Resource Detail

Isaiah 42:1-9 

Key Verse: 42:1, “Behold my servant, whom I uphold, my chosen, in whom my soul delights; I have put my Spirit upon him; he will bring forth justice to the nations.”

Chapters 40–55 of Isaiah^[1] contain poetic prophecies that concern the people of Judah in Babylonian Captivity. In this section, Isaiah frequently uses the word “servant,” and 12 times it is referring to the people of Israel.^[2] But scattered throughout these chapters Isaiah also introduces four “Servant Songs” (42:1–9; 49:1–7; 50:4–10; 52:13–53:12) that describe a very special servant. The first and last of these songs begin with God himself saying, “Behold, my servant…” (42:1; 52:13). Sometimes God speaks to his servant (42:5–9; 49:6–7); other times, the servant himself speaks (49:1–5; 50:4–9). As we read these songs, progressively more is revealed about this servant. And who is being described becomes unmistakable. Isaiah is speaking about the glory of the Messiah, Jesus (Jn12:41). This Jesus, God’s Servant, our Messiah, is still God’s only hope for all the nations. Through studying these servant songs we want to know more of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. And as we contemplate his glory, may God work in us to grow as servants more like him.

1.  Read verse 1. What does it mean that God “upholds” and “delights” in his servant, and that he put his Spirit upon him (1; 11:1–5; Mt3:16–17)?

2.  Note how “justice” is repeated (1,3,4; 1:17). Why is eliminating idolatry a part of it (8; 41:21–24,29)? Why is bringing his justice to the nations so important to God (5:16)?

3.  How else is the servant described (2)? To what does the vivid imagery in verse 3a refer? (Mt12:15ff.) What more is said about him, and why is his faithfulness highlighted (3b–4a)? What does “the coastlands wait for his law” suggest (4b; see 2:3; 51:4–5)?

4.  What does God tell his servant personally (5–6a)? What does it mean that God gives him “as a covenant for the people” (6b; 49:8; 54:10; Mt26:28)? What is God’s purpose for his servant, and what does this mean (7)?

5.  Summarize what we learn when we “behold” God’s Servant, Jesus. How can we become servants who are more like him?

^[1] Part 2 of the book (Part 1: chapters 1–39; Part 3: chapters 56–66)

^[2] 41:8–10; 42:19; 43:10; 44:1–2,21; 45:4; 48:20; 54:17

What’s your favorite thing to look at? It might be beautiful gardens, a stunning sunrise or sunset, or a starry night sky. Some people have a favorite tv show they like to watch. Sometimes, if we’ve got time to spare, we might even like to sit down in a public place and just “people watch.” It can be very interesting. Nowadays our smartphones can tell us how much screen time we used the past week, because we may be spending more time than we realize surfing videos, pictures or shopping apps. It’s an escape from the demands and stress of life. Today God tells us to look at someone actually worth our time—in fact, he’s the best place to fix our gaze. God says to all of us, “Behold my servant.” When we look at this servant of the Lord, what does God want us to see? What do these things about him mean? And what difference does it make in our lives to look at him? May God open our hearts and speak to us through his living words today.

Today’s passage is the first of four “servant songs” in Isaiah that prophesy about Jesus.^[1] This first song is actually the climax to chapter 41. There, Isaiah warned his people in Babylonian Captivity of a coming conqueror (1–4)^[2] who would get people so scared they would frantically begin making idols (5–7).^[3] Isaiah reassured the Israelites not to be afraid (8–16) and said God would help them get through the dry wilderness back to the promised land (17–20). In the last part the chapter God summons people’s useless idols to court and exposes them all as frauds (21–29). In verses 24 and 29 God uses a powerful word: “Behold!” “Look at how nothing, how delusional your idols are!” We all get obsessed with our own versions of idols. They may not be statues, but they’re just as real; they’re whatever or whoever we turn to for comfort and security. Now, in contrast to all our empty human idols, God calls us to behold someone else.

Read verse 1. “Behold my servant, whom I uphold, my chosen, in whom my soul delights; I have put my Spirit upon him; he will bring forth justice to the nations.” First of all, God calls this person “my servant.” He is indeed nothing but a servant (Php2:7), but God is most proud of him. The word “uphold” literally means to grasp or hold fast. In history, whenever God exalted one of his servants, sinful people always tried to knock him down. But God is not going to let that happen to this servant. As we’re going to see in the other servant songs, this servant is going to suffer much and be crushed (49:4,7; 50:6; 52:14; 53:3–11). But God will support and sustain his servant, no matter what, all the way to final victory (52:13,15; 53:10–12). God calls him “my chosen,” because to God, he’s the dearest and best. God even says his soul delights in him. God is thrilled with his servant. Why?

