, He will endeavour to save (P. D. 475). He will receive even the outcasts, whom the world itself would throw away, and make of them trophies of His grace. We see this illustrated in the Gospel: in His treatment of the most degraded class of sinners (Luke 7:36-50; John 8:1-11; John 4:7-28). In His reception of those who came inquiringly to Him (John 3:1-17; Mark 10:17-22; Mark 12:28-34). In His dealings with the weak in faith (Mark 5:25-34); and in His reception of the backsliding, of which the case of Peter is a conspicuous illustration.
Isaiah 42:4 is a prediction of the universal diffusion of the Gospel which yet awaits its complete fulfilment. Meanwhile, as Christ does not fail and is not discouraged by the delay, why should we?
III. THE COMMISSION HERE GIVEN HIM.
This commission is issued by the Lord God (Isaiah 42:5). Behold the monotheism which so distinguished the literature of Judaism from that of other systems! This Jehovah has called Messiah “in righteousness,” or for a righteous purpose, or in such a way as shall at once manifest and promote righteousness. And the ultimate design is to fulfil His covenant with His people and bless the Gentiles. In doing that He will, by His Spirit, enlighten men in the knowledge of things concerning which they were formerly in the dark, and give them a nobler liberty than they had ever enjoyed, namely, freedom from the slavery of sin. And the result of all this would be an advancement of happiness, so that the people should sing a new song unto the Lord, and His praise should fill the earth. Could anything better describe the effect of the preaching of the Gospel by the Apostles at the first, or the results which follow, even in our days, the labours of faithful missionaries among the heathen?
LESSONS.—
1. If Christ needed the Spirit of the Lord upon Him, how much more do we? Let us supplicate God to put His Spirit upon us, that we may do His work in His way, and with the greatest possible success.
2. If Christ does not manifest ostentation, why should we? He who seeks to make himself or any particular feature of his own character prominent, thereby proves that he has not the Spirit of Christ. The wish to make a sensation is one thing; the desire to serve our generation by the will of God is quite another.
3. If Christ, who is all purity, could be gentle with the erring, why should not we? He did not sin, and, therefore, made no demand upon the charity of others; but we are always needing that others shall be tender with us; and, therefore, we ought to be all the more gentle with others.
“Forget not thou hast often sinned,
And sinful yet must be;
Deal gently with the erring one,
As thy God hath dealt with thee.”
—W. M. Taylor, D.D.