By Eugene Garner

ISAIAH - CHAPTER 49

THE MESSIANIC SERVANT AS REDEEMER
(Isa. 49:1-57:21)

SALVATION THROUGH THE SERVANT OF JEHOVAH

   Listen, O isles, unto me; and hearken, ye people, from far; The LORD hath called me from the womb; from the bowels of my mother hath he made mention of my name. And he hath made my mouth like a sharp sword; in the shadow of his hand hath he hid me, and made me a polished shaft; in his quiver hath he hid me; And said unto me, Thou art my servant, O Israel, in whom I will be glorified. Then I said, I have laboured in vain, I have spent my strength for nought, and in vain: yet surely my judgment is with the LORD, and my work with my God.

    1. The appeal of the Servant is to all men (Jew and Gentile) - even to the ends of the earth, (vs. 1-a; comp. 45:22).
    2. From the womb of His mother, Jehovah has called the Servant by name, (Matt. 1:21).
      a. Making his mouth like a sharp sword - hidden in the shadow of Jehovah's own hand, (vs. 2a; 11:4; 30:31; Rev. 1:16; 2:16; 19:15; comp. Heb. 4:12).
      b. Making Him as a polished shaft - ready to be drawn from the quiver of Jehovah, (vs. 2b; Hab. 3:11).
    3. Elsewhere referred to as "David" (Ezek. 34:23), the Servant (Christ) is here called "Israel"; He always identifies Himself with His chosen people, (Hos. 11:1; Matt. 2:15; comp. Num. 24:8) - with Israel in the Old Testament, and with His church in the New, (Acts 8:3; 9:1, 4).
      a. He is ever the Head of His covenant-community (in both the Old Testament and New) - they being His body (Eph. 1:22-23), bride (Isa. 62:5; II Cor. 11:2; Eph. 5:21-32), house (Heb. 3:1-6; 10:21; I Tim. 3:15; I Pet. 2:5), temple (Eph. 2:20-22), holy nation (Ex. 19:6; Deut. 14:21; I Pet. 2:9), and people for God's own possession, (Ex. 19:5; Deut. 7:6; 14:2; I Peter 2:9; Eph. 1:18).
      b. What many fail to see is that the covenant-community in the Old Testament and New are ONE in the special relationship of covenant-fellowship that they sustain to Christ - a relationship that is rooted in divine grace and maintained through the obedience of faith, (Eph. 2:11-19).
    4. From every observable indicator of Israel's response to Him, our Lord's labor toward her APPEARED to be in vain - His effort wasted, (vs. 4a; Matt. 23:37-39; Jn. 5:39-40).
    5. But, He left the result in the Father's hands - trusting Him for a just recompense of His faithful service, (vs. 4b; I Pet. 2:21-23; Phil. 2:9-11).

   And now, saith the LORD that formed me from the womb to be his servant, to bring Jacob again to him, Though Israel be not gathered, yet shall I be glorious in the eyes of the LORD, and my God shall be my strength. And he said, It is a light thing that thou shouldest be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and to restore the preserved of Israel: I will also give thee for a light to the Gentiles, that thou mayest be my salvation unto the end of the earth. Thus saith the LORD, the Redeemer of Israel, and his Holy One, to him whom man despiseth, to him whom the nation abhorreth, to a servant of rulers, Kings shall see and arise, princes also shall worship, because of the LORD that is faithful, and the Holy One of Israel, and he shall choose thee.

