Isaías 42

El siervo del SEÑOR

1 »Este es mi siervo, a quien sostengo,mi escogido, en quien me deleito;sobre él he puesto mi Espíritu,y llevará justicia a las naciones.

2 No clamará, ni gritará,ni alzará su voz por las calles.

3 No acabará de romper la caña quebrada,ni apagará la mecha que apenas arde.Con fidelidad hará justicia;

4 no vacilará ni se desanimaráhasta implantar la justicia en la tierra.Las costas lejanas esperan su ley».

5 Así dice Dios, el SEÑOR,el que creó y desplegó los cielos;el que expandió la tierray todo lo que ella produce;el que da aliento al pueblo que la habita,y vida a los que en ella se mueven:

6 «Yo, el SEÑOR, te he llamado en justicia;te he tomado de la mano.Yo te formé, yo te constituícomo pacto para el pueblo,como luz para las naciones,

7 para abrir los ojos de los ciegos,para librar de la cárcel a los presos,y del calabozo a los que habitan en tinieblas.

8 »Yo soy el SEÑOR; ¡ese es mi nombre!No entrego a otros mi gloria,ni mi alabanza a los ídolos.

9 Las cosas pasadas se han cumplido,y ahora anuncio cosas nuevas;¡las anuncio antes que sucedan!»

Canción de alabanza al SEÑOR

10 Canten al SEÑOR un cántico nuevo,ustedes, que descienden al mar,y todo lo que hay en él;canten su alabanza desde los confines de la tierra,ustedes, costas lejanas y sus habitantes.

11 Que alcen la voz el desierto y sus ciudades,y los poblados donde Cedar habita.Que canten de alegría los habitantes de Selá,y griten desde las cimas de las montañas.

12 Den gloria al SEÑORy proclamen su alabanza en las costas lejanas.

13 El SEÑOR marchará como guerrero;como hombre de guerra despertará su celo.Con gritos y alaridos se lanzará al combate,y triunfará sobre sus enemigos.

14 «Por mucho tiempo he guardado silencio,he estado callado y me he contenido.Pero ahora voy a gritar como parturienta,voy a resollar y jadear al mismo tiempo.

15 Devastaré montañas y cerros,y secaré toda su vegetación;convertiré los ríos en tierra seca,y secaré los estanques;

16 conduciré a los ciegos por caminos desconocidos,los guiaré por senderos inexplorados;ante ellos convertiré en luz las tinieblas,y allanaré los lugares escabrosos.Esto haré,y no los abandonaré.

17 Pero retrocederán llenos de vergüenzalos que confían en los ídolos,los que dicen a las imágenes:“Ustedes son nuestros dioses”.

Israel ciego y sordo

18 »Sordos, ¡escuchen!Ciegos, ¡fíjense bien!

19 ¿Quién es más ciego que mi siervo,y más sordo que mi mensajero?¿Quién es más ciego que mi enviado,y más ciego que el siervo del SEÑOR?

20 Tú has visto muchas cosas,pero no las has captado;tienes abiertos los oídos,pero no oyes nada».

21 Le agradó al SEÑOR,por amor a su justicia,hacer su ley grande y gloriosa.

22 Pero este es un pueblo saqueado y despojado,todos atrapados en cuevaso encerrados en cárceles.Son saqueados,y nadie los libra;son despojados,y nadie reclama.

23 ¿Quién de ustedes escuchará estoy prestará atención en el futuro?

24 ¿Quién entregó a Jacob para el despojo,a Israel para el saqueo?¿No es acaso el SEÑORa quien su pueblo ha ofendido?No siguió sus caminosni obedeció su ley.

25 Por eso el SEÑOR derramó sobre élsu ardiente ira y el furor de la guerra.Lo envolvió en llamas, pero no comprendió;lo consumió, pero no lo tomó en serio.

