Chapters 41 and 42

Subject chapter 41: No accidents in history

Isaiah is writing prophetically about the responsibility of Israel and the discipline which will follow their failure. The principle up to this point is that the Jews had failed as far as being a missionary nation. They had failed because they had a maximum number of unbelievers, because the believers had failed in their responsibility for missionary activity, because they did not give heed to the Word of God and obey the simple precepts which had to do with certain types of operation such as the Sabbatical year. And one of the factors in the great discipline which came to Israel — the Babylonian captivity — was the concept of the Sabbatical year.

All of these things are in the mind of Isaiah when he writes this particular chapter — Israel’s apostasy, Israel’s idolatry, Israel’s failure. Already Isaiah’s message has indicated that Israel will go into captivity and now his message is going to deal with the fact that even though they will go into captivity God will raise up a man in history who will bring the Jews back to the land that they might continue their missionary activity. We also have another concept: national disaster in the case of Israel is unique because national disaster is based upon their relationship to the Lord. And their relationship to the Lord is very poor.

Verses 1-7, the indictment of Gentile nations.

Verse 1 — We have a courtroom scene. “Keep silence” — the court is called into session — “before me O islands.” The islands always refer to the Gentile nations, not that the Gentile nations were islands but just beyond the borders of Israel there were certain islands. In one direction we have Cyprus and in another direction we have Crete, etc. Consequently these islands were all associated with the Gentiles so that the word “island” is not a literal island but Gentile nations; “before me” — a reference to God the Father who is the judge; “let the peoples,” plural. When it is the people, singular, it is the Jew; when it is the peoples, plural, it is the Gentiles; “renew their strength.” The renewing of the strength here has to do with the people finding Christ as saviour, it has to do with evangelism. The only way to renew strength is to hear the gospel and to respond to it by believing in Jesus Christ.

Why aren’t the Gentiles renewing their strength? Simply because the Jews who are responsible for missionary activity have not taken the gospel to them.

“let them come near; then let them speak: let us come near together in judgment” — or, in a matter of justice. The principle is: a court is now in session; the Gentiles are going to be judged and the Jews as well.

Verse 2 — the first of two important questions in this passage. “Who raised up the righteous man from the east.” The righteous man refers to Cyrus the Great, the first king of the Persians. When Cyrus found out that the Jews had been in captivity he prepared the way for the Jews to go back to the land. Cyrus became a believer himself. He is the righteous man here; he is the man that God has raised up.

Now if Satan had had his way all the Jews would have been annihilated long before this. And the reason for that is that Satan has been trying to interdict as far as God is concerned. Always watch the Jew because the Jew will give a picture of the whole character of God. If ever there was a race of people who didn’t deserve anything from God it is the Jew; if ever there was a race that was treated in grace it is the Jew. Satan is the father of anti-Semitism and the Jew has become the football in the situation. It became Satan’s objective to destroy the Jew and God’s objective to preserve the Jew.

Cyrus became a born-again individual, apparently through his contact with Daniel, and he became familiar with the scriptures. And he recognised the unconditional covenants and the future of Israel and he sent the Jews back to the land. This is all prophesied in Isaiah’s day and the righteous man here is Cyrus whom God will raise up. In other words, if God has a plan in history all of the activities of Satan cannot destroy that plan.

“whom he calleth in righteousness” — Cyrus is called “righteous” for several reasons: he was a righteous man because he was born-again; he was a righteous man because he governed on the basis of divine revelation — nationalism as over against internationalism, and so on. So God raised him up at just the right time because the discipline of Israel was over and it was time to get the Jews back in the land. And all of this Isaiah is telling prophetically.

“to his foot? he gave the nations before him” — the nations were in danger of losing their national individuality and they are now given their national sovereignty again — “and made him rule over kings; he gave them as the dust to his sword, and as driven stubble to his bow.” By the way, being called “to the foot” is an idiom for being called into service. Cyrus was called into God’s service.

