“Behold My Servant” . . . that’s how my reading in Isaiah 42 began this morning . . . three words that capture your attention . . . a heavenly “Heads Up!” . . . a spiritual “awakening.” Here’s what I beheld as I worked through my readings this morning . . .

This Servant of God is His chosen . . . the One in whom the Father’s soul delights . . . the One upon whom the Spirit of God rests . . . the One sent to “bring forth justice to the nations” (Isa. 42:1). And God’s “Justice Bringer”, at least at His first visit, is as a gentle servant. He will not make a big scene, shouting aloud in the streets . . . “a bruised reed He will not break, and a faintly burning wick He will not quench” . . . but He will faithfully bring justice (42:2-4).

He will be given as a light for the nations . . . a light which opens the eyes of the blind . . . a light which shows the way for the prisoner in darkness to be led to freedom. He is God’s promise to those in need of a promise (42:6b-7).

How will the glorious and gentle Servant bring about such liberating justice? Flash forward to the next reading . . .

“Crucify, crucify Him!” . . . they were urgent, demanding with loud cries that He should be crucified. And their voices prevailed . . . he delivered Jesus over to their will . . . they led Him away . . .   (Luke 22:20-22 ESV)

Not what I would have in mind . . . good thing I’m not God. How can you bring justice to a sin-infested world apart from dealing with the sin? How can you make way for righteousness without first having paid the price of unrighteousness? How can you bring the light without first conquering the darkness? How can you set the prisoner free with first breaking the bondage of his shackles? Next reading please . . .

. . . Christ appeared as high priest . . . He entered once for all into the holy places, not by means of the blood of goats and calves but by means of His own blood, thus securing an eternal redemption . . . how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without blemish to God, purify our conscience from dead works to serve the living God . . . without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins . . . as it is, He has appeared once for all at the end of the ages to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself.    
                                                                                   (Hebrews 9: 11-26 ESV)

The Justice Bringer brought it! God having become the just and the justifier through the atoning work of the cross of His Servant, the One in whom the Father delights. Justice having been wrought as the price for sin . . . all sin . . . past, present, future . . . as the price for sin was fully paid upon the cruel cross of Calvary. The way of forgiveness . . . the means of release from sin’s cruel bondage . . . having been forever secured through the work of the now risen and glorious Lamb of God.

And for those who, by God’s grace, see it and believe it . . . for those who receive by faith . . . there is light . . . and there is freedom . . . and there is justice . . . the sinner having been declared righteous . . . for, in the good news of the God’s Chosen Servant, the Justice Bringer, “the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, ‘The just shall live by faith'” (Romans 1:17 NKJV).

“Behold My Servant” . . . the Justice Bringer!

Servant beheld . . . thank you, LORD!

Sing to the LORD a new song, His praise from the end of the earth . . . Let them give glory to the LORD, and declare his praise in the coastlands.   
                                                                                  (Isaiah 42:10, 12 ESV)