(Isaiah 41:21-24) “Present your case,” the Lord says. “Bring forward your strong arguments,” the King of Jacob says.
22 Let them bring forth and declare to us what is going to take place; as for the former events, declare what they were, that we may consider them and know their outcome. Or announce to us what is coming;
23 Declare the things that are going to come afterward, that we may know that you are gods; indeed, do good or evil, that we may anxiously look about us and fear together.
24 Behold, you are of no account, and your work amounts to nothing; he who chooses you is an abomination.
22 Let them bring forth and declare to us what is going to take place; as for the former events, declare what they were, that we may consider them and know their outcome. Or announce to us what is coming;
23 Declare the things that are going to come afterward, that we may know that you are gods; indeed, do good or evil, that we may anxiously look about us and fear together.
24 Behold, you are of no account, and your work amounts to nothing; he who chooses you is an abomination.
God then predicts the attack from the north - which does happen - 150 years later. The one from the north is Cyrus of Persia...
(Isaiah 42:25-26) “I have aroused one from the north, and he has come; from the rising of the sun he will call on My name; and he will come upon rulers as upon mortar, even as the potter treads clay.”
26 Who has declared this from the beginning, that we might know? Or from former times, that we may say, “He is right!”? Surely there was no one who declared, surely there was no one who proclaimed, surely there was no one who heard your words.
26 Who has declared this from the beginning, that we might know? Or from former times, that we may say, “He is right!”? Surely there was no one who declared, surely there was no one who proclaimed, surely there was no one who heard your words.
(Isaiah 42:27-29) “Formerly I said to Zion, ‘Behold, here they are.’ And to Jerusalem, ‘I will give a messenger of good news.’
28 “But when I look, there is no one, and there is no counselor among them
Who, if I ask, can give an answer.
29 “Behold, all of them are false; their works are worthless, their molten images are wind and emptiness.
28 “But when I look, there is no one, and there is no counselor among them
Who, if I ask, can give an answer.
29 “Behold, all of them are false; their works are worthless, their molten images are wind and emptiness.
(Isaiah 42:1-4) “Behold, My Servant, whom I uphold; My chosen one in whom My soul delights. I have put My Spirit upon Him; He will bring forth justice to the nations.
2 “He will not cry out or raise His voice, nor make His voice heard in the street.
3 “A bruised reed He will not break and a dimly burning wick He will not extinguish; He will faithfully bring forth justice.
4 “He will not be disheartened or crushed until He has established justice in the earth; and the coastlands will wait expectantly for His law.”
2 “He will not cry out or raise His voice, nor make His voice heard in the street.
3 “A bruised reed He will not break and a dimly burning wick He will not extinguish; He will faithfully bring forth justice.
4 “He will not be disheartened or crushed until He has established justice in the earth; and the coastlands will wait expectantly for His law.”
Jesus is God's Servant! We see this prophecy fulfilled - after Jesus heals a man on the Sabbath, the Pharisees secretly plot to destroy Jesus...
(Matthew 12:15-18...) But Jesus, aware of this, withdrew from there. Many followed Him, and He healed them all, 16 and warned them not to tell who He was. 17 This was to fulfill what was spoken through Isaiah the prophet:
18 “Behold, My Servant whom I have chosen; My Beloved in whom My soul is well-pleased; I will put My Spirit upon Him, and He shall proclaim justice to the Gentiles.
19 “He will not quarrel, nor cry out; nor will anyone hear His voice in the streets.
20 “A battered reed He will not break off, and a smoldering wick He will not put out, until He leads justice to victory.
21 “And in His name the Gentiles will hope.”
20 “A battered reed He will not break off, and a smoldering wick He will not put out, until He leads justice to victory.
21 “And in His name the Gentiles will hope.”
(Isaiah 42:7-9) To open blind eyes, to bring out prisoners from the dungeon and those who dwell in darkness from the prison.
8 “I am the Lord, that is My name; I will not give My glory to another, nor My praise to [e]graven images.
9 “Behold, the former things have come to pass, now I declare new things; before they spring forth I proclaim them to you.”
8 “I am the Lord, that is My name; I will not give My glory to another, nor My praise to [e]graven images.
9 “Behold, the former things have come to pass, now I declare new things; before they spring forth I proclaim them to you.”
Then - at some point in the future - Jesus will come again to fulfill the (Abrahamic) covenant - the promise that God made to the Israelites...