Verse 3 — “He pursued them, and passed safely; even by the way.” When Cyrus was pursuing the Lydians in Asia Minor there was a great Chaldean army on his flank. Because it was winter the Chaldeans went into winter quarters and Cyrus continued his pursuit, he went past the Chaldeans although they were on his flank and could have crushed him with his army strung out and moving toward Lydia. God had His hand in it. Every detail here has a fulfilment in history; “that had not gone with his feet” — the way he had never gone before. He was in great danger and yet protected. Verse three is talking about Cyrus. In verses 4-24 we have a parenthesis and then in verses 25 and following we get back to Cyrus again. So we now have a great parenthesis in the middle of this chapter.

Verse 4 — We have a second question now: “Who has wrought and done it” — emphasising the sovereignty of God with regard to nations — “calling the generations from the beginning?” It was God himself who set up nationalism. Calling the generations from the beginning means the institution of national entities after the flood. Nationalism was ordained by God to protect the human race from destruction. “I the Lord, the first, and with the last, am he.” The word “Lord” here is the tetragrammaton; the word “Jehovah” is the way we translate it. It is a reference to the Lord Jesus Christ who is the first and the last; it is identical to Alpha and Omega in Revelation chapter one. “I am he” is simply “I am” in the Hebrew. “I am he” of course emphasises His essence. Whenever you have the words “I am", the verb to be absolute state of being, it is always a reference to the essence box.

In verses 5-7 the Jews have failed to take cognisance of the doctrine of divine essence and they have gone from the essence of God to idolatry. We have seen that the idol in essence is nothing. The idol has no character, no animation. Therefore at this point we have the folly of idolatry repeated.

Verse 5 — “The isles [Gentiles] saw it [the rise of Cyrus the Great], and feared; the ends of the earth were afraid: they drew near and trembled” .Many times before Cyrus would not even have to fire a shot and they would come and surrender.

Verse 6 — “They helped every one his neighbour;” Some nations decided to resist. They tried to work every one up to have courage in verse 6, and in verse 7 they build idols so that everyone can worship an idol so the god will save them. The word “help” means they encouraged. They worked each other up — “and every one said to his brother, Be of good courage.”

Verse 7 — They manufactured idols. “So the carpenter encouraged the goldsmith, and he that smoothed with the hammer and him that smote the anvil, saying it is ready for the soldering [to pull them up], It is good: and he fastened it with nails, that it should not be moved [fall down].”

Verses 8-16, God’s deliverance of Israel.

Why did God deliver the Jews from the Chaldeans and from the Babylonian captivity? Because many of the Jews in captivity were born-again. And, by the way, it was the born-again Jews who went back to the land.

Verse 8 — “But thou, Israel, my servant” .God had a purpose for Israel and therefore He was going to deliver Israel from the obscurity and the slavery of the Babylonian captivity. The word “Israel” means prince of God and it is the name of Jacob in regeneration. “Jacob whom I have chosen [reference to the moment of salvation. Jacob was chosen, that’s grace], the seed of Abraham my friend” — reference to the Abrahamic covenant.

Verse 9 — “Thou whom I have taken from the ends of the earth [they are scattered], and called thee from chief men thereof, and said unto thee, Thou art my servant, I have chosen thee and not cast thee away.”

Notice: “I have taken thee from the ends of the earth” .Long before the two tribes of the southern kingdom were taken into the Babylonian captivity the Assyrians took the ten northern tribes, minus many thousands of believers in the northern tribes who fled to the south. Remember that the Jews of the southern kingdom had representation from all thirteen tribes, and that the ones in the northern kingdom were primarily apostate from ten of the thirteen tribes. So that the people who were taken into the Assyrian captivity and the people who were taken into the Babylonian captivity afterward are all mentioned here.

“and called thee from chief men” — that is, they were under the control of chief men. But the power of these men could not hold them. Cyrus did a great thing. Wherever he conquered and found Jews he took them away from their servitude and liberated them.

