Isaiah 42:10-17 - The Lord Acts

At various points in Isaiah there are "songs of praise". The book of Isaiah is revealing God's plan of salvation for Israel and for the whole world. It is a plan that goes against all expectations and unfolds in an amazing way, bringing salvation to people who least deserve it, and in situations where it is least expected. That is why we get these periodic songs of praise.

These songs are often a call to sing a "new" song. Life is different, the prospects for life are different, because of the Lord's plan. We need to constantly look at our own lives in the light of the Lord, then we too can sing a new song. Again, all the lands, including the distant islands, are called upon to sing this new song. God's salvation reaches far and wide.

The Lord acts with zeal, like a champion. God is enthusiastic about bringing salvation, it is not something He is reluctant to do, rather something He delights in doing. He delights in brining salvation into your life.

It seemed as though the Lord had remained silent for a long time. This would be true for the Israelites in Babylon. When Jesus came it had been some 400 years since there had been any real prophets. And up until that point it seemed as if God had little interest in the nations.

When God acts in our own lives, just prior to it happening it seems that He has forgotten about us, that He has no intention about doing anything in our lives. This passage likens God's acting to a woman giving birth. Events have been building up to the birth for several months, then there is a dramatic birth and everything changes. When He acts it is good news for those who believe, but it is bad news for those who trust in idols.

Isaiah 42:5-9 - Sight for the blind

God reminds them who He is. He is the one who created everything, both the heavens and the earth. He is the one who gives life to all creatures and to all people. We need to constantly remind ourselves who the Lord is, otherwise we get a wrong perspective on life.

He has called us in righteousness. The decision God has made to call us His people is a righteous decision, it is right in every way. We may ask how can this be, when we are so aware of our own sin and failings? It is the the work of Jesus that makes it righteous. 

God takes hold of our hand. There is an intimate relationship between God and His people, between God and us. But these verses here are primarily referring to Jesus. Jesus was sent by the Father, and He was not just left to get on with it. Rather, the Father and the Son were constantly working together in all that Jesus did. 

Jesus was made to be a covenant for the people, and this included all people, for He would be a light for the Gentiles, not just the Jews.  He would bring sight to the blind, freedom for captives. When John's disciples came to inquire whether Jesus really was the Messiah, Jesus pointed to the fact that the blind were receiving their sight.

The Lord is Lord of all, and only His name will be glorified. As an aside, this verse implies the divinity of Jesus. For Jesus receives worship, glory and honour. He can only rightly receive this if He is indeed God,

Isaiah 42:1-4 - Servant of the Lord

There are several "servant songs" in Isaiah. The servant is the means by which God's plan of salvation will be fulfilled. These are all fulfilled in Christ, but they also indicate what Israel was meant to be like, and what we, the church are meant to be like. God spreads the good news of the kingdom though us, and we are to make disciples of all nations (Matt 28:19,20).

We are given many characteristics of the servant. The first is that God delights in Him and He upholds Him. When Jesus was baptised a voice was heard saying, "this us my beloved son, with Him I am well pleased". we need to realise that God also delights in us as well.

Again, at His baptism, the Spirit descended upon Him. The Spirit is sent to enable His servant to fulfill God's purpose. While He is full of power, His servant is also full of gentleness. He does not make a loud noise for the sake of it, he is gentle with those who are struggling. This is both an encouragement for us when we go through difficulties and know we just aren't getting things right, and it is also a guide to how we should treat others (Gal 6:1-5).

The servant is determined to complete the task. He will overcome all discouragement and will not rest until his work is finished. Jesus went resolutely to the cross, at the end cried out "it is finished". We are to have the same attitude. 

And Jesus' teaching reaches to the farthest ends of the world.

Isaiah 41:17-29 - Streams in the desert

Our God is a God who makes streams flow in the desert. In situations where people are in lack, spiritually or physically, the Lord makes provision. The Israelites were in captivity in Babylon, they would be suffering both physically and spiritually. The Lord promises to answer them. "I will not forsake them". Often we think the Lord has forgotten us, but this is never true. The Lord has not forgotten you.

