Isaiah 42:1-7 (The 1st Servant Song)

Isaiah 42:1-7 - The first Servant Song of Isaiah

There are 5 Servant Songs of Isaiah (42:1-7, 49:1-9, 50:4-11, 52:13-53:12, 61:1-4). These are prophecies of the Messiah (Jesus), depicting Him as the (perfect) Servant of God. From them we learn the keys to be a faithful Servant of God.

SONG 1 - The Servant Introduced (Isaiah 42:1-7).
"Behold! (pay attention and look at someone special) My SERVANT (we are told to look as a portrait is painted of the Servant that we may recognise Him and learn from Him) My SERVANT whom I uphold, My Elect One - in whom My soul delights! I have put My Spirit upon Him.” Do you want this to be true of you? Rather than living unto Himself, in His own power, He lives by faith in God, depending on God to uphold and empower.

“He will bring forth justice (truth) to the Gentiles. He will not cry out, nor raise His voice, nor cause His voice to be heard in the street.”
He is not self-promoting, not a show-man or a show-off. He trusts God to promote and vindicate Him. He is not pushy or argumentative.
“A SERVANT of the Lord must not quarrel but be gentle to all, able to teach, patient, in humility correcting those who are in opposition if God perhaps will grant them repentance, so that they may know the truth, and that they may come to their senses and escape the snare of the devil (in rebellion, pride and strife), having been taken captive by him to do his will” (2Timothy 2:24-26).

“A bruised reed He will not break,
and a smoking flax (smouldering wick) He will not quench.”
This shows His gentleness and sensitivity toward the weak, poor and needy. The world says these are not useful, so you might as well ignore them and focus on the strong, but Jesus rebuilds the weak and refires the light that’s about to go out. That is what servants of the Lord do.

Although He is gentle with the weak He is not weak Himself, but burns as a powerful light that will not go out: “He will bring forth justice for truth. He will not fail nor be discouraged, till He has established justice in the earth; and the coastlands shall wait for His law." A true Servant of God must have perserverance (inward power and determination) to complete His task, mission and destiny.

Isaiah is speaking of Jesus: “Yet He (Jesus) warned them not to make Him known, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Isaiah the prophet, saying: "Behold! My Servant whom I have chosen, My Beloved in whom My soul is well pleased! I will put My Spirit upon Him, and He will declare justice to the Gentiles. He will not quarrel nor cry out, nor will anyone hear His voice in the streets. A bruised reed He will not break, and smoking flax He will not quench, till He sends forth justice to victory; and in His name Gentiles will trust" (Matthew 12:16-21).

A true Servant of God is concerned to bring Salvation to all:
“Thus says God the LORD, Who created the heavens and stretched them out, Who spread forth the earth and that which comes from it, Who gives breath to the people on it, and spirit to those who walk on it: "I, the LORD, have called You in righteousness, and will hold Your hand; I will keep You and give You as a Covenant to the people, as a light to the Gentiles,to open blind eyes, to bring out prisoners from the prison, those who sit in darkness from the prison house.”

See also SONG 5 (Isaiah 61:1-4).