SCRIPTURE: ISAIAH 49
THE SERVANT OF THE LORD (vs. 1-7)
The Servant of the Lord is Jesus Christ whose missions are:
- To conquer the enemy.
- To bring salvation to the nations.
- To guide the Gentiles to God.
- To return the Israelites to their homeland.
RESTORATION OF ISRAEL (vs. 8-26)
WHAT GOD WILL DO:
- I will make you a light for the Gentiles that you may bring my salvation to the ends of the earth. (v. 6)
- I will answer you and help you. (v. 8a)
- I will keep you and will make you to be a covenant for the people to restore the land and to reassign its desolate inheritances. (v. 8b)
- I will give you freedom. (v. 9)
- I will guide you and lead you beside the springs of water. (v. 10)
- I will turn all my mountains into roads, and my highways will be raised up. (v. 11)
- I will comfort my people and will have compassion on the afflicted ones. (v. 13)
- I will not forget you. (v. 15)
- I will engrave you on the palms of my hands. (v. 16)
- I will beckon to the Gentiles, and lift up my banner to the peoples. (v. 22)
- I will contend with those who contend with you and I will save your children. (v. 25)
- I will make your oppressors eat their own flesh and drunk their own blood. (v. 26)
THOUGHTS:
Jesus is the Servant of the Lord, the Messiah to bring light of the gospel to the world. He offered salvation to all nations. Today, we have missionaries who are continuing Jesus’ great commission by bringing gospel to all nations.
The Israelites felt that God had forsaken them in Babylon but Isaiah told them that God will never forget them as a loving mother would not forget her child. When we feel that God has forsaken us, remember his promise in Hebrews 13:5 “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.”
God proved to the world that he can do impossible things. The warriors set their captives free and returned the plunder they had taken. Remember that nothing is impossible for God.