This world can be a very harsh place to live. Life beats us down, and then when we struggle to get up, along comes someone else to knock us down again, and they seem determined to want to keep us down. Where is there a helping hand to assist us when we need it? We might not find one among our neighbors and acquaintances. Who can we turn to for help? We find an answer in our Scripture from the prophet Isaiah.
Our Scripture today introduces the Servant of the Lord. This was Someone who Yahweh sent, One who would be there to help the downtrodden. This is a prophecy of the Lord Jesus Christ, One who the Spirit of the Lord was upon (vs. 1). We see the Lord God acknowledging that His Spirit was upon Jesus at the time of His baptism (Matthew 3:16-17).
The Servant of the Lord was not Someone who sought to draw attention to Himself (vs. 2). When encouraged by some to allow the people to make Him a king, the Lord Jesus refused. He knew that His mission was not one of political power, or of being vocally loud and clamorous. Instead, Jesus, as God’s Servant, was gentle and compassionate, not forceful or loud.
We see that the Servant Jesus would not break a bruised reed (vs. 3). Nor would He quench a smoking flax. Instead He would bring forth justice. What did this mean? A reed is a tall, grass-like plant found in wetlands. They were used by ancient peoples in making flutes and musical instruments. Reed grass was also often woven together to make mats. When the harder reed stems were damaged, bruised, or broken, they could not be used for anything else. In our life we often feel like we have been broken and bruised, and then no longer good for much of anything. A flax was used in ancient days to light a room, like the wick of a candle. A quenched flax was one that had been or was about to be extinguished, and often would give off a lot of smoke. A broken reed, a smoking flax - both things that are damaged or about to go out. Jesus came to help the weak and downtrodden. God will not break a bruised reed. He won’t quench a faintly burning wick. Instead, He will restore and strengthen those who turn to Him for help.
God’s Servant, the Lord Jesus, came to bring forth truth and justice throughout the earth (vs. 3-4). As we have seen in so many instances, the poor and downtrodden have had nowhere to turn when those more powerful seek to keep them down. Jesus will not fail in bringing justice to those who need His help. God called Him in righteousness, and sent Him to be a light to the Gentile peoples, the people of all nations throughout the world (vs. 6).
As our Scripture continues, the prophet Isaiah declared that the Servant of the Lord, the Lord Jesus, was sent to open the eyes of the blind, and to set the prisoners free (vs. 7). We see this in the ministry of the Lord Jesus, as He brought healing to many blind folks. However, it goes much beyond that. People may not be physically blind, but are spiritually blind, with their mind and heart closed to the truth of God and His Word. The Lord Jesus brought spiritual truth, opening people’s hearts and minds to God’s truth.
Jesus would also set prisoners free. What did that mean? We don’t see Jesus going into the Roman prisons and releasing prisoners. Instead, Jesus set spiritual prisoners free. Mankind had been held prisoner by Satan and his kingdom of darkness since the days of Adam. However, Jesus, through His death and resurrection, broke the power of Satan and death, and He brought out the prisoners and those who sit in darkness. Sometimes we need to be rescued from all sorts of things that hold us captive. Some are held captive to addictions, some held captive to harmful relationships. Jesus came to set every prisoner free. Even if we can’t see a way out, the Lord has already planned one for us when we turn our life over to Him.
In closing, the prophet Isaiah spoke the words of the Lord, giving warning that He would never share His glory with pagan gods and religions (vs 8). Too often, including today, we see some religious leaders who feel that it is good and peaceful for the world if religions “come together” and Christianity and other religions worship together in “peace”. However, God has clearly stated that He will not share His glory with any other religious tradition. Instead, let us proclaim the Light that the Lord Jesus brings, emulating His gentleness and compassion for the weak, and bringing the Gospel of hope to those in darkness.
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