Isaiah 49:1-13
A message for all people and all nations, to pay attention to the servant of the LORD, and this
is what God tells us about the calling of this servant: “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.”
(Isaiah 49:1-3 ESV) If you spent time in the book of Jeremiah 1:4-8, this sounds much like
God’s call to Jeremiah; “Now the word of the LORD came to me, saying, “Before I formed
you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you; I appointed you
a prophet to the nations.” Then I said, “Ah, Lord GOD! Behold, I do not know how to speak,
for I am only a youth.” But the LORD said to me, “Do not say,‘ I am only a youth’; for to all
to whom I send you, you shall go, and whatever I command you, you shall speak. Do not
be afraid of them, for I am with you to deliver you, declares the LORD.” (Jeremiah 1:4-8 ESV)
When reading verse five we see this servants calling is to bring Jacob back to him that is
Israel coming back to God. This servant is not going to work some magic or supernatural
act, no he is going to serve the Father and let the Father do it all through him. This is what
the Father is going to do for the servant; 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 49:6 ESV)
With that said, who is this servant God is speaking about? We have three doors, first door
is Isaiah, the second door is Jeremiah, and the third door is Jesus, I do pray that you picked
the third door, for in Him is the light of the world (John 8:12). Do you recall Matthew’s account
of Jesus healing Peter’s mother-in-law and then all who were brought to him were healed,
some were oppressed by demons and others were sick. And this is what Matthew tells us,
“This was to fulfill what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah: “He took our illnesses and bore
our diseases.” (Matthew 8:17) And in Matthew 12:18-21, “This was to fulfill what was spoken
by the prophet Isaiah: “Behold, my servant whom I have chosen, my beloved with whom
my soul is well pleased. I will put my Spirit upon him, and he will proclaim justice to the
Gentiles. He will not quarrel or cry aloud, nor will anyone hear his voice in the streets; a
bruised reed he will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not quench, until he brings justice
to victory; and in his name the Gentiles will hope.” (Matthew 12:17-21 ESV)
You may want to look at the apostle John’s account in John 12:38, but we should also look
at Acts 8:30-35. Do you recall the Spirit taking Philip to where the Ethiopian Eunuch was
reading the book of Isaiah and Philip asked if he understood what he was reading; this is
what he was reading: “Now the passage of the Scripture that he was reading was this:
“Like a sheep he was led to the slaughter and like a lamb before its shearer is silent, so he
opens not his mouth. In his humiliation justice was denied him. Who can describe his
generation? For his life is taken away from the earth.” And the eunuch said to Philip,
“About whom, I ask you, does the prophet say this, about himself or about someone else?”
Then Philip opened his mouth, and beginning with this Scripture he told him the good news
about Jesus.” (Acts 8:32-35 ESV) For Jesus came to serve and not be served, He is the
only light that can bring you out of darkness, He is the Servant, but He is also the “I AM”,
the Creator, the light of the world.
From the Back Porch,
Bob Rice
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