(Isaiah 42:5-6) Thus says God the Lord,
Who created the heavens and stretched them out, who spread out the earth and its offspring, who gives breath to the people on it and spirit to those who walk in it,
6 “I am the Lord, I have called You in righteousness, I will also hold You by the hand and watch over You, and I will appoint You as a covenant to the people, as a light to the nations..."
6 “I am the Lord, I have called You in righteousness, I will also hold You by the hand and watch over You, and I will appoint You as a covenant to the people, as a light to the nations..."
Jesus is the light to the nations, But for those who do not see the Light and follow the Light, at the end of the Tribulation...
(Isaiah 42:13) The Lord will go forth like a warrior, He will arouse His zeal like a man of war. He will utter a shout, yes, He will raise a war cry. He will prevail against His enemies.
Until then - this verse is still applicable...
(Isaiah 42:18) Hear, you deaf! And look, you blind, that you may see.
Apostle Paul sums this all up very well...
(Romans 11:1-36) I say then, God has not rejected His people, has He? May it never be! For I too am an Israelite, a descendant of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin. 2 God has not rejected His people whom He foreknew. Or do you not know what the Scripture says in the passage about Elijah, how he pleads with God against Israel? 3 “Lord, they have killed Your prophets, they have torn down Your altars, and I alone am left, and they are seeking my life.” 4 But what is the divine response to him? “I have kept for Myself seven thousand men who have not bowed the knee to Baal.” 5 In the same way then, there has also come to be at the present time a remnant according to God’s gracious choice. 6 But if it is by grace, it is no longer on the basis of works, otherwise grace is no longer grace.
7 What then? What Israel is seeking, it has not obtained, but those who were chosen obtained it, and the rest were hardened; 8 just as it is written,
“God gave them a spirit of stupor, eyes to see not and ears to hear not, down to this very day.”
9 And David says,
“Let their table become a snare and a trap, and a stumbling block and a retribution to them.
10 “Let their eyes be darkened to see not, and bend their backs forever.”
10 “Let their eyes be darkened to see not, and bend their backs forever.”
11 I say then, they did not stumble so as to fall, did they? May it never be! But by their transgression salvation has come to the Gentiles, to make them jealous. 12 Now if their transgression is riches for the world and their failure is riches for the Gentiles, how much more will their fulfillment be! 13 But I am speaking to you who are Gentiles. Inasmuch then as I am an apostle of Gentiles, I magnify my ministry, 14 if somehow I might move to jealousy my fellow countrymen and save some of them. 15 For if their rejection is the reconciliation of the world, what will their acceptance be but life from the dead? 16 If the first piece of dough is holy, the lump is also; and if the root is holy, the branches are too.
17 But if some of the branches were broken off, and you, being a wild olive, were grafted in among them and became partaker with them of the rich root of the olive tree, 18 do not be arrogant toward the branches; but if you are arrogant, remember that it is not you who supports the root, but the root supports you. 19 You will say then, “Branches were broken off so that I might be grafted in.” 20 Quite right, they were broken off for their unbelief, but you stand by your faith. Do not be conceited, but fear; 21 for if God did not spare the natural branches, He will not spare you, either. 22 Behold then the kindness and severity of God; to those who fell, severity, but to you, God’s kindness, if you continue in His kindness; otherwise you also will be cut off. 23 And they also, if they do not continue in their unbelief, will be grafted in, for God is able to graft them in again. 24 For if you were cut off from what is by nature a wild olive tree, and were grafted contrary to nature into a cultivated olive tree, how much more will these who are the natural branches be grafted into their own olive tree?
25 For I do not want you, brethren, to be uninformed of this mystery—so that you will not be wise in your own estimation—that a partial hardening has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in; 26 and so all Israel will be saved; just as it is written,
“The Deliverer will come from Zion, He will remove ungodliness from Jacob.”
27 “This is My covenant with them, when I take away their sins.”
27 “This is My covenant with them, when I take away their sins.”
28 From the standpoint of the gospel they are enemies for your sake, but from the standpoint of God’s choice they are beloved for the sake of the fathers; 29 for the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable.30 For just as you once were disobedient to God, but now have been shown mercy because of their disobedience, 31 so these also now have been disobedient, that because of the mercy shown to you they also may now be shown mercy. 32 For God has shut up all in disobedience so that He may show mercy to all.
33 Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and unfathomable His ways!34 For who has known the mind of the Lord, or who became His counselor? 35 Or who has first given to Him that it might be paid back to him again? 36 For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. To Him be the glory forever. Amen.
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