“I have chosen thee and not cast thee away.” Principle: God had a plan for Israel. He was spanking them but He didn’t get rid of them; He didn’t permit Satan to destroy them. Application: As long as you as a believer are alive on this earth God has a plan for your life. If He didn’t have a plan for your life your body would be in the grave and your soul and spirit would be in the presence of the Lord. “I have not cast thee away” — here they are, Jews scattered all over the world and yet they are not cast away. Just because God spanks us it doesn’t mean He is through with us; when He is through with us we die. Therefore …

Verse 10 — “Fear thou not, for I am with thee; be not dismayed [do not look around for help], for I am thy God” — this was said prophetically to Jews who were scattered all over the world, just as they are today. They were not to look around for help because God would provide. God’s provision here was this righteous one, Cyrus the Great. Application to us as believers: Don’t look around for the solution to your problems, cast all your cares on Him for He careth for you. God is much better at solving our problems than we are.

Now, there are three areas in which He will do this: “I will strengthen thee [I will give you power, strength]; yea, I will help thee [provision, I will deliver you in your problems and provide for you]; yea, I will uphold thee [the basis of stability].” There are three things we need to serve the Lord: power, provision and stability; “with the right hand of my righteousness” — right hand is the hand of provision.

In verses 4-24 of this chapter we have a parenthesis which gives reasons for Israel’s failure. One of the primary reasons given in context is the fact that the Jews, instead of disseminating the gospel to other nations, were actually infiltrated by heathenism and they adopted idolatry.

Because Israel is under judgment some nations get the wrong idea and they become guilty of anti-Semitism. In verses 11 and 12 God warns the other nations that He will administer discipline, He does not need any help. The principle was first stated in Genesis 12:3. Any nation which seeks to destroy the Jew will in turn be destroyed and punished. Application to us as believers: Discipline is still in the hands of the Lord. Let’s be sure and leave it there.

Verse 11 — “Behold, all they that are incense against thee shall be shamed and confounded” — in other words, the people who try to destroy the Jews will themselves be destroyed — “they that strive with thee shall be as nothing, and shall perish.” Cf Genesis 12:3.

Verse 12 — “Thou shalt seek them, and shall not find them” — that is, these great empires of the past who have turned against the Jews, one day you see them, the next day they are gone. “even them that contend with thee [or fight against thee]: they that war against thee shall be as nothing, and as a thing of nothing.” So the principle is: anti-Semitism will be judged.

Verses 13 and 14 — the principle of grace and the divine protection of the Jew. Why is it that the Jew will never be destroyed in spite of all Satanic efforts?

Verse 13 — “For I the Lord thy God will hold they right hand, saying unto thee, Fear not; I will help thee.”

Verse 14 — “Fear not, thou worm Jacob” — Jacob is a worm, he deserves nothing but God still takes care of him. The principle is the doctrine of eternal security — “and ye men of Israel; I will help thee, saith the Lord, and thy redeemer is the Holy One of Israel” .Jesus Christ is the only redeemer of the human race. He is called the Holy One of Israel because Jesus Christ is the founder of the Jewish race.

Verses 15 and 16 — the power of Israel after the second advent. Israel has a future. “Behold, I will make thee a new sharp threshing instrument having teeth: thou shalt thresh the mountains, and beat them small, and shalt make the hills as chaff.”

Verse 16 — “Thou shalt fan them” — this doesn’t mean to wave a fan like some fainting woman in a congregation where the temperature has gone too high! This word for “fan” is a shovel and it refers to, “You will shovel them out” .It is a term for judgment. The fan is a grain shovel used to separate the wheat from the chaff. “and the wind shall carry them away [they are like chaff], and the whirlwind shall scatter them: and thou shalt rejoice in the Lord [2nd advent of Christ], thou shalt glory in the Holy One of Israel [Jesus Christ].”

Verses 17-20, a description of Millennial blessing.

