Seeing many things, but thou observest not; opening the ears, but he heareth not.
The servant of the Lord, His messenger, His perfect and chosen one, is portrayed as blind and deaf, seeing many things outwardly without observing or perceiving and having the ears open without hearing or understanding. The condition described is one of outward sight and hearing joined to inward failure to mark and comprehend what is seen and heard. It belongs to the work assigned to the Lord's chosen servants.
The titles My servant, Israel, and servant of the Lord mean anyone whom the Lord selects and appoints to do a certain work. Those so appointed may be as ignorant of His will as Nebuchadnezzar was, yet He can make them ministers of His will.
In another sense held by some, the servant's blindness and deafness are toward evil. Seeing many things without observing means not using the eyes to see evil things, and opening the ears without hearing means not using the ears to hear evil things. By that refusal to look at and listen to evil, he does not follow the counsel of the wicked.
The verse belongs to the word about Christ the Servant whom God upholds and on whom He puts His Spirit to bring forth judgment to the Gentiles and judgment unto truth. He does this without crying or self-exaltation, without breaking the bruised reed or quenching the smoking flax, and without failing or discouragement until judgment is set in the earth. Called in righteousness, He is made a covenant of the people and a light of the Gentiles to open blind eyes, to bring prisoners from prison and from darkness, to lead the blind by unknown ways, to make darkness light before them and crooked things straight, while those trusting in graven images are turned back ashamed, and the Lord magnifies the law and makes it honorable for His righteousness' sake. It stands within chapters 41-45, which reveal God's purpose for His people, direct them to His wisdom rather than finite human wisdom, and should be studied prayerfully.
The work outlined in Isaiah 42:16-21 is work to be done now, to bring the blind by unknown paths, to make darkness light before them, and to magnify the law. God will work for those of His people who allow themselves to be worked. He pledges His glory for the success of His Messiah and His kingdom.
The verse foretells the great and solemn work of presenting the warning message to the world and explaining why believers believe as they do. It points to camp meetings as opportunity to give people the information they desire, and to the spending of money for this presentation of truth. It points to the establishment of sanitariums in different parts of the world as an educating power to reform the people and restore in them the moral image of God. It points to the conversion of men through knowledge of the Word who then use their means and ability to extend knowledge of the truth. It points to arousing slumbering senses to see how far departure from the Lord's ordinances has gone through adopting worldly policy and conforming to worldly principles in transgression against God's law.
Applied to God's people and once-chosen people, the verse shows them as a spoiled people whose hearts are not prepared to receive God's messages. They fail to understand the deeply spiritual nature of the work to be carried forward. They do not understand the claims God has upon them and allow men to interpose between them and God and lead them into paths not cast up for the ransomed.
That failure to observe and hear hinders God's work so that it is not as far advanced in many places of the world as He ordained. Yet even in that condition God rescues and redeems them, calls them by name, and delivers them as He delivered Israel from slavery in Egypt by making a path through the sea. The set time to favor Zion will soon come when He will not leave His people to shame but will accomplish His work just as He ordained it to move through the men and means He has provided.
The verse is to be read to the sick and brought to bear on human hearts with diligence so that many are turned to the Lord in confidence and receive heavenly gifts with healing. It is to be studied in connection with Isaiah 40 and 2 Peter as a call for thorough reformation with no haphazard work, led by men of clear understanding worked by the Holy Spirit. It is to be met with more trust and confidence in God and with standing where God can work with His people to honor Him in unknown times ahead. Deliverance comes by covenant with Christ joining the majesty of an omnipotent King with the gentleness and tenderness of a caretaking shepherd, for the kingdom of God comes not with outward observation but by the gentleness of the inspiration of His word and the operation of His Spirit in the soul in distinct, holy, sacred lines, and God will judge anyone who blocks that direct work.
The servant of the Lord, His messenger, His perfect and chosen one, is portrayed as blind and deaf, seeing many things outwardly without observing or perceiving and having the ears open without hearing or understanding. The condition described is one of outward sight and hearing joined to inward failure to mark and comprehend what is seen and heard. It belongs to the work assigned to the Lord's chosen servants.
The titles My servant, Israel, and servant of the Lord mean anyone whom the Lord selects and appoints to do a certain work. Those so appointed may be as ignorant of His will as Nebuchadnezzar was, yet He can make them ministers of His will.
In another sense held by some, the servant's blindness and deafness are toward evil. Seeing many things without observing means not using the eyes to see evil things, and opening the ears without hearing means not using the ears to hear evil things. By that refusal to look at and listen to evil, he does not follow the counsel of the wicked.
The verse belongs to the word about Christ the Servant whom God upholds and on whom He puts His Spirit to bring forth judgment to the Gentiles and judgment unto truth. He does this without crying or self-exaltation, without breaking the bruised reed or quenching the smoking flax, and without failing or discouragement until judgment is set in the earth. Called in righteousness, He is made a covenant of the people and a light of the Gentiles to open blind eyes, to bring prisoners from prison and from darkness, to lead the blind by unknown ways, to make darkness light before them and crooked things straight, while those trusting in graven images are turned back ashamed, and the Lord magnifies the law and makes it honorable for His righteousness' sake. It stands within chapters 41-45, which reveal God's purpose for His people, direct them to His wisdom rather than finite human wisdom, and should be studied prayerfully.
The work outlined in Isaiah 42:16-21 is work to be done now, to bring the blind by unknown paths, to make darkness light before them, and to magnify the law. God will work for those of His people who allow themselves to be worked. He pledges His glory for the success of His Messiah and His kingdom.
The verse foretells the great and solemn work of presenting the warning message to the world and explaining why believers believe as they do. It points to camp meetings as opportunity to give people the information they desire, and to the spending of money for this presentation of truth. It points to the establishment of sanitariums in different parts of the world as an educating power to reform the people and restore in them the moral image of God. It points to the conversion of men through knowledge of the Word who then use their means and ability to extend knowledge of the truth. It points to arousing slumbering senses to see how far departure from the Lord's ordinances has gone through adopting worldly policy and conforming to worldly principles in transgression against God's law.
Applied to God's people and once-chosen people, the verse shows them as a spoiled people whose hearts are not prepared to receive God's messages. They fail to understand the deeply spiritual nature of the work to be carried forward. They do not understand the claims God has upon them and allow men to interpose between them and God and lead them into paths not cast up for the ransomed.
That failure to observe and hear hinders God's work so that it is not as far advanced in many places of the world as He ordained. Yet even in that condition God rescues and redeems them, calls them by name, and delivers them as He delivered Israel from slavery in Egypt by making a path through the sea. The set time to favor Zion will soon come when He will not leave His people to shame but will accomplish His work just as He ordained it to move through the men and means He has provided.
The verse is to be read to the sick and brought to bear on human hearts with diligence so that many are turned to the Lord in confidence and receive heavenly gifts with healing. It is to be studied in connection with Isaiah 40 and 2 Peter as a call for thorough reformation with no haphazard work, led by men of clear understanding worked by the Holy Spirit. It is to be met with more trust and confidence in God and with standing where God can work with His people to honor Him in unknown times ahead. Deliverance comes by covenant with Christ joining the majesty of an omnipotent King with the gentleness and tenderness of a caretaking shepherd, for the kingdom of God comes not with outward observation but by the gentleness of the inspiration of His word and the operation of His Spirit in the soul in distinct, holy, sacred lines, and God will judge anyone who blocks that direct work.