New Song

     Many in this area have been to the event in Leitchfield, Kentucky - New Song. It seemed to me that was referring to music because the camp there has several days of gospel music. Inquisitive minds must know! What does "New Song" represent? The mystery was revealed hundreds of years before the apostle Paul was ever born, notwithstanding Jesus! Examine what Isaiah saw:

Behold my servant, whom I uphold; mine elect, in whom my soul delighteth; I have put my spirit upon him: he shall bring forth judgment to the Gentiles... he shall bring forth judgment unto truth. He shall not fail nor be discouraged, till he have set judgment in the earth: and the isles shall wait for his law... I the Lord have called thee in righteousness, and will hold thine hand, and will keep thee, and give thee for a covenant of the people, for a light of the Gentiles... 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. (Isa 42:1, 3-4, 6, 10; KJV)

      What does the reader glean from these passages? (I recommend reading the entire chapter because it is about hope, the Messiah, and judgment.) Note that the scripture is from God, and He is the Voice of the writer:

• God is speaking of "His Servant." That has a specific person in mind: "For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”(Mark 10:45; ESV). The Son of Man is the Person of God who is called Jesus. The Son of Man came to serve God. That may be confusing because Jesus Is God! Well, God put on flesh for a purpose: to physically interact with mankind. God's flesh served His purpose: "And in very deed for this cause have I raised thee up, for to shew in thee my power; and that my name may be declared throughout all the earth" (Exod 9:16;ESV). This was written about Moses, but according to God's plan, it applies to Jesus as well. There is continuity in the theme of scripture and this is just one example. The exact words of Jesus were, "For this purpose I was born and for this purpose I have come into the world—to bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth listens to my voice" (John 18:37). His Servant was raised up to reveal the truth to mankind. Note that the purpose of Moses served the same purpose of Jesus because of the Abrahamic Covenant. (The reader should study there God's deal with Abraham. Hint: it was all about Jesus and spiritual prosperity!)
• His servant was God's "elect." Where have we read that before? "But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot: Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you" (1 Pet 1:19-20; ESV). Yes, Jesus was God's "elect." 
• God said, "I have put my Spirit upon Him." That is important; we normally think of people being filled with God's Holy Spirit. Look at the continuity to this passage: "Upon whom thou shalt see the Spirit descending, and remaining on him, the same is he which baptizeth with the Holy Ghost" (John 1:33, KJV). God put His Spirit on Jesus.
• "He," His servant, "will bring forth judgment on the Gentiles." Judgement is two-fold with God: guilty but redeemed or guilty but perishing. But weren't the Jews the chosen people? They were given grace first, but grace was sufficient for everyone. We find out in the New Testament that the "religious" Jews rejected Jesus while those who knew the truth became his disciples and even apostles. Before the propitiation of God's own blood, faithful Jews knew of that and understood the Messiah's purpose. It seems that they saw Jesus on the right hand of God through the transparent sea of glass (Rev 4:6, 15:2). Abraham had been judged faithful and Paradise was Abraham's bosom (Luke 16:23). The Holy Ghost first filled the Jews in Jerusalem, but not only them, but people from all over... the "isles" of which Isaiah wrote: "How hear we every man in our own tongue, wherein we were born? "Parthians, and Medes, and Elamites, and the dwellers in Mesopotamia, and in Judaea, and Cappadocia, in Pontus, and Asia, Phrygia, and Pamphylia, in Egypt, and in the parts of Libya about Cyrene, and strangers of Rome, Jews and proselytes, Cretes and Arabians, we do hear them speak in our tongues the wonderful works of God" (Acts 2:8-11). The word "continent" did not exist until 1555. (Entomology Online). I believe the isles of which Isaiah spoke were continents; Africa, Asia, and Europe were identified. Now we know the isles include the Americas and Australia, and perhaps Antarctica will soon learn the truth. In fact, the world's seventy times seven chances are when all the world has heard the truth about Jesus (Mat 24:14). The significance of the "isles" of which Isaiah wrote are imperative because after that comes the apocalypse and the Great White Throne judgment. That was foretold by Isaiah with "He shall not fail nor be discouraged, till he have set judgment in the earth: and the isles shall wait for his law."
• "I the Lord have called thee in righteousness..." Christians know that God calls sinners to come to Christ (John 6:44). Isaiah knew that as well! 
• "I the Lord... will hold thine hand, and will keep thee." That is the outcome of regeneration spoken to Nicodemus by Jesus (John 3). Christians think we are saved, but faith to be born again and sanctified is God holding our hands and keeping Christians safe. Those who are certain of that God can be trusted for the truth have the assurance of salvation, speaking of the prize as if it is already obtained!
• "I the Lord... give thee for a covenant of the people, for a light of the Gentiles." I have always contended that God is unchanging, and that because of that, there has always been only one covenant, and that was and is a covenant of grace through the blood of Jesus, and for everyone... the "whosoever" in John 3:16. Paul spoke of that mystery: "And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ" (Ephes 3:9) and "To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory" (Col 1:27). It is important to note that Yahweh was all about whosover - Jew and Gentile. They were the chosen people, and the Gentiles God's peculiar people (1 Pet 2:9).
• The Gentiles were to, "Sing unto the Lord a new song..." The "new song" wasn't really new, but recomposed for clarity: "Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil. For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled" (Mat 5:17-18). The "new song" was the same song sung with a different melody and in harmony with Jesus. Whereas the deaf to truth Jews kept the Law because they must, the "new song" was living the Law because new persons are willing to show love for God (John 14:21) which reads: "He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him." It should be clear that Isaiah knew the gospel before the truth was shared with the world!
• "Praise (God) 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 foresaw the gospel going unto the entire world - all seven of the continents (isles). Isaiah knew The Great Commission before it was commanded! Jesus said, "Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you" (Mat 18:19-20). 

     The "choir" was to go on a tour; they were to sing the new song all over the world. Shortly, the song ceased to be sung by the Jews, and the Gentiles became the choir. Isaiah knew the new song, the theme of the song, the tour route, and the choir long before the Song Leader was born, before the continents were all known, and before the new song lyrics were ever written!