Old Testament Commentary - Isaiah 42

by Don R. Hender

While Isaiah speaks of Jesus Christ, there is application unto all who are servants unto God. We are to come and follow Christ and walk in the image and similitude of the Savior in all that we do. And in this what is said of him may be applied unto ourselves as well. As Nephi taught, we are to liken all scripture unto ourselves. Isaiah chapter is one of the 'Servant Songs' of Isaiah. While these have specific application to the Lord first and foremost, as it is he who is the anointed servant of the Most High God, our Father. But in the same manner that these principles do apply unto them, they do also apply unto all those who do follow after him, who take upon themselves the very 'image' of Christ and walk in the way, path, truth and light which Christ has shown forth for men to follow. That is, in the same manner that the spirit is placed upon the Lord as a mantle for a servant of God in order for that servant to perform in accordance to the mind and the will of God, the spirit is to be upon that person, communicating with him so that his performance might be such as God would have him do. And in this way, what does so apply to Christ in his walk upon this earth, so does it also have application and ought to likened unto each of us also.

Scriptural Text [& Editorial] Commentary & Explanation Footnotes ~ References ~ JST

           CHAPTER 42
Isaiah speaks Messianically—The Lord shall bring his law and his judgment, be a light to the Gentiles, and free the prisoners—Praise ye the Lord.
Isaiah speaks Messianically, first and foremost pertaining as to the Christ—It Jesus Christ who shall bring forth his law and his judgment and he will be a light unto the Gentiles—It is Jesus Christ who will possess the key to the prison and free the prisoners of the spirit world—All praise be unto the Lord as Christ gives all glory unto the father.

1 BEHOLD my ^aservant, whom I uphold; mine ^belect, in whom my soul delighteth; I have ^cput my ^dspirit on him^a: he shall bring forth ^ejudgment to the Gentiles.
2 He shall not cry, nor ^alift up, nor cause his voice to be heard in the street.
3 A bruised reed shall he not break, and the ^asmoking flax shall he not quench^a: he shall bring forth judgment unto truth.
4 He shall not fail nor be discouraged, till he have set judgment in the earth: and the ^aisles shall wait for his law.
1^a I have put my spirit on him God the Father remains in that celestial heaven of eternity. It is man who has 'fallen' and come to dwell on earth. There is a separation and a vail of forgetfulness placed between man and God. That separation is bridged by the spirit of God and the workings thereof. Jesus Christ, as any of the rest of us, upon his birth into this world, was also so separated and the vail of forgetfulness was cast upon his mind. He grew grace upon grace, line upon line, precept upon precept, principle upon principle. Yet like John the Baptism, he was filled with the spirit and light of truth from his birth and childhood. And thus by the age of 12, he had come to know and comprehend who it was the he was, the Son of God. The Father had set his spirit of communication upon him, that is the spirit of the Holy Ghost.
   Also, in compliance with the principles and the ordinances of the Gospel, there was also one particular time which was a demonstation of this very fact, that the spirit had descended upon him and did and would abide with him as the mantle of his ministry. And that occassion was that of his baptism by John. The voice of the Father did declare, His Beloved Son. And the Holy Ghost descended upon him in that symbolic token as a dove as witness that the Father had placed his spirit upon him (Matthew 3:13-17, Mark 1:9-11, Luke 3:21-22, John 1:32-34).
3^a A bruised reed shall he not break, and the smoking flax shall he not quench The still small whispering and workings of God by that spirit he places upon his servants is not generally to the overpowering of men. In all the majority of cases, the spirit works quietly within, spirit to spirit. And while the effects are great, the workings of that 'wind' of spirit does not so much as physically bend or break even a bruised reed nor does it so much as quench a smoking flax. The workings are not visually noticable as some great outward manifestation. Its effects are upon the mind, soul, heart and spirit of a man, leading him gently in the ways of truth and light, line upon line, precept upon precept, here a little and there a little. The majority of all of mankind will not have the great outward manifestations such as an Alma or even a Nephi. Their life molding and changing will occur nearly inperceptable from moment to moment, but great is the effect over time as they take upon themselves the image and likeness of Christ. 1^a Ezra 5:1
3^a D&C 88:63; TG Repentance
      3 Ne. 10:6