Isaías 42 Commentary

Chapter 42

The character and coming of Christ. (1-4) The blessings of his kingdom. (5-12) The prevalence of true religion. (13-17) Unbelief and blindness reproved. (18-25)

Verses 1-4 This prophecy was fulfilled in Christ, ( Matthew 12:17 ) . Let our souls rely on him, and rejoice in him; then, for his sake, the Father will be well-pleased with us. The Holy Spirit not only came, but rested upon him, and without measure. He patiently bore the contradiction of sinners. His kingdom is spiritual; he was not to appear with earthly honours. He is tender of those oppressed with doubts and fears, as a bruised reed; those who are as smoking flax, as the wick of a lamp newly lighted, which is ready to go out again. He will not despise them, nor lay upon them more work or more suffering than they can bear. By a long course of miracles and his resurrection, he fully showed the truth of his holy religion. By the power of his gospel and grace he fixes principles in the minds of men, which tend to make them wise and just. The most distant nations wait for his law, wait for his gospel, and shall welcome it. If we would make our calling and election sure, and have the Father delight over us for good, we must behold, hear, believe in, and obey Christ.

Verses 5-12 The work of redemption brings back man to the obedience he owes to God as his Maker. Christ is the light of the world. And by his grace he opens the understandings Satan has blinded, and sets at liberty from the bondage of sin. The Lord has supported his church. And now he makes new promises, which shall as certainly be fulfilled as the old ones were. When the Gentiles are brought into the church, he is glorified in them and by them. Let us give to God those things which are his, taking heed that we do not serve the creature more than the Creator.

Verses 13-17 The Lord will appear in his power and glory. He shall cry, in the preaching of his word. He shall cry aloud in the gospel woes, which must be preached with gospel blessings, to awaken a sleeping world. He shall conquer by the power of his Spirit. And those that contradict and blaspheme his gospel, he shall put to silence and shame; and that which hinders its progress shall be taken out of the way. To those who by nature were blind, God will show the way to life and happiness by Jesus Christ. They are weak in knowledge, but He will make darkness light. They are weak in duty, but their way shall be plain. Those whom God brings into the right way, he will guide in it. This passage is a prophecy, and is also applicable to every believer; for the Lord will never leave nor forsake them.

Verses 18-25 Observe the call given to this people, and the character given of them. Multitudes are ruined for want of observing that which they cannot but see; they perish, not through ignorance, but carelessness. The Lord is well-pleased in the making known his own righteousness. For their sins they were spoiled of all their possessions. This fully came to pass in the destruction of the Jewish nation. There is no resisting, nor escaping God's anger. See the mischief sin makes; it provokes God to anger. And those not humbled by lesser judgments, must expect greater. Alas! how many professed Christians are blind as the benighted heathen! While the Lord is well-pleased in saving sinners through the righteousness of Christ he will also glorify his justice, by punishing all proud despisers. Seeing God has poured out his wrath on his once-favoured people, because of their sins, let us fear, lest a promise being left us of entering into his rest, any of us should be found to come short of it.

Chapter Summary

INTRODUCTION TO ISAIAH 42

This chapter begins with a prophecy concerning the Messiah, under the character of the servant of the Lord, and his elect, whom he supported, and was well pleased with; whose work is pointed at, and for which he was well qualified with the Spirit without measure, Isa 42:1 and is described by his humility and meekness, Isa 42:2, by his tenderness to weak and ignorant persons, Isa 42:3 and by his courage and resolution, Isa 42:4 then follow his call to his work, and the several parts of it, introduced with setting forth the greatness of God that called him, as the Creator of the heavens and of the earth, and of men upon it, Isa 42:5-7, whose name is Jehovah, and whose glory is incommunicable to a creature, and whose knowledge reaches to future things, which are predicted by him, Isa 42:8,9, and then Gentiles are called upon to praise the Lord, and give glory to him, partly for the above promises concerning the Messiah, Isa 42:10-12, and partly for the destruction of his enemies, Isa 42:13-15, and also for his gracious regard to such who had been blind and ignorant, Isa 42:16, the confusion of idolaters is prophesied of, and an exhortation is given them to make use of the means of light and knowledge, Isa 42:17,18, and the blindness, ignorance, and stupidity of the Jews, are exposed, though there was a remnant among them with whom the Lord was well pleased, for the sake of the righteousness of his Son, Isa 42:19-21, but as for the body of the people, they were to be given up to the spoilers and robbers for their sins and disobedience, and be the butt of the divine wrath and vengeance, Isa 42:22-24.