Isaiah 49
The Promised Servant
The Servants Calling Vs. 1-7
The Servants Mission Vs. 8-13
The Servants Faithfulness Vs. 14-21
The Servants Protection Vs. 22-26
Intro: Fifth Gospel
Good to be back from vacation
Take a moment for Easter
Let’s jump back into the book of Isaiah
Isaiah is often referred to as the Fifth Gospel
No where in the OT do we get such a clear picture of Jesus Christ
Isaiah even is parallel to the Gospels in its description of Jesus Christ
Isaiah is the most quoted OT book in the NT
In fact the Gospels alone Isaiah is quoted 25 times, the book of Romans quotes it 19 times
The reason behind this is the fact that we get the clearest picture of Jesus
All of this come 740 years before Jesus was born
If you were to read this as a current account of his life you’d be impressed
But the fact that is was written 740 years before his birth makes even more amazing
God once again brings up the theme of Jesus coming as a servant
Isaiah 49 is actually the second of four songs called the Servant Songs
We see his calling, his mission, his faithfulness, and His protection
Read Isaiah 49:1-4
Transition:
Isaiah 49-55 is a section within a section
You won’t find a clearer picture of Jesus Christ anywhere else in the OT
Israel 40-66 is all about the comfort of God
But Israel need more than just words of comfort
The suffering Jews needed more than release from Babylon.
They needed a savior greater than Cyrus.
God gives them a messiah who is everything they need
We all need a spiritual liberation and an everlasting Savior.
Isaiah is deepening our awareness of this.
Isaiah wants to fix our attention on the servant of the Lord, who embodies God’s loving intentions toward us.
We should melt in delighted wonder that he gives us such a gift as his servant.
The Servants Calling Vs. 1-8
Let’s first look at the Servants calling
A calling is a responsibility put on a person under which God has called them
Jesus was called to what he was to do long before he was born
How do we know that?
Vs. 1 Called me from the Womb, He named my name
Before Jesus was in the womb he was called by the Lord
Even his name was determined before he was born
We see this play out in the Gospels
Luke 1:31 And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus.
This is the Angel Gabriel talking to Mary laying out God’s plan that is mentioned here
God’s plan of salvation was what Jesus was called to
Next we see how he is going to be used
Vs. 2 Mouth like a sharp sword, made me a polished arrow
The preparation of the Servant for ministry to the nations involved God making the Servant’s mouth a powerful instrument to declare God’s messages.
His mouth would be like a sharp sword.
Sword imagery suggests the use of piercing-sharp speech,
This indicates that the Servant will not accomplish the tasks described in this passage through military conquests but by speaking some strong words from God.
This is true of Jesus’ ministry
His teaching amazed even the most educated pharisee’s
Heb 4:12 For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart
A second metaphor compares the Servant to a pointed arrow that can strike the enemy with a lethal blow from a distance.
Because he spoke the truth his words were often like a sword and arrow
This really flies in the face of what people expect Christians to be today
It seems like the goal has become to raise up nice people over godly people
We come to equate being a christian as a Ned Flanders, perpetually nice
If You Can’t Say Something Nice
Your mom probably told you this a thousand times growing up
It was intended to keep us from saying things in a mean way
The unintended consequence of this is that we have raised several generations of liars
Because we have switched the meaning of this statement to mean “Don’t hurt anyone’s feelings”
So instead of telling the people the truth we lie to them so it won’t hurt their feelings
Classic case: Your wife asks you if they look fat in the dress
You have three options; Tell the truth, Lie, or say something nice that avoids the subject
Honey you look as good today as the day I married you
While that may be true you avoided the subject
When our friends ask us to be honest with them we often will say the nice thing because we don’t want to hurt their feelings
Even when you do say the truth nicely it can just their feelings
Charles Spurgeon “I notice that, when I have measured my words, and weighed my sentences most carefully, I have then offended most.”
So we will often lie
Jesus didn’t concern himself with our feelings
He spoke the truth and people were amazed AND offended
In fact it was the religious people that were upset the most
His words were like a sword and an arrow
Vs. 3 You are my servant
Here is the theme of the whole chapter
As with God calling him his servant we see that calling once again
All of God’s servants should be like prepared weapons.
“It is not great talents God blesses so much as great likeness to Jesus,” wrote Robert Murray McCheyne.
“A holy minister [servant] is an awful weapon in the hand of God.
Jesus came to serve us
Vs. 4 Labored in vain
But it would be easy to see all of that serving as being in vain
Why? Because he ministered primarily to the Jews and there were very few salvations out of it
Jesus would feel like he spent his strength for nothing
There is nothing worse than doing something for nothing
To me there is nothing worse than wasting time
But Jesus saw that his intentions could not be placed on the success seen through people
Jesus knew that his calling was from God and that any praise or recognition came only from him
Jesus was faithful in what he was called to and that’s all that mattered
We can learn a big lesson from this
Success with men is fleeting and doesn’t last but faithfulness to God is eternal
It is so easy to get discouraged and think that what your doing is in vain
Vs. 6 A light for the nations
in Vs. 5-6 we see a bit of Correction from God the Father
God gently tells his Son that is was he that formed him in the womb of Mary
He was called to Jacob, or Israel, that they might be gathered back to God
But that role was “too light” of a thing
I will make you a light to the nations that my salvation may reach the end of the earth
Wow! Now we see his calling coming into full color
He was a servant sent to the whole world that they may be saved
Simeon prophesied about this when Jesus was just newly born
Luke 2:32 a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and for glory to your people Israel.”
That light is reflected through our hearts and mouths
If we are going around just making sure that we aren’t hurting people’s feelings then that light is covered
Vs. 7 Deeply despised, they shall prostrate themselves
Even though he will be that light he will be deeply despised by the nation of Isreal
We saw this at the crucifixition when they cursed at him
Not only will Israel despise him but the nations will abhor him
We see that today in how Christians are persecuted
There is a Christian pastor in prison in Iran for being a Christian and they won’t let him out until he renounces his faith in Christ
Our own president despises Christianity
The Servants Mission Vs. 9-13
Vs. 8 A Covenant to the people
Now the text switches to a response from God
He is answering Christ and further explaining what his mission will be
We see four things that will be Christ’s mission here in this text
Are these the only things that will be his mission? No
These are the ones being laid out for Him in this text
The first part of his mission is that He will be a covenant to the people
Is 42:6 I am the Lord; I have called you in righteousness; I will take you by the hand and keep you; I will give you as a covenant for the people, a light for the nations,
A covenant is the strongest agreement you can make
It’s more than a promise or a legal contract, it is a binding oath only broken by death
So God is sending this binding oath, in HIs Son, that will save the people
That covenant is simply that His good life and sacrifice are enough to satisfy God’s wrath
When we are saved we are under this new covenant
It is all a work of Christ
When we look good in God’s eyes it is because of Jesus, not because of anything we have done
Vs. 9 Releasing the prisoners
The next aspect of this mission is that he will release the prisoners
Vs. 11 Straight paths
Vs 13 Sing a new song
The Servants Faithfulness Vs. 14-21
Vs. 14 Zion said… the Lord has forgotten me
Vs. 16 Engraved you on my hands
Vs. 19 Desolate places to narrow
The Servants Protection Vs. 22-26
Vs. 22 I will… return your sons and daughters
Vs. 25 I will contend with those who contend with you
Vs. 26 I am your redeemer, the mighty one of Jacob
Closing:
