Behold God's Servant

Behold my servant, whom I uphold; mine elect, in whom my soul delighteth. Isaiah 42:1.

Angels reproved disciples of old with, “Why stand ye gazing up into heaven?” (Acts of the Apostles 1:11.) How much do we deserve this reproof? Why stand ye gazing upon the vanities of the earth? Soul, what art thou looking at? What is the object of thy intention tonight? Be it what it may, God calleth to thee, and demands audience of him, and attention to him. It is for your comfort and his glory. The Majesty of heaven speaks to sinful worms of the earth. Behold. Take off your eyes and thoughts from every object; be all eye, ear, and attention to me. Ye poor, miserable, law-condemned, sin-distressed souls, look at, and take special notice of my servant. Wonder, adore, rejoice, and love. My beloved, my co-equal Son, who is Lord of all, becomes man, takes on him the form of a servant, to do my will perfectly, and to finish your salvation completely. Whom I uphold. Carnal reason bow. Satanic pride avaunt. High thoughts submit to faith’s mystery. Not a God upheld by a God: but a perfect man upheld by a perfect God. Christ, as perfect man, was too weak to sustain the ponderous load of a world of sin; and to support the suffering of divine wrath, in atoning for sin and satisfying divine justice. Therefore, all the fulness of the godhead dwelt in him bodily, to uphold his manhood. O sinners, in your precious Saviour behold the man: adore the God. Mine elect. Christ was chosen to the office of God’s servant and our Saviour. Chosen in the eternal council and covenant before time, to assume human nature in the fulness of time. In whom my soul delighteth. Says John, “We know that we are of God,” (1 John 5:19.) How? By this sure mark, this infallible evidence, we are of one mind with God. Doth God’s soul delight in the person and work of his beloved Son? So do ours. Is God’s soul delighted, that Christ hath satisfied his justice, magnified and made honourable his law, and finished salvation for miserable sinners? So are ours. Then, as surely as our souls delight in Christ, the Lord’s soul delights in us. We are called Hephzibah, that is, the Lord’s pleasure is in thee. Thou art married to him. His soul delighteth over thee. (Isaiah 62:4.) He hath given his Spirit to thee: for, says Christ, he shall receive of mine, my love, my atonement, my redemption, my righteousness, my salvation, my resurrection, ascension, and intercession, and shall shew it unto you. Thus he shall glorify me in your eyes and in your hearts. John 16:14.

God calls, my soul attend,
Behold his precious Son,
In form of servant he did send,
Salvation work he’s done.

This is the joy of faith:
This is the spring of love:
Behold this to thy latest breath,
Till thou shalt sing above.

- William Mason, A Spiritual Treasury For The Children of God, Volume 2, November 24