The Baptism Of Our Lord / Epiphany 1 / OT 1
Devotional
Water From the Well
Lectionary Devotional For Cycle A
Object:
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.
-- Isaiah 42:1
While Christians hear this passage in connection with the Spirit of God resting on Jesus at his baptism, it is important to first hear it as it relates to Israel. Isaiah spoke to a people who had lost all power in the world. Israel had been defeated, and their people had been carried into exile. Yet Isaiah continued to speak of the significant role that Israel would play on behalf of the world. The Israelite people were still the chosen people of God. "Here is my servant, whom I uphold, my chosen, in whom my soul delights." They were not chosen for themselves but because God had a mission for them to carry out on behalf of the world. "I have put my spirit upon him; he will bring forth justice to the nations." (See also Isaiah 49:6.) Since Israel was looked upon as a defeated nation, it was understandable that the prophet did not see them advancing the cause of justice through preaching (Isaiah 42:2) or by means of force (Isaiah 42:3), "but he will faithfully bring forth justice." There was recognition that this mission would involve hardships and require endurance. "He will not grow faint or be crushed until he has established justice in the earth...." This would be made more explicit in later servant songs (Isaiah 52:13--53:12).
Under these conditions, there was only one way that this vision could be anything other than pure delusion. The power to accomplish the mission rested on God, "who created the heavens and stretched them out, who spread out the earth and what comes from it...." Isaiah spoke to a dispirited people and reminded them that their existence depended on the God who created the universe and said, "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...." This vision that God revealed to them gave their lives purpose for the future. It was the same vision that was embodied by Jesus when the gospels reported that the Spirit rested upon him at his baptism. His mission would not be carried out by great displays of power but by faith in God. When the church grows dispirited because of its lack of power and influence to shape the world, we need to hear again that the success of our mission rests not on our strength and wisdom but on the Spirit of God that infuses us with hope. "See, the former things have come to pass and new things I now declare; before they spring forth, I tell you of them."
-- Isaiah 42:1
While Christians hear this passage in connection with the Spirit of God resting on Jesus at his baptism, it is important to first hear it as it relates to Israel. Isaiah spoke to a people who had lost all power in the world. Israel had been defeated, and their people had been carried into exile. Yet Isaiah continued to speak of the significant role that Israel would play on behalf of the world. The Israelite people were still the chosen people of God. "Here is my servant, whom I uphold, my chosen, in whom my soul delights." They were not chosen for themselves but because God had a mission for them to carry out on behalf of the world. "I have put my spirit upon him; he will bring forth justice to the nations." (See also Isaiah 49:6.) Since Israel was looked upon as a defeated nation, it was understandable that the prophet did not see them advancing the cause of justice through preaching (Isaiah 42:2) or by means of force (Isaiah 42:3), "but he will faithfully bring forth justice." There was recognition that this mission would involve hardships and require endurance. "He will not grow faint or be crushed until he has established justice in the earth...." This would be made more explicit in later servant songs (Isaiah 52:13--53:12).
Under these conditions, there was only one way that this vision could be anything other than pure delusion. The power to accomplish the mission rested on God, "who created the heavens and stretched them out, who spread out the earth and what comes from it...." Isaiah spoke to a dispirited people and reminded them that their existence depended on the God who created the universe and said, "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...." This vision that God revealed to them gave their lives purpose for the future. It was the same vision that was embodied by Jesus when the gospels reported that the Spirit rested upon him at his baptism. His mission would not be carried out by great displays of power but by faith in God. When the church grows dispirited because of its lack of power and influence to shape the world, we need to hear again that the success of our mission rests not on our strength and wisdom but on the Spirit of God that infuses us with hope. "See, the former things have come to pass and new things I now declare; before they spring forth, I tell you of them."
