Behold, My Servant (Isaiah 42:1–9) — Baptism of the Lord

In the church calendar this Sunday, today, we celebrate the baptism of our

Lord. During his earthly life, Jesus of Nazareth was baptized by John, the messenger that God had sent to prepare the way for the arrival of the

Christ. It's in this act of obedience that is Jesus humbling himself to be given the baptism of repentance, that God publicly marks his son as his servant and expresses his delight in him.

Today, we'll look at a passage in the Old Testament that foretells of this moment and expands its implications for the people of God, giving us both ground to stand on and fuel to confidently build on that ground.

In particular, we'll be looking at Isaiah 42, verses one through nine. But this passage really is the climax of what's presented in Isaiah 41.

So keep your thumb there as well. Chapter 41 is a necessary precursor to chapter 42, much like John the

Baptist prepares the way for our Christ and King. Isaiah 41 makes plain the need for a savior, exposing idol worship and the inability of man to redeem himself.

Isaiah 42 then prescribes the remedy, the capital S, servant of the

Lord, whom we know to be the Messiah. He will come to bring forth judgment to the nations, but not a judgment of condemnation, though that will come, but a judgment of peace, an endowment of righteousness that even the nations would know truth and walk in it.

Isaiah 41, verse 27 says, the first, speaking of the Lord, shall say to Zion, behold, behold them, and I will give to Jerusalem one that bringeth good tidings.

These tidings are the very same that the angels declared to the shepherds in Luke 2 .10, saying, behold,

I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. Good tidings that a savior will come, a savior that will fulfill all righteousness on behalf of his people and will empower them to do great works.

Now let's turn to our passage in Isaiah 42, verses one through nine.

Hear the word of the Lord. Behold, my servant, whom I uphold, mine elect and whom my soul delighteth,

I have put my spirit upon him, he shall bring forth judgment to the Gentiles. He shall not cry nor lift up, nor cause his voice to be heard in the street.

A bruised reed shall he not break, the smoking flax shall he not quench.

He shall bring forth judgment unto truth. He shall not fail nor be discouraged till he have set judgment in the earth and the aisles wait for his law.

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.

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, to open the blind eyes, to bring out the prisoners from the prison and them that sit in darkness out of the prison house.

I am the Lord, that is my name, and my glory I will not give to another, neither my praise to graven images.

Behold, the former things are come to pass and new things do I declare. Before they spring forth,

I tell you of them. Thus ends the reading of God's holy word. May he write it on our hearts by faith.

Amen. Let's pray. Father God, Lord, as we open your word, as we read, as we exposit it and see what you would have for us in it,

Lord, we do pray that you would illuminate it to our minds, to our hearts, that we would receive it in faith, that we'd be encouraged by it.

Lord, that you would use it as a means of fuel for us in this work that you've given us here in Christ's kingdom, in our homes, in the workplace even.

And it's for your glory and for our good we do pray. Amen. Isaiah 42 begins with the word behold, which holds in contrast that which is to come with that which was.

Chapter 41 has many uses of the word behold, which essentially compound on one another, creating a stark contrast in the preceding chapter.

One such example is the very last verse of chapter 41, which reads, behold, they are all vanity.

Their works are nothing. Their molten images are wind and confusion. This behold serves as a summary of chapter 41 in many respects, highlighting the pride of man, their failed attempts at righteousness, and the worthlessness of their idols.

Verses one through nine of Isaiah 42 is bookended again by two beholds, with the last reiterating the prophetic nature of the passage.

It says that something new is coming. And in context, we see that it's really someone that's coming.

The servant of the Lord. The servant brings judgment and truth, the law of God, and righteousness, not only to Israel, but to the

Gentiles, and even to the whole world. And as we begin examining

Isaiah 42 further, I've broken the passage into four sections that we'll walk through together.

The first, the servant of the Lord, it's in verse one. Two, the coming of the servant, verses two through four.

