Isaiah

Isaiah Chapter 42

• Isaiah 42:1 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.

This chapter clearly speaks of the Christ, the Messiah, the one we call Jesus. He was God the Son  that became a human man to save all who would believe from the curse of sin, reversing the curse that came upon all mankind when Adam and Eve listened to the serpent instead of the word of God. This prophecy is fulfilled in Jesus. Jesus our Christ is God's way of bringing fallen man back into fellowship with Him. The gospel of eternal salvation that brings eternal life, was given to Israel and then to the Gentiles. Before that there was no hope for the Gentile nations that didn't know God. This prophecy's fulfillment begins at the first coming of Jesus recorded in Matthew.

• Matthew 12: 18 Behold my servant, whom I have chosen; my beloved, in whom my soul is well pleased: I will put my spirit upon him, and he shall show judgment to the Gentiles.
• 19 He shall not strive, nor cry; neither shall any man hear his voice in the streets.
• 20 A bruised reed shall he not break, and smoking flax shall he not quench, till he send forth judgment unto victory.
• 21 And in his name shall the Gentiles trust.

He is truly chosen of God and filled with the Spirit of God.

• Isaiah 42:2 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.

He is not going to be a rebel rouser or one who speaks loudly. At His first coming He will be a  harmless one who brings truth. This clearly describes Jesus. Although His first coming stirred up many against Him, He did not come, raise a big army and plot overthrow the government. He came teaching, preaching, healing and doing good. He came showing love, compassion and forgiving those who hurt Him.

His Second Coming will be altogether different. The Second Coming will be in power, judgment and He will do what they expected Him to do the first time around. Prophecy about Christ in the Old Testament actually tells of the 1st and 2nd coming in a way that makes us think it is all one event at one time. This keeps it hidden from some and only by searching and having the Holy Spirit reveal to us the meaning, can we see two separate comings. The first coming was to take care of the sin problem and the latter coming was to bring judgment to the earth.

Verse four will be fulfilled at His coming at a later time. We now wait for the coming of the Lord to rule the earth. Man's rule has failed miserably. Religions have tried to set up the kingdom of God without waiting on the literal return of the Lord thinking that God wants us to do it ahead of time before He literally comes; but we are in error when we do that. We were given permission to spread the gospel of the kingdom first which is not of this world. That kingdom comes within the inner man. The conversion is inward. Jesus Himself has to set up the earthly ruling kingdom.

There are movements today that are returning to the error of thinking we are to set up an earthly kingdom for Christ since it would seem that His coming is delayed. This is a big mistake and it is called Dominion theology or Kingdom now theology. The use of forced conversions always results in trying to rule ahead of God's timing and the conversions are not from the heart. In other words, when one is just converting to a Christian religion, he is not being changed or "born again" or regenerated by God's spirit, he is just accepting a religion. We have enough religion. We need Christ within our innermost being. We need to be saved from sin.

• Isaiah 42:5 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:

God is speaking here and reminding us that He is the creator of heaven and earth. He is the one who gives us breath to breathe and life to those who seek Him.

• Isaiah 42:6 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;

God called Jesus for a light to the Gentiles as well as a covenant to His chosen people.

• Isaiah 42:7 To open the blind eyes, to bring out the prisoners from the prison, and them that sit in darkness out of the prison house.

He came to deliver, save, heal and bring us out of bondage from sin. We literally pass from death unto life through faith in Jesus Christ.

• Isaiah 42:8 I am the LORD: that is my name: and my glory will I not give to another, neither my praise to graven images.

How is grieves God that we turn to idols and trust in things that will pass away as a fading flower. To trust in this life only is to trust in a rotted wooden bridge to get us across deep waters. Our hope and faith should be in our Lord. In fact it really is an insult to God for us to make an image to bow down to whether that image represents a false god or is made to represent the real God, Christ, Mary or another supposed saint. It is idolatry and forbidden in both the Old and New Testaments.

• Isaiah 42:9 Behold, the former things are come to pass, and new things do I declare: before they spring forth I tell you of them.

The former things will pass away, and all things will become new. This is to happen literally at the coming of Jesus Christ a second time. All the earth's old systems of government will pass away. Jesus Christ will rule in righteousness. No more corrupt politics, no more sin, lying, deception, slander, filth and moral pollution. We can see a double meaning in verse 9.

Right now before the literal second coming of the Lord, when we come to Christ as savior and Lord, within our inner soul and spirit old things pass away and all things become new.

• 2Corinthians 5:17 "Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new".

We become a new creature in Christ. This is a preview of the literal second coming when as a whole old things pass away and all things become new.

What a day to look forward to: A righteous government.

One day the kingdom of God will come literally but now it can come to individuals who receive Him by faith. To come to Christ with all our hearts asking forgiveness for sins and receiving Him into our lives literally makes old things pass away and all becomes new spiritually. What is to happen in the physical realm at the Second Coming can happen within us when we come to Jesus Christ in faith and receive Him as savior and Lord of our lives.

• Isaiah 42:10 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.

People wonder why some churches have praise and worship services. This is enough to shout about from here to eternity. To sing His praises, to utter praise is something that should happen spontaneously from our hearts. We literally pass from death unto life when we come to Christ. Old things pass away and all things become new.

This will also happen literally at the Second Coming. Rejoice and be glad for the death, destruction, evil, filth that we see now will not last forever.

• Isaiah 42:13 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.

The latter day coming of Jesus will bring judgment and defeat the enemies of righteousness. He will rid His kingdom of all that offend and refuse righteousness. Remember before any would began to accuse Christ of murder and destruction, before judgment for the wicked, the gospel of salvation will be preached to all the earth. People will have had the chance to accept or deny the salvation provided by our God. Those that reject the gospel will rise up against those that are preaching it. This has already happened many times throughout history but it happens again when we get closer to the coming of Christ. They will persecute and kill servants of God in the latter days before Christ brings any judgment. In other words they bring about judgment on themselves by rejecting the way out of future judgment and persecuting those that try to point them to that way out. The book of Revelation describes these events in detail.

The wrath of God is reserved for those that do those things and kill His people. God is just when He brings judgment for it comes upon people hardened through refusing the gospel and continuing in sin by choice.

Look now at the attitude of many against the Lord now. Fifty years ago people use to respect the bible, ministers and the gospel. Even people who had not been converted still had respect and awe of God. That attitude has changed considerably with the teaching of evolution. There is no fear of God in our society today like there used to be.

The day is coming though when images will be cast down as people realize there is no gods but the real God who created the Heavens and the earth. It would seem that in the latter days before the Lord's Second Coming that there will be an increase in idol worship or old idol worship will be revived. I see it coming back even in churches and I would caution us to stay away from any use of images in worship. Demonic false religious spirits accompany those things.

• "Revelation 9:20 And the rest of the men which were not killed by these plagues yet repented not of the works of their hands, that they should not worship devils, and idols of gold, and silver, and brass, and stone, and of wood: which neither can see, nor hear, nor walk:"

The fear of the Lord is missing in today's society. Man has exalted himself above even God but those days will come to an end.

• Isaiah 42:18  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.

Here is a plea to hear and see the Word of God. We can actually see with physical eyes and not see with understanding. We can actually hear with our physical ears and not hear the Words of truth.

• Isaiah 42:21 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.

These verses show why judgment comes. This shows why so much evil has happened against the Lord's chosen people. They erred and strayed from God and did not walk in His ways.

Yet in the next chapter of Isaiah, we see that God did not forsake them and He has a plan for Israel. DC

Isaiah 43

Isaiah Index