Isaiah 42-43

August 3

Isaiah 42-43

Isaiah gives us a glimpse of the servant God will send to redeem and restore the nations. "“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, to open eyes that are blind, to free captives from prison and to release from the dungeon those who sit in darkness." (Isaiah 42:6-7, NIV)  Jesus is the covenant for the people and the light not only for the gentiles but also for the nations. Jesus said; “I am the light of the world.”

Jesus fulfilled each of the things Isaiah wrote down that the servant of God, the Messiah would fulfill. He did not come in flamboyant fashion. He did not yell and scream. He lived as the son of a humble carpenter. He traveled with a band of common people. He preached Good New, he healed, he forgave, he set sinners free. Jesus continues to do the same things he did while he was walking this earth. He continues to heal and restore broken people.

On the night he was betrayed Jesus “took the cup, gave thanks and offered it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you. This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins." (Matthew 26:27-28, NIV) He became the new covenant. Through our relationship with Jesus, God restores us into the people He created us to become. Through His blood we are cleansed.

Isaiah wrote the words God gave him to share with Israel. Israel took his words and hung on to them looking for the Messiah to come, but when He arrived, He did not look like they expected and they missed Him. Jesus is the servant written about in Isaiah who came to shine a light into a dark world, to set the captives free, to make the blind see, and the deaf hear. He came to bring life to humanity and glory to God.