Read verse 1b. “I have put my Spirit upon him; he will bring forth justice to the nations.” This servant is so pleasing to God because he carries out God’s will for the world. God’s servant, the nation of Israel, failed to be a kingdom of priests and a holy nation as God wanted. So did David and his royal lineage. But at last, this is the servant who is actually going to accomplish God’s will for the world. He has “the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit of knowledge and the fear of the LORD” (11:2). This is not human knowledge or smartness, but wisdom and knowledge from the Spirit. And in this case, God put his Spirit on his servant to empower him to do his work. He would work not with human ability or strength, but with the power of the Spirit. This prophecy was fulfilled at Jesus’ baptism (Lk3:21–22; 4:14; Ac10:38).

And what is the servant’s work? It says, “…he will bring forth justice to the nations.” No wonder he needs the power of the Spirit! This world is so chaotic, so full of misinformation and deception, stubborn pride, rebellion and injustice. Some people talk well and promise great changes, and their listeners get swept up in the aura and the rhetoric. It’s nothing but hyped-up propaganda. Such so-called leaders are nothing but fallen men, powerless to affect any change in the world. But this servant is full of God’s power to bring justice to the nations. He will bring righteousness to the poor, equity to the meek, punishment to the wicked (11:4).

And notice how God repeats the word “justice” (1,3,4). In fact, Isaiah uses this word “justice” 29 times, more than any other Old Testament author. Justice is a major theme in Isaiah. Here, bringing justice to the nations is God’s mission for his servant. If that’s the case, we really need to know what this justice means. In 1:17 God says, “…learn to do good, seek justice, correct oppression; bring justice to the fatherless, plead the widow’s cause.” This is our common understanding. But in Isaiah’s context here, justice primarily has to do with idolatry. For Isaiah, idolatry is the greatest injustice. Verse 5 reads, “Thus says the LORD, who created the heavens and stretched them out, who spread out the earth and what comes from it, who gives breath to the people on it and spirit to those who walk in it…” And he says in verse 8: “I am the LORD; my glory I give to no other, nor my praise to carved idols.” In these chapters, over and over again God declares, “besides me there is no god.”^[4] Isaiah says when we worship anything other than God, it’s an “abomination” (41:24; 44:19). The psalmist warns that when we worship foolish and useless idols, we become just like them (Ps115:8; 135:18). On the other hand, when we love and worship the living God, we grow in his righteous and just character. This is the reason our world is so full of injustice—because people don’t know God; they don’t really love and worship him. Until human beings, whom God created and sustains, begin to truly worship God, this world is full of injustice.

So how does the servant begin to bring such justice? Read verse 2. “He will not cry aloud or lift up his voice, or make it heard in the street…” It’s surprising that the servant’s justice starts with quietness. Usually when people have a sense of injustice, they rush out into the streets in protest, shouting. But this servant never gets involved in social upheaval or revolution. He doesn’t argue or debate.

Then how does he bring justice? Read verse 3a. “…a bruised reed he will not break, and a faintly burning wick he will not quench…” This, too, is surprising. A single bruised reed refers to one person who is so fragile. A single, faintly burning wick depicts one person barely functioning, barely even surviving. God expresses his justice in his servant’s gentle, tender, patient care for such damaged, worn out people. Isaiah understands God’s heart for human suffering. Throughout his prophecies he uses the words “compassion,”^[5] “gracious” or “favor.”^[6] Isaiah also frequently describes the “afflicted,”^[7] literally meaning those who’ve suffered violence, who’ve forcibly been put down or humiliated.

In the context of these chapters, the “bruised reed” and “faintly burning wick” refers to the Israelites in Babylonian Captivity, suffering as slaves in a foreign land. They were in so much anguish, it seemed they might not make it. But people are still like this. Today, even in affluence, people go through various kinds of violence or abuse. Sometimes the affliction has to do with our health. In his Gospel, Matthew quotes this verse right after Jesus heals a man with a shriveled hand. But it’s not just about physical or social brokenness. “A bruised reed” and “faintly burning wick” also describe people deeply wounded and damaged by a life of sin. They’ve barely got any strength left. They seem totally hopeless.

