Isaiah 42
Summary for Isa 42:1-4: 42:1-4 a The servant here is not the people Israel (as in 41:8-28 b and elsewhere in chs 41–48 c; see 49:5-6 d) but is a royal figure who accomplishes his mission with care for people, especially for those who are hurting. The passage is the first of four songs about this servant (42:1-4 e; 49:1-13 f; 50:4-11 g; 52:13–53:12 h). He brings in an era of universal justice. For the connection of the servant with Jesus Christ, see Matt 12:18-21 i. 42:1 j who pleases me: God used similar language at Jesus’ baptism (Matt 3:17 k).• I have put my Spirit upon him: Any leader might be called a servant, but the presence of the Spirit suggests a king of David’s line or a prophet like Moses (see Num 11:17 l, 24-29 m).
• Establishing justice is the responsibility of a king (see Isa 9:6-7 n; Ps 72:1 o).
• This king’s mission will be a greater mission to the nations than simply governing the small nation of Judah.
42:2 p shout or raise his voice: The royal servant will have calm confidence in his message and calling from God (see also 11:1-5 q).
42:3 r The royal servant will be gentle with the oppressed and discouraged (see 3:15 s; 41:17 t).
42:4 u distant lands: The nations long for justice and for instruction on bringing it about. In this regard the servant is like Moses, to whom the law was given. However, the servant is greater in that he extends justice beyond Israel to all the nations.
42:6 v my people, Israel ... my covenant with them (literally a covenant for the people): It is also possible that “the people” referred to all the peoples/nations of the earth (see 49:6 w).
• light to guide the nations: See also 51:4 x; Acts 13:47 y.
42:7 z The servant will open the eyes of the spiritually blind (see 6:10 aa; 29:18 ab) and free the spiritual captives from the prison of sin, in addition to those who were captive in the Babylonian exile (see 61:1 ac with Luke 4:18 ad).
Summary for Isa 42:8-9: 42:8-9 ae I am the Lord: As Creator of the world, and as the only one who can bring about the things he predicts, the Lord alone is glorious and worthy of praise.
Summary for Isa 42:10-11: 42:10-11 af The various geographical regions represent the extremes of human habitation. The whole earth is called to praise God for his commitment to redeem humanity.
• Kedar and Sela (42:11 ag; see also 16:1 ah; 21:16-17 ai) were representative desert sites.
42:13 aj a mighty hero ... a warrior: The background of this theme is God’s victory at the Red Sea during the Exodus (Exod 15:3 ak).
• God will be victorious over all his enemies in order to rescue his people (Isa 51:9 al; 63:1-6 am; see also Pss 54:7 an; 108:9 ao; 112:8 ap).
42:14 aq I have long been silent ... restrained myself: Israel had experienced God’s absence in the Exile, which came about because of their idolatrous ways (57:11-13 ar; 2 Kgs 17:6-24 as). The godly will pray for God’s presence and renewed involvement in their situation (Isa 64:12 at), and the Lord will answer their prayers because of his commitment to their redemption (62:1 au, 6 av).
Summary for Isa 42:18-20: 42:18-20 aw The Israelites who refused to listen to what God said and to understand what they saw God doing in history were rendered spiritually blind and deaf (see 6:9-10 ax). They had knowledge of the truth through God’s word and the prophets, but their closed minds refused to act upon it.
42:21 ay exalted his glorious law: God’s word is a witness to his righteous rule (see 1:10 az).
Summary for Isa 42:22-25: 42:22-25 ba Throughout its history, Israel’s sin (42:24 bb) made Israel fair game for foreign oppressors. Many nations, Assyria and Babylon in particular, became instruments God used to pour out his fury (42:25 bc) on his rebellious people.
42:25 bd Generation after generation of Israelites did not learn their lesson, even when God disciplined them through military defeat.
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