“The Ministry of the Servant”
Isaiah 41:21-42:9

Today we are continuing with chapter 41. We begin with Isaiah’s second statement of his case against the idols, as well as his second address to the servant of the Lord. His case against the idols is relatively the same, however his address to the servant is very different, enough so, that it has been concluded that he is addressing a completely different servant all together. 

Verse 21 begins with Isaiah asking the idol worshippers to prove that they worship real gods. The original Hebrew in verse 22, does not specify exactly “what” the idol worshippers were being asked to use, to prove they were worshipping a god. The NIV places the word “idols” for what they are to bring, Isaiah could have been referring to them bringing arguments as was stated in verse 21. For which Isaiah was asking, does not matter because his next question reveals how the pagan worldview doesn’t work. Isaiah asks them to tell him of a time when their idols were able to predict the future. 
Their idols had no understanding of why anything had happened. 
This  resulted in them not being able to explain the past. How could they ever predict what will happen in the future? 
At this point, God mocks them, daring them to do anything, whether good or bad. 
He does not receive an answer, and therefore God gives a judgement. 
They are less than nothing, their works are utterly worthless, and whoever chooses them is detestable. 

However, God does respond to the challenge. 
He has a plan. 
This plan will unfold before the eyes of the exiles. 
God has stirred up Cyrus from the north, and he will be like a potter treading the clay. Isaiah reminds them that he  predicted this before it happened. 
None of the idols were able to do such a thing. That was because they are all false, they amounted to nothing and were like the wind and confusion. 

Just like last week’s scripture, the court case against the gods is followed by an address to the Lord’s servant. The servant described in these verses couldn’t be the servant Israel, because: 
This servant would always be obedient.
Not Israel.
This servant would always be responsive to God.
Not Israel.
This servant’s mission was to bring justice to the nations for God.
Not Israel.
This servant was to be a “light” to the nations and a “covenant” to the people.
Again, not Israel.

There is also a direct contrast on what the servant would receive: 
Previously the servant Israel received promises of divine blessings
This servant received no benefits through his ministry, in contrast, he would experience only increasing difficulty
This reminds us of the prophecy Isaiah gave in chapters 9, 11, and 32, of the Messiah. In those previous chapters Isaiah spoke of the 
servant as King, 
these verses have the 
king as Servant. 

In these verses, Isaiah claims that Yahweh is the only one worthy of the title “God” because of His ability to predict or prophesy the future accurately. There were many who thought the prophets of God were able to tell the future because of some magical or superstitious ability. 
This could not be any further from the truth, the biblical prophets were not the ones who practiced ritual rites in order to tell the future. Unlike the other predictors of the future during their time, they did not believe the position of the stars or the shape of sheep’s liver was directly related to human events. 

Have you checked your horoscope lately?

The prophets of God were called into a relationship with Him and within that relationship God revealed His Word to them. There was no attempt of the prophets to find out the future for the benefit of the people. No palm reading or tarot cards activity. 

Within the Bible, prediction had three functions:
It called people to obedience. It was understood that when the people of Israel were obedient, there would be positive future consequences.
It was meant to encourage their faith. The God they served was not going to be taken by surprise. He knew what was going to happen and His Word was one way for Him to share this through the prophets.
When the prediction came true, it confirmed God’s trustworthiness
I contend the New Testament predictions of Jesus’ returning again to earth holds the same three purposes. Predictions weren’t given so we can expend time figuring out when things are going to happen. The same three purposes given for the Old Testament prophets, apply to the New Testament. 
We are called to be obedient to all of God’s commands
They are meant to encourage our faith so we can live confidently, knowing that evil will not prevail, especially in these difficult times, 
We can look forward to the hour when Jesus does return and when our faith will be confirmed.
The conclusion of today’s Scripture, the first nine verses of Isaiah 42 are a prediction of the ministry of Christ. They were given by Isaiah and confirmed through the life of Christ. Isaiah gives us an understanding of the dimensions of Jesus’ ministry and its nature. 

Christ’s ministry was to restore God’s right order in the world. Isaiah mentions the “justice” that this servant will bring, three times from verse 1 to verse 4. This demonstrates that the cross of Christ was not only to forgive individuals of their sins, it was also done to correct the effects of those sins on the world and to restore God’s work on all levels of society. 
Christ ministry is to be worldwide. The Spirit who was on Christ is to go with His disciples and they are to make disciples of all nations. We are to take the good news to the ends of the earth. 
We need to be aware of the postmodern view that insists all people have light, they may just have a different take on what that light consists of. This is a direct contrast to what Isaiah is telling us. When people make God into something they think he is, or in their own image, they are like those “from the dungeon, those who sit in darkness.” 
The third aspect of Christ’s ministry that is especially relevant today is it’s manner. How many kings have boasted of their might and how they have lorded over those they have conquered. Yet, Christ, the Servant brings God’s correct order into the world from a position of weakness, not one of power and strength. Verse 3, “a bruised reed he will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out.” Christ maintained love, grace and gentleness with all, including His enemies. We are called to be like Christ. This means not always conquering. This is so contrary to our culture, where we are taught to be assertive and to dominate. America first.
We live in a culture that wants what it wants when it wants it. Yet this is what the Word of God says, 

Philippians 2: 7-8
rather, he made himself nothing
    by taking the very nature of a servant,
    being made in human likeness.
And being found in appearance as a man,
    he humbled himself
    by becoming obedient to death—
        even death on a cross! 

The ministry of a servant, isn’t easy, but it’s worth it. 
At least Christ thought so. 

Let’s pray.