    1. The incarnation of the Son of God is to the end that He, as the Messianic Servant, may do the Father's will, (vs. 5).
      a. His task involves an earnest effort to bring Jacob back to God. (11:12; 14:1; 44:23; comp. Matt. 4:17; 15:24).
      b. He will so faithfully execute the Father's will as to be glorious in the eyes of Jehovah (52:13; Phil. 2:9-11) - though the people who have despised, disregarded and broken the ancient covenant reject Him, (53:3; Psa. 22:6; Lk. 18:31-33).
      c. The faithful Servant will find adequate strength for His task in the faithfulness of His God; and Israel will ultimately be brought back!
    2. The exhibition of divine love, as He pleads with His erring people to repent and return to God, will be but a small part of the Servant's role in God's purpose, (vs. 6a).
      a. He will also be given as a Light - to illumine the hearts and minds of the Gentiles, (vs. 6b; 42:6-7; 60:3).
      b. Thus, He will accomplish, representatively, what the nation had refused to do; He will be the instrument, and messenger, of salvation to all men, to the ends of the earth! (vs. 6c; Jn. 3:16; I Tim. 2:4-6; 4:10).
    4. Divine encouragement is given the faithful Servant by Jehovah - the Redeemer and Holy One of Israel, (vs. 7a).
      a. He will be despised of men, (50:6-7; 52:14-15; 53:3; Psa. 22:6).
      b. He will be abhorred by the covenant-nation - considered an abomination to them, (Lk. 23:18-23; Psa. 2:1-3; Acts 4:24-28).
      c. He will submit Himself to the authority of civil government (which He Himself established) - humbling himself to become a servant of rulers (Matt. 17:24-27), and refusing to manifest His messianic power in self-defence, (Matt. 26:52-53).
      d. But, because Jehovah is faithful to His elect Servant, He will be exalted in the earth (vs. 7b) - kings arising, in awe, at His presence (52:15), and princes bowing before Him in worship, (19:21-23; 66:23).
    5. The manifestation of Messianic glory will be a startling revelation to a world so long characterized by superstition, fear, darkness and alienation from God!

   Thus saith the LORD, In an acceptable time have I heard thee, and in a day of salvation have I helped thee: and I will preserve thee, and give thee for a covenant of the people, to establish the earth, to cause to inherit the desolate heritages; That thou mayest say to the prisoners, Go forth; to them that are in darkness, Show yourselves. They shall feed in the ways, and their pastures shall be in all high places. They shall not hunger nor thirst; neither shall the heat nor sun smite them: for he that hath mercy on them shall lead them, even by the springs of water shall he guide them. And I will make all my mountains a way, and my highways shall be exalted. Behold, these shall come from far: and, lo, these from the north and from the west; and these from the land of Sinim.
   Sing, O heavens; and be joyful, O earth; and break forth into singing, O mountains: for the LORD hath comforted his people, and will have mercy upon his afflicted.

    1. The "acceptable time" wherein Jehovah heard the cry of His faithful Servant may refer to what is mentioned in Hebrews 5:7.
      a. It refers to His resurrection, (comp. Psa. 2:7; Acts 13:32-33; Rom. 1:4; Eph. 1:19-23).
      b. Since He here identifies Himself very closely with Israel, the same will be true of the nation when it turns back to Him in the expectancy of faith.
    2. The "covenant" reference suggests the restoration of the Theocratic rule over the nation with which it was originally identified, (12:2-3; 33:16-22; 45:17; 59:16-21; 60:1-11; 63:5; 61:10; 62:1).
    3. Closely associated with this "salvation" (Rom. 13:11; Heb. 9:28) is:
      a. The return of Christ, in power and kingly glory, (Matt. 24:29-31).
      b. The resurrection of saints, (vs. 9a; 42:7; 61:1; comp. I Cor. 15:51-52).
      c. The removal of enemies, (Matt. 24:37-41; 13:24-30, 36-43).
      d. The restoration of Israel, (Rom. 11:25-29).
      e. The establishment of Messianic rule - a universal dominion of blessedness, justice, equity, righteousness and peace, (Rev. 11:15-18).
      f. And the sharing of Messianic glory with His faithful people, (Rom. 8:17-18; II Cor. 4:17; Col. 1:27; 3:4; I Thess. 2:12; II Thess. 2:14; II Tim. 2:10; I Pet. 4:13; 5:10; II Pet. 2:3).
    4. The Lord will make adequate provision for the needs of His people, (vs. 9b-12).
      a. For their physical sustenance, (vs. 9b-10; comp. Psa. 23:5; Isa. 25:6-9).
      b. Also for their prosperous return to the land of their fathers, (vs. 11-12).
    5. Such a glorious prospect calls forth a summons to "the heavens", the earth, and the mountains to REJOICE and BREAK FORTH INTO SONGS OF JUBILANT PRAISE! (vs. 13; comp. Zeph. 3:14-17; Zech. 2:10-12).

