During our Advent preparation, I want to show Jesus through the eyes of Isaiah, who saw it all, from Christ's birth to his life to his death to the reign of the Messianic age.
Isaiah 42:1-7 “Here is my servant, whom I uphold, my chosen one in whom I delight; I will put my Spirit on him, and he will bring justice to the nations. He will not shout or cry out, or raise his voice in the streets. A bruised reed he will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out. In faithfulness he will bring forth justice; he will not falter or be discouraged till he establishes justice on earth. In his teaching the islands will put their hope.”
This is what God the Lord says—the Creator of the heavens, who stretches them out, who spreads out the earth with all that springs from it, who gives breath to its people, and life to those who walk on it: “I, the Lord, have called you in righteousness; I will take hold of your hand. I will keep you and will make you to be a covenant for the people and a light for the Gentiles, to open eyes that are blind, to free captives from prison and to release from the dungeon those who sit in darkness."
Inspired by God, the prophet Isaiah could foresee the life of Jesus as that of a suffering servant. In Isaiah's eyes, Jesus would combine faithfulness, gentleness, and justice in bringing God to all people, not just Israel, but the Gentiles as well.
The "servant song" passages sprinkled through Isaiah chapters 42, 49, 50, 52 and 53 not only show a suffering servant but a defiant one as well. Isaiah foresees Jesus being tender with the common people and testy with the ruling powers that would desire to shut him down. Thus, Isaiah captures the complexity and dual nature of Christ - one who emerges from the Jews but brings in the Gentiles; one who is gentle, lowly, and instructed by God, yet also speaks forcefully to his doubters and accusers.
In Advent, we wait for the One who will both heal and defend, who will suffer in silence while welcoming dialogue, who will care for the sheep in his fold and reach out to others to join him, who will free the prisoner yet bind us to God through a new covenant. Find the Jesus you need this season: the caretaker, the protector, the inviter, the role model.
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