The Servant Nature of Christ Jesus
Book of Isaiah 42
We have been seeing that since chapter 40 in the Book of Isaiah, we get a picture of the New Testament and the life of Jesus Christ. In this lesson, we will see that when the Messiah first came, He came as a servant.
In all honesty, the Messiah first came to this world to teach us all to have the mind of a servant and the actions of a servant, just as He has given His example to follow!
Mat 12:17 That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet, saying,
Mat 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 shew judgment to the Gentiles.
Mat 12:19 He shall not strive, nor cry; neither shall any man hear his voice in the streets.
Mat 12:20 A bruised reed shall he not break, and smoking flax shall he not quench, till he send forth judgment unto victory.
Mat 12:21 And in his name shall the Gentiles trust.
Jehovah Himself came to this Earth to present His plan of salvation.
Php 2:5 Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:
Php 2:6 Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God:
Php 2:7 But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:
Php 2:8 And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.
Php 2:9 Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name:
Php 2:10 That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth;
Php 2:11 And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
Next to Jehovah, Jesus Christ turns out to be the most important figure of prophecy!
In fact, Jesus Christ is the most important figure to have ever walked on this earth!
As a servant, the Lord came to mend the breach between Jehovah and His chosen nation Israel.
As a servant, the Lord’s mission was not only to Israel but also to the world, a “light to the Gentiles”.
As a servant, the Lord was also a Prophet, who was very patient and faithful in the work He came to accomplish at His first coming, despite the opposition He encountered.
As a servant, who was sinless and innocent, He came to suffer and die for the sins of all others!
The Lord Jesus Christ for His enemies so they could be saved!
Let’s begin:
*****Isa 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.
The very first thing we should notice is the Triune God at work.
The Holy Father is speaking.
This servant is the Lord Jesus Christ, Savior, and the Redeemer of this world, The Messiah.
The Holy Spirit is resting on Christ Jesus, the Messiah, to qualify Him for the work He will accomplish, which He did when He said, “it is finished” the words He spoke as He gave up the Ghost, on the cross.
What is the work of God’s servant, The Messiah?
1) He has a mission to Israel:
Isa 49:8 Thus saith the LORD, In an acceptable time have I heard thee, and in a day of salvation have I helped thee: and I will preserve thee, and give thee for a covenant of the people, to establish the earth, to cause to inherit the desolate heritages;
Isa 49:9 That thou mayest say to the prisoners, Go forth; to them that are in darkness, Shew yourselves. They shall feed in the ways, and their pastures shall be in all high places.
2) He has a mission to the world:
Isa 49:6 And he said, It is a light thing that thou shouldest be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and to restore the preserved of Israel: I will also give thee for a light to the Gentiles, that thou mayest be my salvation unto the end of the earth.
3) He is to be the true Prophet, patient and faithful in His work, despite the opposition to the Word of God.
Each true prophet of God was a type of the true Prophet, the Lord Jesus Christ!
Isa 50:4 The Lord GOD hath given me the tongue of the learned, that I should know how to speak a word in season to him that is weary: he wakeneth morning by morning, he wakeneth mine ear to hear as the learned.
Isa 50:5 The Lord GOD hath opened mine ear, and I was not rebellious, neither turned away back.
Isa 50:6 I gave my back to the smiters, and my cheeks to them that plucked off the hair: I hid not my face from shame and spitting.
Isa 50:7 For the Lord GOD will help me; therefore shall I not be confounded: therefore have I set my face like a flint, and I know that I shall not be ashamed.
Isa 50:8 He is near that justifieth me; who will contend with me? let us stand together: who is mine adversary? let him come near to me.
Isa 50:9 Behold, the Lord GOD will help me; who is he that shall condemn me? lo, they all shall wax old as a garment; the moth shall eat them up.
Isa 50:10 Who is among you that feareth the LORD, that obeyeth the voice of his servant, that walketh in darkness, and hath no light? let him trust in the name of the LORD, and stay upon his God.
4) We also know that being innocent Himself He was to suffer and for the sins of all others:
Isa 53:4 Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.
Isa 53:5 But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.
Isa 53:6 All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.
Isa 53:7 He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth.
Isa 53:8 He was taken from prison and from judgment: and who shall declare his generation? for he was cut off out of the land of the living: for the transgression of my people was he stricken.
