There are qualities described in this servant which make us think of Jesus Christ: the ‘chosen one in whom I delight’ (Matthew 3: 17; Matthew 12:18), filled with the Holy Spirit and bringing justice (Matthew12: 18 ; Luke 4: 18)  Both Jesus and the servant described here reflect the qualities of the Spirit of God - justice worker, quiet spoken, patient.

Quest Study Bible note, p 996.  At first glance it seems that this servant might have been Cyrus.  God had already talked of using this ‘one from the east’ (Isaiah 41:2) for his purposes and Cyrus would do great things to redeem God’s people, to set them free and to restore their homeland. Yet throughout Scripture we often find prophesies with multiple fulfilment and Cyrus, obviously not Israel’s Messiah, merely stands as a prototype of the ‘Anointed’ ruler to come.
           Many Jewish scholars see the servant as Israel itself, suffering for the sins of humanity.  To some extent, this fits.  For example, the servant is identified by name as ‘Jacob’ or ‘Israel’ (Isaiah 44: 1, 45:4, for example).  But chapter 49 adds a new angle.  The servant’s purpose is to ‘bring Jacob back to him [God] (v 5) and to be  light for the Gentiles’ (v 6).
            Of course, Christians have always understood the servant to be Jesus Christ.  In fact, at Jesus’ baptism the divine voice alluded to Isaiah, saying: ‘This is my son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased’ (Matthew 3: 17).  Allowing for translation from Hebrew to Greek, this phrase is the same as ‘in whom I delight’.)  the Servant ?Song is quoted several time in the New Testament in reference to Jesus.

V 2.

The servant whom God sends will not push himself forward, but will quietly go about his tasks in serving others and in serving God.

When we work for God, wen need to take care it’s not ourselves we’re putting in front of others, but God.  Paul was always careful not to blow his own trumpet.  Peter in Acts 10: 42, when talking to Cornelius and his family at Caesarea, was careful to let them know that he was there preaching and telling them about Jesus, not because of a whim of his own, but because he was sent by God, as were all the apostles.

V 3.

God’s passion for justice comes out in those he chooses to serve him.  It’s human nature to take advantage of those who are less able than we are or to put people down.  God hates it when we do this.

We can decide never to take advantage of others in our own activities, but sometimes we feel helpless when faced with injustice on a world scale.  We can take heart when we realise that God’s plan is to get rid of all injustice and, after all, it is he who has the ultimate power.

V 4.

The servant, the chosen one, would not give up on doing God’s work.  This could be said to be true about Jesus as well. He saw his mission through, even at the cost of dying on the cross.
Only through his sacrifice on the cross can God’s true justice come for human beings.

V 5.

When God speaks, we should listen, if we have any sense.  After all, he is the one who made this whole world , including us.  Without him we would not even be alive.  So  we should assume he knows what he’s talking about!

V 6.

God’s chosen servant has been sent to show God’s righteousness – to show how holy God is and what God considers is right and wrong.  God promised to guide and support his servant so that he would be effective in doing his job and so that God’s covenant with his people and with everyone else in the world would operate as it was meant to do.  He would be an example for everyone, both Jew and non-Jew.

V 7.

To open eyes that are blind,
to bring captives out of prison,
out of the dungeons where they lie in darkness.

From being an example to nations and demonstrating God’s justice to them, the servant will also work amongst individuals, showing them personally that God desires justice for them as well.  We know that Jesus spent much of his ministry healing people both physically and spiritually and his church continues that work today.

V 8.

If this were a human speaking, we’d accuse him of having delusions of grandeur!  But God’s claim to glory is no delusion.  He has every right to expect his rightful worship.  Besides, his love and concern for his people is so great that he doesn’t want any of us to be deluded into worshipping any other spirits who call themselves gods and who can harm us.  Worship of God is good for us as it enables us to grow spiritually; worship of false gods doesn’t.

The name for God in the Old Testament is ‘I Am’.  Here it is again.

V 9.

We can trust God - his record speaks for itself.  Although he doesn’t tell us everything that is going to happen to us personally, he did give plenty of warning of the results of the faithlessness of the Israelite people and he did give waring about the coming of the Messiah.  These things have come to pass.