ISAIAH 42;1-9;16
1 “Here is My Servant, whom I uphold,
My chosen One in whom I delight;
I will put my Spirit on Him,
and He will bring justice to the nations.
2 He will not shout or cry out,
or raise His voice in the streets.
3 A bruised reed He will not break,
and a smoldering wick He will not snuff out.
In faithfulness He will bring forth justice;
4 He will not falter or be discouraged
till He establishes justice on earth.
In His teaching the islands will put their hope.”
5 This is what God the Lord says—
the Creator of the heavens, who stretches them out,
who spreads out the earth with all that springs from it,
who gives breath to its people,
and life to those who walk on it:
6 “I, the Lord, have called You in righteousness;
I will take hold of Your hand.
I will keep you and will make You
to be a covenant for the people
and a light for the Gentiles,
7 to open eyes that are blind,
to free captives from prison
and to release from the dungeon those who sit in darkness.
8 “I am the Lord; that is My Name!
I will not yield my glory to another
or my praise to idols.
9 See, the former things have taken place,
and new things I declare;
before they spring into being
I announce them to you.”
16 I will lead the blind by ways they have not known,
along unfamiliar paths I will guide them;
I will turn the darkness into light before them
and make the rough places smooth.
These are the things I will do;
I will not forsake them.
Isaiah 42:1-9;16 TURNING DARKNESS INTO LIGHT
Springford Baptist Church: November 19, 2023.
I remember to this day how dark it is in the depths of a coal mine. The year I turned 9, we had gone on a family vacation to Nova Scotia and we were in Springhill. Tourists were able to go down into the mine shaft where the explosion of 1958 killed 75 miners. Subsequently, 19 miners were rescued. When we were down in the mine, the tour guide turned out the lights and of course it was absolutely pitch black. That was total darkness, not even a glimmer of light.
Can you imagine how it would have been for those who were rescued from that mining disaster to step back into the light at the surface of the mine? When they were reunited with family and friends, their darkness was literally turned into light.
The contrast between darkness and light is extreme. When we find ourselves in the darkest times of our lives, we long for the light. We long for God to bring the light of His Presence to give us hope.
This prophecy from Isaiah anticipates that Jesus will be the One to turn the darkness into light. In this darkest season of the year with the shortest days, we prepare to celebrate the birth of Jesus who came to be God’s Servant and to turn the darkness into light.
People in our neighbourhood have been putting up Christmas lights. When I walk in the early morning while it is still dark, the lights are a welcome reminder that Jesus, God’s Son has come to turn the darkness into light.
In the New Testament in Matthew 12:18-2, these verses from Isaiah 42 are quoted in reference to Jesus.
In light of the darkness in our world, certainly with what is currently happening in the Middle East, we turn to this Scripture this morning to wonder how Jesus will bring justice to the nations. How will God shine His light in the Middle East and in all the dark places of our world?
Israel, as God’s servant, as God’s chosen people, was supposed to bring the world to a knowledge of God, but she did not. Now as Isaiah 42 expresses, the hope lies in God’s Servant Jesus to carry out God’s will.
1 “Here is My Servant, whom I uphold,
My chosen One in whom I delight;
I will put my Spirit on Him,
and He will bring justice to the nations.
2 He will not shout or cry out,
or raise His voice in the streets.
3 A bruised reed He will not break,
and a smoldering wick He will not snuff out.
In faithfulness He will bring forth justice;
4 He will not falter or be discouraged
till He establishes justice on earth.
In His teaching the islands will put their hope.”
We have been thinking here at Springford Baptist throughout this year about BECOMING. Our ongoing longing is to become more like Jesus. Then we too will be bearers of light in our world of darkness.
Looking more closely at Isaiah 42:1-4
It is key here that God upholds His Servant Jesus. God sent Jesus to turn the darkness into light. God chose Jesus for this mission and delights in Him. (vs. 1a) This is a beautiful picture of the Father delighting in the Son, so pleased with Jesus and how He is in this world. We too are intended to be those in whom God delights because we reflect His light.
God equips Jesus for His mission in the world by putting His Spirit on Him. The only hope for justice for the nations is for Jesus to take charge and for God’s Spirit to be on us and those who are making decisions.
We know that Jesus came as someone who was gentle. (vs. 2) His means of bringing justice is not by force.
Verse 3 indicates that a bruised reed, someone who is weak, will not be broken. In fact, Jesus came to mend broken lives. A similar image of not snuffing out a smoldering candle gives the hope that where there is just a tiny spark of light Jesus can fan faith and restore light. Jesus is not about snuffing out but rather about bringing light. Are we also wanting to bring light where there is despair?
Jesus will not falter or be discouraged. (vs. 4) It is easy for us to grow discouraged by the darkness. As God’s Servant Jesus did what Israel could never do. He perfectly carried out the will of God the Father so that people everywhere could believe in the Holy One of Israel.
5 This is what God the Lord says—
the Creator of the heavens, who stretches them out,
who spreads out the earth with all that springs from it,
who gives breath to its people,
and life to those who walk on it:
6 “I, the Lord, have called You in righteousness;
I will take hold of Your hand.
I will keep You and will make You
to be a covenant for the people
and a light for the Gentiles,
7 to open eyes that are blind,
to free captives from prison
and to release from the dungeon those who sit in darkness.
The LORD promised to assist Jesus in His mission to the world and He can because He is the Creator. He created the heavens and the earth and He gave the breath of life to human beings. Nothing is too difficult for God!
Notice Verse 7, that Jesus came to open eyes that are blind. Then they can see the light. He came to free people from the darkness that imprisons them. Again, enabling darkness to be turned into light. Those who sit in the darkness of a dungeon will have been near to losing hope, but there is rescue possible.
8 “I am the Lord; that is My Name!
I will not yield my glory to another
or my praise to idols.
9 See, the former things have taken place,
and new things I declare;
before they spring into being
I announce them to you.”
We can take hope along with those who first heard this prophecy. The LORD is in charge. He will not yield the light of His glory to any other. God is still in the business of doing new things. When the darkness of our world seems unable to be dispelled, still there is God. We await the new things he declares and is yet to do.
We conclude with verse 16:
16 I will lead the blind by ways they have not known,
along unfamiliar paths I will guide them;
I will turn the darkness into light before them
and make the rough places smooth.
These are the things I will do;
I will not forsake them.
God has unfamiliar paths for all of us to travel. Our hope is in knowing that He promises to guide us. When the darkness makes it impossible to find our way, God turns the darkness into light before us. He smooths the rough path so that we can find our way. God did not forsake His people and God will not forsake us.
When God sent Jesus into this world of darkness, it was His revelation that only His Light can dispel the darkness. Whatever darkness we are facing or will face, God will be with us and can turn the darkness into light!