Third, the work of the servant, verses five through seven. And last, the fourth, the zeal of the

Lord, verses eight through nine. The first section, the servant of the

Lord. In verse one, we're introduced to the servant of the Lord. This is a prophecy of the servant to come, who would, unlike Israel, faithfully and perfectly serve

God, bringing about his will and judgment. And as we consider the connection of this passage to the baptism of our

Lord, there are two key elements present here that I want to highlight. First, the

Father's delight, and second, the giving of the Spirit. Does this sound familiar to you?

Listen to the words of Matthew 3, 13 through 17, where Jesus is baptized.

Then cometh Jesus from Galilee to Jordan unto John to be baptized of him.

But John forbade him, saying, I need to be baptized of thee, and comest thou to me?

And Jesus answering said unto him, Suffer it be so now, for thus it becometh us to fulfill all righteousness.

And then he suffered him. And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water, and lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the

Spirit of God descending like a dove and lighting upon him. And lo, a voice from heaven saying, this is my beloved

Son, in whom I am well pleased. In this scene, we see the same elements from Isaiah 41, excuse me, from Isaiah 42.

After humbling himself to receive the waters of John's baptism of repentance, which he needed not for his own sake, the

Father calls down and expresses his delight in his servant. And simultaneously, he sends down his

Spirit, the means of upholding his servant. If Christ didn't need to repent, having never sinned, then why does he approach

John? We find the answer in verse 15. In order to save his people,

Jesus had to submit to every requirement of God's law on their behalf. This purification rite was no exception.

He had to fulfill all righteousness, enabling him to represent his people before God.

Jesus is identified with humanity in his baptism. And now, through the

Lord's baptism, we are identified with him. These two baptisms are undeniably linked, but they're not the same.

The baptism of John was one of preparing, readying a people for the coming

Savior. The Christian baptism is one of cleansing, looking back to the finished washing work of Christ and identifying us in him, with him, that we might be given his righteousness.

Jeremiah 23, verses five and six says, behold, the days come, saith the

Lord, that I will raise unto David a righteous branch and a king shall reign and prosper and shall execute judgment and justice in the earth.

In his days, Judah shall be saved and Israel shall dwell safely. And this is his name, whereby he shall be called the

Lord, our righteousness. Because Christ fulfills all righteousness, doing so on our behalf,

Jeremiah says that he shall be called the Lord, our righteousness. And so, dear children, where does our righteousness come from?

Jesus Christ alone. And another passage where we find many parallels is in Acts 10, verses 36 through 38.

The word which God sent unto the children of Israel, preaching peace by Jesus Christ, he is

Lord of all. That word, I say, ye know, which was published throughout all of Judea and began from Galilee after the baptism, which

John preached, how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power, who went about doing good and healing all that were opposed of the devil, for God was with him.

Here we see that the judgment Christ brings is one of peace and that the baptism of the

Lord marked the beginning of his ministry. After his baptism, Christ is endowed with power by the

Holy Ghost. And from there, he goes out boldly preaching the good news to the bruised reeds and smoldering flax in Judea.

It's the spirit of power, it's this spirit of power that Jesus has left for us.

Just a few verses later in Acts 10, we see the same spirit of God who lit upon Jesus fall upon the

Gentiles. While Peter spake, yet spake these words, the Holy Ghost fell on all of them which heard the word.

And verse one of Isaiah 42 ends by declaring that he brings forth judgment.

But as we see in the following verses, this is not a judgment of condemnation, it's a judgment of peace and righteousness.

It's his law manifested, it's his law illuminated on the hearts and minds of his people, even to the

Gentiles. John 3 ,17 says, for God sent not his son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through him might be saved.

Christ is setting up a kingdom of righteousness through which he cares for the needy and smites the oppressor, through which he restores the world itself to the father who sent him.

The coming of the servant. Isaiah 42, two through four, says he shall not cry nor lift up, nor cause his voice to be heard in the street.

A bruised reed shall he not break and the smoldering flax shall he not quench. He shall bring forth judgment unto truth.

He shall not fail nor be discouraged till he have set judgment in the earth and the aisles shall wait for his law.

