Isaiah 42:5-8 – Living and laboring for the glory of God

Isaiah 42:5 left us without a doubt that the declaration concerning the Servant of the LORD, made in the preceding verses, was not something that came from the prophet’s deduction. It was the declaration of the Creator God, the One who made the heavens and the earth and everything therein, including every life. He is the One who has given breath and spirit to every living person. It is He who has made and sustains every living person by the spirit He puts within each one.

In Isaiah 42:6-9, the Lord then addressed and assured His Chosen Servant personally. There is no doubt that Christ Jesus whom God has sent to save the world is that Chosen Servant. Verse 6 said that God called Him in righteousness. This means that the role Christ has been called to accomplish has to do with God’s righteous purpose concerning fallen mankind. He was also appointed as a covenant to the people. Meaning in Christ we have the embodiment of God’s covenant with the people whom He came to redeem. That is why Christ is referred to as “our salvation” and “our peace”.   Furthermore, He is the only true light to a darkened world. Only in Him can mankind see and experience God’s eternal plan and purpose for a fallen world.  

 

The fallen world is blinded by sin, imprisoned in darkness, and in bondage to sin. Until the light of Christ shines through, sin would obscure mankind from the plan and purpose of God for them. Christ came to open the blind eye of fallen humanity. His ministry includes opening spiritual blindness and restoring the spiritual sight. He will also bring both spiritual and physical healing.  

 

In verse 8 God then turned from addressing His Chosen Servant to the people. He declared to them that He alone, the covenant LORD Himself would bring all that He had said to pass. He distinguished Himself as the LORD, the Covenant God. And He would not allow Himself to be mistaken and be put on par with man-made idols. He is infinitely different and there is none like Him. All glory belongs to Him alone! He would not allow the glory of the accomplishment that only He alone could bring to be attributed to the so-called gods. Neither would He allow the praise due to Him alone be given to any other being, man or idols.  

 

Gratefully, in Christ, our spiritual sight is restored. In Him, we have become God’s new covenant people. We are now enlisted into His band of workers to co-labor with Him to set captives free. We must also never forget that God alone deserves all the glory. So it is important that we worship and serve Him alone. We should never allow the glory and praise that are due to Him alone to be offered to ourselves or any other man or idol. We must always adopt the posture of living our lives aright so that we will bring praise and glory to Him alone. Let us live to the glory, honor, and praise of His name!