A day is coming when all who have contradicted and blasphemed the Gospel of Christ shall be put to silence and shame,
and when all the oppositions of the powers of darkness shall be thrown down.
Let the believer therefore delight in Christ,
rely upon Him and rejoice in Him,
for all who are “in Him” will be well-pleasing to God.
Isaiah 1
1 Behold my servant, whom I uphold; mine elect, in whom my soul delighteth; I have put my spirit upon him: he shall bring forth judgment to the Gentiles.
2 He shall not cry, nor lift up, nor cause his voice to be heard in the street.
3 A bruised reed shall he not break, and the smoking flax shall he not quench: he shall bring forth judgment unto truth.
4 He shall not fail nor be discouraged, till he have set judgment in the earth: and the isles shall wait for his law.
5 ¶ Thus saith God the LORD, he that created the heavens, and stretched them out; he that spread forth the earth, and that which cometh out of it; he that giveth breath unto the people upon it, and spirit to them that walk therein:
6 I the LORD have called thee in righteousness, and will hold thine hand, and will keep thee, and give thee for a covenant of the people, for a light of the Gentiles;
7 To open the blind eyes, to bring out the prisoners from the prison, and them that sit in darkness out of the prison house.
8 I am the LORD: that is my name: and my glory will I not give to another, neither my praise to graven images.
9 Behold, the former things are come to pass, and new things do I declare: before they spring forth I tell you of them.
10 Sing unto the LORD a new song, and his praise from the end of the earth, ye that go down to the sea, and all that is therein; the isles, and the inhabitants thereof.
11 Let the wilderness and the cities thereof lift up their voice, the villages that Kedar doth inhabit: let the inhabitants of the rock sing, let them shout from the top of the mountains.
12 Let them give glory unto the LORD, and declare his praise in the islands.
13 The LORD shall go forth as a mighty man, he shall stir up jealousy like a man of war: he shall cry, yea, roar; he shall prevail against his enemies.
14 I have long time holden my peace; I have been still, and refrained myself: now will I cry like a travailing woman; I will destroy and devour at once.
15 I will make waste mountains and hills, and dry up all their herbs; and I will make the rivers islands, and I will dry up the pools.
16 And I will bring the blind by a way that they knew not; I will lead them in paths that they have not known: I will make darkness light before them, and crooked things straight. These things will I do unto them, and not forsake them.
17 ¶ They shall be turned back, they shall be greatly ashamed, that trust in graven images, that say to the molten images, Ye are our gods.
18 Hear, ye deaf; and look, ye blind, that ye may see.
19 Who is blind, but my servant? or deaf, as my messenger that I sent? who is blind as he that is perfect, and blind as the LORD’S servant?
20 Seeing many things, but thou observest not; opening the ears, but he heareth not.
21 The LORD is well pleased for his righteousness’ sake; he will magnify the law, and make it honourable.
22 But this is a people robbed and spoiled; they are all of them snared in holes, and they are hid in prison houses: they are for a prey, and none delivereth; for a spoil, and none saith, Restore.
23 Who among you will give ear to this? who will hearken and hear for the time to come?
24 Who gave Jacob for a spoil, and Israel to the robbers? did not the LORD, he against whom we have sinned? for they would not walk in his ways, neither were they obedient unto his law.
25 Therefore he hath poured upon him the fury of his anger, and the strength of battle: and it hath set him on fire round about, yet he knew not; and it burned him, yet he laid it not to heart.
Isaiah 1 – J. Vernon McGee
Isaiah 42:1-13 – The Work of the Lord’s Servant
We cannot doubt the application of this passage to our Lord, Matthew 12:18-20. The unobtrusiveness of His life and work was clearly demonstrated in every hour of His sojourn among men. He silenced those whom He healed. He stole away from the multitudes for prayer. He stayed in Galilee till His brethren were angry at His reluctance to show Himself to the people. He did not “strive, nor cry.”
How meek and lowly was our Lord! A “reed” is typical of a heart broken by unkindness or a sense of sin. There is no beauty in the russet plume. It will not even serve for the shepherd’s pipe. The “smoking flax” cannot ignite, because hardly able to remain aglow. This is the symbol of one whose love is tardy and cold. But such our Lord does not ignore. He can use the commonest and most unlikely materials.
He is never discouraged and cannot fail; and since He cannot, neither shall the Church, nor shall we. His love and power are pledged to us. Let us sing to Him and of Him. —Through the Bible Day by Day
Isaiah 42:3—A bruised reed shall He not break, and the smoking flax shall He not quench.
This is characteristic of Jesus Christ. Our great enemy argues so differently. He says, See! it is but a piece of smoldering tow; blow it out, it is not worth conserving. Jesus says, It is only smoldering, but there is the more reason why I should blow it into a flame. Satan says, That is only a bruised reed, trample it beneath thy feet; Jesus says, Because it is so bruised, it needs very special tenderness, care, and skill, to make anything of it: let Me have it. Satan says, That is only a charred brand plucked out of the fire, cast it back again, it will never be of any use; Jesus answers, It cost Me too much to pluck it out, and I am not going to cast it back again; besides, if there is only a little left of solid wood, it needs the more solicitude to preserve it, and use what there is.
Weakness, weariness, and sin, never fail to draw forth the deepest sympathy from the Lord Jesus. Nothing lays a stronger hold upon Him, or brings Him more swiftly to our side. At home our mother was always sweet, but sweetest when we were ill or weary. It almost tempted us to sham, so as to be more coaxed. And Christ’s love is like mother’s. You need not sham with Him, you are weak and broken enough. But those who are most bruised and struggling get the tenderest manifestations of his love. He resembles the strong man, with muscles like iron, and who stands like a rock, but who will bend in tears and tenderness over his cripple-child.
“It shall be
A Face like my face that receives thee, a Man like to me,
Thou shalt love and be loved by for ever; a Hand like this hand
Shall throw open the gates of new life to thee! See the Christ stand!” —Our Daily Homily
Isaiah 42:14-25 – A Deaf and Blind Messenger
There are times in our lives when God seems to hold His peace. Evil is rife, bad men prosper, society lies under the spell of vice. It is only temporary, however. Then God comes forth out of the silence, and shows Himself “strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him” (2 Chronicles 16:9). He brings the blind “by a way that they knew not” (Isaiah 42:16), and makes “the crooked places straight” (Isaiah 45:2).
These wonderful things are wrought not for the wise and holy alone, but for the blind and the deaf, who nevertheless desire to serve Him. See Isaiah 42:19. God’s help is not conditioned by our merit, but by our faith. In the eyes of men we may be the least fit to claim divine succor. But our deficiencies and failures constitute our most eloquent claim—God knew what we were, before He ever stooped to identify Himself with us. He is pleased to help us “for his righteousness’ sake” (Isaiah 42:21). His name and character must be maintained. Therefore He has magnified the law and made it honorable by the matchless obedience and death of His only begotten Son. See Galatians 4:4-5. —Through the Bible Day by Day