Double Interpretation
Isaiah 42 is a classic passage of double prophetic
interpretation. I’ve spoken about that
concept before. It is a passage that has
one message during the context in which it is given but the Holy Spirit
reinterprets the message to make another meaning later. Almost all of the prophecy in which
Christians find Christ is really double prophecy.
Let’s resist the urge – for now – of reading Jesus into these
words. Let’s let the prophetic oracle
speak to the historical context. What is
Isaiah talking about when he prophesies to the Hebrew people?
Remember yesterday when I spoke about the true relationship
with God as being a relationship of service?
In Isaiah 41:8 we can identify that Isaiah speaks about God’s servant as
Israel. It is Israel that is different
than the nations. So when we get to
Isaiah 42, we read this passage in the original context as Isaiah speaking
about Israel as the servant.
Historically, this makes much sense. God did choose Israel. God did put His Spirit upon some of the kings,
many of the judges, and all of the prophets.
It was God’s plan for them to be the nation that brought forth justice
in the world. As verse 6 says, God did
take the Hebrew people by the hand and try to give them to the nations as a
covenant of faithfulness. As verse 7
says, God wanted Israel to be a people that opened the eyes of the blind and
released people from the prison of their sin.
God’s plan was that His people would be a light into the world.
This should have given raise to shouts of joy on behalf of the
Hebrew people. This is cause to
celebrate! The Lord was patient with
them. The Lord wanted to teach them a
better living. The Lord wanted to take
the emotional rollercoaster of living and turn it into level ground. There is great reason to give praise!
However, we know that this is not reality. Yes, there were a few kings who were
obedient; but there were far more who followed their own hearts. Yes, there were prophets who spoke true
messages; but there were many Hebrew people who didn’t listen, much less heed
anything that was said to them. Yes,
there were judges that tried to bring people back to God; but every single time
the people were faithful for just a short time before returning to the error of
their own ways.
This is why in Isaiah 42:19 God calls His servant blind and
deaf. The Hebrew people saw God’s hand
at work. They carried their history with
them in great pride. The Hebrew people
took all of the protection and plunder that the Lord gave to them and made it
all about themselves. They were meant to
be a beacon into the world and instead they became a people who still fell into
judgment and needed to be punished by God.
For the record, these last verses (Isaiah 42:18-25) are one of
the biggest problems with looking upon this chapter as ONLY a prophecy about
Jesus Christ. If it is taught that Christ
is the natural and first subject of this prophecy, then one cannot help but also
say that God is calling Jesus Christ blind and deaf and the subject of His
wrath. Certainly that is not true! This is one of the reasons why I so adamantly
teach about this passage and passages like it as double prophesy. It contextually applied to the Hebrew people
first.
As I often ask, are we so different? Has not God sent His Spirit into us? Has not God asked us to be the light into the
world? Has He not made a new covenant
with us and laid His Word on our hearts?
And how do we react? Are we still
not consumed with our own desires? Are
we still not consumed with our sin and thus in need of forgiveness and
repentance? Are we so different than the
Hebrew people of the first covenant?
Only now are we ready to experience the double-interpretation
that the Holy Spirit can bring. Now we
are ready to see Jesus in these words.
Jesus is the ultimate servant in whom God delights. Jesus is the true person upon whom God has
placed His Spirit. Jesus is the true one
who brings justice into this world.
Jesus never grew faint. Jesus
never grew discouraged. Jesus is the
true covenant, given to all those who would receive Him.
Without Him we can be nothing.
Without Him there is no source of true life. Without Him, we continue to focus inward on
ourselves time and time again. Without
Jesus, our world is all about us. He is
God’s true servant, in whom God delights.
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