Verse 17 — “The poor and the needy seek water and there is none, and their tongue faileth for thirst; I the Lord will hear them, I the God of Israel will not forsake them.”

Verse 18 — “I will open rivers on high places, and fountains in the midst of the valleys: I will make the wilderness [desert] a pool of water, and the dry land springs of water.”

Verse 19 — “I will plant in the desert the cedar, the acacia tree, and the myrtle [an evergreen shrub, literally] , and the oil tree [olive tree]; I will set in the desert the fir tree, the pine, and the box tree together.”

Verse 20 — “That they may see, and know, and consider, and understand together.” Note: The purpose of blessing Israel in the Millennium is not because Israel is any better than anyone else, but is that the human race may see and know and think about and understand together. There will be great evangelism during the Millennium and the chief means of evangelising unbelievers will be to look at Israel. God has faithfully taken the regenerate of Israel and fulfilled the covenants to them.

“that the hand of the Lord hath done this, and the Holy One of Israel hath created it.” In other words, they will glorify God. Israel is blessed because of the grace of God.

Verses 21-24 — idolatry is judged. Idolatry was the basis for much of this discipline.

Verse 21 — “Produce your cause, saith the Lord’ — come and make a defence — “bring forth your strong reasons, saith the King of Jacob [Jesus Christ].”

Verse 22 — “Let them bring forth 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.” In other words, if Israel has a complaint about this come and make your defence on the basis of my faithfulness in the past. Or make a defence on the basis of what I have planned for Israel in the future.

Verse 23 — “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 astounded, and behold it together.” This is sarcasm. In other words, you come and show me what idols have done in the past. Did idols deliver Israel at any time? Did idols provide any blessings? The answer is, No. Only the Lord Jesus Christ who is the Holy One of Israel.

Verse 24 — “Behold, ye are nothing [reference to the idols], and your work is nothing: an abomination is he that chooseth you.” The person who chooses and depends upon an idol falls in to the category of an abomination.

Verses 25 — 29, we go back to the rise of Cyrus the Great. The purpose of Cyrus moving into the picture was to make it possible for the Jews to go back into the land.

Verse 25 — “I have raised up one from the north [Cyrus], and he shall come; from the rising of the sun [the east] shall he call upon my name:” Cyrus found Christ as saviour in the east, in Babylonia. Apparently it was Daniel who led Cyrus to the Lord. “he shall come upon princes as upon mortar” — the conquest of Cyrus — “and as a potter treadeth the clay.” Cyrus will conquer wherever he goes.

Verse 26 — “Who hath declared it from the beginning, that we may know? and before time, that we may say, He is righteous? yea, there is none that showeth, yea, there is none that heareth your words.” This has been the cry of Israel. Here are all of these wonderful promises from God. None of these kings have heard these promises. And they have ignored the Word of God and therefore they have put great trials and testings upon us. They have made us servants and slaves.

Verse 27 — “The first shall say to Zion, Behold, behold them; and I will give to Jerusalem one that bringeth good tidings [the Lord Jesus Christ at the second advent].” In other words, we have a future deliverance of Israel.

Verse 28 — “For I beheld, there is no man; even among them there is no counsellor, that, when I ask of them, can answer a word.”

Verse 29 — “Behold, they [the idols] are all emptiness, they are vanity: their molten images as wind and confusion.” This was a warning Isaiah gave before the Babylonian captivity: Stay away from idols, they can do nothing for you.

Chapter 42, the story of the two servants

Isaiah has been talking about the rise of Cyrus the Great, and it leads to the discussion of a greater Deliverer, the Lord Jesus Christ. Just as the conquest of Cyrus prepares for the deliverance of Israel from the Babylonian captivity so the second advent of Jesus Christ will deliver Israel from their present dispersion.

