What is the meaning of Isaiah 42:12? Let them The verse begins with an open invitation—“Let them.” The Spirit, through Isaiah, is widening the circle of worship beyond Israel’s borders. • The immediate context (Isaiah 42:10-11) names desert tribes and coastal peoples, signaling an outreach to every kind of community. • Psalm 148:11-13 echoes this same inclusive call: “kings of the earth and all peoples… let them praise the name of the LORD”. • By using a permissive “let,” God graciously beckons rather than coerces, showing that true worship is willingly offered love (Joshua 24:15). give glory to the LORD Glory belongs exclusively to the covenant-keeping God. Giving it back is our proper response. • 1 Chronicles 16:28-29 urges, “Ascribe to the LORD the glory due His name”—the identical idea Isaiah highlights. • Psalm 115:1 keeps the focus right: “Not to us, O LORD, not to us, but to Your name give glory”. • Revelation 14:7 carries this forward to the end-times call: “Fear God and give Him glory, because the hour of His judgment has come”. Practical implications: – Acknowledge God’s character—His holiness, power, love. – Credit Him openly for every blessing and victory. – Resist the cultural pull toward self-exaltation. and declare His praise Glory offered privately is incomplete until praise is declared publicly. • Psalm 96:2-3 makes the connection clear: “Proclaim His salvation day after day. Declare His glory among the nations”. • Isaiah 12:4 envisions redeemed people saying, “Give thanks to the LORD; proclaim His name”. • 1 Peter 2:9 identifies believers as a royal priesthood “so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who called you”. Ways to declare: – Verbal testimony of God’s works. – Songs of worship that center on His attributes. – Acts of mercy that visibly reflect His goodness. in the islands The concluding phrase pushes praise to geographic edges. “Islands” (or “coastlands”) stands for remote places far from Jerusalem. • Isaiah 24:15 commands, “Therefore glorify the LORD in the east, and let the name of the LORD, the God of Israel, be glorified in the islands of the sea”. • Isaiah 49:1 records the Servant’s own voice: “Listen to Me, O islands”, previewing the gospel’s outward march. • Acts 13:47 cites Isaiah to justify Paul’s mission to the Gentiles, even as he launches from the island of Cyprus. This scope anticipates Christ’s Great Commission (Matthew 28:19), making praise a global project until every corner of earth resounds with His name. summary Isaiah 42:12 issues a four-fold call: 1. An open invitation—any people, anywhere, may come. 2. A clear action—give the LORD the glory He alone deserves. 3. A public witness—speak and sing His praise so others hear. 4. A worldwide reach—the message is destined even for the far-off islands. The verse assures us that God’s salvation plan is expansive, and our worship is meant to join that plan by exalting Him before all nations. |
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