A Wonderful Savior (Isaiah 42)

Isaiah 42:3 — A bruised reed shall he not break, and the smoking flax shall he not quench: he shall bring forth judgment unto truth.

Christ is gentle and compassionate. When we are fragile as a bent reed, burdened by grief, anxiety, sin, and pain, He does not cut us down, but shows mercy through comfort and truth.

Isaiah 42:4 — He shall not fail nor be discouraged, till he have set judgment in the earth: and the isles shall wait for his law.

"judgement" in these verses represents setting things back in their divine order. Restoring justice, mercy, and peace, while healing that which is broken. Christ will make things right and clear out the chaos of mortality.

Isaiah 42:6 — 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;

This is a packed verse. Firstly, it's one of the few instances where Heavenly Father is speaking in scripture instead of Jesus Christ. God the Father called Jesus and upholds Him through His ministry. Christ is the covenant. He is at the crux of the promise to Abraham. He is the core of the relationship we enter through covenants. His hands are marked with the ordinance that ratified the part of the covenant that only He could perform. Everything revolves around our Savior. He is the lynchpin in purpose and happiness. Without Him, it all falls apart. This is why our covenants point us towards Christ and as we keep them, cleave to our covenant relationship, we come to know Him more. Then He will not say to us, as He said to others in Matthew 7, "ye never knew me". Finally, He is the light to the gentiles. His infinite, atoning sacrifice allows all to enter into the lineage of Abraham. Through Him all Israel can be gathered.

Isaiah 42:7 — To open the blind eyes, to bring out the prisoners from the prison, and them that sit in darkness out of the prison house.

While Christ does relieve physical suffering, this verse also refers to helping the spiritually blind see the beauty of the truth of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Think of when someone who has been blind their whole life sees for the first time, or one who has been deaf hears - how touching is their reaction to this new beauty they have never before seen or heard? Even greater is the beauty of truth and love that Christ reveals, especially to us who "once [were] blind but now [do] see". Then we have the break from prison. It doesn't say he frees those who are unjustly imprisoned. No. In this scenario, all are justly incarcerated. We have all sinned, fallen short of God's glory (immortality and eternal life), and lost any chance at living with, and becoming like, our Father in Heaven. We are all imprisoned rightfully. But He still breaks down the walls and sets us free. We have no right to the freedom, but He pays the price and His Grace overcomes the justice that binds us.

Isaiah 42:10 — Sing unto the Lord a new song, and his praise from the end of the earth, ye that go down to the sea, and all that is therein; the isles, and the inhabitants thereof.

Given all that He does, should we not -should not all things created - praise our Redeemer?

Isaiah 42:16 — And I will bring the blind by a way that they knew 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.

He will not forsake us, rather He will guide us and teach us. However, it's important to note that a guide is only valuable to us if we Follow Him. Our agency, another great gift from God, plays a vital role in our safety and joy. Christ will never forsake us, and He will keep trying to lead us to happiness, but He will not force us. We must choose this day, and each day, who to serve. Let us say like Joshua, "as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord".

Isaiah 42:17 — They shall be turned back, they shall be greatly ashamed, that trust in graven images, that say to the molten images, Ye are our gods.

If we prioritize anything over our Savior, we will find shame and regret. Like Hannah, let us remember "there is no Rock like our God".