Isa 53:9 And he made his grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death; because he had done no violence, neither was any deceit in his mouth.
Isa 53:10 Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in his hand.
Isa 53:11 He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities.
Isaiah laid it all out many years before the Messiah came the first time!
With this Scripture and many others, no one can say the Word of God does not speak of the Holy Trinity, the Triune God!
*****Isa 42:2 He shall not cry, nor lift up, nor cause his voice to be heard in the street.
The Messiah will be humble, peaceful, not threatening and certainly not lawless as He adhere to all the Word of God.
The Messiah would never take part in any riot, nor cause a revolt.
The Messiah would be calm with a restful spirit.
The Messiah would speak of harmony, with each other and with the Living God.
Eph 2:13 But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ.
Eph 2:14 For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us;
Eph 2:15 Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace;
Eph 2:16 And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby:
Eph 2:17 And came and preached peace to you which were afar off, and to them that were nigh.
*****Isa 42:3 A bruised reed shall he not break, and the smoking flax shall he not quench: he shall bring forth judgment unto truth.
Bruised reeds are useless so people break them and toss them away, but the Lord would not harm even one. He would not break or throw away anyone who is useless to society, because no one is useless to the Lord, when they follow His ways.
The Lord would be compassionate, like a dimly burning wick, instead of crushing the elements of goodness, He will strengthen and purify them!
BUT we should be aware the Messiah will bring forth “judgment” unto the truth of God.
Rom_3:4 God forbid: yea, let God be true, but every man a liar; as it is written, That thou mightest be justified in thy sayings, and mightest overcome when thou art judged.
Christ had compassion upon the weak, those that had no purpose in life, upon all who had lost faith and hope, those who were wandering in this world aimless, the sick and the diseased, those who could not pay their debts, the blind, the lame, and the leper, the unclean of society.
*****Isa 42:4 He shall not fail nor be discouraged, till he have set judgment in the earth: and the isles shall wait for his law.
The Lord, the Messiah, would be steadfast in His mission!
The Lord would never show any sign of weakness. Even death was defeated by the Lord!
No obstacle and no opposition could stop the Messiah in His task!
He would not give up until true justice, truth and righteousness would be established on this world!
The Messiah is totally committed to the teaching of the Word of God and He will not rest until He has accomplished what He has come and will come to do!
This is the greatest example for every Christian!
We must never be ashamed of the Messiah and we must not fear what this world can do to us because we are like the Lord, death has been defeated.
1Co 15:58 Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.
It is Jehovah God that instructs us in all these things.
*****Isa 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:
The truth is we have God’s guarantee of the success of the Messiah!
It’s too late to try to understand how the Jews missed all the things, because we know God has a purpose in everything that happens in the world but is always the right time to come to the Lord.
Because we serve the Living God and not some figment of man’s imagination, we can know all these things are true!
And God has always known that many would not trust in the Messiah nor accept the truth of God but it does not change God’s plan in any way!
The world should understand the truth!
1) The world may deny it, but there is a Creator and God’s creative power is the guarantee that the Messiah will finish what He has already started!
We all breath God’s air and even the most powerful humans and the healthiest humans, and the most protected human, can last but a very few minutes without God’s air!
In fact, all things that sustain our life on this earth come from the Living God!
Job 33:4 The Spirit of God hath made me, and the breath of the Almighty hath given me life.
God’s program for this world has been placed in the hands of the Lord Jesus Christ, the true Messiah.
Everything that the Messiah is sent to accomplish, is a fulfillment of the “will of God”!
What do we know?
The Messiah was chosen for the service of God.
The Messiah dwelt in the Love of God, His Father,
The life of the Messiah was held in the hand of God.
Then God says, “I have placed My Spirit upon Him”
This is the same for every Christian.
*****Isa 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;
The Messiah would come to do things right.
This world we live in has forgotten how to do things right!
This world is in desperate need of salvation before we destroy ourselves!
The Messiah would also be the tool to establish a righteous relationship with those who believe and establish a righteous relationship with each other!
The covenant God has given us is the New Covenant of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Heb_12:24 And to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel.
It would be the same for the Jew and the Gentile!
