The Servant and the Spirit (Isa. 42:1-4)
Today is Pentecost Sunday in the church calendar, which is
held fifty days after Easter. The Holy Spirit came on the church on the Day of
Pentecost, which occurred fifty days after the death of Jesus. It obviously was
a very important day in the overall experience of the church and a very full
account of what happened is given in Acts 2. Its importance is also seen in the
number of Old Testament prophecies that focus on this event. The best known one
may be the prediction of the prophet Joel which Peter quoted in his sermon
given on the Day of Pentecost. But there are other prophecies about the event
and Isaiah refers to it in his prophecy in Isaiah 42:1-4.
Partnership
We can see from the description given by Isaiah that here
we have an Old Testament reference to the Trinity. God speaks about his Servant
and his Spirit, which shows that here we have the perspective of the Father. So,
we have an insight into the prominence that this event has – it is a
Trinitarian one.
As we listen in to the Father’s description of the
partnership, we hear him speaking about his power and his pleasure. Both are
connected to the Servant and the Spirit. The power and the pleasure here occur
after the Father has given the Spirit to the Servant. Since he was given the
Spirit after he ascended, the power and the pleasure must have some connection
to what takes place since then.
We need to remind ourselves about what it means for Jesus
to be the Servant. Paul tells us in Philippians 2 that Jesus became obedient to
the Father when he became a man and entered human life. So, his servanthood is
connected to him being both God and man. As the Father’s Servant, he was given
tasks to perform that would bring blessings to sinners and glory to God.
We can divide those tasks into three areas. First, there
was the requirement that he live a life of obedience, which would be imputed to
sinners who would trust in him (they did not have such a life by nature). Second,
there was the requirement that he pay the penalty for their sins which he did
when he suffered divine wrath on the cross against their sins. Third, there was
the requirements that he now fulfils having risen from the dead and ascended to
heaven. Although exalted, he still functions as the Father’s Servant, bring to
pass what the Father desires.
Power
What kind of power does Jesus now have that fits into
being upheld by the Father? No doubt there are different ways of approaching
this subject. Here are a couple of markers that should help us have insight into
the type of power that Jesus, the Father’s servant, has, and which are
connected to him having the Spirit given to him in a special way.
The writer to the Hebrews mentions that the Saviour possesses
an indestructible life (7:16). There are two ways of looking at this. One is to
say that this is a reference to his deity because as God he is Life; the other
is to say that this also describes his humanity. The proof that he is
indestructible is that he conquered death by his death and is now alive in the
power of resurrection life. It was the Father who raised him from the dead and
the life he now has does not include things like tiredness and weakness. Jesus
is indestructible because of the Father’s upholding. So, he will live forever.
One of the best-known verses in the Bible is the Great
Commission given at the end of Matthew. In that announcement, Jesus says that
all power or authority has been given unto him in heaven and on earth. In other
words, he rules everywhere and the only position that allows for that would be
for him to sit on the throne of God. Language about a throne is metaphorical
indicating that he is King. Jesus is called the King of kings and Lord of
lords. So, he will rule forever in one way or another, and he administers his
activities through the work of the Spirit, whether in what we call common grace
and saving grace.
This leads us to consider what kind of rule he will have. The
prophet points to it when he refers three times to Jesus bringing forth
justice. We might think initially that what is in view here is a judge handing out
sentences on criminals and we know from the Bible that there will yet be a Day
of Judgement when Jesus will pass sentence on everyone. But that is not what
the prophet has in mind here. Rather, by justice he focuses on a system of government.
In a sense, the word justice describes a government’s overall policy. So here
the prophet predicts that Jesus will set up a kingdom marked fairness, security
and prosperity.
Pleasure
In addition to providing the power for his Servant to
rule, the Father also expresses his pleasure as he describes the activities in
which his Servant will engage. We are told that Jesus gave great pleasure to
the Father during the so-called thirty silent years of his life. The Father’s
verdict on them was announced dramatically when Jesus was baptised and the Father’s
voice came from heaven indicating that he was well-pleased with his Son.
Indeed, it looks as if there is a link between Isaiah 42:1 and the divine
utterance when Jesus was baptised.
