Behold my Servant (Isaiah 42)
Isaiah prophesied about the events of his day, interpreting the judgements of God on Israel and the nations, as well as foretelling events hundreds of years beyond his own lifetime. But the golden crown of Isaiah’s prophesies are the awesome insights into the coming Messiah, Jesus. Isaiah’s vision of a new song arising from among the nations - and our own pursuit of night & day worship and prayer - needs to be seen in relation to this great invitation to know the plans of His heart concerning His beloved Son.
“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. He will not cry aloud or lift up his voice, or make it heard in the street; a bruised reed he will not break, and a faintly burning wick he will not quench; he will faithfully bring forth justice. He will not grow faint or be discouraged till he has established justice in the earth; and the coastlands wait for his law.”
— Isaiah 42:1-4
These four verses give us a heartfelt invitation to really know Jesus. They include a clear picture of His character and many of the facets of who He is.
He is a servant. Jesus, who was with God at the beginning of creation, who is God, humbled himself and made the huge sacrifice of becoming man, to serve humanity. He served us by showing us what real, sacrificial love looked like in both His ministry and in His death.
He is gentle. Jesus did not come to crush His people, he came for the weak and the poor, to bring them healing and rest for their souls. He didn’t come to condemn people, He came to give hope and gently draw people into relationship with the Father.
He comes to bring justice. He came to feed His people, set the prisoners free, heal the sick, and ultimately make us clean so we could be in relationship and partnership with Him to bring His true justice on the earth.
He is strong. He will not give up on His people until He has brought forth Justice. He is powerful, He has authority and He is fearless and protective. We can depend on Jesus, He never gives up and He always keeps His promises.
These are just four descriptions of the character of Jesus, there are more in this passage and even more throughout scripture. Sometimes it can feel like there are tensions and contradictions between the different facets of the Lord’s character. Have a think about all the different ways in which you have encountered Jesus, for example; His mercy, His discipline, His kindness, His provision, His justice, His leadership. Do any of these lie in tension with another? Ask the Lord to show you how they actually work in perfect unity with one another.
The bible often speaks of the "new song" and we’re taking this season to meditate on a few key passages. By singing His word, we can grow together in our understanding of who God is, why worship and prayer are important to Him, and how He will use houses of prayer and praying churches across the earth to see the fullness of His plans come to fruition.