Verses two and three portray the manner in which the servant comes. He comes in meekness.

He comes in long suffering to do the will of the one who sent him. In fulfillment of Isaiah 53, another of the servant songs, he doesn't cry out against the injustice done to him by the

Pharisees. He doesn't cry out before Pilate. He doesn't even scream as the

Roman soldiers beat him in the streets. He doesn't come to condemn the sick and he doesn't come to vanquish those struggling in faith.

Instead, he comes to heal. He comes to give faith. In the book of Matthew, we're directly shown how this passage finds its fulfillment in Christ.

Chapter 12, 15 through 20 says, but when Jesus knew it, he withdrew himself from thence and a great multitude followed him and he healed them all and charged them that they should not make him known, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet saying, behold my servant whom

I have chosen, my beloved and whom my soul is well pleased. I will put my spirit upon him and he shall show judgment to the

Gentiles. He shall not strive nor cry. Neither shall any man hear his voice in the streets.

A bruised reed shall he not break and smoking flax shall he not quench till he send forth judgment unto victory.

And where the very man he comes to save fails in strength and are prone to give up, on their behalf, he remains strong and supplies them with his own strength.

He comes to bring forth the truths and righteousness of God into all of the earth that the

Jew and Gentile alike would know their creator and walk in his precepts.

And again, here we see the continued parallels of Isaiah 41, their promises made, here we find its fulfillment.

Isaiah 41, 17 through 18 says, when the poor and needy seek water, there is none and their tongue faileth for thirst.

I the Lord will hear them. I the God of Israel will not forsake them.

I will open rivers in high places and fountains in the midst of the valleys. I will make the wilderness a pool of water and the dry land springs of water.

The God of Israel will move mountains to satisfy the thirst of those who look to him with living water.

Matthew 5, 6 says, blessed are they who do hunger and thirst after righteousness for they shall be filled.

In his task, the servant of the Lord will not be disheartened, nor will he fail.

Verse four tells us that he will continue unto his mission until his mission is successful.

He will bring forth his righteousness into the whole earth. Here it said that the isles wait for his law.

The isles or coastlands represent the most distant nations, those who are far off, the

Gentiles, even us. This has in view the whole world from coast to coast, from isle to isle.

The servant will not rest until the earlier words of Isaiah two ring true in all the earth.

Isaiah two verses two through three says, and it shall come to pass in the last days that the mountain of the

Lord's house shall be established in the top of the mountains and shall be exalted above the hills and all nations shall float unto it.

And many people shall go and say, come ye, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the

God of Jacob, and he will teach us his ways and will walk in his paths.

For out of Zion shall go forth the law and the word of the

Lord from Jerusalem. The work of the servant.

We see this in Isaiah 42, five through seven. I'll read it again.

Thus saith the Lord 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 give breath unto the people upon it, the spirit to them that walketh therein.

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 to open the blind eyes, to bring out the prisoners from the prison and then that sit in darkness out of the prison house.

Unlike the idols found impotent in Isaiah 41, verse five shows us that God, the

Lord, the very one who gives motion to the world, the very one that gives breath to its people, where the idols can do nothing,

God can do everything. And it's in light of this truth that he promises to hold the hand of his servant, even your hand.

He has promised to keep his servant and even keep you. And as he calls his servant to work, so too he calls you to work for his glory on the earth.

In verse six, there is a distinct shift in the language used where before a picture of the coming servant of the

Lord is given using the pronoun he, talking about him. In verse six, this changes to thee, now talking to him.

Through the prophet Isaiah, God the father is now talking directly to his son,

Jesus Christ. And in the Hebrew, all the references to thee in verse six are singular, they're not plural.

The text only changes back to plural all the way at the end of the passage in verse nine.

The father of lights is talking to the light of the world. He's promising to sustain him and keep him in the work given to him, which is nothing less than complete in total conquest of the earth and its inhabitants.