Notice that it is in the desert, in the wasteland, where the Lord will make flowers and trees bloom. Often we want the Lord to take us out of a situation. Sometimes He does this, but at others He makes us prosper within our circumstances. Situations that seemed to be nothing but torment and trouble can be transformed. He does this so that the world can see. We are on display to the world as examples of the Lord's handiwork.

Now the attention turns back to the nations. Having seen what the Lord has done for His people, He challenges them and their idols to match Him. The Bible repeatedly states that idols are utterly worthless. 

The Lord predicts the coming of Cyrus to destroy the Babylonian kingdom and this would lead to the return of the exiles to Jerusalem. See that it is essential to the text that God is foretelling this in advance it happening. It makes perfect sense that Isaiah gave this prophecy, not some mythical "deutero-Isaiah".

Isaiah 41:8-16 - I will help you

"But you ..." There is a difference between those who know God and those who do not. The fact that we believe makes a difference to our lives, not just in the decisions that we make and the way we live our lives (though it should do that), but also because we are in a different relationship to God. Someone might object that this is unfair, but such an objection is rubbish. Anyone can choose to repent and believe in Christ, and they too will then be in a relationship with God.

We have been saved by God and called by Him. We are His servants, we have been chosen by Him. So we do not need to fear or be dismayed. We will receive help and strength directly from God.

All who rage against us will come to nothing. So we do not need to fear anything. There will come a time when we will not be able to find any enemies! There are times when we think that it is the effect of the things that oppose that will last forever. This is not true. Anything we are facing right now is temporary. It is the love of God that lasts forever.

We receive direct personal help from the Lord. "I myself will redeem you". This is what Christ did on the cross.  But our being redeemed, forgiven is not the end of the matter. God makes us in to a threshing sledge. We are made into people who will have an impact on the world. 

Isaiah 41:1-7 - Working together to make an idol

Now the plan of salvation starts to be revealed. First there is a confrontation between the nations and their gods are called to meet with God. They are invited to renew their strength and then meet with God at the place of judgement. We need to get things in right perspective. God is God, everything else is as nothing.

Verses 2-4 are referring to Cyrus, whom God would use to defeat Babylon and allow the captives to return to Israel. Cyrus would have power only because God gave it to him. In the same way that Assyria and Babylon only had power because God let them have it. The whole of history is in God's hands.

The other nations saw what was happening and started to tremble with fear. So what do they do? They encourage each other, they work together, but it is only an idol that they are creating. It will do them no good. Men working together in unity is not of itself good. Back in Genesis God judged the people when they tried to make the tower of Babel. 

Isaiah 40:21-31 - The Lord who undestands

We so easily forget who God is. Many go through life in ignorance, possibly willful, of the fact that the universe was created by God. The universe did not just happen, it is not an accident. The universe and everything in it was created on purpose by the Lord.

The people who seem so powerful to us are actually as nothing to God. Even the most powerful can be brought  down to nothing in an instant. They may have power for a time, but only for a time. We need to make sure that we have the correct world view.

"Lift up your eyes" We need to life our eyes above what we see around us. Not so that we ignore what is around us, nor live in a fantasy world, but so that we see things in their proper perspective. It is the Lord who keeps the whole universe going.

And this God who created the vastness of the universe and keeps it going is also interested in a day-to-day affairs. He knows about you and He knows about me. He understands us better than we understand ourselves. There are times when we lose the energy to carry on, or to face the battles of life, but He does not lose His energy. And His understanding is far greater than ours.

And those who look to the Lord will renew their strength. We will soar on wings like eagles and run with renewed strength. Elsewhere it refers to Israel coming out of Egypt on eagles wings (Ex 19:4). Now we will read of how they would be released from captivity in Babylon.