Isaiah 49
Notes
Transcript
The Servants Work...
The Servants Work...
We are beginning a new section from this chapter to chapter 55.
It reminds us that God is working through time to complete His purposes of restoration for His people, but take that thought a step farther and know that God also loves them and the world, and seeks through His people to fulfill the promise of Abraham, that all the people of the world would be blessed through him.
A Savior would come and redeem the people from their sin.
So lets begin...
1 Listen to me, O coastlands,
and give attention, you peoples from afar.
The Lord called me from the womb,
from the body of my mother he named my name.
Now up to this time we have seen that Babylon is not the answer to the world’s problems.
Israel has failed to listen to God, So what hope do God’s people and the nations have as Babylon falls..
Their hope can only be found in the Lord their God. God would redeem them and the nations would come and turn to God and be saved.
So Isaiah calls for the nations around them, the coastlands and others to lend an ear and hear.
God had called him from his mother’s womb, he knew and remembered his name. as such the servant was acting on behalf of God.
2 He made my mouth like a sharp sword;
in the shadow of his hand he hid me;
he made me a polished arrow;
in his quiver he hid me away.
And look at what Isaiah says God did.... He made his mouth, his voice and powerful instrument. How? He declared the messages of God.
The imagery of a sword tells us that the speech was sharp, piercing to the soul.
He also counted his words from God has a pointed arrow, that can strike the enemy from a long distance.
Also in the 2nd and 4th line we see Isaiah say that God hides him in his hand and also in his quiver. Isaiah said that God has been his protection and stay during difficult days.
Now verse 3, Isa 49:3
3 And he said to me, “You are my servant,
Israel, in whom I will be glorified.”
Isaiah assurances those listening to him that God the Father is the one who commissioned him to serve, He does so by quoting God’s exact words, you are my servant.
And the work he does he does for God and for no one else. And the purpose for all that Isaiah does and all the work that God ordains is for one purpose, to bring glory to himself.
So as God said earlier in chapter 44, the redemption of Jacob would display His glory in Israel.
Now verse 4 Isa 49:4
4 But I said, “I have labored in vain;
I have spent my strength for nothing and vanity;
yet surely my right is with the Lord,
and my recompense with my God.”
In light of all that God did to empower and send his servant, the report wasn’t all good. Isaiah’s words have been received on deaf ears on times.
So there was limited success because God’s people Israel were stiff necked.
But in the end, there would be those who would heed the word of the prophet and Isaiah knew there would be some victory and the Lord would reward his faithfulness.
What this tells us is that even in tremendous hardship, Isaiah knew the Lord would take care of him
5 And now the Lord says,
he who formed me from the womb to be his servant,
to bring Jacob back to him;
and that Israel might be gathered to him—
for I am honored in the eyes of the Lord,
and my God has become my strength—
Looking at this verse we see the Servant reminds himself who God is and what God has promised to do for Him. So Isaiah says it was God who spoke to them through Him. He has authority over the servant, forming and bringing him into existence through his mothers womb.
God wasn’t just a worthless wooden idol as they had turned to in the past. God who created the servant could accomplish his purposes through Him.
What was that purpose? To gather Israel back to Himself. To see His people return to them.
And for Isaiah, all that matters is not what the people think of say to him or about him… All that matters is that he be honored in the eyes of the Lord.
Isaiah is honored to serve and knows the Lord is the source of His life and strength. With that knowledge, he is ready to do whatever the Lord asks of him.
But lets carry this thought another step, the Servant is the Lord Jesus, a picture of God’s messiah.
God would see him come from His Mothers womb, and it was to help bring Israel back to himself… we will talk more of this..
Now verse 6 Isa 49:6
6 he says:
“It is too light a thing that you should be my servant
to raise up the tribes of Jacob
and to bring back the preserved of Israel;
I will make you as a light for the nations,
that my salvation may reach to the end of the earth.”
So it is God’s desire to life up and honor the servant, God needed to give him an important responsibility.
But the servant would not receive such and honor. He would not have worldwide honor, instead he would go a work that would not just lift up the tribes of Jacob, but would transform all the nations of the earth.
God has made His Servant to be a light to the nations. Just as Isaiah is telling the people to be a light to the nations, The Servant, (Jesus) would be a alight to the nations.
The overall purpose to that God’s salvation would go to all the nations… that sounds familiar to the NT does it not...
8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”
Verse 7 Isa 49:7
7 Thus says the Lord,
the Redeemer of Israel and his Holy One,
to one deeply despised, abhorred by the nation,
the servant of rulers:
“Kings shall see and arise;
princes, and they shall prostrate themselves;
because of the Lord, who is faithful,
the Holy One of Israel, who has chosen you.”
God chose a special servant, and he has no intention for letting his plans fail, for the Servant is destined to be a light to the nations.
God’s faithfulness and his firm determination to spread salvation to the ends of the earth is the ultimate factor that this Servant and every servant of God can depend on.
Verses 48-49 Isa 49:8-9
8 Thus says the Lord:
“In a time of favor I have answered you;
in a day of salvation I have helped you;
I will keep you and give you
as a covenant to the people,
to establish the land,
to apportion the desolate heritages,
9 saying to the prisoners, ‘Come out,’
to those who are in darkness, ‘Appear.’
They shall feed along the ways;
on all bare heights shall be their pasture;
God’s people were not supposed ot look to a date or a time, instead they were to know and trust that God will act positively to bring salvation The life of the servant was the means of life to the people.
To know the servant is to know life…amen
God has three purposes...
A. restore the Land,
B. To bring back and inheritance to the people
C. And to call the captives out of captivity
The land has been left desolate, not worked or cared for. God wanted to bring his people back to the Lord
Coming back to them, they would receive his blessing and see that kingdom when life ends and call the those held captive to freedom.
