A Just Servant

April 5, 2020 Background Scripture: Isaiah 42 Lesson Passage: Isaiah 42:1 – 9 It is challenging to me to write about this lesson’s text without saying something about the author. Isaiah was the greatest of the writing prophets. The prophecies God spoke through Isaiah covered the greatest span of human history of all biblical writers. The overall structure of the writing is very similar to that of the bible. Just as the bible covers the Old and the New Testaments, Isaiah covers the Old and the New Covenants. The bible presents the Testaments as 39 and 27 books for a total of 66 books. Isaiah presents the Covenants as 39 and 27 chapters for a total of 66 chapters. There are many other similarities that I won’t venture into because these are sufficient to frame the discussion around this passage of scripture. Chapter 42 of Isaiah corresponds to scriptures from the Gospel accounts of the bible. This analogy makes it easy to see that God’s Servant who is presented and described by Isaiah is, in fact, God’s only begotten Son, Jesus. Isaiah described the person and ministry of Jesus over 700 years before the birth of the baby Jesus. Let’s look at what Isaiah wrote about the Servant of God. God’s Servant would be chosen and upheld by God. God’s Spirit would be upon him—even as Jesus proclaimed in the gospel accounts at the beginning of his ministry. The Servant would come in humility and demonstrate a special gentleness to those who are weak. He would not extinguish a dimly burning wick! On many occasions, Jesus demonstrated a special kindness towards the least of society during his ministry. He took time to care for those who were marginalized and over-looked by society. When he spoke of justice, he was remarkably consistent. What was right and just always remained so in his sight. He was willing to forgive those who trespassed, but he did not do so by changing the Law. Rather, they were forgiven that the Law would be upheld. Justice was applied equally for the leaders and the least among them in society. Forgiveness was given to those who sought to be forgiven. He was resolute in his determination to do God’s will. He was both determined as well as effective in doing all that God required of him. There is no wonder why God delighted in him. The Servant maintained a close fellowship, or communion, with God. He only did what he saw the Father doing and what the Father instructed him to do. While the Father was working, the Servant never stopped working in partnership with Him. The Servant’s relationship with God was according to the covenant God made with Israel. None of the Servant’s actions violated God’s covenant. The Servant’s work, or ministry, became a revelation of God’s covenant to all nations. The Servant brought knowledge and illumination to the nations who were before in darkness. Through the ministry of the Servant, God revealed Himself and His divine plan to all of mankind. Throughout the course of human history, God used many people to serve Him and to represent Him before their society. I believe that God will continue to do so until the return of Jesus to the earth. But despite all these servants of God over the course of human history, none will ever measure up to Jesus, who was a just Servant. Robert C. Hudson March 30, 2020