The Messiah would fulfill the covenant to Abraham (The Promised Seed) and the covenant to King David (The Promised King).
*****Isa 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.
The Messiah would be the cure to both physical and spiritual blindness. People would not have to wonder which way to go or how to handle their problems.
God’s Messiah would open all the eyes to the truth and set free all the captives held in the darkness of sin and yes, even death.
All these things are conditioned on the willingness to see the light of the Messiah, God’s Servant, The Lord Jesus Christ!
I certainly cannot understand why some people will not consider anything after this life.
*****Isa 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.
Isa 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.
God has a name but no one on this earth named Him. God named Himself!
Exo 3:14 And God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM: and he said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you.
Exo 3:15 And God said moreover unto Moses, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, The LORD God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, hath sent me unto you: this is my name for ever, and this is my memorial unto all generations.
When we see, LORD written with all capital letters then that name is Jehovah!
Jehovah is the Living God, self-existent, eternal, self-sufficing, independent, omnipotent and therefore unique!
God’s glory cannot be shared with any other being that exist least of all man-made images which are vanity and nothingness!
It is God’s power that has already caused the fulfillment of many prophecies of the Bible and it is God’s power that will cause the fulfillment of the work of the Messiah!
Israel had been delivered time after time all by the power of God and there will be a final deliverance to these people.
God says before these things happen He would remind us again.
1Pe 1:10 Of which salvation the prophets have enquired and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace that should come unto you:
1Pe 1:11 Searching what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow.
1Pe 1:12 Unto whom it was revealed, that not unto themselves, but unto us they did minister the things, which are now reported unto you by them that have preached the gospel unto you with the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven; which things the angels desire to look into.
God is saying read the Book and you will see what He has already done and you will get a good idea of what He will do in the future.
2Ti 2:15 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
2Ti 2:16 But shun profane and vain babblings: for they will increase unto more ungodliness.
So, if there are to be New Things then there is a need for a New Song!
*****Isa 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.
Isa 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.
Isa 42:12 Let them give glory unto the LORD, and declare his praise in the islands.
If we as Christians cannot celebrate now, that Jehovah God has redeemed His people but has just not pick us up yet, we are sad bunch of Christians!
Whether we travel by sea, or by caravan, or live in the deserts or live in the rich communities, let us shout from the top of the mountains the saving “Grace” of Jehovah God, and the “Gospel” of the Lord Jesus Christ.
It could be true, that the Lord will not return until His message of salvation has reached to the ends of the earth!
Mat 24:14 And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.
Jesus said:
Mat 28:18 And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.
Mat 28:19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:
Mat 28:20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.
Jesus even repeats Himself:
Act 1:8 But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.
Gal_3:13 Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree:
If we cannot praise the Lord for what He has already done, then we do not deserve to live because we are living in the sin of disobedience!
Psa 150:6 Let every thing that hath breath praise the LORD. Praise ye the LORD.
It is through the Messiah, that all human beings can be saved and all God ask of us is “faith” that He will save us!
There is no greater gift that can be given to anyone than eternal life, and to be in a place that we cannot even realize the glory of!
Isa_64:4 For since the beginning of the world men have not heard, nor perceived by the ear, neither hath the eye seen, O God, beside thee, what he hath prepared for him that waiteth for him.
The “Gospel” is here now and there is no saving power beyond the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ!
*****Isa 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.
Certainly, when the Lord returns, He will go forth as a Mighty Man!
The message of the Lord, should be going forth in a “Mighty Way”, by the redeemed of the Lord even today and every day!
Why should we that know the Lord be praising Him today?
There is certainly coming the day the Lord will take the field before all His enemies!
The world will again meet Jehovah God in the flesh!
Jehovah knows that this world will not appreciate the Messiah.
Jehovah knows that His Christ would be rejected.
Therefore, Jehovah also knows these enemies would need to see the Messiah in all His power, go forth as a Mighty Man!
And therefore, we have this prophecy of these future events.
There is coming the day when the Lord will just have had enough of the mistreatment of His children!
The God of Love will become the God of Wrath!
Jer 25:30 Therefore prophesy thou against them all these words, and say unto them, The LORD shall roar from on high, and utter his voice from his holy habitation; he shall mightily roar upon his habitation; he shall give a shout, as they that tread the grapes, against all the inhabitants of the earth.