The metaphorical language in verse six and seven is repeated all throughout the surrounding chapters of Isaiah but it's made plain later in chapter 42, verse 16.

And I will bring the blind by a way that they know 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. Blind eyes, darkness and prison all represent the spiritual reality of fallen humanity but it's

Christ that pierces through the darkness and illuminates our path in our hearts. And in this, he promises to lead in a new way, in a new path and even unto new works.

The very promises of Isaiah 42 given to the servant of the Lord are extended to God's people, the plural servants of the

Lord. His people are identified this way in Isaiah 41, eight.

But thou Israel art my servant, Jacob whom I have chosen, the seed of Abraham my friend.

And continuing in verses nine through 10, it says, thou whom I have taken from the ends of the earth and called thee from the chief men thereof and said unto thee, thou art my servant.

I have chosen thee and not cast thee away. Fear thou not for I am with thee.

Be not dismayed for I am thy God. I will strengthen thee.

Yea, I will help thee. Yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.

Contrasted with the pagan idol makers in the preceding verse in Isaiah 41, the chosen people of God are called his servants.

They've been called from the farthest regions of the earth, even from the isles.

They've been called as a Jacob, a deceiver and a sinner, but declared in Israel, a faithful and righteous servant upheld by the very righteousness of Christ.

In Acts 13, Paul quotes Isaiah saying that the Lord has commanded us likewise to be lights into the world, extending his salvation.

Hear his words in verse 47 of Acts 13. For so hath the

Lord commanded us saying, I have set thee to be a light of the Gentiles, that thou shouldest be for salvation into the ends of the earth.

And Jesus himself makes a similar correlation in Matthew 5, 16. Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorify your father, which is in heaven.

As I'm sure you well know, the work of the Lord is not yet finished.

Even the work appointed to him here in Isaiah 42, and yet he will not grow faint or weary.

He's appointed his people to carry forth his mission as his hands and feet, as his emissaries, even unto the four corners of the earth.

And he's promised to be with us just as the father was with him, strengthening us for the task.

It's in the great commission that he makes this most clear. Matthew 28, 18 through 20 says, and Jesus came and spake unto them saying, all power is given unto me in heaven and earth.

Go ye therefore and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the father and of the son and of the

Holy Ghost, teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you.

And lo, I am with you always, even into the end of the world. Amen. Isaiah 41 sets up a promise of God to redeem and sustain his servants, his people.

Isaiah 42 then prophesies of the true servant of the Lord, the Redeemer, the one who brings forth his law without fail, fulfilling all righteousness and purchasing these promises for his people.

In other words, it's because of the perfect obedience of Christ, his death and resurrection, that these promises are true.

And for those who are in Christ, these promises and mission are ours.

And it's here that we'll make application to us, Christ the King Reformed Church, and even all the saints that might hear this message.

God has called you. He has marked you in baptism. He has emboldened you by promised victory.

He has empowered you by the same spirit that fell on Jesus. And we've been called to a work, to open the eyes of the blind, to set free those who are enslaved to sin, to bring light into the darkness.

Now, of course, these things are not something that we can accomplish in and of our own strength.

But as Jesus tells us in Acts 1 .8, by the power of the spirit that God has given us, the same spirit that Christ had upon him.

But you shall receive power. After that, the Holy Ghost has come upon you and you shall be witnesses unto me, both in Jerusalem and in all

Judea and into Samaria and unto the uttermost parts of the earth.

And of the works that he calls us to in John 14 .12, he says, verily, verily,

I say unto you, he that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he also do.

The greater works and greater works than these shall he do, because I go into my father.

The works that Jesus speaks of here aren't necessarily miraculous healings, but rather the things talked about in verse seven of Isaiah 42 namely bringing the message of the gospel that gives spiritual sight to the blind and salvation to those in bondage to sin and greater only in number, that his people collective would proliferate the world with the proclamation of salvation, that his sheep would come to him, that we would carry his light as he carries us into the furthest and darkest corners of the world.

