Isaiah 42:21: “It pleased the Lord for the sake of his righteousness to make his law great and glorious.”
Extended Explanation of the Verse
This verse reveals God’s deep commitment to His righteousness and His law. The Lord finds pleasure in upholding and magnifying His law because it reflects His holy character and serves as the foundation for a just and ordered world. God’s law is not an arbitrary set of rules but an expression of His desire for His people to live in harmony with Him and one another.
God’s righteousness demands that His law be upheld and made known. Even when His people fail to live up to its standards, His commitment to righteousness remains firm. This verse highlights God’s initiative to glorify His law, not for human merit but for the sake of His own righteousness and glory.
Historical Context
Isaiah spoke these words during a time of spiritual and moral decline in Israel. The people had abandoned God’s law, pursuing idolatry and injustice. Despite their unfaithfulness, God’s covenant with Israel remained. He used the prophet Isaiah to call the people back to obedience while also pointing toward a future where God’s righteousness would be fully revealed.
This verse is part of a larger passage that foretells the coming of the Lord’s Servant, who would embody and fulfill God’s law perfectly. While the Israelites repeatedly failed to uphold their covenant responsibilities, this Servant would succeed, magnifying God’s law in the process.
Theological Implications
Isaiah 42:21 highlights the perfection and unchanging nature of God’s law. It reflects His righteousness and serves as a standard for how humanity should live. However, it also underscores humanity’s inability to fully meet the demands of the law, pointing to the need for a Savior.
The verse also shows that God’s purposes are driven by His righteousness and glory. His commitment to making the law “great and glorious” demonstrates His intention to reveal His holiness and justice to the world, even through the failures of His people.
Literary Analysis
This verse stands out in the poetic structure of Isaiah 42 as a declaration of God’s ultimate purpose. The phrase “pleased the Lord” conveys the deliberate and joyful nature of God’s actions. The emphasis on “righteousness” and the law’s greatness and glory creates a striking contrast with the spiritual blindness and deafness of God’s people described earlier in the chapter.
The verse also looks forward to the fulfillment of God’s purposes through His Servant, whose mission is described throughout the chapter. This Servant would bring light to the nations and restore God’s righteousness on earth.
Relevant Biblical Cross-References
- Psalm 19:7-8: “The law of the Lord is perfect, refreshing the soul. The statutes of the Lord are trustworthy, making wise the simple.”
- Romans 3:21-22: “But now apart from the law the righteousness of God has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. This righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe.”
- Matthew 5:17: Jesus says, “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.”
- Isaiah 51:4-5: “My righteousness draws near speedily, my salvation is on the way, and my arm will bring justice to the nations.”
What This Verse Means for Today’s Christian
For Christians today, Isaiah 42:21 is a reminder of God’s holiness and His desire for His people to reflect His righteousness. While the law reveals our shortcomings, it also points us to the grace of God found in Jesus Christ, who perfectly fulfilled the law on our behalf.
This verse challenges Christians to honor God’s Word and strive to live according to His standards, not out of obligation but in gratitude for His grace. It also encourages believers to trust that God’s righteousness will ultimately prevail, even in a world that often rejects His truth.
How This Verse Relates to a Loving God
God’s commitment to making His law great and glorious is an expression of His love. His law is a gift that shows us how to live in relationship with Him and with one another. Even when His people fail, God remains faithful to His covenant and provides a way for His righteousness to be upheld through Jesus Christ.
This verse reflects God’s love in His willingness to glorify His law for our benefit, providing guidance, correction, and ultimately salvation through His grace.
How This Verse Connects to Jesus Christ
Jesus is the ultimate fulfillment of Isaiah 42:21. He lived a sinless life, perfectly obeying God’s law and embodying His righteousness. Through His sacrifice on the cross, Jesus satisfied the demands of the law and made a way for believers to be reconciled to God.
In Matthew 5:17, Jesus declares that He came to fulfill the law, not abolish it. His life, death, and resurrection glorify God’s law and reveal the fullness of His righteousness. Through faith in Jesus, believers are empowered to live according to God’s will, not by their own strength but through the Holy Spirit.
Questions for Reflection and Discussion
- How does God’s law reflect His character and righteousness?
- In what ways do you struggle to live according to God’s standards, and how does Jesus’ fulfillment of the law give you hope?
- How can you honor God’s Word in your daily life?
- How does this verse encourage you to trust in God’s justice and righteousness, even in difficult times?
- What steps can you take to reflect God’s righteousness to those around you?
Isaiah 42:21 reminds us that God is committed to His righteousness and His people. It calls us to trust in His purposes, live in obedience to His Word, and rejoice in the hope we have through Jesus Christ.