5 ¶ Thus saith God the LORD, he that ^acreated the heavens, and stretched them out; he that spread forth the earth, and that which cometh out of it; he that giveth ^bbreath unto the people upon it, and ^cspirit to them that ^dwalk therein:
6 I the LORD have called thee in righteousness, and will hold thine hand, and will keep thee, and give thee for a ^acovenant of the people, for a ^blight of the ^cGentiles;
7 To ^aopen the ^bblind eyes, to bring out the ^cprisoners from the ^dprison, and them that sit in darkness out of the prison house.
1^a Ezra 5:1
3^a D&C 88:63; TG Repentance
      3 Ne. 10:6

8 I am the LORD: that is my name: and my glory will I not give to another, neither my praise to graven images.
9 Behold, the ^aformer things are come to pass, and new things do I declare: before they spring forth I tell ^byou of them.
1^a Ezra 5:1
3^a D&C 88:63; TG Repentance
      3 Ne. 10:6

10 ^aSing unto the LORD a new song, and his praise from the end of the earth, ye that go down to the sea, and all that is therein; the isles, and the inhabitants thereof.
11 Let the wilderness and the cities thereof lift up their voice, the villages that Kedar doth inhabit: let the inhabitants of the rock sing, let them shout from the top of the mountains.
12 Let them give glory unto the LORD, and declare his praise in the islands.
13 The LORD shall go forth as a mighty man, he shall stir up ^ajealousy like a man of ^bwar: he shall cry, yea, roar; he shall prevail against his enemies.

14 I have long time holden my peace; I have been still, and ^arefrained myself: now will I cry like a travailing woman; I will ^bdestroy and devour at once.
15 I will make waste mountains and hills, and dry up all their herbs; and I will make the rivers islands, and I will dry up the pools.
16 And I will bring the blind by a way that they knew not; I will lead them in paths that they have not known: I will make ^adarkness light before them, and crooked things straight. These things will I do unto them, and not forsake them.

17 ¶ They shall be turned back, they shall be greatly ashamed, that trust in graven images, that say to the molten images, Ye are our gods.
18 Hear, ye deaf; and look, ye blind, that ye may see.

19 ^aWho is blind, but my servant? or deaf, as my messenger that I sent? who is blind as he that is ^bperfect, and blind as the LORD's servant?
20 ^aSeeing many things, but thou observest not; opening the ears, but he heareth not.
21 The LORD is well pleased for his righteousness' sake; he will magnify the law, and make it ^ahonourable.

22 But this is a ^apeople robbed and spoiled; they are all of them snared in holes, and they are hid in prison houses: they are for a prey, and none delivereth; for a spoil, and none saith, ^bRestore.
23 Who among you will give ear to this? who will hearken and hear for the time to come?

24 Who gave Jacob for a spoil, and ^aIsrael to the robbers? did not the LORD, he against whom we have sinned? for they would not ^bwalk in his ways, neither were they ^cobedient unto his law.
25 Therefore he hath poured upon him the fury of his anger, and the strength of battle: and it hath set him on fire round about, yet he knew not; and it burned him, yet he laid it not to heart.

