Isaiah 59:16
He saw that there was no one,
he was appalled that there was no one to intervene;
so his own arm achieved salvation for him,
and his own righteousness sustained him. (NIV)
Today’s Reading: Isaiah 59:9-21
In Isaiah 59:15, we read:
“The Lord looked and was displeased
that there was no justice” (Isa 59:15).
The Hebrew word for “justice” is mišpāṭ which is the word most commonly used in Scripture for God’s character and the standards that are to bring order to our human society. Mišpāṭ speaks to the order that is found in the nature of our God.
“He is the Rock, his works are perfect,
and all his ways are just (mišpāṭ).
A faithful God who does no wrong,
upright and just is he” (Deut 32:4).
All God’s ways are just. He does no wrong. His works are perfect. He looked at Israel and did not see Himself in their society. There was no justice. If we look back to verses 12-14, we see Isaiah paint the picture that Israel has offended God by their many sins. Truth, righteousness and justice are nowhere to be found.
God then looked for someone to “intervene” which is the Hebrew verb pāgaʽ meaning to make intercession. We discussed Jesus interceding for us and how he currently stands at God’s throne in that role between us and a perfectly just God. But God was looking for an intercessor and found no one who was worthy to fulfill that role. So “his own arm achieved salvation.”
The Hebrew word for “arm” is zᵉrôaʽ which is used literally for arm and also figuratively as a symbol for power, protection or judgment. This same language was used by Mary when she visited Elizabeth after being told by Gabriel that she would give birth to the Messiah:
“He has performed mighty deeds with his arm;
he has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts.
He has brought down rulers from their thrones
but has lifted up the humble.
He has filled the hungry with good things
but has sent the rich away empty.
He has helped his servant Israel,
remembering to be merciful
to Abraham and his descendants forever,
just as he promised our ancestors” (Luke 1:51-55).
God couldn’t find someone to intercede so He sent Jesus – his arm – to us. Jesus achieved salvation for us because no one else was worthy. Only he could do it and he chose to do it for us. He came in both power and love and achieved salvation through his righteousness.
Christ in the Old Testament 
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