A second principle here is the concept of the Father’s plan. In essence God the Father is perfect, therefore His plan is perfect. In the doctrine of divine decrees He decreed that God the Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, the Holy One of Israel, would come into the world and die for the sins of the world. Now phase one of the plan of God called for the Servant. Just as Israel in the Old Testament is the servant of God in the sense of disseminating the Word and having custodianship of the Word, so Jesus Christ is pictured here as the Servant of God the Father. He came the first time to provide salvation to all members of the human race; He will come the second time to deliver Israel and restore Israel to her proper place.

So in verses 1-17 we have the first of two servants. This is the successful servant, the Lord Jesus Christ. Then starting in verse 18 we are going to have the unsuccessful or the failing servant, which is Israel.

Verse 1 — Introducing the Servant of Jehovah, the Lord Jesus Christ. “Behold [God the Father is speaking — still in the courtroom] — “my servant” — a reference to the Lord Jesus Christ who comes to the world twice, once historical the other prophetic, the first time to provide salvation, the second time to deliver Israel — “Whom I uphold [sustain]; mine elect” — God the Son is the only person elected by God the Father. We are said to be elected because we are in union with Christ; we share His election. Therefore, the Church is said to be elect in that sense. Israel is also called elect, that is, the born again of Israel in the old Testament. They were called the elect of God because God had a purpose for their life and because they, too, share the election of Christ.

“in whom my soul delighteth [a reference to the Lord Jesus Christ]: I have put my Spirit upon him” — the first advent, a reference as to how God the Father sustained the humanity of God the Son during the first advent. This means that God the Father sent God the Holy Spirit to indwell the humanity of Christ during the period of His incarnation. In other words, Jesus Christ did not depend upon His divine attributes during His first advent, he depended upon the ministry of the Holy Spirit and therefore set the pattern for our upon the Holy Spirit in the Church Age.

Principles

1. The Holy Spirit was the agent of conception in the virgin birth — Matthew 1:18 cf Matthew 1:20 & 21; Luke 1:35.

2. The Holy Spirit was given to Jesus Christ without measure — John 3:34 — which means that during the entire earthly ministry of our Lord and saviour, from the time that He came into the world at the virgin birth to the time that He departed through resurrection and ascension, not only did the Holy Spirit indwell the person of Christ but Christ was filled with the Spirit during that entire period.

3. Jesus was led and guided by the Holy Spirit, as illustrated by Matthew 4:1.

4. Christ performed His miracles in the power of the Spirit. He did not perform miracles in the power of His own deity, which He could have done — Matthew 12:28; Acts 10:38.

5. The Holy Spirit raised the humanity of Christ from the dead — Romans 8:11; 1 Peter 3:18.

“he shall bring forth judgment to the Gentiles.” This phrase is a reference to the second advent, the baptism of fire. In verse 1 we have the summary of the Servant [Jesus Christ]. This is the Jewish style. The two things that are going to be covered are the first advent and His second advent.

Summary of verse 1: reference to Christ, a part of the Father’s plan. Without the ministry of Jesus Christ there can be no operation grace. Jesus Christ in the first advent fulfils the Father’s plan; Jesus Christ in second advent fulfils the Father’s plan.

Verses 2 and 3 — the first advent of Christ; verses 4ff, the second advent.

Verse 2 — Amplification of the first advent where Christ was the successful Servant. “He shall not cry, nor lift up, nor cause his voice to be heard in the street.” This has to do with the trials of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Verse 3 — We see the tremendous pressure that was put on Him and yet He stood up under the pressure, indicating that He was the good Servant of God the Father. “A bruised reed [Literally, a reed being crushed] he shall not break, and as a smoking flax [Literally, “a faintly burning wick” — they all but killed Him] shall he not quench: he shall bring forth justice unto truth” — He is the truth and He provides for the human race to get away from the judgment or justice of God. The cross in the basis for administering judgment against the unbelieving segment of the human race. The rejection of Christ as the truth results in eternal judgment.

Verse 4 — The second advent is mentioned. “He shall not fail” — to come to deliver Israel. In the time of Israel’s great trial the Lord Jesus Christ will not fail to deliver them.

