December 14, 2014: Light to the Nations

Isaiah 42:1-9

But here is my servant, the one I uphold;
    my chosen, who brings me delight.
I’ve put my spirit upon him;
    he will bring justice to the nations.
² He won’t cry out or shout aloud
    or make his voice heard in public.
³ He won’t break a bruised reed;
    he won’t extinguish a faint wick,
    but he will surely bring justice.
⁴ He won’t be extinguished or broken
    until he has established justice in the land.
The coastlands await his teaching.

⁵ God the Lord says—
    the one who created the heavens,
    the one who stretched them out,
    the one who spread out the earth and its offspring,
    the one who gave breath to its people
    and life to those who walk on it—
⁶ I, the Lord, have called you for a good reason.
    I will grasp your hand and guard you,
    and give you as a covenant to the people,
    as a light to the nations,
⁷     to open blind eyes, to lead the prisoners from prison,
    and those who sit in darkness from the dungeon.
⁸ I am the Lord;
    that is my name;
    I don’t hand out my glory to others
        or my praise to idols.
⁹ The things announced in the past—look—they’ve already happened,
    but I’m declaring new things.
    Before they even appear,
    I tell you about them.

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Have you ever waited on something really, REALLY important?  I remember as a kid waiting for the appointed time when a friend or family member from far away was supposed to arrive.  I’d walk by the window countless times, hoping to see their car approach.  I’d look at the clock again and again, willing the hands to move faster.  And while I twiddled my thumbs and paced around, I usually imagined the amazing things that would soon be happening.  Games, laughs, great food…you name it. I’d run it over again and again in my head.  When appointed time came and their car…sooner or later…arrived, I was practically spilling over with excitement.

When our scripture for today was written, the people of God were still in exile, waiting and hoping to go home.  The words of Isaiah were meant to bring them consolation as they waited for a return to their homeland the way I’d wait for the appointed time when a friend or relative was supposed to arrive.   Here in particular we get a description of a ‘servant’ who will come. This servant will set things right.  Isaiah 42 paints a very vivid picture indeed and it must have made the original hearers thrill at the thought of the coming justice and salvation.

As a matter of fact there are four “servant songs” and they paint a very vivid picture indeed. The servant will bring forth justice, have a mouth like a sharp sword, a tongue like a teacher, and also suffer for many other people, bearing their “iniquities” or sins.

There are two levels of meaning to these “servant songs:” biblical scholars generally agree that the “servant” mentioned here was originally meant to refer to the entire nation of Israel.  Israel as a people would be bring justice to the nations, etc.  But early Christians, especially those who wrote the New Testament, saw Jesus in these songs. Chances are the original author of these verses, hundreds of years before Jesus, didn’t sit down and say “Hmmm….someday this guy named Jesus will be born, so I had better write something about it to give people hope in the meantime.”  Does this mean it’s “wrong” to see Jesus here? Not at all!

For Christians then and now…Jesus adds another layer of meaning to what is being said here in Isaiah.  Think of it this way: we add different layers of meaning to things all of the time!  Words will take on different meanings as times change: as one of my professors in seminary pointed out, when Saint Paul says that he had been ‘stoned’ for the gospel, that didn’t mean he had used marijuana…it meant he had had rocks hurled at him.  Words and concepts and songs all take on different layers of meanings.  It’s the same way with these words.

Having read the lesson above once, why not take the time to read it again. This time think of Jesus and see how well these verses describe him and his ministry.  Do you see Jesus here? Where else do you see him, active and alive in the world today?