Isaías 42

O Servo do

1 “Eis o meu servo, a quem sustento,o meu escolhido, em quem tenho prazer.Porei nele o meu Espírito,e ele trará justiça às nações.

2 Não gritará nem clamará,nem erguerá a voz nas ruas.

3 Não quebrará o caniço rachado,e não apagará o pavio fumegante.Com fidelidade fará justiça;

4 não mostrará fraqueza nem se deixará feriraté que estabeleça a justiça na terra.Em sua lei as ilhas porão sua esperança”.

5 É o que diz Deus, o SENHOR,aquele que criou o céu e o estendeu,que espalhou a terra e tudo o que dela procede,que dá fôlego aos seus moradorese vida aos que andam nela:

6 “Eu, o SENHOR, o chamei para justiça;segurarei firme a sua mão.Eu o guardarei e farei de vocêum mediador para o povoe uma luz para os gentios,

7 para abrir os olhos dos cegos,para libertar da prisão os cativose para livrar do calabouço os que habitam na escuridão.

8 “Eu sou o SENHOR; este é o meu nome!Não darei a outro a minha glórianem a imagens o meu louvor.

9 Vejam! As profecias antigasaconteceram, e novas eu anuncio;antes de surgirem, eu as declaro a vocês”.

10 Cantem ao SENHOR um novo cântico,seu louvor desde os confins da terra,vocês, que navegam no mar, e tudo o que nele existe,vocês, ilhas, e todos os seus habitantes.

11 Que o deserto e as suas cidades ergam a sua voz;regozijem-se os povoados habitados por Quedar.Cante de alegria o povo de Selá,gritem pelos altos dos montes.

12 Deem glória aoe nas ilhas proclamem seu louvor.

13 O SENHOR sairá como homem poderoso,como guerreiro despertará o seu zelo;com forte brado e seu grito de guerra,triunfará sobre os seus inimigos.

14 “Fiquei muito tempo em silêncioe me contive, calado.Mas agora, como mulher em trabalho de parto,eu grito, gemo e respiro ofegante.

15 Arrasarei os montes e as colinase secarei toda sua vegetação;tornarei rios em terra seca e secarei os açudes.

16 Conduzirei os cegos por caminhos que eles não conheceram,por veredas desconhecidas eu os guiarei;transformarei as trevas em luz diante delese tornarei retos os lugares acidentados.Essas são as coisas que farei;não os abandonarei.

17 Mas retrocederão em vergonha totalaqueles que confiam em imagens esculpidas,que dizem aos ídolos fundidos: ‘Vocês são nossos deuses’.

A Cegueira de Israel

18 “Ouçam, surdos;olhem, cegos, e vejam!

19 Quem é cego senão o meu servo,e surdo senão o mensageiro que enviei?Quem é cego como aquele que é consagrado a mim,cego como o servo do SENHOR?

20 Você viu muitas coisas, mas não deu nenhuma atenção;seus ouvidos estão abertos, mas você não ouve nada”.

21 Foi do agrado do SENHOR,por amor de sua retidão,tornar grande e gloriosa a sua lei.

22 Mas este é um povo saqueado e roubado;foi apanhado em cavernase escondido em prisões.Tornou-se presa,sem ninguém para resgatá-lo;tornou-se despojo,sem que ninguém o reclamasse, dizendo: “Devolvam”.

23 Qual de vocês escutará issoou prestará muita atenção no tempo vindouro?

24 Quem entregou Jacó para tornar-se despojoe Israel aos saqueadores?Não foi o SENHOR,contra quem temos pecado?Pois eles não quiseram seguir os seus caminhos;não obedeceram à sua lei.

25 De modo que ele lançou sobre eles o seu furor,a violência da guerra.Ele os envolveu em chamas, contudo nada aprenderam;isso os consumiu e, ainda assim, não o levaram a sério.

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.