“nor be discouraged [because He is rejected by so many of Israel], till he have set [established] justice in the earth” — Jesus Christ will establish justice in the earth at the second advent; “and the isles [Gentiles] shall wait for his law.” “Shall wait” means to trust. The Gentiles shall believe His law. While many of the Jews reject the Word of God and will have nothing to do with Christ just before His second advent many Gentiles will trust the Word of God and will believe in Jesus Christ and be saved.

Verse 5 — This Servant is the creator of the human race and the saviour of the human race. “Thus saith the God the Lord, that hath created the heavens, and stretched them out; he that spread forth the earth” — reference to Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ is the creator of the universe. Notice: He is called “the Elohim the Jehovah.” Jesus Christ is Elohim. Why? Because He is in person, God. He is called Jehovah. Why? Because He is in essence God.

“he that giveth breath unto the people [He created man] upon it, and spirit to them that walk therein.” “Spirit” refers to regeneration. Man lost his human spirit by sin, spiritual death, and now when a person receives Jesus Christ as saviour the human spirit is activated and regenerated.

Verse 6-7, the ministry of the Lord Jesus Christ as the Servant

Verse 6 — “I the Lord [God the Father] have called thee [God the Son] in righteousness [reference to the perfection of the Father’s plan].”

So God the Father made a perfect plan because He called Christ in perfect righteousness. A perfect righteous person is the only one who could come up with a perfect plan. The operation of that plan is the ministry of Jesus Christ — phase 1, salvation. It is a perfect plan and, therefore, it is impossible for man to have anything to do with the plan by way of human works, energy of the flesh, or human merit. That is why salvation is by grace through faith; that is why spirituality is by grace through faith; that is why phase three is by grace through hope.

“and will hold thine hand, and keep thee, and give thee for a covenant [Christ fulfils the four unconditional covenants to Israel] of the people, for a light for the Gentiles” — many Gentiles will be saved during the Church Age and in the Tribulation just before Christ returns to the earth. He is the light to the Gentiles — amplified by Luke 1:78,79, “they that sit in darkness shall see a great light” — a reference to Christ coming to save.

Verse 7 — To open the blind eyes, to bring out the prisoners from the prisons, and them that sit in darkness out of the prison house” .These three phrases describe deliverance from a hopeless situation. Only Jesus Christ can deliver homo sapien from the hopeless situation.

Verse 8 — The divine plan never includes idols or idolatry. “I am the Lord [Jehovah]; that is my name: and my glory [reference to the essence box] will I not give to another, neither my praise to graven [manufactured] images.”

Verse 9 — The divine plan is certain. “Behold, the former things [things told in advance] are come to pass” — God reveals His plan through prophecy — “and new things do I declare: [There are certain things which have not been fulfilled in the time of Isaiah but will be fulfilled in the future] Before they spring forth I tell you of them.” God keeps His word; God declares His plan to man ahead of time and the Jews, of course can be sure of the fact that beyond the Babylonian captivity they have a future, and beyond the present dispersion they have a future. But this future is connected with regeneration; they must be born again.

Verse 10 — A response of praise. “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.” A new song is legitimate worship as long as it is compatible with doctrine. The Jews had established areas of worship but this did not mean that these were the only places you could worship. They had the temple, etc. But what about the people who go down to the sea, get on ships and sail away? You can worship wherever you are provided you know the doctrine involved. The principle is that you do not have to be in an established place of worship to worship.

Verse 11 — Let the desert and the cities thereof lift up their voices, the villages that Kedar [a great Arabian desert, distant lands] doth inhabit; let the inhabitants of the rock [Petra] sing,” — let the inhabitants of the rock sing is a reference to Tribulational Jewish believers who are hiding out in the caves — “let them shout from the tops of the mountains [when Christ returns].”

Verse 12 — “Let them give glory unto the Lord, and declare his praise to the islands [Gentiles on the periphery].”

