Isaiah 49
Notes
Transcript
Isaiah 49
Isaiah 49
Now, as promised we are slowing down a bit in our study of Isaiah. I mentioned when we first started the book that the
book has two themes, chapters 1–39 . Judgment. Chapters 40–66 speak more of salvation and comfort. What I haven’t mentioned yet as I’ve been waiting to get to this part is that one of the nicknames for the Book of Isaiah is the 5th Gospel. This is because it paints such a clear prophetic picture of Messiah Jesus and no where else is this as clear as it is here in chapters 49-57. So we are going to put on the brakes a little bit.
We want to see how Isaiah in many ways gives us a more complete description of Jesus than even what we get in the story of His incarnation. God, being born in the flesh, Deity taking on humanity. This is not man becoming God. This is God being God and remaining 100% God and taking on humanity. I know in our heads the math doesn’t add up, but theologically and more important Biblically that makes Jesus 100% God AND 100% man. That is how He and He alone can be our Savior, and truly provide forgiveness of sins, and salvation for our souls.
In the Book of Isaiah we read about His virgin birth, what tribe of Israel He would be born into, and many, many more details of this one that would not be born of Mary for another 740 years, again to show if God says it, then it is so.
In chapter 49 we see this other transition for which many of you will be thankful for when the Prophet Isaiah is no longer taking about God delivering the children of Israel out of the captivity of Babylon, but is now beginning to write about a much larger redemption, in that the salvation that is now spoken of goes beyond the borders of Israel and speaks of this Savior that is to come... being the One to redeem the nations, Jew and Gentile, from a much greater bondage, the bondage of sin.
Let’s Pray.
We see this transition in the very first verse here…Isaiah 49:1
1 “Listen, O coastlands, to Me, And take heed, you peoples from afar! The Lord has called Me from the womb; From the matrix of My mother He has made mention of My name.
This will be further revealed later, but look at all that we can see in verse one! First He begins with Listen! God here wants the attention of the entire world. Listen, O coastlands to Me. Me capitalized so we know it is deity and not just the Prophet Isaiah speaking. Listen and take heed. Or hear this, pay attention to it, and consider carefully what I am about to say. The LORD, Yahweh or the Father has called Me, the Messiah from the womb, from the matrix (lit. inward parts) of My mother (Mary) He has made mention of My name.
We know this to have been fulfilled through the angel Gabriel…Luke 1:26-29
26 Now in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth,
27 to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin’s name was Mary.
28 And having come in, the angel said to her, “Rejoice, highly favored one, the Lord is with you; blessed are you among women!”
29 But when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and considered what manner of greeting this was.
30 Then the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God.
31 And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a Son, and shall call His name Jesus.
So not only is this fulfilled with the mention of His name, not just by title, but is named not by Mary and Joseph, but by The LORD, but His mission as Messiah is also named… Look at verse 32 with me. Luke 1:32-33
32 He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Highest; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David.
33 And He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of His kingdom there will be no end.”
Now you can see why we had to slow down in this section…I won’t go there tonight, but you can also compare verse one here with what is written in Psalm 22 verses 8-10. Isaiah 49:2
2 And He has made My mouth like a sharp sword; In the shadow of His hand He has hidden Me, And made Me a polished shaft; In His quiver He has hidden Me.”
His mouth is like a sharp sword. You can turn the news on today and hear the threats of warfare. Russia is declaring that if NATO, or other nations of the West, want to continue to interfere with what they are calling a regional conflict, then they are approaching World War III. Anytime there are threats of war, inventories are taken of weapons, threats are made, but here Jesus is saying My words have strength and might. My mouth is like a sharp sword. it is interesting if you tie a few verses together here. John 1:1
1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.
Hebrews, where we will be very soon on Sunday mornings should the Lord tarry…Hebrews 4:12
12 For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.
What an incredible description of Jesus, His mouth is like a sharp sword. In our minds I think when we think of a sharp sword probably what comes to mind is a weapon of warfare. But sometimes a sharp instrument is used for healing. When a cancer is cut out, or an infection is lanced. Sometimes something needs to be cut away in our lives so that healing can begin.
Jesus did have some sharp words. I think of the things he said to religious leaders. Matthew 23 is full of words like a sharp sword. Matthew 23:1-3
1 Then Jesus spoke to the multitudes and to His disciples,
2 saying: “The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat.
3 Therefore whatever they tell you to observe, that observe and do, but do not do according to their works; for they say, and do not do.
Vs 27 Matt 23:27
27 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs which indeed appear beautiful outwardly, but inside are full of dead men’s bones and all uncleanness.
From the Gospel of John 8:42-44
John 8:42–44 (NKJV)
42 Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father, you would love Me, for I proceeded forth and came from God; nor have I come of Myself, but He sent Me.
