READING FOR MARCH 26, 2026: ISAIAH 42, ROMANS 11, PSALM 24:7-10 ISAIAH 42 The shifts in what and whom are being discussed in this chapter can make the content confusing, at least to this writer. As we carefully consider the context, the meaning should emerge. In the first four verses, the word “servant” definitely refers to Jesus. We know this be- cause Matthew’s Gospel explicitly says so: “[Jesus] warned them not to tell who He was. This happened so that what was spoken through Isaiah the prophet would be fulfilled: ‘Behold, My Servant whom I have chosen; My Beloved in whom My soul delights; I will put My Spirit upon Him, And He will pro- claim justice to the Gen- tiles. He will not quarrel, nor cry out; Nor will anyone hear His voice in the streets. A bent reed He will not break off, and a dimly burning wick He will not extinguish, Until He leads justice to victory. And in His name the Gentiles will hope”’ (Matt. 12:16-21). The ways of God are so unlike ours. As opposed to the militant Assyrian, Babylonian, Persian, and Roman Empires, Jesus leads jus- tice to victory by not complaining, by not breaking even a bent reed, and being a servant by dying in our place. Like Jesus, we should not seize victory by political or military force.
Starting with verse five, God the Father describes His own creational activity. Then verses 6-9 appear to be God the Father addressing God the Son. The clues that Jesus is being referenced here include the opening of blind eyes and rescuing of prisoners (vs 7): “He [God] has sent me lJesus]to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind” (Luke 4:18). Whenever we receive Jesus as Savior and Lord our eyes are opened and souls are freed. Isaiah then invites all people everywhere to sing praises to the Lord. He invites us to shout for joy from the mountain- tops. God guarantees that He will prevail against His enemies, who are sin and death: “The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the Law; but thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Cor. 15: 56-57).
Starting with verse 14 it appears as if God the Father is speaking after not having revealed Him- self to His people for a long time. His communication is impassioned, like a woman in labor. His actions will be dramatically noticeable in the natural environment. And He will be explicit in lead- ing those who previously who had blindly lost their way. In verse 19 the term "servant" now apparently refers to Judah/Israel, who had been those who had lost their way. They saw and experienced many great acts of God but didn’t perceive and receive them as from God. In verse 23 God asks who among them will pay attention? Why didn't they walk ac- cording to His ways? Of course, these are questions that God has the right to ask us. Are we paying attention to God's word and living according to these truths? In verse 25 God poured out His anger on His people, but His people paid no attention. They didn’t connectthe dots. Pray that we will be spiritually sensitive to what God is doing in our lives and church.
ROMANS 11 Paul says flat out that God has not rejected the Jews. This is a clear refutation of Replacement Theology. It might appear that Jews have totally rejected God, just as Elijah mistakenly believed he was the only faithful Jew left in his day. God disabused Elijah of that READING FOR MARCH 26, 2026 CONTINUED: ROMANS 11, PSALM 24:7-10 error: “I have kept for Myself seven thousand men who have not bowed the knee to Baal” (Rom. 11:4). Paul states that, like then, God had a remnant of Jesus-believing Jews in his time. He himself is a prime example. Yes, there are many Jews who have rejected Jesus and have thus received a spirit of stupor. As we discussed about Jesus and his use of parables and with the Pharoah in Romans 9, those who have first hardened their own hearts through rejection of the truth will be further hardened. There is this consequence for rejecting truth.
The good news is this rejection by the Jews has enabled space for Gentile to hear the Gospel and respond in faith. We see how this worked out practically in Paul’s outreach to the Jews in Corinth: “Paul began devoting himself completely to the word, testifying to the Jews that Jesus was the Christ. But when they resisted and blasphemed, he shook out his garments and said to them, ‘Your blood is on your own heads! I am clean. From now on I will go to the Gentiles’” (Acts 18:5-6). Paul goes on to say that, although this stumble by the Jews has opened the gates for the Gentiles, it does not mean the Jews as a people will never have an opportunity for salvation. He looks at this like a bank shot in basketball. The fact that Gentiles are now entering the kingdom through faith will eventually make the Jews “jealous,” which will in time lead them to believe also.
Paul uses the analogy of the olive tree. Jews were the tree’s branches, but these branches were broken off due to their initial rejection of Jesus. This enabled space for Gentiles to be grafted into the tree. However, because the Jews are naturally olive branches they can be reattached as believers. This will happen (Rom. 11:26)! Also, should any Gentile Christians reject Jesus, as some have recently done, they will be removed from the tree and lose their salvation. How will individual Jews be grafted into the tree? By God’s grace through their placing faith in Jesus. For the most part, this has not happened, yet. When will this happen in greater numbers? From the prophecy in Isaiah 59:20 that Paul quotes, it appears this will happen when Jesus comes to turn Jacob (Israel) to God at His second coming. Does this boggle the mind? That means we’re starting to get it right: “Oh, the depth of the riches, both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and unfathomable His ways” (Rom. 11:33).
PSALM 24:7-10 In these verses the expression “King of Glory” is used five times. Who is this King of Glory? Three times the answer given is the Lord, also identified as a mighty warrior. Who is this warrior King and Lord? Revelation reveals that He is the Lamb who was sacrificed for our sins: “These will wage war against the Lamb, and the Lamb will overcome them because He is Lord of lords and King of kings; and those who are with Him are the called and chosen and faithful” (Rev. 17:14). That is the Gospel. Victory through death. The forces of evil and sin are finally defeated by Jesus who was given to pay the price for our sins. All those who receive Him by faith as their Savior and Lord are promised to be with Him in Glory as the called, chosen, and faithful ones.
