If I was to alert you that a certain person would be coming to your village, or perhaps to your church or place of employment, and that I wanted you to keep a lookout for them, you might ask for a description. Typically you would expect a physical description of the person - how tall, slender or stocky, hair and eye color, etc. In our Scripture passage today, the prophet Isaiah gives us a description of the coming Messiah. However his description doesn’t give any physical characteristics to look for. He gives, instead, several characteristics that the people of Israel were to look for in the coming Savior. Let’s look at this Scripture, and see how Jesus fulfills these characteristics of the Messiah.
In the opening verse, Isaiah identifies the Messiah as a Servant (vs. 1). He does not describe Him as a mighty warrior or king, but calls Him a servant. When Jesus came the first time to earth, He came as a humble man from a working-class family. Though Jesus is God, and Creator of the Universe, He did not come to earth projecting that image. When some people, following the multiplying of the loaves and fish, wanted to make Him a king, He left the area to prevent that (John 6:15). At the Last Supper, Jesus took the role of servant and washed the disciples feet, a very humble task (John 13:3-5).
Isaiah said that the one to look for would not be someone who wanted the spotlight focused on themselves, not someone loud and proud (vs 2). All through His ministry, Jesus kept a humble, servant attitude, with a quiet and submissive demeanor (vs. 2). He did not go through the country demanding or claiming His rights as God, the second Person of the Trinity.
The promised Messiah would be Someone who deals gently with the weak, the depressed in spirit, the lowly, and dejected (vs. 3). The Servant will bring comfort and encouragement to the weak and oppressed. The character of God’s chosen servant would be gentleness, encouragement, justice and truth, all of which Jesus completely showed. When we are broken and bruised, God won’t step on us, or toss us aside as useless. God’s Servant, Jesus, will gently lift us up. Where the flame of devotion and faith burns at all, no matter how feebly and dimly, Jesus will take care not to quench it. He will tend it and cause it to burn more brightly.
The Jewish people were waiting for their Messiah. However, they were not looking for someone who would come as a servant, for someone who was humble and gentle. They were awaiting someone who would come as a warrior and king, someone who would deliver the nation from all of their enemies. They did not want a Messiah who would be a light to the Gentiles (vs. 6). They were not interested in any Gentiles finding salvation in God. They wanted deliverance from any Gentile power. However, the prophet Isaiah spoke many times in his messages from the mouth of God, that His Word would be brought to the Gentiles, and that they would come to faith in Him. Simeon saw the beginnings of the fulfillment of this (Luke 2:32). The Magi were also the first of the Gentiles to come to Jesus. Several of Jesus’s miracles were performed for Gentiles. After a few decades of the early Church, the majority of believers in the Church were Gentiles.
When Jesus came, He brought both physical and spiritual healing to the people. Many physically blind people had their sight restored by a touch from the Savior. Even more importantly, though, is the spiritual vision that He restores to those who are spiritually blind (vs. 7). Jesus also brings freedom to those who are imprisoned in their sins, and who are imprisoned with other addictions and bondage. Sometimes we need to be rescued from things that hold us captive, such as debt, addictions, harmful relationships, etc. Jesus has come to set every prisoner free. Prison bars of sin cannot hold fast against the power of God.
Isaiah gave the people a description to look for in the coming Messiah, here and in other verses, along with some of the other prophets. Although the people of Israel expected the Messiah to come as a great warrior-king, as David had been, God had a different plan. Who are you searching for? Have you found the Messiah that Isaiah and the rest of Scripture describes for us? The Scriptures all point to Jesus. Jesus will lead to salvation all who believe in Him.
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