43 Why do you not understand My speech? Because you are not able to listen to My word.
44 You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him...
Sharp words that remain sharp to this day, that pierce the hearts of many, and are a stabbing sword to others…John 14:6
6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.
The rest of that verse, verse two in Isaiah 49:2
2 And He has made My mouth like a sharp sword; In the shadow of His hand He has hidden Me, And made Me a polished shaft; In His quiver He has hidden Me.”
This is interesting, because when was Jesus hidden by the Father? I think this speaks of the first 30 years of His incarnation. The time He spent in preparation becoming a polished shaft, in relative obscurity, in a little known town of Bethlehem. He is an arrow in God’s quiver, ready to be released an instrument of salvation, shot into my heart and your heart.
Now verses 3 and 4, if you read ahead, or read any commentaries, you may have noticed a couple of things. Several Bible expositors go from saying that verses 1&2 are speaking about Messiah Jesus, then it switches here in verses 3&4 and goes back to speaking about the nation of Israel, back to Jesus in verse 5. If you have the NKJV in front of you this evening because that is your preference, or because that is what your pastor teaches from, you can see that the editors of that version of the Bible capitalize the Me’s and My’s in some places of the chapter, but not in verses 3&4 as they have taken the position that whenever the Bible speaks of Israel, it is speaking about the nation of Israel. This is one of the few places that I disagree with them. I think this is all speaking of Jesus, I think the text and the context support that position. So let’s look at it reading it that way…Isa 49:3
3 “And He said to me, ‘You are My servant, O Israel, In whom I will be glorified.’
You guys probably remember the story of Jacob in the Bible. The name Jacob means supplanter, or heal grabber. If you read about his life that all makes sense as he really was a deceiver and conniver, and ended up stealing his brother’s birthright. But if you read in Genesis chapter 32 there is that cool story about him wrestling with God all night, and he won’t let go until God blesses him, God eventually touches his hip and puts it out of the socket. But at the end of that, God changes Jacob’s name to Israel which means “governed by God” or ruled by God.
I happen to think this is God calling Jesus Israel. The Man ruled by, Governed by God, Jesus is the true Israel of God. He is also the One in whom the Father is glorified. Over and Over and Over again when we see Jesus heal somebody or do a miracle, or do nearly anything, we repeatedly see the response of the people glorifying God. Every time they do, it is a fulfillment of this prophecy found in Isaiah 49 verse 3.
Verse 4 says, Isa 49:4
4 Then I said, ‘I have labored in vain, I have spent my strength for nothing and in vain; Yet surely my just reward is with the Lord, And my work with my God.’ ”
This is another reason why lots of people want to credit verses 3&4 to the nation of Israel and not Jesus, because they don’t want to think about, or conceive of the idea that Jesus could have been discouraged, or that He ever felt defeated. It is interesting though when you consider, the public ministry of Jesus. It is often broken up into three parts, fairly equally divided by years of ministry. The first year being the year of obscurity, not very many knew yet who He was, people were just starting to hear about him. The second year easily was the year of popularity. Crowds would gather when he spoke. Many would have elected Him King to lead the people to over throw the oppression from Rome. The third year of ministry would have been the year of opposition.
By the time that Jesus goes to the cross. There was very little evidence of the impact His ministry had, and would have. His closest followers bailed on Him at the cross. They were in deep sorrow as his death, and when the ladies showed up saying He had risen, they were basically in shock.
10 He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him.
11 He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him.
That certainly could make one feel as though they had labored in vain, that they had spent their strength for nothing and in vain. That is often how ministry can be for us. We may not ever see the full fruit of our labors. Those of you that serve in children’s ministry know that it is often times years and years before the full maturity of that fruit is fully revealed. Parents, particularly those of you with prodigals have experienced the discouragement of verse 4.
I also think that there is some confusion for those that point to the nation of Israel in verse 3&4 as you read through the rest of this it would mean that Israel would bring back Israel to God…verse 5 Isaiah 49:5
5 “And now the Lord says, Who formed Me from the womb to be His Servant, To bring Jacob back to Him, So that Israel is gathered to Him (For I shall be glorious in the eyes of the Lord, And My God shall be My strength),
This shows that one of the major purposes of the Messiah Jesus’ ministry was and is to bring Jacob, or Israel back to the Father and that is happening and will ultimately be fulfilled in the last week of Daniel, the 70th week when we can read about in Revelation God’s saving plan for Israel. or Romans 11:26
26 And so all Israel will be saved, as it is written: “The Deliverer will come out of Zion, And He will turn away ungodliness from Jacob;
6 Indeed He says, ‘It is too small a thing that You should be My Servant To raise up the tribes of Jacob, And to restore the preserved ones of Israel; I will also give You as a light to the Gentiles, That You should be My salvation to the ends of the earth.’ ”
7 Thus says the Lord, The Redeemer of Israel, their Holy One, To Him whom man despises, To Him whom the nation abhors, To the Servant of rulers: “Kings shall see and arise, Princes also shall worship, Because of the Lord who is faithful, The Holy One of Israel; And He has chosen You.”