Verses 13-17, the second advent. “The Lord shall go forth as a mighty warrior; he shall stir up fury like a man of war: he shall cry, yea, roar; he shall prevail against his enemies” — the operation of Jesus Christ at the Armageddon campaign.

Verse 14 — The long-suffering of Christ explodes in judgment at the second advent. Christ is holding back today. “I have long time holden my peace; I have been still, and refrained myself: now I will cry out like a travailing woman; I will breath and gasp at the same time.” Breath and gasp really means breath and hold my breath at the same time. The principle is that when a warrior is fighting he shouts one minute and then when he swings the sword or makes some hostile movement he holds his breath.

Verse 15 — The nature judgments of the Tribulation. “I will make waste mountains and hills, and dry up their herbs; and I will make rivers islands, and dry up the pools.”

Verse 16 — Israel’s deliverance at the second advent. “And I will bring the blind [the scattered] by a way that they knew not” — Christ is now going to bring the Jews back to the land — “in paths that they have not known: I will make darkness light before them, and crooked ways straight. These things will I do, and I will not forsake them.” This is a reference to the Jews in the future, they will not be forsaken. Application: Neither will He forsake us, regardless of what we are like.

Verse 17 — Israel’s future repentance with regard to idolatry. The idols will not bring Israel back, Christ will. “They shall be turned back, and they shall be greatly ashamed, who have put their trust in graven images, that have said to molten images, Ye are our gods.”

Verse 18ff — Now by way of contrast, a failing servant Israel, the blind and deaf servant of the Lord. “Hear, ye deaf; and look, ye blind, that ye may see.” Israel is described as blind and deaf. But they could if they wanted to see and they could if they wanted to hear. This means they are not very good servants.

Verse 19 — “Who is blind, but my servant [Israel]? or deaf, as my messenger that I sent? who is as blind as the one I trusted, and blind as the Lord’s servant?” Israel failed to heed the Word; this is why they are deaf and blind.

Verse 20 — “Thou seest many things but thou observest not; his ears are open, but they hear not.” You cannot serve the Lord apart from knowing the Word of God. God honours His Word.

Verse 21 — “The Lord is well pleased, for his righteousness’ [Jesus Christ] sake, and because of this he will magnify the law [the Word of God], and make it honourable” — Psalm 138:2. “Make it honourable” — because Jesus Christ fulfilled the Word in phase one.

But he is not pleased, of course, with Israel and they, as servants, are under discipline — Verses 22-25. Verse 22 — “But [conjunction of contrast] this is a people robbed and spoiled;” In Isaiah’s day he was preaching the Word to people who wouldn’t listen and as a result they went into captivity. Principle: When we do not get the Word of God into our frontal lobes we are not only disqualified from service but we are qualified for discipline only. So, if we do not take in the Word we will be disciplined. “they are all of them snared in holes” — they are hiding out in holes — “and they are hid in prison houses” — they are taken prisoner — “they are for a prey” — they have no weapons to defend themselves and anyone can come along and rob them and destroy them — “none delivereth; for a spoil, and none saith, Restore.”

Verse 23 — “Who among you will give ear to this? who will hearken and hear for the time to come?” This is Isaiah speaking to his generation.

Verse 24 — “Who gave Jacob for a spoil [who turned Jacob over to the Chaldeans], and Israel to the robbers? did not the Lord? he against whom we have sinned,” What is the sin in context? Ignoring the Word of God and idolatry; “for they would not walk in his ways, neither were they obedient to his law [the Word of God].”

Verse 25 — “Therefore he poured upon him the fury of his anger, and the strength of battle; and it hath set him on fire round about, yet he knew not; and it burned him, yet he laid it not to heart [didn’t learn the lesson].” In other words, even when the Jews were going down in the dust of defeat, and when Nebuchadnezzar was coming to take them away, they didn’t learn the lesson, they didn’t take it to heart.