Monday 18 April 2011

Background

On our journey through Holy Week, today's passage is the firstof the Servant Songs in Isaiah. These prophetically point towardsthe Messiah (the one anointed by God to restore and redeem theIsraelite nation). Christians read these passages of Isaiah inlight of Jesus' life, death and resurrection.

This part of Isaiah offers a moment of calm and respite in a bookthat has been full of overpowering themes. It was written in thecontext of exile; the powerful experience of being destabilised andostracised from home, identity, hope and family.

In chapter 42, God's people are offered space to breathe, and torecalibrate; in light of the coming Servant of the Lord. For theIsraelites who received these words, it is possible that theyunderstood these words to be prophetic about the Israelite nation.For Christians, these words are seen to be speaking about theperson of Jesus Christ.

The marks of the Servant of the Lord are stark given the exiliccontext. The servant is gentle, tender and compassionate. Justicewill be brought forth through the consistent and compassion actionsof the servant; a servant who will neither grow faint nor becrushed.

Justice can be understood in so many different ways:

• God's restoration of the whole earth
• the reconciliation of a broken nation to God
• the reconciliation of Israel to her neighbours andconquerors
• the inauguration of a new heaven and a new earth
• God being declared as sovereign.

What we find here is that the work of the servant is toparticipate in all of these features of justice.

But these aspects of justice are not abstract constructions.The importance of the Servant of the Lord is that justice is alsoabout relationship. The servant brings forth healing, freedom,release and worship through being part of, and in relationshipwith, all people.

To Ponder

What is the most important aspect of justice foryou today?

Who and what do you put your hope in?

How might you demonstrate hope in the Servant ofthe Lord today?