I love this. Just saving Israel is too small a thing, You will also be a light to the Gentiles so You shall be My salvation to the ends of the earth. Men will despise you and hate You, but You are My salvation to the Word, and in the end, every knee will bow and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord.
8 Thus says the Lord: “In an acceptable time I have heard You, And in the day of salvation I have helped You; I will preserve You and give You As a covenant to the people, To restore the earth, To cause them to inherit the desolate heritages;
9 That You may say to the prisoners, ‘Go forth,’ To those who are in darkness, ‘Show yourselves.’ “They shall feed along the roads, And their pastures shall be on all desolate heights.
10 They shall neither hunger nor thirst, Neither heat nor sun shall strike them; For He who has mercy on them will lead them, Even by the springs of water He will guide them.
Revelation chapter 7 talks about no more hunger, no more thirst. But I wonder if Jesus remembered these words as He hung on that cross for our sins. As He was in anguish did He think of the Father saying I will preserve You and give You As a covenant to the people. We often think of Jesus as bringing the New Covenant, but in reality, He is the New Covenant, to restore the earth, so set prisoners free. Isn’t this a description of many of us? John 8:34-36
34 Jesus answered them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, whoever commits sin is a slave of sin.
35 And a slave does not abide in the house forever, but a son abides forever.
36 Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed.
Verse 11 Isaiah 49:11-12
11 I will make each of My mountains a road, And My highways shall be elevated.
12 Surely these shall come from afar; Look! Those from the north and the west, And these from the land of Sinim.”
Many believe this as a reference to China, there is growing popularity that it is actually referencing a place in Egypt, I don’t think the evidence is clear enough to say definitively, the idea is that He will save and bring those back that were scattered a long ways off.
13 Sing, O heavens! Be joyful, O earth! And break out in singing, O mountains! For the Lord has comforted His people, And will have mercy on His afflicted.
14 But Zion said, “The Lord has forsaken me, And my Lord has forgotten me.”
In the middle of this praise for Messiah it appears as though Zion or Jerusalem will make accusation or claim that the Lord has forsaken them. Many Jews say that this was the Holocaust. And others that even though God is drawing them back from the four corners of the earth He has abandoned them. God answers the accusation in the rest of this section, and into the next chapter as well.
15 “Can a woman forget her nursing child, And not have compassion on the son of her womb? Surely they may forget, Yet I will not forget you.
16 See, I have inscribed you on the palms of My hands; Your walls are continually before Me.
17 Your sons shall make haste; Your destroyers and those who laid you waste Shall go away from you.
18 Lift up your eyes, look around and see; All these gather together and come to you. As I live,” says the Lord, “You shall surely clothe yourselves with them all as an ornament, And bind them on you as a bride does.
This regathering is being fulfilled and will yet be fulfilled in the final days as the regathering of Israel is completed and they recognize their Messiah. Isaiah 49:19-22
19 “For your waste and desolate places, And the land of your destruction, Will even now be too small for the inhabitants; And those who swallowed you up will be far away.
20 The children you will have, After you have lost the others, Will say again in your ears, ‘The place is too small for me; Give me a place where I may dwell.’
21 Then you will say in your heart, ‘Who has begotten these for me, Since I have lost my children and am desolate, A captive, and wandering to and fro? And who has brought these up? There I was, left alone; But these, where were they?’ ”
22 Thus says the Lord God: “Behold, I will lift My hand in an oath to the nations, And set up My standard for the peoples; They shall bring your sons in their arms, And your daughters shall be carried on their shoulders;
23 Kings shall be your foster fathers, And their queens your nursing mothers; They shall bow down to you with their faces to the earth, And lick up the dust of your feet. Then you will know that I am the Lord, For they shall not be ashamed who wait for Me.”
24 Shall the prey be taken from the mighty, Or the captives of the righteous be delivered?
25 But thus says the Lord: “Even the captives of the mighty shall be taken away, And the prey of the terrible be delivered; For I will contend with him who contends with you, And I will save your children.
God says I will fight those that fight with you and I will save your children. These are specific promises made to Israel here, but this is a verse I personally would ask God for if my child was being dragged away by addiction, or held in the captivity of sin. Ask Him as He promises to do here to deliver your captive, to loose the prey, and for God to contend with those that contend with us, and save our children.
What a cool ending we have here in verse 26 Isa 49:26
26 I will feed those who oppress you with their own flesh, And they shall be drunk with their own blood as with sweet wine. All flesh shall know That I, the Lord, am your Savior, And your Redeemer, the Mighty One of Jacob.”
Grace and Peace!