Monday: Unnamed Individual Servant
Isa: 42:1-7
What is the role and character of God’s unnamed servant, whom God chooses and on whom He puts His Spirit? Isa: 42:1-7.
Choose the best answer or combination of answers:
- He provides justice for the nations.
- He accomplishes his goals quietly and gently, but successfully.
- He is a teacher.
- He serves as a covenant between God and the people.
- He gives light/hope by healing blindness and liberating prisoners.
- All of the above.
How does the role and character of this servant compare with that of the “shoot from the stump of Jesse,” on whom the Spirit of the Lord also rests (Isaiah 11)?
Image © Dave OConnell at Goodsalt.com
As in Isaiah 42, the Davidic ruler of Isaiah 11 acts in harmony with God, providing justice and deliverance for the oppressed, as well as wisdom and knowledge of God. We found that this “shoot” and “root” of Jesse is the Messiah, the divine child of Isaiah 9.6-7, who also brings “peace for the throne of David and his kingdom” with “justice and with righteousness” (Isa: 9:7, NRSV). The servant in Isaiah 42 is, obviously, the Messiah.
How does the New Testament identify the servant of Isaiah 42:1-7, who provides justice? Matt: 12:15-21.
Matthew 12 quotes from Isaiah 42 and applies it to the quiet healing ministry of Jesus, God’s beloved Son, in whom He delights (Isa: 42:1; Matthew 3.16-17; Matt: 17:5). It is He whose ministry reestablishes God’s covenant connection with His people (Isa: 42:6, Dan: 9:27).
Jesus and His disciples gained justice for people by delivering them from suffering, ignorance of God, and bondage to evil spirits, caused by Satan’s oppression (Luke 10:19). Then Jesus died to ratify the “new covenant” (Matt: 26:28) and to gain justice for the world by casting out Satan, the foreigner who had usurped the position of “ruler of this world” (John 12:31-33, NRSV).
| Look at Isaiah 42:1-4, the depiction of Christ. Spend some time dwelling on the life of Jesus. What specific characteristics of His ministry so aptly fulfilled this prophecy? What lessons can we learn about how we should be ministering to others, as well? |
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If we apply the notion that the Bible interprets itself we have a clear link between the prophecies of Isaiah 40 with the life of Jesus. Clearly, Matthew 12:15-21 provides that link and applies it to Jesus. However, if we think that the prophecy is done and dusted by applying it only to Jesus we miss the important point that it also provides an obvious message to those who claim to be Christ's followers.
Here are some of the characteristics that we need to apply to ourselves:
1) Bring forth justice to the Gentiles. Remember that the Hebrew view of justice is not punishment of the wrong-doer; it is more about putting a wrong right.
2) He will not cry out nor raise his voice. It is not about making a big noise but getting on with the task at hand.
3) A bruised reed he will not break. Those affected by sin do not need condemnation, they need compassion.
4) He reminds us of the creator who holds the hand of the weak.
5) He opens eyes and gives new insight to those who cannot see.
Christianity comes with the challenge to act like Jesus. When we think of preaching the Gospel to all the world, we often think in terms of teaching the doctrines, but maybe that is the wrong emphasis.
Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord. Heb 12:14
Unnamed Individual Servant
What beautiful encouragement. Human takes credit for their talents, wealth, and position in this world. We knew them because their names were written in books. Famous men and women in the halls of fame as Masters and Leaders and Owners. Statues are their for us to remember them. Paul said it so graciously, several men and women who walked this earth and did great things names were never mentioned in the bible. Heb 11:33-40. Those were the names of the 'unmarked saints' but my Father knew them and they will rise in the first resurrection.
Jesus never drew a crowd to him, the crowd was drawn to him, some for the food, some for healing and some out of curiosity. Men were looking for a deliver from the cruel hands of the Romans as well as the heavy hands of the Israelites leaders.
How do humans see us today. Are we allowing the same spirit that dwelled in Christ to take possession of us? Are we seeing ourselves as servants? Are we willing to serve? Do we help to bare some of the heavy load from another head in church?
Today's illustration shows Jesus with a tear in His eye as He looks at a candle about to go out. I ask myself how do I react when I encounter someone with only a little light - do I crush it out with my superior 'truth'? or do I gently encourage his light with a little fuel and a puff of oxygen?
What did Jesus do?
To the large groups He proclaimed the unadulterated Good News.
To the individual He taught according to the level of light they had already received. To Nicodemus He gave a theological conundrum, to the woman at the well He said dont worry about the details concentrate on the big picture, worship the LORD in spirit and truth.
Isa 42:3. He will not crush the weakest reed or put out a flickering candle. He will bring justice to all who have been wronged.
I believe that too often we push the “Truth” rather than Jesus. My neighbours need to know the love of Jesus by my care for them before they learn the doctrines. If I reflect Christ the doctrines will be more acceptable . Pray that I , we become more Christlike each day.
Never has anyone lived who’s Name represented the character attributes of God as perfectly as His Son, Christ Jesus, our Savior – Emanuel - ‘God with us’ – Wonderful Counselor - Mighty God - Everlasting Father - Prince of Peace and many more names to describe His Father's Glory. And with Him, the Father’s Name was present with man; His Son represents all attributes and powers of the Father’s Name; in Him mankind received and experienced the embodiment of what we call God.
