“Here is my Servant, whom I uphold,
my chosen one in whom I delight;
I will put my Spirit on him,
and he will bring justice to the nations.
2 He will not shout or cry out,
or raise his voice in the streets.
3 A bruised reed he will not break,
and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out.
In faithfulness he will bring forth justice;
4 he will not falter or be discouraged
till he establishes justice on earth.
In his teaching the islands will put their hope.”
- I captizalized this in following the King James as this is a reference to Jesus. Matthew 12:16-21 quotes this verse as fulfilled in Christ.
- These verses speak to the gentle character of Messiah. Jesus didn't make His way by an overpowering personality. He made an impression on others by the Spirit of God upon Him.
- Jesus is the Servant. This speaks of the Father’s trust in and dependence on the Son.
- "He will bring justice to the nations" - some versions translate this to say "justice or judgement to the Gentiles". His ministry would not be excusive to the Jewish people but to the nations.
- vs 3 - A bruised reed He will not break, and smoking flax He will not quench: This is another reference to the gentle character of Jesus. A reed is a fairly fragile plant, yet if a reed is bruised, the Servant will handle it so gently that He will not break it. And if flax, used for tinder to start a fire, does not flame but only smokes, He will not quench it into extinguishing. Instead, the Servant will gently blow on the smoking flax, fanning it into flame again. Often we feel that God deals roughly with our weaknesses and failures. Just the opposite is true. He deals with them gently, tenderly, helping them along until the bruised reed is strong and the smoking flax is in full flame.
Jesus sees the value in a bruised reed, even when no one else can. He can make beautiful music come from a bruised reed, as He puts His strength in it! Though a smoking flax – used for a wick on an oil lamp – is good for nothing, Jesus knows it is valuable for what it can be when it is refreshed with oil. Many of us are like the bruised reed, and we need to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man (Ephesians 3:16). Others are like the smoking flax and can only burn brightly for the LORD again when we are drenched in oil, with a constant supply coming, as we are filled with the Holy Spirit. - vs 4 - Jesus is well able to do the task of redemption because He is free from all the weaknesses and failures of His people. He does not falter or get discouraged.
Isaiah 42:6-7
“I, the Lord, have called you in righteousness; I will take hold of your hand. I will keep you and will make you to be a covenant for the people and a light for the Gentiles 7 to open eyes that are blind, to free captives from prison and to release from the dungeon those who sit in darkness."
Specifically, this is a promise from the LORD to the Servant – Jesus Christ. What comfort this brings knowing the Father spoke of such love, support and promise to His creation. Jesus would be "a covenant for the preople and a light for the Gentiles." Jesus would fulfill the purpose God called Him to...to bring salvation, not only to the Jewish people, but also to those afar off, who seem beyond salvation.
How does Jeus respond?
Isaiah 61:1 The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me, because the Lord has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners,...
Isaiah 42:8-9
"I am the LORD; that is my name! I will not yield my glory to another or my praise to idols. Behold, the former things have happened, and now I declare new things. Before they spring forth I proclaim them to you.”…
The actual translation is Yahweh, that is my name. This is a statment of confirmation and the assurance that the one making the promises is able to fulfill them. No one else can fulfill these promises, because God will not share His glory with any other.
God is master of both the past (the former things) and the future (new things). Being the master of both the future and the past, God has the present well in hand also. We see this especially in the way that God can declare… new things, even before they spring forth. God’s prophetic word fulfilled shows us the confidence we can have in His word.
2 Peter 2:19-20 We also have the prophetic message as something completely reliable, and you will do well to pay attention to it, as to a light shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts. Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet’s own interpretation of things.