While I'm Waiting

In the early part of this chapter, God has promised a Servant Savior who would be for all people, held up by the hand of God, who would restore God’s people.

Beginning in verse 14, God addresses the skepticism of the people. They had been oppressed for so long. Disheartened. Skeptical. Depressed. Disillusioned. After centuries of rebellion against the Lord, and 70 years of captivity, was there any hope?

Let’s see how God answers Judah’s lament.

The fearful complaint: “God has abandoned me.”

Isaiah 49:14 HCSB

Zion says, “The Lord has abandoned me; The Lord has forgotten me!”

Judah had come to the conclusion that they were forgotten and abandoned. It is understandable. Many years have passed since they first arrived in Babylon.

I’ve met many people like this… They think they are too far gone.. They believe that God has turned His back… or that He probably doesn’t even exist, at least not like the God in the Bible. Or perhaps they have struggled with a besetting sin for so long they have sadly resolved that they will never be able to beat it. No matter how much they have prayed and resolved they just don’t seem to be able to conquer it. And it makes them wonder if God is real. Or they have prayed about someone or something without a positive outcome for so long.

The Lord’s Expanded Answer: “I will take care of you”

Isaiah 49:16–26 HCSB

Look, I have inscribed you on the palms of My hands; your walls are continually before Me. Your builders hurry; those who destroy and devastate you will leave you. Look up, and look around. They all gather together; they come to you. As I live”— this is the Lord’s declaration— “you will wear all your children as jewelry, and put them on as a bride does. For your waste and desolate places and your land marked by ruins— will now be indeed too small for the inhabitants, and those who swallowed you up will be far away. Yet as you listen, the children that you have been deprived of will say, ‘This place is too small for me; make room for me so that I may settle.’ Then you will say within yourself, ‘Who fathered these for me? I was deprived of my children and unable to conceive, exiled and wandering— but who brought them up? See, I was left by myself— but these, where did they come from?’ ” This is what the Lord God says: Look, I will lift up My hand to the nations, and raise My banner to the peoples. They will bring your sons in their arms, and your daughters will be carried on their shoulders. Kings will be your foster fathers, and their queens your nursing mothers. They will bow down to you with their faces to the ground, and lick the dust at your feet. Then you will know that I am Yahweh; those who put their hope in Me will not be put to shame. Can the prey be taken from the mighty, or the captives of the righteous be delivered? For this is what the Lord says: “Even the captives of a mighty man will be taken, and the prey of a tyrant will be delivered; I will contend with the one who contends with you, and I will save your children. I will make your oppressors eat their own flesh, and they will be drunk with their own blood as with sweet wine. Then all flesh will know that I, Yahweh, am your Savior, and your Redeemer, the Mighty One of Jacob.”

I will never forget you 16

You will be built up. 17

You will have many descendants 18 (This population explosion did not happen when Judah left Babylonian Captivity.

Three options.

1. The Bible is wrong.

2. This is a picture of the vast number of people who will one day be saved under the new covenant.

3. This points to a later time, in the Millennial Kingdom, when Israel will prosper.

You will be enlarged 19-20

You will be amazed 21

You will be blessed by others. 22-23

You will see your oppressors become oppressed. 24-26

You will see God exalted as Savior, Redeemer and Mighty One 26

The Lord’s Final Answer: “I can take care of you”

Isaiah 50:1–3 HCSB

This is what the Lord says: Where is your mother’s divorce certificate that I used to send her away? Or who were My creditors that I sold you to? Look, you were sold for your iniquities, and your mother was put away because of your transgressions. Why was no one there when I came? Why was there no one to answer when I called? Is My hand too short to redeem? Or do I have no power to deliver? Look, I dry up the sea by My rebuke; I turn the rivers into a wilderness; their fish rot because of lack of water and die of thirst. I dress the heavens in black and make sackcloth their clothing.

Verse 1 There is a reason you are in the mess you are in.

verse 2A . There was no response when I called on you.

Verse 2B-3 I have the power to do what needs to be done when it needs to be done.

Waiting on the Lord is a difficult task:

He never moves on our timetable. We must fight the temptation to badger Him, grow disgruntled with Him, or move out on our own. We have no power to deal with our own problems.

What we MUST do is trust Him.

Trust Him for salvation.

Trust Him to help with our sin problem.

Trust Him to answer in His time.

I'm waiting I'm waiting on You, Lord And I am hopeful

I'm waiting on You, Lord Though it is painful But patiently, I will wait

I will move ahead, bold and confident Takeing every step in obedience While I'm waiting I will serve You While I'm waiting I will worship While I'm waiting I will not faint I'll be running the race Even while I wait

I'm waiting I'm waiting on You, Lord And I am peaceful I'm waiting on You, Lord Though it's not easy But faithfully, I will wait Yes, I will wait I will serve You while I'm waiting I will worship while I'm waiting I will serve You while I'm waiting I will worship while I'm waiting I will serve you while I'm waiting I will worship while I'm waiting on You, Lord