Elect One

"Behold! My Servant whom I uphold, My Elect One in whom My soul delights! I have put My Spirit upon Him; He will bring forth justice to the Gentiles.”
Isaiah 42:1

This Old Testament title is obviously a Messianic prophesy, so we’re able to examine a pre-incarnate name of Christ. The plan of redemption was already in play 700 years before the Baby Jesus was born in Bethlehem and the Servant of God was chosen for the job.

The position of Savior of the World is not something someone chooses for Himself; actually, it’s an elected office. Qualifications for the job included sinless perfection and the attributes of God. It’s safe to say that no one ran against Him in this election. Besides, who would have wanted the position anyway? The job required being mocked, jeered at, spit upon, beaten, nailed to a cross, and abandoned by one’s closest friends.

This Elect One wasn’t chosen by the people He came to save. Frankly, they (we) rejected Him. He was elected by God and the surprising thing was,  He accepted!

This brings us to why this title is so important. A willing sacrifice had to be offered as a substitute for a rebellious creation who willfully sinned. If an unwilling sacrifice was forced to suffer and die for mankind’s sin there would be neither justice nor propitiation. Only willful obedience could atone for willful disobedience.

Of the 23 times the terms elect or election are used in the New Testament, only once does it refer to Christ. "Behold, I lay in Zion A chief cornerstone, elect, precious, And he who believes on Him will by no means be put to shame" (1 Peter 2:6). The idea here is that believers respond in faith to the Elect One.

Most of the other verses refer to Christians who were chosen by God, before the foundation of the world, to be holy and without blame before Him in love (Ephesians 1:4). As God’s elect, we’re asked to be obedient to our calling and follow the example of the Elect One.