Isaiah 42:8

Isaiah 42:8 says, I am the Lord: that is my name: and my glory will I not give to another, neither my praise to graven images.  Isaiah sad that God said that He alone was God and that was His name.  He was the God Who had entered into a covenant relationship with the people of Israel even before they were a people and He is still the same God.  God said He wouldn’t share His glory with anyone else, since He alone was the Creator and Sustainer of everything.  He also said He wouldn’t have the praise that should be coming to Him given to graven images.  We need to worship God alone and give all our praises to Him. 

Verse nine adds, Behold, the former things are come to pass, and new things do I declare: before they spring forth I tell you of them.  God was one day going to do a new work when He sent His only begotten Son Jesus Christ to redeem mankind, but this should not have come as a surprise to the people of Israel.  Even in that day, they were looking for the coming Messiah Who would restore the people to God completely.  The fact that Jesus Christ came, lived, died, and rose again is certainly no surprise to believer today, but until by faith we have our eyes spiritually opened it remains an unknown truth. 

Verse ten continues. 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.  Isaiah said that God called on the whole earth to sing a new song to Him.  I believe this would be the song of redemption by faith in Jesus Christ Who died not just to redeem the people of Israel but to redeem the whole world.  This is the song we as Christians should sing today. 

Verse eleven states, 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.  Isaiah said that God called on everyone to sing praises to Him.  The people everywhere were to sing praises to God, and not just the people of Israel and this is still true today.  People from all over the world are a part of God's kingdom and should be singing praises o Him every day.

Verse twelve adds, Let them give glory unto the Lord, and declare his praise in the islands.  The songs that they sang were to give glory to God, and the songs that we sing, especially as we gather together as the church, should give glory to God. 

Verse thirteen continues, 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.  Isaiah said that God would go before them like a mighty man of war and that He would defeat all His enemies.  This has already been accomplished spiritually and there is no one who can defeat us spiritually as followers of Christ as long as we put our faith in God.  In the meantime, we as Christians are to go into the world unafraid to proclaim the gospel, which should turn the world upside down.     

Verse fourteen says, 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.  For a long time, God had held His peace as the Gentile world failed to acknowledge Him and even fought to destroy His people, but this was going to change.  He was going to devour and destroy them.  I believe this would refer to the second coming of Jesus Christ more than anytime in between.  God continues to hold His peace, to not destroy the evil in the world, but there is coming a day when this will no longer be true. 

Verse fifteen adds, 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.  This may have happened many times in history in certain places, but I still believe that this refers to when Jesus Christ returns in judgment. 

Verse sixteen continues, 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.  God said that the spiritually blind would be given sight as He led them by a way that they didn’t know before.  This way was salvation through faith in the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ to bring forgiveness to all who would accept His gift of salvation.  People still continue to look for a way of salvation but refuse to see that the only way is by faith in Jesus Christ.  They will remain spiritually blind until they accept this gift of salvation, even though they may have heard the gospel proclaimed many times.  When we accept Jesus Christ as our personal Savior and Lord, our spiritual darkness will be filled with His light, and we can be certain that He will never abandon us.