“A PEOPLE ROBBED”
[Isaiah 42:1] BEHOLD MY SERVANT, WHOM I UPHOLD; MINE ELECT, IN WHOM MY SOUL DELIGHTETH; I HAVE PUT MY SPIRIT UPON HIM: HE SHALL BRING FORTH JUDGMENT TO THE GENTILES.
Remember [Isaiah 41:8] BUT THOU, ISRAEL, ART MY SERVANT: they shall judge and rule over the other nations and instruct them.
Others (such as the Malbim) say that in this case “my servant” refers to the future Messiah. The passage can be understood in both senses.
[Isaiah 42:2] HE SHALL NOT CRY, NOR LIFT UP, NOR CAUSE HIS VOICE TO BE HEARD IN THE STREET.
Cf. “THE WORDS OF WISE MEN ARE HEARD IN QUIET MORE THAN THE CRY OF HIM THAT RULETH AMONG FOOLS” [Eccles. 9:17].
[Isaiah 42:3] A BRUISED REED SHALL HE NOT BREAK, AND THE SMOKING FLAX SHALL HE NOT QUENCH: HE SHALL BRING FORTH JUDGMENT UNTO TRUTH.
He shall not oppress the downtrodden and broken. He shall not take unfair advantage of the weak. On the contrary he shall build up and heal.
The Malbim explains a bruised reed to be he who was overcome by physical lusts, and “smoking flax” he who was misled by his intellect. Mercy will be shown to all and a pathway of understanding given forth.
[Isaiah 42:4] HE SHALL NOT FAIL NOR BE DISCOURAGED, TILL HE HAVE SET JUDGMENT IN THE EARTH: AND THE ISLES SHALL WAIT FOR HIS LAW.
Israel who are in the Isles will return to His Law.
[Isaiah 42:5] THUS SAITH GOD THE LORD, HE THAT CREATED THE HEAVENS, AND STRETCHED THEM OUT; HE THAT SPREAD FORTH THE EARTH, AND THAT WHICH COMETH OUT OF IT; HE THAT GIVETH BREATH UNTO THE PEOPLE UPON IT, AND SPIRIT TO THEM THAT WALK THEREIN:
[Isaiah 42:6] I THE LORD HAVE CALLED THEE IN RIGHTEOUSNESS, AND WILL HOLD THINE HAND, AND WILL KEEP THEE, AND GIVE THEE FOR A COVENANT OF THE PEOPLE, FOR A LIGHT OF THE GENTILES;
“A COVENANT OF THE PEOPLE” in Hebrew "Brit-Am". Israel will be a “Brit-Am”. In the Middle Ages Britain sometimes referred to herself as “Britammia”. The Welsh called themselves, “Bryth y Brithan” ¿, or Briths of Brithan. In Biblical Hebrew “brith” means “covenant.
The Malbim says that “Brit-Am” means Israel.
This is why we chose “Brit-Am for our organization. “Brit-Am” represents the Lost Ten Tribes returning. Other reasons were that “Brit-Am” hints at Britain from whom many of those to whom we direct our message originate. Our friend Cecil Davis pointed out that “Brit-Am” can also be understand as a shortened way of saying “Britain and America”.
“A LIGHT OF THE GENTILES” On the whole the LTTs have instructed and enlightened other nations.
[Isaiah 42:7] TO OPEN THE BLIND EYES, TO BRING OUT THE PRISONERS FROM THE PRISON, AND THEM THAT SIT IN DARKNESS OUT OF THE PRISON HOUSE.
“THE PRISONERS FROM THE PRISON” a large portion of the early settlers of America (one-third?) were released prisoners from Britain. Most of the first colonisers of Australia were prisoners.
The Jews were released by Allied soldiers from German concentration camps and then set up the State of Israel.
Israel on the whole in its exile is blind and imprisoned by circumstance and historical experiences. This prevents us from going upwards and acting, feeling, and thinking as we should.
[Isaiah 42:8] I AM THE LORD: THAT IS MY NAME: AND MY GLORY WILL I NOT GIVE TO ANOTHER, NEITHER MY PRAISE TO GRAVEN IMAGES.
God does not allow the respect due to Him to be given to others.
[Isaiah 42:9] BEHOLD, THE FORMER THINGS ARE COME TO PASS, AND NEW THINGS DO I DECLARE: BEFORE THEY SPRING FORTH I TELL YOU OF THEM.
[Isaiah 42:10] SING UNTO THE LORD A NEW SONG, AND HIS PRAISE FROM THE END OF THE EARTH, YE THAT GO DOWN TO THE SEA, AND ALL THAT IS THEREIN; THE ISLES, AND THE INHABITANTS THEREOF.
This could be seen as applied to all the peoples of the earth but applying it to the Lost Tribes of Israel fits just as well if not better according to the context.
End of the earth = most Israelites dwell at the geographical extremities of the earth when Jerusalem is consider the center.
“GO DOWN TO THE SEA” Seagoers.
ISLES = islands and coastland dwellers.