These are the very works that Paul exhorts us towards in Ephesians 2 .10 saying, for we are his workmanship created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which

God hath before ordained that we should walk in them. So take courage,

Christian. As we set out to expand Christ's kingdom in our corner of the world, he has promised to be with us.

As we seek to shine a light in the dark state of Massachusetts, know that it is

Christ who shines through you, piercing even the darkest of nights. As we embrace the mission that Christ has given us, know that he is not discouraged and he will establish justice in all of the earth.

The very aisles of our commonwealth wait for his law. Like the servant of the

Lord, the one who sends us, we've been marked by baptism and have been empowered by the spirit.

We've been emboldened by promise and knowing that his mission will be victorious.

Children, did you know that you too are the servants of the Lord? You too have been called out of darkness and into light.

You too have been marked by the waters of baptism and you have been given a work to do.

It might not be the same work in this season as the work of your parents, but you are called to observe and to learn from them and one day to even pick up the mantle of their labor and to continue it for the glory of God and to bless future generations.

So now, watching and listening, obey the voice of your parents.

Hear the instruction of thy father and forsake not the law of thy mother,

Proverbs 1 .8. Be a light to your brothers and sisters. Be a light to your family and to those around you.

Be an example of righteousness. What a blessing and what a witness it is for the redeeming power of Christ when children of the covenant are well -behaved and quickly obey their parents' instruction.

The zeal of the Lord, Isaiah 42 .8. It says,

I am the Lord. That is my name. In my glory will I not give to another, neither my praise to graven images.

In this verse eight, God makes a declaration as he often does when he gives a prophetic word or command.

He stamps it at the end saying, I am the Lord. Whenever we see such a statement, the

Lord is binding his very glory to the thing that was said. It's a matter of his glory and reputation.

It's a matter of his name. It flows from his very character. And here, he's saying that he will ensure this thing happens that Israel and the nations will know who he is.

Ezekiel 12 .25 says, similarly, for I am the Lord, I will speak, and the word that I shall speak shall come to pass.

And earlier in Isaiah, speaking of the very same peace and judgment talked about here,

Isaiah 9 .7 says, of the increase of his government and peace, there shall be no end upon the throne of David and upon his kingdom to order it, to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even forever.

The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this. And it's for his glory sake that he does it.

And so we can be confident that it will happen. And in the last verse of the passage, it says, behold, the former things are come to pass and new things

I do declare. Before they spring forth, I tell you of them. This phrase is even a taunt to and a condemnation of the idols in Isaiah 41, the chapter just before that we've been talking about.

The Lord challenges the idols there to show the past, which they can't do.

Then likewise, they fail to declare the future. He even challenges them to simply do good or do evil, but they are altogether impotent.

Incapable of doing anything at all. Isaiah 41, 22 and 23 says, let them bring forth them, the idols and show us what shall happen.

Let them show the former things, what they be, that we may consider them and know the latter end of them or declare us things for to come.

Show the things that are to come hereafter that we may know that ye are gods. Yea, do good or do evil, that we may be dismayed and behold it together.

The Lord not only shows the past, he declares the future. And though we find ourselves on the other side in many respects of the fulfillment of this prophecy in Isaiah 42, the

Lord is actively ruling and reigning, bringing all of his enemies under his feet.

The powerless graven images will be destroyed. The pride and righteousness of man will be put away for the servant of the

Lord has come and he will fully establish righteousness in the world.

He does this that you would hope and trust in the Lord, your

Redeemer and in his sovereign hand, that you would tell the world of his great mercy and walk in his ways.

As we conclude, we could summarize our passage with two beholds, where Isaiah 41 says, behold, you and your idols are worthless.

Isaiah 42 says, behold, look to Christ, your righteousness and strength.

And it's this Christ that has called you out of darkness. He's marked you with the waters of baptism, emboldened you by promise victory, empowered you by the same spirit that rested upon him.

And he has given you his mission to bring the gospel to the coastlands, to the very land in which we stand.

And he has promised to be with you even into the end of the world. And so we go boldly and we labor together expectantly.