Reading: Isaiah 42-44, Psalm 119:1-32

Let’s step back to the promises that Isaiah is hoping for and writing about. This won’t be exhaustive, but we’ll hit some high points. A descendant of Eve will crush the head of the serpent, who tempts humans to sin. A descendant of Abraham will bring God’s blessing to all the families of the earth. A descendant of Judah will rule the nations of the earth as king. A descendant of David will reign forever in righteousness. Isaiah, back in chapters 9-11 puts two and two together and realizes these are all the same person. He also sees that the coming of this person will bring about the restoration promises of Deuteronomy 28-30. Isaiah is very interested in identifying that guy.

David wasn’t the guy. Solomon wasn’t the guy. None of the kings were the guy. Isaiah just told us a story about how Hezekiah seemed like he might be the guy, but that he was not. The people of Israel, impatient like they were at Mount Sinai when Moses stayed there for 40 days, have turned to idolatry. Isaiah lambastes the people for their trust in idols rather than the God who brought them out of Egypt and gave them an identity. Then we get a big reveal from God that stands in contrast to the idols made by the people: God’s servant will appear, and he actually will do what the people have asked their idols to do.

He will save them from their enemies. He will restore even the bruised reed that the people of Israel have become. He will rule forever, without growing old or weary. So far this is all what the people expect from their coming Anointed One. But then something unexpected happens. God says he will give “you” as a covenant for the nations. There is much discussion over whether this “you” is directed at Israel as a nation or the servant. My opinion is that it is both. When we get to the Gospel of Matthew, we will see that Jesus acts as both the servant and in proxy for all of Israel. But that’s later. At this time Isaiah is speaking to a people facing exile, in exile, or returned from exile but without much hope. He declares that God is doing something new and unexpected, giving a new covenant to the nations of the earth. The new song he says to sing includes cities of Edom (Sela) and descendants of Ishmael (Kedar). The cut off descendants of Abraham will be restored to the family.

Isaiah next tells the people that when the Servant appears, it is a sign not that their time is over, but that it is beginning. God has been patient and held his peace, but the coming of the servant is the sign that he is done waiting and judgment is coming next. The inclusion of the other nations does not reduce the responsibilities or importance of Israel. God calls them specifically to be his witnesses to all the world of what has happened when the Servant comes. They are to bear witness to their own history, to tell the story. Again, when we get to the gospels we will get a much clearer picture of how this is to play out. Here God is telling Isaiah to reassure Israel that he is not done with them. Right at the end of the reading God makes an odd promise through Isaiah, which we will look at more tomorrow. He says he will bring a foreign shepherd, a foreign anointed one named Cyrus to rescue his people from exile. The family of David is no longer on the throne, but God is telling his people he is still in charge of the person who is.

At the same time, there are still warnings against the idolatry that got Israel into hot water in the first place. God makes it clear: he is the only savior of his people. He is their only hope. Isaiah tells a mocking story about the creation of an idol from the same wood that a man uses to cook his food. God challenges his people to hold him accountable to his word, to be obedient to him as they are to their own idols and see what happens.

Woven into this declaration of Israel’s identity as God’s witnesses and the challenge for them to be obedient to him is another theme of identity. As the book of Isaiah progresses, the actions of the Servant and the nature of God begin to be almost interchangeable. God is the righteous, holy redeemer of Israel. So is the Servant. God is the just, eternal king. So is the Servant. God heals the blind, deaf, and lame, and brings justice to the poor. So does the Servant. Isaiah will continue to parallel the nature of the God of Israel will the actions of the Servant right up to a shocking culmination in Isaiah 53 that ties Israel’s rescuer and the fulfillment of God’s promises to Eve, Abraham, Judah, and David to the other missing item from the book of Isaiah- what was on the altar in Isaiah 6 which let him see the throne of God and live?