Isaiah 42

Isaiah 42:1-44

God’s Sovereignty Over the Nations - God created the nation of Israel, the children of Abraham, to be a light unto the world, to be a messenger of God’s salvation (Isaiah 42:19). God had placed this nation at the crossroads of civilizations, at the crossroads of travel where three continents meet, of Europe, Asia and Africa. All who passed through the land of Israel would have seen God’s blessings and would have heard of God’s glorious salvation to His people. Israel had seen God’s glorious miracles (Isaiah 42:20) in the past and their obedience would have exalted the Law as great and glorious (Isaiah 42:21) because their nation would have abounded with divine blessings. Instead, Israel rebelled and became deaf and blind (Isaiah 42:18). Therefore, God turned them over to divine judgment (Isaiah 42:22-25).

Yet, because of God’s unfailing love for His people (Isaiah 43:3), He has redeemed them (Isaiah 43:1-4). He will gather them back as a nation from the four corners of the earth (Isaiah 43:5-9) so that they can become the witnesses that He created them to be (Isaiah 43:10-13). God reminds them of their past deliverance through the Red Sea (Isaiah 43:16-17) and tells them to forget their past sins (Isaiah 43:18-28) because He will blot them out forever (Isaiah 43:25). Israel is God’s chosen (Isaiah 44:1-5) and He is their Redeemer (Isaiah 44:6-8). Thus, idols are nothing (Isaiah 44:9-11) and those who follow them know nothing (Isaiah 44:12-20). Israel has been redeemed (Isaiah 44:21-23).

Therefore, all creation rejoices (Isaiah 44:23).

Isaiah 42:5-11

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: Isaiah 42:5 — “he that giveth breath unto the people upon it, and spirit to them that walk therein” - Comments - These words are similar to those used to describe how God created Adam in Genesis 2:7, “And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.” 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; 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. 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. 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. Isaiah 42:9 — Comments - Isaiah 42:9 and Isaiah 48:3-5 are excellent verses to refute the idea that any prophetic Scripture of the book of Isaiah was written after it happened. Isaiah 48:3-5, “I have declared the former things from the beginning; and they went forth out of my mouth, and I shewed them; I did them suddenly, and they came to pass. Because I knew that thou art obstinate, and thy neck is an iron sinew, and thy brow brass; I have even from the beginning declared it to thee; before it came to pass I shewed it thee: lest thou shouldest say, Mine idol hath done them, and my graven image, and my molten image, hath commanded them.” Isaiah 42:11 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. Isaiah 42:11 — “let them shout from the top of the mountains” – Comments - The Lord quickened this phrase to me in November 2003 within the context of Lighthouse Television. Its antenna has been placed upon the highest hill in Kampala and its signal was shouting the Gospel from the mountaintop 24-hours per day. Isaiah 42:19 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? Isaiah 42:19 — Comments - The Israelites were blind to the ways of God. The judgment of God was sent so that they might see. The Babylonian captivity was able to open the eyes of this nation. Jesus warned the Pharisees that they, too, were blind and needed to see (John 9:39-41). John 9:39-41, “And Jesus said, For judgment I am come into this world, that they which see not might see; and that they which see might be made blind. And some of the Pharisees which were with him heard these words, and said unto him, Are we blind also? Jesus said unto them, If ye were blind, ye should have no sin: but now ye say, We see; therefore your sin remaineth.” Saul of Tarsus was struck blind so that he might see. The light of God’s presence simply revealed Saul’s inner condition of blindness.