God’s promises to His servants 41:1-42:9The intent of this unit of material was to assure Israel that God had both the power and the desire to deliver her and to bring salvation to the whole world. It contains three basic themes: the pagans’ inability to refute Yahweh’s sovereignty, the promise to deliver fearful Israel, and the divine plan to use an ideal servant as redeemer. read more
The Lord-Yahweh is His covenant name-is a distinct person with His own name (cf. Exodus 3:13-15). He would keep His covenant with Israel. He is not an idol that someone made and received the glory for making. The praise for His great acts belongs to Him, not to some image fashioned by one of His creatures (cf. Isaiah 41:21-29). read more
"Behold" concludes this passage as it began it, forming an inclusio (cf. Isaiah 42:1). The former things that God had predicted through the prophets-that had come to pass already-provided assurance that the new things that Yahweh just revealed, about Cyrus and Messiah, would also happen. Another view is that the former things are the predictions concerning Cyrus, and the new things are the things having to do with the restoration of Israel. [Note: Delitzsch, 2:180.] Yahweh had revealed them... read more
The Ideal Servant1-9. The characteristics and functions of Israel as the ideal Servant of Jehovah. 10-17 A song of praise to Jehovah. 18-25. The deficiencies of the actual Israel, considered as Jehovah’s Servant.1. My servant] On the conception of these chapters see Intro. Judgment] or ’right.’ The Servant’s office is to teach the world true religion. 2, 3. He will not be ostentatious nor unduly severe. How Christ corresponded to the ideal is noted in Matthew 12:17-21; 3. Smoking flax] RM... read more
(8, 9) I am the Lord. . . .—The prophet grasps the full meaning of the name revealed in Exodus 3:15. It follows from that meaning that God cannot look with indifference on the transfer to the “graven image” of the worship due to Him. With his vision of Cyrus still present to his thoughts, the prophet again presses the unique point of prediction as distinguishing the religion of Israel from that of the heathen. The “former things” refer probably not to the remote past, but to Isaiah’s earlier... read more
The Smoking Flax Isaiah 42:3 Let us try to gather up the thoughts contained in these two images. They are slightly different, but one thought underlies them both. The one refers chiefly to God, the other to man. I. The idea of the first is taken from one of the shepherd's pipes one of those little musical pipes crushed and trampled under foot. The other picture is taken from the lamp in the temple, burning feebly and dimly, giving forth black smoke rather than light. 1. The 'bruised reed'. A... read more
CHAPTER XVONE GOD, ONE PEOPLEIsaiah 41:8-20; Isaiah 42:1-25; Isaiah 43:1-28WE have been listening to the proclamation of a monotheism so absolute, that, as we have seen, modern critical philosophy, in surveying the history of religion, can find for it no rival among the faiths of the world. God has been exalted before us, in character so perfect, in dominion so universal, that neither the conscience nor the imagination of man can add to the general scope of the vision. Jesus and His Cross shall... read more
CHAPTER 42 The True Servant of Jehovah 1. The Servant of Jehovah and His mission (Isaiah 42:1-4 ) 2. His future work among the nations (Isaiah 42:5-9 ) 3. The future song of redemption glory (Isaiah 42:10-13 ) 4. Jehovah’s manifestation in power (Isaiah 42:14-17 ) 5. The address of exhortation to the deaf and blind nation (Isaiah 42:18-25 ) Matthew’s Gospel (Matthew 12:20 ) tells us that this servant is the Lord Jesus Christ. Mark the different phases of His character and work while... read more
42:8 I [am] the LORD: that [is] my name: and my {o} glory will I not give to another, neither my praise to graven images.(o) I will not permit my glory to be diminished: which I would do if I were not faithful. read more
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Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible - Isaiah 42:9
9. former things—Former predictions of God, which were now fulfilled, are here adduced as proof that they ought to trust in Him alone as God; namely, the predictions as to Israel's restoration from Babylon. new—namely, predictions as to Messiah, who is to bring all nations to the worship of Jehovah (Isaiah 42:1; Isaiah 42:4; Isaiah 42:6). spring forth—The same image from plants just beginning to germinate occurs in Isaiah 43:19; Isaiah 58:8. Before there is the slightest indication to enable a... read more