Jesus Will Establish Justice On This Earth - Isaiah 40-44

Isaiah 42:1-4 (ESV)

Behold my servant, whom I uphold,

my chosen, in whom my soul delights;

I have put my Spirit upon him;

he will bring forth justice to the nations.

He will not cry aloud or lift up his voice,

or make it heard in the street;

a bruised reed he will not break,

and a faintly burning wick he will not quench;

he will faithfully bring forth justice.

He will not grow faint or be discouraged

till he has established justice in the earth;

and the coastlands wait for his law.

In the above passage we have a description of Yahweh’s Servant.   Isaiah uses this phrase in three other chapters:

Isaiah 41:8 (ESV)

But you, Israel, my servant,

Jacob, whom I have chosen,

the offspring of Abraham, my friend;

Isaiah 43:10 (ESV)

“You are my witnesses,” declares the LORD,

“and my servant whom I have chosen,

that you may know and believe me

and understand that I am he.

Before me no god was formed,

nor shall there be any after me.

Isaiah 52:13 (ESV)

He Was Pierced for Our Transgressions

Behold, my servant shall act wisely;

he shall be high and lifted up,

and shall be exalted.

Isaiah 53:11 (ESV)

Out of the anguish of his soul he shall see and be satisfied;

by his knowledge shall the righteous one, my servant,

make many to be accounted righteous,

and he shall bear their iniquities.

Who is Isiah referring to?   That is one of the hardest questions in the book to answer.   The best way to understand it is to read the context of the passage. In each context it seems to be pointing to a different, historical, person.  But it is probably pointing to the same ultimate person; and that is Christ.   Isaiah seems to be attributing characteristics of Jesus’ ministry to those who were acting on God’s behalf during Isaiah’s day.   It is somewhat the “now, but also, later” mindset.   In the above passage we can see that God is sending his servant to accomplish a task that God wants completed.  This can be both an historical figure for Isaiah’s day, but also speaking of Christ’s ministry in the future.   Matthew does attribute parts of this passage to Jesus:

Matthew 12:18-21 (ESV)

“Behold, my servant whom I have chosen,

my beloved with whom my soul is well pleased.

I will put my Spirit upon him,

and he will proclaim justice to the Gentiles.

He will not quarrel or cry aloud,

nor will anyone hear his voice in the streets;

a bruised reed he will not break,

and a smoldering wick he will not quench,

until he brings justice to victory;

and in his name the Gentiles will hope.”

The key is to realize that God often uses a type of Christ in the Old Testament to foreshadow the real Christ in the New Testament.   Someone (and we are not sure who in this passage) is going to come into the lives of those in Isaiah’s day who will establish justice on the earth.    Ultimately that will be the role, function and/or result of Jesus’ earthly and heavenly ministry.   Temporally in Isaiah’s day, but permanently in the work and ministry of the Son.  The passage may be unclear as to who Isaiah is talking about but the mission is not.  Jesus will establish justice on this earth!