Dwell in the Word: Isaiah 42:10-17
Think on these questions as you dwell in Isaiah 42:10-17:
1. What is the significance of singing a "new song" in the context of Isaiah 42, and how does it differ from the idea of a new song in contemporary music? What events or actions by God typically inspire a "new song" in the Bible?
2. Isaiah 42 emphasizes God's role as the one who guides, enlightens, and transforms the lives of His people. How does this passage illustrate God's active involvement in the lives of believers, and what does it teach us about our dependence on Him?
3. The passage mentions that those who trust in carved idols are put to shame. In what ways can modern-day idols and false sources of trust lead people away from God and hinder their joy and salvation? How can we guard against such idols in our lives?
Transcript:
As we come to verse 10 of chapter 42 here, we see a familiar phrase, Sing to the Lord a new song. Now, when you and I hear the idea of a new song, we instinctively probably think about an artist releasing a new song for us, whether that is coming out on CD or on the radio, or if you're more hip with the times being released on Spotify or Apple Music or something like that. But it's time for a song because the artist wanted to be creative or they needed some more money or it was just time to write a new song. But the idea of a new song in scripture is that God has done something amazing for His people. And this joy that God's people have for what He has done flows out of them, and it becomes this new song declaring the work of God and the joy that it brings to His people. Now, we can think of some examples in scripture of this. Miriam and Moses both sang new songs after seeing the work of God. And we see the new song of Mary in the Book of Luke after she hears about the fact that she is pregnant with Jesus.
This is the idea of a new song. And here, Isaiah talks about this, that there's something amazing that is happening that is going to bring great joy to the people of God. As we go down through this passage, we see this reoccurring theme of God being the one who is going to do this amazing thing. They aren't rescuing themselves or not bringing themselves to salvation or even bringing themselves back to God. God is the one that is going to do this. We see this in the language that is here. We've seen language similar to this before. I will lead the blind in a way that they do not know. The blind don't lead themselves someplace they've never been. Have you ever closed your eyes and walked around in a field before? And you think you know where you are? And then you open your eyes? Yeah. The blind don't lead themselves to someplace new. They need someone to guide them. And we see that God is the one who is going to do this. And we also see in verse 16 as well that he is going to turn the darkness before them and the light.
Again, light needs a source. Light comes from something, and God is the source of that. Rough places are turned into level ground. We as humans aren't able to flatten the hills, but God says that he is going to do that. He is going to come and do these things. He makes the rough places level ground for His people. And we get this message that I am driving from here in these last couple portions of a sentence here in verse 16. These are the things I do, and I do not forsake them. So not only is God going to do this, He's not going to forsake them. He is faithful. And so we see that those who oppose Him are turned back. They're utterly put to shame. If you trust in carved idol, remember we saw this stuff about idolatry just a little bit ago, just up earlier in Isaiah 42, that God is above those things. Those who put their trust in those things, who put their trust in metal images, they say that they're their gods. They're put to shame. No one can compare to the Lord our God. He is above all things.
He is the God of our salvation. This is the root of our new song. This is the root of our joy, this salvation that God has brought to us. And as I mentioned previously, we are prone to follow after things that make us feel like we can save ourselves. We're prone to going after idols. We're not making carved images, but we are prone to wander. We're prone to think that somehow we can do this on our own. But our true joy comes, doesn't it? When we remember that God is the God of our salvation, that He is the one that rescues us, that we were dead in our trespasses and sins, and He brought us to life. Live. And so may we have a new song in our heart as we remember that God makes all things new. And we have something on the calendar right now that can make us think about this. We have a new year. So as we come into the new year, may we remember that God has made us new, and may the joy of our salvation cause us to praise him with a new song that flows up from our being because we have remembered the salvation that he has given us in the Lord Jesus Christ.
