The Bruised Reed (Is. 42:1-9)

Richard Sibbes, one of the puritans wrote a lovely little book called 'The Bruised Reed' based on the verses that we are looking at.  If I am honest, I didn't get much from it the first time I read it, but I turned to it the weekend before my father died, and I found it a real reminder of God's love.  Here are some quotes:

    'There is more mercy in Christ than sin in us'.

    'It would be a good contest amongst Christians, one to labour to give no offense and the other to labour to take none.'

    'Christ loves to taste the good fruits that comes from us; even though they always savour of the old nature.'

    'Other princes can make good laws, but they cannot write them on the heart.'

    'The eyes of our souls cannot be towards him unless he has cast a gracious look upon us first.  The least love towards him is but a reflection of his first love shining upon us.'

Isaiah is speaking to a people whose neglect and rebellion against God have would cause God to send them into exile.  Now he is prophesying one hundred years ahead of his time to those exiles in Babylon.  God has not forgotten them, and he is going to bring them home.

In chapter forty-one he challenges them about their idols.  While we might not worship objects of stone and wood, there are many things that we build our lives on - the things that we look to for security and meaning.  We say we trust God alone, but we will move heaven and earth to ensure our comfort.  We say that we trust God alone, but we think that we need to be in control.  We say that we trust God alone - but we are obsessed with what people think about us.  If you want to know what your idols are, look at what makes you angry.  How do you react when people invade your space or treat you as nobody?  That is telling you about where you base your happiness.

They thought of those wooden and stone idols were gods, and God puts those idols to the test.  If they are God's they should be able to tell the future.  They can't!  In fact, it is laughable, because in verses twenty-three God says to them, 'do something, do anything.'  Then he points out that He can tell the future.  he is going to send the Persian king, Cyrus, to smash the Babylonians and issue an edict to allow God's people to go home to Jerusalem.

Now, as we turn to the opening of forty-two, I want us to see three words: behold, Spirit and justice.

Behold 

'Behold my servant, whom I uphold, my chosen in whom my soul delights' (1a).

These verses are echoed by God the Father at the baptism of Jesus (Matthew 3:17).  As people who are 'in Christ' the Christian can delight in the fact that God rejoices in you.  

Notice the comparison between the opening of forty-two and the end of chapter forty-one.  There we read, 'behold they [the idols] are all a delusion; their metal images are empty wind' (41:29).  While idols are nothing, in verse 5 we read of God, the LORD (lit. 'the God, YHWH' or, 'the true God).  Our God creates the heavens and the earth.  While our idols are useless, the true God sustains us.

While the Persian king, Cyrus, came trampling or rules, Jesus comes quietly.  'He will not cry aloud or lift up his voice, or make it heard in the street' (42:1c).  He also comes gently, 'a bruised reed he will not break and a faintly burning wick he will not quench ...' (42:3).  Matthew cites these words as he recalls Jesus healing the sick, forgiving the guilty and restoring the broken.

Spirit 

The word 'spirit' can also be translated 'wind'.  At the end of chapter forty-one we read that idols are empty wind (41:29), but now we read that God has put His Spirit in His servant (42:1b). 

Jesus comes to represent us in a new covenant with God, and having dealt with our sin He pours out His Holy Spirit.  He has opened our eyes to see the truth (7a).  God will bring freedom for those exiles in Babylon, but much more importantly He will bring us freedom from the penalty and pour of sin.

Justice

The key word in the first four verses of this chapter is justice.  It is repeated three times.  But justice in Hebrew has a broader meaning than what we mean in English.  In the Old Testament 'justice' means human society as it is meant to be.  It is human society as it will be when Christ returns.  In chapter 11 (11:4) we read that God will judge the poor - meaning that he will set things right for the poor.  We also read of a time of peace, when the wolf will lie with the lamb.  This is why we pray for our world, 'Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.'  Indeed, it is the pursuit of vain idols that is responsible for so much of the violence and hate in the world.

Conclusion

Behold - the servant of God, Jesus.  Rejoice in the Spirit -that God has caused you to be born again.  Seek His justice - for He is the great saviour who is both just and justifies those have faith in Him.

The verses that follow (vv. 10-17) are a song.  'The enjoyment of God is the only happiness which our souks can be satisfied' (Jonathan Edwards).  Glorify Him by delighting in Him.