Jer 25:31 A noise shall come even to the ends of the earth; for the LORD hath a controversy with the nations, he will plead with all flesh; he will give them that are wicked to the sword, saith the LORD.
It has taken a lot of power and a lot of love and patience for the Lord God of this world to finally say “enough is enough”!
*****Isa 42:14 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.
We must know that these are the very words of God Himself!
We should realize the pain and suffering that God has felt as He has allowed the Devil and his servants to prevail in this world.
One day soon, God will no longer allow these things to continue!
When God sees that His chastisement has no effect on the lost, He will bring all these things to an end, and they will then see His “Judgment”!
A travailing woman when she has reached her time will then be free of that pain. Such as described for what our Lord has been suffering as He has encouraged the lost to repent but now they all refuse.
Our God is more powerful than anything we know of, but it has also taken a lot of His power to refrain Himself from returning until that last soul is born and saved!
When the Lord reaches this point, He will destroy and devour at once!
Rev_22:12 And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be.
As we have already seen many times, the “time of Jacob’s trouble”, the 7 years of tribulation, will come to an end in a dramatic and a terrible way.
*****Isa 42:15 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.
When the Lord God vents His frustrations on this world there will be great destruction, such as this world has never seen!
God will make waste the mountains and the hills and dry up even the best watered regions making them a wilderness of arid waste.
This is not only in nature but also kings and rulers and all those who set themselves against the Messiah.
Rev 6:14 And the heaven departed as a scroll when it is rolled together; and every mountain and island were moved out of their places.
Rev 6:15 And the kings of the earth, and the great men, and the rich men, and the chief captains, and the mighty men, and every bondman, and every free man, hid themselves in the dens and in the rocks of the mountains;
Rev 6:16 And said to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb:
Rev 6:17 For the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand?
Rivers will become dry land such as islands and all sustainable food products will perish, except for those that are used to sustain the redeemed of the Lord.
Isa_35:8 And an highway shall be there, and a way, and it shall be called The way of holiness; the unclean shall not pass over it; but it shall be for those: the wayfaring men, though fools, shall not err therein.
Isa 35:10 And the ransomed of the LORD shall return, and come to Zion with songs and everlasting joy upon their heads: they shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away.
*****Isa 42:16 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.
Isa 42:17 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.
These are not the spiritually blind, these are those who cannot see the pathway to Mount Zion through all the destruction.
These will be, for the most part the house of Israel which are blind in the way that they knew not.
God will provide that highway, the way of holiness for them to travel on
Isa 57:14 And shall say, Cast ye up, cast ye up, prepare the way, take up the stumblingblock out of the way of my people.
That stumbling block has always been the Christ, the Messiah when He first came to bring the “Gospel” message!
God will not forsake the Jews who turn to Him along with the strangers that dwell with them that have done the same.
In fact, God will never forsake anyone who repents and calls on His name at any time in their lifetime!
God will fulfill every promise He has ever made!
Rom 10:9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.
Rom 10:13 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.
The only limits to this promise is that it is done before we die a physical death!
There will never be the day the Lord will reject the true believer!
*****Isa 42:17 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.
While those who have repented, and returned to the Lord with eyes wide open, all those who have not will be turned back!
They will suffer defeat and their personal god will have no power to help them no matter who or what it is!
The revelation of the glory of God will only cause confusion to those who have rejected Him all their lifetime.
They will feel utterly ashamed, like Judas but they will not find the power to repent.
Mat 27:3 Then Judas, which had betrayed him, when he saw that he was condemned, repented himself, and brought again the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders,
Judas, being ashamed of what he had become, could still not find in his heart, the “faith” needed to be redeemed from his sin.
So, will be this world we live in on the day of the Lord.
Isa 44:17 And the residue thereof he maketh a god, even his graven image: he falleth down unto it, and worshippeth it, and prayeth unto it, and saith, Deliver me; for thou art my god.
Isa 44:18 They have not known nor understood: for he hath shut their eyes, that they cannot see; and their hearts, that they cannot understand.
Note: Everyone in Hell is already a believer but it is too late for them!
But we do not have to join them there!
Questions?
Let’s Pray!