my chosen one, in whom I take pleasure.
I have put my Spirit on him;
he will bring justice to the Goyim.
2 He will not cry or shout;
no one will hear his voice in the streets.
3 He will not snap off a broken reed
or snuff out a smoldering wick.
He will bring forth justice according to truth;
4 he will not weaken or be crushed
until he has established justice on the earth,
and the coastlands wait for his Torah.”
5 Thus says God, Adonai,
who created the heavens and spread them out,
who stretched out the earth and all that grows from it,
who gives breath to the people on it
and spirit to those who walk on it:
6 “I, Adonai, called you righteously,
I took hold of you by the hand,
I shaped you and made you a covenant for the people,
to be a light for the Goyim,
7 so that you can open blind eyes,
free the prisoners from confinement,
those living in darkness from the dungeon.
8 I am Adonai; that is my name.
I yield my glory to no one else,
nor my praise to any idol.
9 See how the former predictions come true;
and now new things do I declare —
before they sprout I tell you about them.”[Complete Jewish Bible]I am notorious for asking, "Where'd you hear that?" Call me skeptical, but in an age of information where anyone can pretend to speak with authority, I find myself needing to always be diligent about knowing from whom exactly the news, advice or information is coming. It wasn't very long ago that to know if something was credible it just had to be "published" or "in writing." But now, with great democratization of news and publishing comes an even greater need to pay attention to sources.
Thankfully this great announcement in the book of Isaiah is up front with its source: "Who says?" God says! God, the Lord, the Creator, the Heaven-Stretcher, the Earth-Spreader—not just some smooth-talking schmo, but the one with demonstrated prowess in showing compassion, credible power to not grow faint and the verified practice of bringing justice—a reliable source, that's who.
Credible one, silence our skeptic hearts, for Christ's sake. Amen.
Trey Daum
Pastor, Springdale Lutheran Church, Sioux Falls, S.D.
Master of Divinity , 2012
Isaiah 42:1 Here is 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.
2 He will not cry or lift up his voice, or make it heard in the street;
3 a bruised reed he will not break, and a dimly burning wick he will not quench; he will faithfully bring forth justice.
4 He will not grow faint or be crushed until he has established justice in the earth; and the coastlands wait for his teaching.
5 Thus says God, the Lord, who created the heavens and stretched them out, who spread out the earth and what comes from it, who gives breath to the people upon it and spirit to those who walk in it:
6 I am the Lord, I have called you in righteousness, I have taken you by the hand and kept you; I have given you as a covenant to the people, a light to the nations,
7 to open the eyes that are blind, to bring out the prisoners from the dungeon, from the prison those who sit in darkness.
8 I am the Lord, that is my name; my glory I give to no other, nor my praise to idols.
9 See, the former things have come to pass, and new things I now declare; before they spring forth, I tell you of them.[New Revised Standard Version]
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