"Behold My Servant, whom I uphold, Mine Elect, in whom My soul delighteth " (Isa. 42 :1).
In the midst of the ruin of the first man, how refreshing is the above passage expressing God's delight in One in whom He found no trace of imperfection! The previous chapter ends with, "I beheld, and there was no man . . . Behold, they are all vanity." Then we are introduced to this One of whom He testifies, " I have put My Spirit upon Him, and He shall bring forth judgment to the Gentiles." At once we are led in thought to the opened heavens at His baptism, when the Spirit of God as a dove descends upon Him and the voice says, "This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased."
In chapter 49 the Servant is none other than the Speaker. Again, the last word of the previous chapter is, "There is no peace, saith the Lord, unto the wicked." The ruin is hopeless except for God. And now we hear the word addressed to the One through whom the blessing is to come:"Thou art My Servant, O Israel, in whom I will be glorified." Israel in this passage is not the nation, but Christ who takes its place in the mind of God, and God is glorified through Him. "Then I said, I have labored in vain, I have spent My strength for naught and in vain." There were different times in the Lord's ministry on earth when, because of what they deemed a "hard saying," "many of His disciples went back and walked no more with Him." Under such circumstances can we not think of Him as using such an expression as this ? For we must remember that He who was divine was also human. Perfect humanity was found in Him, and how keenly at times He felt the unbelief of man! Yet that faith which in Him was never weak, adds,' 'Surely My judgment is with the Lord, and My work with My God."
In the following verses of the prophecy we see the larger purpose of God in His coming revealing itself. "And now, saith the Lord that formed Me from the womb to be His Servant, to bring Jacob again to Him:Though Israel be not gathered, yet shall I be glorious in the eyes of the Lord, and My God shall be My strength." He had come to gather Israel. " He came to His own, and His own received Him not." But the Spirit of God in the prophet has anticipated this also, and the prophecy continues unfolding the larger purpose of God in blessing to the whole world:" I will also give Thee for a Light to the Gentiles, that Thou mayest be My salvation unto the end of the earth " So also in chapter 42:i, " He shall bring forth judgment to the Gentiles."
There is abundant prophecy to show that God had designs for blessing to the Gentiles, so that the Jews had no excuse for the hatred which they manifested at the mention of blessing to the Gentiles (Acts 22:21, 22); as Isaiah 9:2; "The people that walked in darkness have seen a great Light; they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath the Light shined." In the fulfilment of this prophecy, the Lord having seen in the imprisonment of John the forecast of His own rejection, left Nazareth and went and dwelt in Capernaum (Matt. 4:12-16).
But to return to our subject, in Isaiah 52:13-15:"Behold My Servant shall deal prudently … As many were astonished at Thee; His visage was so marred more than any man, and His form more
than the children of men; so shall He astonish many nations; kings shall shut their mouths at Him" (J. N. D. version).
The Messiah they had pictured in their imaginations was so different from the true one that they were astonished. They had not expected One so meek, who would be the object of insult and scorn, and whose personal appearance would be disfigured. They did not know their own hearts, or the wickedness of which they were capable. They little realized what enmity would be provoked in them by the very holiness of that blessed One who would walk in their midst. He was the Man who walked not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stood in the way of sinners, nor sat in the seat of the scornful. His delight was in the law of the Lord. His passivity and weakness astonished them then, but His power and glory will astonish kings when He returns to the earth. Ere He rises up to reign and to execute His judgments, the kings of the earth are invited to " Kiss the Son, lest He be angry, and ye perish from the way, when His wrath is kindled but a little. Blessed are all they that put their trust in Him."
Again we find the Servant in chapter 53 :" He shall see of the fruit of the travail of His soul, and shall be satisfied:by His knowledge shall My Righteous Servant instruct many in righteousness; and He shall bear their iniquities " (ver. 11, J. N. D.).
The time is coming when the Righteous One will see the full results of His atoning work; when the trophies of His grace in heaven and in earth will be gathered to Himself, and He will set up His kingdom on earth, and instruct in righteousness those in relationship to Him.
The prophet Zechariah, after showing the future cleansing of Israel's iniquity in the figure of her high priest, says, "Behold I will bring forth My Servant the 'Branch" (chap. 3:8), and this Man (chap. 6:12) is He who builds the temple of the Lord and sits and rules upon His throne. He is the true High Priest, but not that alone:He is both Priest and King. " He shall be a Priest upon His throne!"
With what joy the loyal Christian heart anticipates that time when He " who made Himself of no reputation and took upon Him the form of a Servant" shall have been exalted to the place ordained of God for Him. And not alone in His glory then, but His bride, the Church, shall share with Him as joint-heir all the possessions He receives from His Father. R. B. E.