[Isaiah 42:11] LET THE WILDERNESS AND THE CITIES THEREOF LIFT UP THEIR VOICE, THE VILLAGES THAT KEDAR DOTH INHABIT: LET THE INHABITANTS OF THE ROCK SING, LET THEM SHOUT FROM THE TOP OF THE MOUNTAINS.
“KEDAR” See our book “Ephraim”. Some of the Amerindians were descended from Kedar son of Ishmael. Kedar can be applied to North America.
[Isaiah 42:12] LET THEM GIVE GLORY UNTO THE LORD, AND DECLARE HIS PRAISE IN THE ISLANDS.
Again “islands”
[Isaiah 42:13] THE LORD SHALL GO FORTH AS A MIGHTY MAN, HE SHALL STIR UP JEALOUSY LIKE A MAN OF WAR: HE SHALL CRY, YEA, ROAR; HE SHALL PREVAIL AGAINST HIS ENEMIES.
The enemies of Israel are the enemies of God.
[Isaiah 42:14] I HAVE LONG TIME HOLDEN MY PEACE; I HAVE BEEN STILL, AND REFRAINED MYSELF: NOW WILL I CRY LIKE A TRAVAILING WOMAN; I WILL DESTROY AND DEVOUR AT ONCE.
[Isaiah 42:15] I WILL MAKE WASTE MOUNTAINS AND HILLS, AND DRY UP ALL THEIR HERBS; AND I WILL MAKE THE RIVERS ISLANDS, AND I WILL DRY UP THE POOLS.
[Isaiah 42:16] AND I WILL BRING THE BLIND BY A WAY THAT THEY KNEW NOT; I WILL LEAD THEM IN PATHS THAT THEY HAVE NOT KNOWN: I WILL MAKE DARKNESS LIGHT BEFORE THEM, AND CROOKED THINGS STRAIGHT. THESE THINGS WILL I DO UNTO THEM, AND NOT FORSAKE THEM.
Israel in Exile are as if blinded and in darkness.
[Isaiah 42:17] THEY SHALL BE TURNED BACK, THEY SHALL BE GREATLY ASHAMED, THAT TRUST IN GRAVEN IMAGES, THAT SAY TO THE MOLTEN IMAGES, YE ARE OUR GODS.
The israelites must ceast to worship idols.
[Isaiah 42:18] HEAR, YE DEAF; AND LOOK, YE BLIND, THAT YE MAY SEE.
"Deaf” are they who do not hearken to Scripture and to the comforting of Prophecy. “Blind” are they who do not see the truth and maybe almost cannot.
[Isaiah 42:19] WHO IS BLIND, BUT MY SERVANT? OR DEAF, AS MY MESSENGER THAT I SENT? WHO IS BLIND AS HE THAT IS PERFECT, AND BLIND AS THE LORD'S SERVANT?
“PERFECT” in Hebrew “Meshullam”. Some say that this is another name for the Messiah. Alternately he who is good in the eyes of God is considered “blind” in the eyes of others (Amos Chacham).
[Isaiah 42:20] SEEING MANY THINGS, BUT THOU OBSERVEST NOT; OPENING THE EARS, BUT HE HEARETH NOT.
[Isaiah 42:21] THE LORD IS WELL PLEASED FOR HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS' SAKE; HE WILL MAGNIFY THE LAW, AND MAKE IT HONOURABLE.
Usually understood in Hebrew as meaning: God wanted for the sake of His righteousness and purifying force to make the Torah magnified (large and great) and expansively empowering, i.e. God gave us a Law that is very all-encompassing, detailed, and demanding in order to purify and empower us for the sake of His glory in which we participate.
[Isaiah 42:22] BUT THIS IS A PEOPLE ROBBED AND SPOILED; THEY ARE ALL OF THEM SNARED IN HOLES, AND THEY ARE HID IN PRISON HOUSES: THEY ARE FOR A PREY, AND NONE DELIVERETH; FOR A SPOIL, AND NONE SAITH, RESTORE.
“A PEOPLE ROBBED” This may happen to all Israel in the Last Days. Judah can also be referred to on occasion in Prophecy under the term “Israel.” Judah was robbed and a prey for all throughout all Europe and all the lands of Islam.
In the Last Days Israel will be transformed and become the agency of the Almighty to spread instruction and direction to all.
[Isaiah 42:23] WHO AMONG YOU WILL GIVE EAR TO THIS? WHO WILL HEARKEN AND HEAR FOR THE TIME TO COME?
[Isaiah 42:24] WHO GAVE JACOB FOR A SPOIL, AND ISRAEL TO THE ROBBERS? DID NOT THE LORD, HE AGAINST WHOM WE HAVE SINNED? FOR THEY WOULD NOT WALK IN HIS WAYS, NEITHER WERE THEY OBEDIENT UNTO HIS LAW.
All the troubles that have come upon us were due to our disobedience.
[Isaiah 42:25] THEREFORE HE HATH POURED UPON HIM THE FURY OF HIS ANGER, AND THE STRENGTH OF BATTLE: AND IT HATH SET HIM ON FIRE ROUND ABOUT, YET HE KNEW NOT; AND IT BURNED HIM, YET HE LAID IT NOT TO HEART.