I believe that the Father’s presence as embodied in His Name and vested in His Son, is meant for far more than just to “reestablish God’s covenant connection with His people;” it started the “New Covenant” were God makes man His Temple, where His Laws are now written upon the hearts and minds of all man and those who believe will live by – Heb.10:16KJV!
Upon the departure of His Son, the Father sent His Holy Spirit to be with man to so fulfill His promise that His Spirit will be present in the heart and mind of all man – Eze.36:26,27KJV.
If we consider His ‘Name’ to be the equivalent to/present in His Spirit, we can understand that the Father’s character attributes, first present in His Son, are now transferred to those who are redeemed by Him and choose to “live in Christ” – Gal.2:19-21KJV.
His Son is called by His Father “my Servant, my Elect One in whom My soul delights” – Isa.42:1-7KJV. The Servant of the Father represents the vessel which holds the Image of the Father and expresses His Will, lives to fulfill the wishes of the Father as expressed to Him by the Father’s Holy Spirit.
As we are called to be obedient, willing children of the Father, should we then not strive to eliminate anything from our lives that is not representative of the character of the Father, His attributes, and should we not be very careful to know the Author and Source of these attributes being employed by us when engaging in our daily lives?
Have we ever considered ourselves to be included in the "mission field" and ministered to by the Father who holds the power to make all things new? He gives us a new heart, a new mind to think in new ways, to perceive what our eyes see and our ears hear as seen by the Spirit of the Father, to speak thoughts of revealed wisdom from the heart of the Father?
As we call the Father of our Savior Christ Jesus to be our God, accepting His Authority to govern our lives, would we than not also want to diligently, faithfully walk in His Way of Truth and Light – wherein a true Life is contained?
The word "behold" (Is. 42:1) is like fingers snapping in front of my face reminding me to pay attention, look longer, and here are some beautiful new angles I see:
(1) The Matthew 12:15-21 cross-reference to Isaiah 42:1-7 includes the phrase "and great multitudes followed him and he healed them all" (Matt 12:15). Reminds me of John 21:25, "Jesus did many other things as well. If every one of them were written down, I suppose that even the whole world would not have room for the books that would be written." We can't really see Jesus at work in these blanket statements. Yet, a few verses later in Matthew 12:20 he quotes Isaiah "A bruised reed He will not break, And smoking flax He will not quench..." So my aha here is that ALL of Jesus healings must have looked like this Isaiah quote.
(2) Which led me to meditate more on the symbolic reed and flax Jesus healed (Is. 42:3).
The bruised reed is someone who has been crushed by events and experiences, leaving them in a weakened state in the sense of feeling worthlessness.
We can be bruised in conviction of sin, where instead of standing tall and unbending Jesus lets us be bent over to be pliable in His hands. We can be bruised in sudden events like a divorce or loss of job that feels like a ton of bricks and we are no longer so confident and certain. We can be bruised by making a poor decision that leaves us feeling uncertain about our own abilities and paralyzed. Anxieties, mental illness, physical illness, erratic emotions all are painful bruisings. Satan bruises us, kicking us while we are down.
Jesus turns the painful bruising into tenderizing. God's Spirit breaks through the hard shell we've constructed and sensitizes us. He gives us greater usefulness in his kingdom through the bruising process of taking away pride and self-confidence. We are like Basketry materials, a tough branch (Jn 15:5) too brittle to be woven into usefulness until it is bendable and weakened. All those who are healed by Jesus are bruised and feel their need of Him, in Galilee back then and today.
The smoking flax takes the illustration further...weak not just in the sense of a stuck bruised reed, aimless, without purpose....but in the sense of "I'm about to perish. I'm about to be extinguished. No reason left to live." It feels like the light is going out in your life. Feels like everything is burning out and evaporating and ending and dying.
To these 2 groups of people Jesus radiates the promise, "NEVER will you be broken, NEVER will you be extinguished." We throw away broken grass and stumps of candle. God says he will never throw us away. However bruised I feel, He may trim damaged parts but He will never break me. However little oil is in my lamp, however small the flame is flickering, even down to the tiniest spark, He will never let it run out (Lev. 6:12-13; John 14:16; Heb. 10:23; 1 Cor. 10:13; Phil. 1:6). It will never go completely black and cold. Jesus can keep a spark alive in complete darkness (Ps. 107:10,13-15 NIV). Jesus especially guards the weak bruised ones, the ones ready to be extinguished, like a parent especially protects a sick child.
(3) Jesus was filled with the Spirit (Is. 42:1). He didn't brag about his conquests like a conquerer. He wasn't like the false prophets who were forcing their will on the people through superstition. He wasn't like the debaters winning through rhetoric and oratory. No, he was a different kind of character. There was a calm, a quiet confidence, a poise about him, yet no less persuasive for that. Everything he did was in the interest of truth. Jesus did everything perfectly as God's servant that Israel didn't and couldn't do as God's servant.
With no name attached to this prophecy, it is open to any who would wish to honor their Lord, Savior, and Friend. We are called to be a "partaker of the divine nature"(See 2 Pe 1:4), and any who "receive [Jesus]...and believe on His name"(John 1:12) will become servants of God. The inevitable result of abiding in Jesus is to bear the same fruit in the life that He did.