Moreover, the Father was very pleased with everything
Jesus did during his three years of public ministry. There was constant
fellowship between them wherever he was. We can try and imagine the delight
that the Father experienced as he watched his Servant interacting with all
kinds of people in a wide variety of situations. And while the cross was not
enjoyable for the Father, he was pleased with the response of his Son while he
was suffering there and offered a perfect sacrifice. The proof that he was
pleased with the work of Jesus on the cross is seen in the fact that he raised
Jesus from the dead and exalted him to the highest place. The invitation given
by the Father for Jesus to sit and his right hand was given with great delight.
Today the Father is pleased with how the Son of his love
is managing the affairs of his kingdom, and in this prophecy he tells us why.
Three reasons are given for this pleasure.
First, there is the method that the Servant employs as he
interacts with sinners through his Spirit (v. 2). The prophet says that he will
act quietly, secretly and personally. This is in stark contrast to the ways
adopted by earthly rulers who like to tell everyone what they are doing, although
usually everyone knows that they are not doing half the things they say. The Saviour
gave examples of his style when he was here on earth. Think of how he dealt
with the woman of Samaria. He spoke to her about her sin, but did so after the
disciples had gone away into the village for food. Nor did he tell them when
they returned what her sins were. If Jesus the King is dealing with someone in
the next street, where and when is he going to announce that it is taking
place? He won’t. Instead he will deal with that person quietly, secretly and
personally. This gives great pleasure to the Father.
Second, there is the manner in which the Servant deals
with sinners and the main characteristic mentioned is his gentleness (v. 3).
Two illustrations are used, that of a broken reed and faint candle. A bruised
reed is fragile and pointless. Who can heal a bruised reed and who would bother?
It is beyond either the time or talent of humans to do so. How does someone
become like a bruised reed in a spiritual sense in which he or she feels
fragile and pointless and with none able to help? It is by the work of the
Spirit that Jesus does this. It is important to observe that Jesus will not
break the bruised reed. Instead, he will work in his government to bring that
person to spiritual wholeness. To the person convicted of their sins by the
Spirit, Jesus applies his promises of grace by the same Spirit. And this action
gives great pleasure to the Father.
Something similar is illustrated in the wick that is about
to go out. In daily life, a person would be tempted to throw such a wick away
and replace it. Jesus by the Spirit brings us to the place where we feel we are
finished. Our resources have gone. Yet through his gentle care, we start to
burn with new life and soon we become lights for others. Jesus works faithfully
by his Spirit to bring this revival of light and warmth in our souls. And in
doing so, he gives great pleasure to the Father.
No doubt, we are meant to imagine the number of people who
have been blessed in this manner by Jesus. he has treated all his people with
gentleness. Indeed, as we know, he mentions his gentleness as one of the
reasons why we should draw near to him. Maybe he had this set of verses in mind
when he said that he was gentle and lowly because that combination is seen here
in the lowly one who works quietly and the gentle one who works kindly.
Third, there is the mission in which the Servant is
engaged as he oversees the development of his kingdom. The prophecy mentions
the persistence that the Servant shows as he works for the growth of his
kingdom. Through all the ups and downs of the last two thousand years he has
been at work resolutely. We should observe that he does not run out of power
(grow faint), nor does he start thinking that things are not going well
(discouraged). Instead he knows where he is going. His aim is to have a
worldwide kingdom in which former bruised reeds and smoking flaxes will have
their place and experience the benefits of his grace. And we know that he is
doing it.
As we close, here are three applications. First, we should
follow the instruction of the Father when he commands us to behold his Servant.
Normally, we behold someone or something that is striking and important. Only
Jesus fulfils that description ultimately. Second, we should thank the Father
for the nature of the kingdom his Servant and his Spirit are engaged in
developing. We have an election this week, but the aims of earthly kingdoms are
small in comparison to the eternal kingdom. Third, on the first Pentecost
Sunday, three thousand were converted when the Servant sent the Spirit. I
wonder how many will be converted on this Pentecost Sunday as the Servant by
the Spirit works across the world.
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