Who can understand them? Jesus. No one understands us like him. God wants us to “behold,” to really look at Jesus, his servant. He was made like us, fully human. So the Apostle John wrote of him, “The Word became flesh” (Jn1:14a). In his humanity, he understands our limitations and weaknesses. He also knows our sorrows and grief (Isa53:3a). He knows our deepest wounds, discouragement and exhaustion. Hebrews says he was made like us in every respect (Heb2:17). So he’s able to sympathize or “feel for” our weaknesses, and he’s full of mercy and grace to help us when we’re in need (Heb4:15–16). He’s not official and distant and demanding. Isaiah describes him as the one “who binds up the brokenness of his people” (30:26b). If we look at God’s servant Jesus, he becomes our healer.^[8]

But how is this related to justice? It’s real justice in real life—redeeming and restoring broken people, one at a time. With this purpose, the servant is so gracious and tender, even toward the weakest one. He’s so careful not to extinguish, not to break, but to patiently, lovingly nurture her or him back to life and health. It may sound nice, but it’s incredibly hard to do. Frankly, helping bruised and fainting people can wear us out. But not this servant. Helping the bruised and faint, he doesn’t get bruised^[9] or grow faint. So verses 3b–4a say, “…he will faithfully bring forth justice. He will not grow faint or be discouraged till he has established justice in the earth…” Faithfulness is such a crucial quality in this servant (11:5; 16:5). Faithfulness is what wounded people need most. So Hebrews 13:8 says, “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.”

What happens when God sends this servant into the world? Verse 4b reads, “…and the coastlands wait for his law.” Later, in verses 10 and 12 Isaiah depicts them as singing to the Lord a new song and declaring his praise. It’s so exciting! In fact, in this book Isaiah repeats the word “coastlands” 13 times.^[10] They are earth’s remotest nations. They also represent the people in the abandoned, overlooked places that nobody pays attention to, the most neglected, forgotten people. But God doesn’t forget them; God sees them and longs for them to know his servant, to find his justice and his healing.

God has been talking about his servant; now he turns to say something to him. Read verse 6. “I am the LORD; I have called you in righteousness; I will take you by the hand and keep you; I will give you as a covenant for the people, a light for the nations…” God promises to protect him and accomplish his purpose for the world through him. God promises to give him as a covenant for the people, to restore our broken relationship with him. In Luke’s Gospel, when Simeon holds the baby Jesus in his arms, he mentions this prophecy (Lk2:32). In the next servant song Isaiah develops further that this servant is “a light” (49:6). As a light, what does he do? Read verse 7. “…to open the eyes that are blind, to bring out the prisoners from the dungeon, from the prison those who sit in darkness.” Blinded eyes, a dungeon, darkness—they all refer to people living in sin. Who can get us out? Nobody. But Jesus can. No matter how blind we are, how deep our dungeon is, how depressing our darkness may be, the Lord’s servant Jesus, who is our light, can get us out. And with faith and hope in him, we can pray for anyone. It’s so inspiring.

Read verse 1 again. May God help us to behold God’s servant Jesus until we can experience his healing deeply. May God also help us grow in his image and bring his justice and healing and light to people in darkness all around us.

^[1] Matthew 12:15–21 clearly states that this passage is talking about Jesus.

^[2] Most likely Cyrus the Persian (Isa44:28; 45:1; cf. 2Ch36:22–23; Ez1:1–2,7–8, etc.).

^[3] Isaiah rebukes idolatry in 14 chapters: 2:8,18,20; 10:10–11; 19:1–4; 30:22; 31:7; 40:19–20; 41:7,22–24,28–29; 42:8,17; 44:9–20; 45:16,20; 46:1; 48:5; 57:13; 66:3–4.

^[4] 44:6,8; 45:5,14,21–22; cf. 2:11,17; 37:16,20; 44:24

^[5] Hebrew “rawkham”: 9:17; 14:1; 27:11; 47:6; 49:13,15; 54:7,8,19; 55:7; 63:7,15

^[6] Hebrew “khawnan”: 26:10; 27:11; 30:18,19; 33:2

^[7] Hebrew “awnaw”:14:32; 30:20; 48:10; 49:13; 51:21; 53:4,7; 54:11; 58:10; 60:14; 63:9

^[8] (Isa19:22; 53:5; 57:18–19; 58:8a)

^[9] The Hebrew word for “discouraged” in verse 4a is the same as “bruised” in verse 3a.

^[10] 11:11; 24:15; 40:15; 41:1,5; 42:4,10,12; 49:1; 51:5; 59:18; 60:9; 66:19