Isaiah 42

Isaiah 42 introduces the Servant of the Lord, a figure who will bring justice to the nations and bring about God's plan. This Servant is humble, gentle, and yet empowered by the Spirit of God to establish righteousness. The chapter also highlights the Lord’s character as Creator and Redeemer and calls people to worship Him. The chapter contrasts the faithfulness of the Servant with the spiritual blindness and disobedience of Israel.

Isaiah 42:1-4 (NKJV)
1 “Behold! My Servant whom I uphold, My Elect One in whom My soul delights! I have put My Spirit upon Him; He will bring forth justice to the Gentiles.
2 He will not cry out, nor raise His voice, Nor cause His voice to be heard in the street.
3 A bruised reed He will not break, And smoking flax He will not quench; He will bring forth justice for truth.
4 He will not fail nor be discouraged, Till He has established justice in the earth; And the coastlands shall wait for His law.”

This passage introduces the Servant, who will be empowered by God’s Spirit to bring justice, especially to the Gentiles. Unlike typical leaders who might use force or aggression, this Servant is gentle, not seeking to draw attention to Himself. His mission is to heal the broken and to preserve the faint-hearted. His perseverance in establishing justice highlights His divine calling and purpose, and His influence will extend to distant lands, showing that His work is for all people.

Isaiah 42:5-7 (NKJV)
5 Thus says God the Lord, Who created the heavens and stretched them out, Who spread forth the earth and that which comes from it, Who gives breath to the people on it, And spirit to those who walk on it:
6 “I, the Lord, have called You in righteousness, And will hold Your hand; I will keep You and give You as a covenant to the people, As a light to the Gentiles,
7 To open blind eyes, To bring out prisoners from the prison, Those who sit in darkness from the prison house.”

God reaffirms His authority as Creator of the universe and the One who sustains all life. He has called the Servant in righteousness, guaranteeing His protection and guidance. The Servant will be a covenant for the people, specifically to the Gentiles, showing that His mission goes beyond Israel. His task involves both physical and spiritual healing, symbolized by opening blind eyes and freeing prisoners from darkness, representing the liberation from sin and ignorance.

Isaiah 42:8-9 (NKJV)
8 “I am the Lord, that is My name; And My glory I will not give to another, Nor My praise to carved images.
9 Behold, the former things have come to pass, And new things I declare; Before they spring forth I tell you of them.”

God declares His sovereignty, emphasizing that He alone is the true God, and He will not share His glory with idols. He reminds Israel that the prophecies of old have already been fulfilled, and now He reveals new things—pointing to the unfolding of His divine plan. This reveals God's intimate involvement in human history and His ongoing work in bringing about His purposes.

Isaiah 42:10-12 (NKJV)
10 Sing to the Lord a new song, And His praise from the ends of the earth, You who go down to the sea, and all that is in it, You coastlands and you inhabitants of them!
11 Let the wilderness and its cities lift up their voice, The villages that Kedar inhabits. Let the inhabitants of Sela sing, Let them shout from the top of the mountains.
12 Let them give glory to the Lord, And declare His praise in the coastlands.

This is a call for all people, from the sea to the wilderness, to sing a new song to the Lord in response to His coming salvation. Even distant places and forgotten peoples are invited to participate in this celebration. The imagery of different locations, such as the coastlands and wilderness, shows that God's plan of redemption reaches every corner of the world. All creation is invited to praise God for His deliverance and mighty works.

Isaiah 42:13-15 (NKJV)
13 The Lord shall go forth like a mighty man; He shall stir up His zeal like a man of war. He shall cry out, yes, shout aloud; He shall prevail against His enemies.
14 “I have held My peace a long time, I have been still and restrained Myself. Now I will cry like a woman in labor, I will pant and gasp at once.
15 I will lay waste the mountains and hills, And dry up all their vegetation; I will make the rivers coastlands, And I will dry up the pools.”

Here, God is portrayed as a warrior who has held His peace for a long time but now stirs Himself to act with power. His intervention is described with dramatic imagery of labor pains and the transformation of the land, indicating a decisive moment of judgment and deliverance. The drying up of rivers and desolation of mountains symbolize His control over nature and His determination to bring about His purposes, overcoming every obstacle in His way.

Isaiah 42:16-17 (NKJV)
16 I will bring the blind by a way they did not know; I will lead them in paths they have not known. I will make darkness light before them, And crooked places straight. These things I will do for them, And not forsake them.
17 They shall be turned back, They shall be greatly ashamed, Who trust in carved images, Who say to the molded images, ‘You are our gods.’”

God promises to guide the blind, representing those who are spiritually lost, along unfamiliar paths. He will turn their darkness into light and make their way clear, assuring them that He will not abandon them. In contrast, those who trust in idols will be shamed and disappointed, as their false gods will not be able to save them. This contrast underscores the futility of idolatry and the reliability of God's guidance.

Isaiah 42:18-20 (NKJV)
18 “Hear, you deaf; And look, you blind, that you may see.
19 Who is blind but My servant, Or deaf as My messenger whom I send? Who is blind as he who is perfect, And blind as the Lord’s servant?
20 Seeing many things, but you do not observe; Opening the ears, but he does not hear.”

God calls out to the spiritually deaf and blind, urging them to perceive and understand His message. Ironically, He refers to Israel as His servant, highlighting their failure to fulfill their role as His chosen people. Though they have witnessed many works of God, they remain blind and deaf to His will, ignoring the truth even when it is plainly before them. This emphasizes Israel’s disobedience and need for repentance.

Isaiah 42:21-22 (NKJV)
21 The Lord is well pleased for His righteousness’ sake; He will exalt the law and make it honorable.
22 But this is a people robbed and plundered; All of them are snared in holes, And they are hidden in prison houses; They are for prey, and no one delivers; For plunder, and no one says, ‘Restore!’”

God’s righteousness compels Him to magnify His law, yet His people are in a state of oppression and captivity. Despite being God’s chosen people, Israel has become a nation robbed and plundered due to their rebellion. They are trapped in prisons of their own making, spiritually and physically, and there is no one to rescue them. This highlights the consequences of disobedience and the need for God’s intervention.

Isaiah 42:23-25 (NKJV)
23 Who among you will give ear to this? Who will listen and hear for the time to come?
24 Who gave Jacob for plunder, and Israel to the robbers? Was it not the Lord, He against whom we have sinned? For they would not walk in His ways, Nor were they obedient to His law.
25 Therefore He has poured on him the fury of His anger And the strength of battle; It has set him on fire all around, Yet he did not know; And it burned him, Yet he did not take it to heart.”

God questions who will truly listen and understand the cause of Israel’s suffering. He reveals that it is He who allowed Israel to be plundered because of their disobedience. Israel’s refusal to walk in God’s ways brought about divine judgment. Even in the midst of their punishment, Israel remained unaware of their need for repentance. This closing section emphasizes the seriousness of ignoring God's commands and the call to acknowledge His discipline.