The ones who the servant sets free will have plenty to eat and drink, they will more then survive. God has promised this...
Do you think you have to worry about your salvation, your future home in heavent, no
Verses 10-13 Isa 49:10-13
10 they shall not hunger or thirst,
neither scorching wind nor sun shall strike them,
for he who has pity on them will lead them,
and by springs of water will guide them.
11 And I will make all my mountains a road,
and my highways shall be raised up.
12 Behold, these shall come from afar,
and behold, these from the north and from the west,
and these from the land of Syene.”
13 Sing for joy, O heavens, and exult, O earth;
break forth, O mountains, into singing!
For the Lord has comforted his people
and will have compassion on his afflicted.
Look at what the Lord says he will do.... Consider the imagery of shepherd leading the sheep and being cared for by the shepherd.
They will have food to eat, water to drink. They will not have to worry about the hot sun, God will be compassionate to His people.
The people ( or sheep) will come from all directions. The north, the south, east and west..
They will come to him and be comforted by the Lord.
So with verse 13, the call is for the heavens to shout the mountains to burst into song… all of creation will rejoice because of God’s great salvation
These who were afflicted and struggled in darkness, the Lord brought them out of this and has saved them , restored to them a covenant relationship with himself.
New Section
Verse 14 Isa 49:14
14 But Zion said, “The Lord has forsaken me;
my Lord has forgotten me.”
So here the story begins with the personified city God, The city thinks God has forsaken them… remember the walls are breached, the gates burned and the inhabitants in captivity.
They are fearful because God has been silent. The city, the people want God to restore them
Verse 15 Isa 49:15
15 “Can a woman forget her nursing child,
that she should have no compassion on the son of her womb?
Even these may forget,
yet I will not forget you.
Listen to this… would a nursing mom forget her child…No.
in the same way, God will not forget his people who he has called forth from the the days of Abraham...
Verse 16 Isa 49:16
16 Behold, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands;
your walls are continually before me.
To reassure Zion, God opens his hands and calls for them to see, he has engraved their names on his hands. He loves his people and his city.
The walls are continually before me, He seems them every day just as He sees his people.
Since his people and city and engraved on his hands, He will accomplish great things through them.
Verse 17 Isa 49:17
17 Your builders make haste;
your destroyers and those who laid you waste go out from you.
at the right time, the builder, the construction workers of his people will very quickly come to Jerusalem, and those from Babylon who might be there in the city will quickly leave it
Verse 18 Isa 49:18
18 Lift up your eyes around and see;
they all gather, they come to you.
As I live, declares the Lord,
you shall put them all on as an ornament;
you shall bind them on as a bride does.
Now comes God oath to the people and the city if you will. This will be something they could not have comprehended, God will see the people come and be viewed as precious jewels like ornaments of gold and silver that one might wear around their neck on one their ears like a bride preparing for a wedding celebration.
Verses 19-20 Isa 49:19-20
19 “Surely your waste and your desolate places
and your devastated land—
surely now you will be too narrow for your inhabitants,
and those who swallowed you up will be far away.
20 The children of your bereavement
will yet say in your ears:
‘The place is too narrow for me;
make room for me to dwell in.’
Part of God’s oath is that those who took them captive will go far away.
Babylon will be destroyed, God will allow the children who return to the city to see it restored, even though their numbers at first are few, God’s faithfulness will see the city.
Verse 21 Isa 49:21
21 Then you will say in your heart:
‘Who has borne me these?
I was bereaved and barren,
exiled and put away,
but who has brought up these?
Behold, I was left alone;
from where have these come?’ ”
Here the city, the people see God’s care as people return to jerusalem, she was once alone and now people are filling up the city. Barren says she was without child, but this is no more, and from a far away captivity, God has brought her inhabitants.
Verses 22-23 Isa 49:22-23
22 Thus says the Lord God:
“Behold, I will lift up my hand to the nations,
and raise my signal to the peoples;
and 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.
With their faces to the ground they shall bow down to you,
and lick the dust of your feet.
Then you will know that I am the Lord;
those who wait for me shall not be put to shame.”
God is speaking here. God will move the nations by lifting up His hands, like raising a banner, God can lift of his banner, or hands and set the standard as to how people should act
But He will bring salvation and hope to his people. He calls the nations around them to send many children to Zion, so it is a call to assit them
Many of these children were cared for and raised in a foreign land. These former enemies of God have become sympathetic caregivers under his leadership.
They will come in peace to help God’s people as they return. They will come and show respect by bowing down to him
Once the Jews observe these wonderful events happening, they will finally be convinced (“you will know” wĕyadaʿat) that this is God at work, for these people are “those who hope/wait for me” (qōwāy) and trust in God’s promises. The hopeful person that patiently waits for God’s salvation to arrive will not be disappointed when God acts to fulfill his promises (
Verse 25-26 Isa 49:25-26
25 For thus says the Lord:
“Even the captives of the mighty shall be taken,
and the prey of the tyrant be rescued,
for I will contend with those who contend with you,
and I will save your children.
26 I will make your oppressors eat their own flesh,
and they shall be drunk with their own blood as with wine.
Then all flesh shall know
that I am the Lord your Savior,
and your Redeemer, the Mighty One of Jacob.”
God says those who were taken will be returned, God himself will do this...
He will save and deliver them. I will save your children
Those strong tyrants, well the destiny of all those who seek to fight against god, these oppressors, who were blood thirsty, will self destruct and kill each other,
This is what happened with Jehoshaphat when he opposed the Moabites, edomites and ammonites, when Gideon’s 300 men saw the Midianites self destruct
God is our redeemer
Being part of the family of God we trust Him as our redeemer and and savior, the one who transofrms life