Scriptural Text [& Editorial]	Commentary & Explanation	Footnotes ~ References ~ JST
CHAPTER 42 Isaiah speaks Messianically—The Lord shall bring his law and his judgment, be a light to the Gentiles, and free the prisoners—Praise ye the Lord.	Isaiah speaks Messianically, first and foremost pertaining as to the Christ—It Jesus Christ who shall bring forth his law and his judgment and he will be a light unto the Gentiles—It is Jesus Christ who will possess the key to the prison and free the prisoners of the spirit world—All praise be unto the Lord as Christ gives all glory unto the father.
1 BEHOLD my ^aservant, whom I uphold; mine ^belect, in whom my soul delighteth; I have ^cput my ^dspirit on him^a: he shall bring forth ^ejudgment to the Gentiles. 2 He shall not cry, nor ^alift up, nor cause his voice to be heard in the street. 3 A bruised reed shall he not break, and the ^asmoking flax shall he not quench^a: he shall bring forth judgment unto truth. 4 He shall not fail nor be discouraged, till he have set judgment in the earth: and the ^aisles shall wait for his law.	1^a I have put my spirit on him God the Father remains in that celestial heaven of eternity. It is man who has 'fallen' and come to dwell on earth. There is a separation and a vail of forgetfulness placed between man and God. That separation is bridged by the spirit of God and the workings thereof. Jesus Christ, as any of the rest of us, upon his birth into this world, was also so separated and the vail of forgetfulness was cast upon his mind. He grew grace upon grace, line upon line, precept upon precept, principle upon principle. Yet like John the Baptism, he was filled with the spirit and light of truth from his birth and childhood. And thus by the age of 12, he had come to know and comprehend who it was the he was, the Son of God. The Father had set his spirit of communication upon him, that is the spirit of the Holy Ghost. Also, in compliance with the principles and the ordinances of the Gospel, there was also one particular time which was a demonstation of this very fact, that the spirit had descended upon him and did and would abide with him as the mantle of his ministry. And that occassion was that of his baptism by John. The voice of the Father did declare, His Beloved Son. And the Holy Ghost descended upon him in that symbolic token as a dove as witness that the Father had placed his spirit upon him (Matthew 3:13-17, Mark 1:9-11, Luke 3:21-22, John 1:32-34). 3^a A bruised reed shall he not break, and the smoking flax shall he not quench The still small whispering and workings of God by that spirit he places upon his servants is not generally to the overpowering of men. In all the majority of cases, the spirit works quietly within, spirit to spirit. And while the effects are great, the workings of that 'wind' of spirit does not so much as physically bend or break even a bruised reed nor does it so much as quench a smoking flax. The workings are not visually noticable as some great outward manifestation. Its effects are upon the mind, soul, heart and spirit of a man, leading him gently in the ways of truth and light, line upon line, precept upon precept, here a little and there a little. The majority of all of mankind will not have the great outward manifestations such as an Alma or even a Nephi. Their life molding and changing will occur nearly inperceptable from moment to moment, but great is the effect over time as they take upon themselves the image and likeness of Christ.	1^a Ezra 5:1 3^a D&C 88:63; TG Repentance 3 Ne. 10:6
5 ¶ Thus saith God the LORD, he that ^acreated the heavens, and stretched them out; he that spread forth the earth, and that which cometh out of it; he that giveth ^bbreath unto the people upon it, and ^cspirit to them that ^dwalk therein: 6 I the LORD have called thee in righteousness, and will hold thine hand, and will keep thee, and give thee for a ^acovenant of the people, for a ^blight of the ^cGentiles; 7 To ^aopen the ^bblind eyes, to bring out the ^cprisoners from the ^dprison, and them that sit in darkness out of the prison house.		1^a Ezra 5:1 3^a D&C 88:63; TG Repentance 3 Ne. 10:6
8 I am the LORD: that is my name: and my glory will I not give to another, neither my praise to graven images. 9 Behold, the ^aformer things are come to pass, and new things do I declare: before they spring forth I tell ^byou of them.		1^a Ezra 5:1 3^a D&C 88:63; TG Repentance 3 Ne. 10:6
10 ^aSing unto the LORD a new song, and his praise from the end of the earth, ye that go down to the sea, and all that is therein; the isles, and the inhabitants thereof. 11 Let the wilderness and the cities thereof lift up their voice, the villages that Kedar doth inhabit: let the inhabitants of the rock sing, let them shout from the top of the mountains. 12 Let them give glory unto the LORD, and declare his praise in the islands. 13 The LORD shall go forth as a mighty man, he shall stir up ^ajealousy like a man of ^bwar: he shall cry, yea, roar; he shall prevail against his enemies.
14 I have long time holden my peace; I have been still, and ^arefrained myself: now will I cry like a travailing woman; I will ^bdestroy and devour at once. 15 I will make waste mountains and hills, and dry up all their herbs; and I will make the rivers islands, and I will dry up the pools. 16 And I will bring the blind by a way that they knew not; I will lead them in paths that they have not known: I will make ^adarkness light before them, and crooked things straight. These things will I do unto them, and not forsake them.
17 ¶ They shall be turned back, they shall be greatly ashamed, that trust in graven images, that say to the molten images, Ye are our gods. 18 Hear, ye deaf; and look, ye blind, that ye may see.
19 ^aWho is blind, but my servant? or deaf, as my messenger that I sent? who is blind as he that is ^bperfect, and blind as the LORD's servant? 20 ^aSeeing many things, but thou observest not; opening the ears, but he heareth not. 21 The LORD is well pleased for his righteousness' sake; he will magnify the law, and make it ^ahonourable.
22 But this is a ^apeople robbed and spoiled; they are all of them snared in holes, and they are hid in prison houses: they are for a prey, and none delivereth; for a spoil, and none saith, ^bRestore. 23 Who among you will give ear to this? who will hearken and hear for the time to come?
24 Who gave Jacob for a spoil, and ^aIsrael to the robbers? did not the LORD, he against whom we have sinned? for they would not ^bwalk in his ways, neither were they ^cobedient unto his law. 25 Therefore he hath poured upon him the fury of his anger, and the strength of battle: and it hath set him on fire round about, yet he knew not; and it burned him, yet he laid it not to heart.