   But Zion said, The LORD hath forsaken me, and my Lord hath forgotten me. Can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? yea, they may forget, yet will I not forget thee. Behold, I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands; thy walls are continually before me. Thy children shall make haste; thy destroyers and they that made thee waste shall go forth of thee. Lift up thine eyes round about, and behold: all these gather themselves together, and come to thee. As I live, saith the LORD, thou shalt surely clothe thee with them all, as with an ornament, and bind them on thee, as a bride doeth. For thy waste and thy desolate places, and the land of thy destruction, shall even now be too narrow by reason of the inhabitants, and they that swallowed thee up shall be far away. The children which thou shalt have, after thou hast lost the other, shall say again in thine ears, The place is too strait for me: give place to me that I may dwell. Then shalt thou say in thine heart, Who hath begotten me these, seeing I have lost my children, and am desolate, a captive, and removing to and fro? and who hath brought up these? Behold, I was left alone; these, where had they been? Thus saith the Lord GOD, Behold, I will lift up mine hand to the Gentiles, and set up my standard to the people: and they shall bring thy sons in their arms, and thy daughters shall be carried upon their shoulders. And kings shall be thy nursing fathers, and their queens thy nursing mothers: they shall bow down to thee with their face toward the earth, and lick up the dust of thy feet; and thou shalt know that I am the LORD: for they shall not be ashamed that wait for me.
   Shall the prey be taken from the mighty, or the lawful captive delivered? But thus saith the LORD, Even the captives of the mighty shall be taken away, and the prey of the terrible shall be delivered: for I will contend with him that contendeth with thee, and I will save thy children. And I will feed them that oppress thee with their own flesh; and they shall be drunken with their own blood, as with sweet wine: and all flesh shall know that I the LORD am thy Saviour and thy Redeemer, the mighty One of Jacob.

    1. In miserable self-pity, the inhabitants of Zion complain that the Lord has both forsaken and forgotten them! (vs. 13; 40:27; comp. 54:8).
    2. But, in reality, the Lord's love for His people far exceeds that of a mother for her sucking child; He will NEVER forget His beloved people! (vs. 15; 44:21).
    3. In fact, the Lord declares that He has so "graven" Zion upon His hands that her walls are constantly before Him, (vs. 16; comp. S. of S. 8:6-7; Isa. 62:6-7).
    4. Verses 17-21 renew the promise that the outcasts of Israel will be gathered back to their own land.
      a. Children, of which Israel was not even aware, will be returned to her - while her enemies are moved far away, (vs. 17-18a, 19).
      b. Her offspring will be like the ornaments with which a woman decks herself, and like the beautiful girdle with which a bride fastens her attire (vs. 18b).
      c. As God brought forth a mighty nation from one man (Abraham), so will He give to the tiny remnant of Israel a numerous progeny, (vs. 20-21; 51:1-3; 54:1-3).
        1) She who has been desolate and barren will, obviously, be perplexed by the sudden revelation of such a multitude of children!
        2) Who hath begotten me these? Who brought them up? Where were they?
    5. Jehovah answers that the Gentiles will fear and reverence the Jewish nation, (vs. 22-23) - giving them assistance, (43:6; 60:3-4, 10, 14; 45:14).
      a. Unity and peace will prevail, (vs. 23a; 52:8).
      b. Then will Israel know that those who wait on Jehovah, her God, will never have cause for shame, (vs. 23b; 43:14; 60:16; 25:9; 26:8; Psa. 37:9; 25:3, Joel 2:27).
    6. As in verse 14, the doubts and apprehension of Israel are again expressed in verse 24.
    7. The Lord assures Israel of both His ability and readiness to deal with her enemies and to save her children, (vs. 25; 14:1-2; Jer. 50:33-34; Isa. 29:5, 20; 33:22; 35:4).
    8. The day of the Lord's vengeance upon His enemies, and those of His people, will be such an extraordinary day that "all flesh" will acknowledge Jehovah, "the Mighty One of Jacob", as the Saviour and Redeemer of His people, (vs. 26; Rev. 19:15; Isa. 63:3; Ezek. 39:7).