Israel

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. 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 he said to me, “You are my servant, Israel, in whom I will be glorified.” 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.” 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—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.” (Isaiah 49:1-6 ESV)

Yesterday, we began to explore the idea of Jesus being the “Servant” in Isaiah who delivers the oppressed not with sword and political might, but through humble service. Today, we will continue to look at the “Servant” by exploring another of the “servant songs” of this prophetic book.

What God has to say in today’s passage is so great, the whole world needs to hear (verse 1). The LORD called His Servant from before His physical birth to bring deliverance to the suffering, not with a physical sword wielded by a warrior, but with the sword of His mouth – His words. While the Servant brings a greater deliverance than can even be imagined, the nation Israel, doesn’t see it and doesn’t accept it. Yet, God knows this deliverance being offered is so incredible, it is made available not only to the nation, Israel, but to all the nations (peoples) of the world! This deliverance is offered by another Israel, the Man, the Servant, who was rejected by the nation, Israel. Praise God that one day the people of Israel will have their eyes opened to the truth of who Jesus really is. Until then, the question is, “Have the eyes of your heart been opened to see who He is?”