As the prophet spoke, he called on nature, personified, to rejoice (on the mountains rejoicing see 44:23). What are the affections of nature to those of the God of nature! Or, "The plan and model of thy walls, that are to be rebuilt, is before me, and they shall certainly be built according to it." Weak believers, in their despondency, are ready to say, "God has forsaken his church and forgotten the sorrows of his people." As a covenant to the people, It occurs 12 times in the first 39 chapters and 14 times in chapters 40 through 66. Behold, I will lift My hand in an oath to the nations, To those who are in darkness, Show yourselves. The LORDs love and faithfulness for Zion are also shown by His promise for their future. We are finishing up Isaiah 49 - with verses 18-23 - for Sunday, June 19. The history that is there in the land goes back.Now there are those who see an interesting scenario arising in the Middle East right now. The "mountain" (Isaiah 13:2) is discussed in Notes and Commentary on Isaiah 2:1-5. This promise was partially fulfilled in the return of the exiles from Babylon but will be ultimately fulfilled in the regathering of Israel in the last days. Notice it says eachmountain (or, as in the King James Version, all mountains). (heaven) (Mt 7:13-14). Accordingly, he places the subject almost before their eye, that they may be fully convinced that they shall have the most abundant cause of rejoicing; though at that time they saw nothing but grief and sorrow. For I will contend with him who contends with you, 1) ( Isaiah 3:1-15) Rejection of God leads to the collapse of society and specific judgment against lofty, male leaders 2) ( Isaiah 3:16-4:1) Rejection of God leads to the collapse of society and specific judgment against arrogant, aristocratic women b. We wept when we remembered Zion. Nothing can furnish us with better matter for songs of praise and thanksgiving, Isaiah 49:13; Isaiah 49:13. Then you will say in your heart, Instead of serving Him with humility and offering love to their neighbors, the nation of Judah offered meaningless sacrifices in God's temple at Jerusalem and committed injustices throughout the nation. The Redeemer of Israel, their Holy One, So long as they are oppressed by fear or anxiety, or grief, they scarcely accept of any consolation; and therefore they need to be confirmed in various ways. For the Lord comforts his people and will have compassion on his afflicted ones" (49:13). The Servant's assignment is to restore Jacob/Israel to a right relationship with the Lord, to bring them back from the exile of sin as well as the Babylonian exile (49: . To Him whom man despises, (13-27) The Source Of True Deliverance (28-35) Historical Interlude (36-39) However, it is possible that we should read "my servant, Israel" not as vocative, but as a predicative. Surely these shall come from afar; The LORD has called Me from the womb; From the matrix of My mother He has made mention of My name. For over one hundred years International Critical Commentaries have had a special place among works on the Bible. He is as sure a rewarder as he is a revenger. They shall feed in the ways, and their pastures shall be in the high places. And you go today and the declaration of so many Jews is, "Where was God during the Holocaust? 2 Hope on the Horizon Throughout Isaiah there are intense messages of hope amid all the tribulations and failures. i. The idea in this verse is, that it was an occasion on which the heavens and the earth would have cause to exult together. 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. This does not allude to the foolish art of palmistry, which imagines every man's fate to be engraved in the palms of his hands and to be legible in the lines there, but to the custom of those who tie a string upon their hands or fingers to put them in mind of things which they are afraid they shall forget, or to the wearing of signet or locket-rings in remembrance of some dear friend. Man, whom he came to save, put contempt upon him. This is the third of our four lessons from Isaiah in our set of reflections on humanity's participation in God's new creation. Chapter 49Now in chapter 49, we have a fabulous prophecy of Jesus Christ in the first seven verses as God speaks of the Redeemer that He is sending. Transition: Isaiah 49-55 is a section within a section. Lesson Text: Isaiah 49:1-13; Time of Action: between 700 and 695 B.C. Our website uses cookies to store user preferences. The Father is the Lord, the Redeemer, and Holy One of Israel, as sending the Son to be the Redeemer. The Lord called me before I was born, while I was in my mother's womb he named me. "Sing, O heaven; and be joyful, O earth; and break forth into singing, O mountains: for Jehovah hath comforted his people, and will have compassion upon his afflicted.". What is the highway of holiness (Isaiah 35:8)? These cookies are strictly necessary to provide you with services available through our website and to use some of its features. i. But if that were the case, an apparent contradiction would arise in Isaiah 49:5-6, in which the Servants task is to bring Israel back to Yahweh and to the landthe view that Israel is a title of the individual messianic Servant harmonizes most satisfactorily with the passage and context. (Lindsey). We have no more reason to question his promise and grace, than we have to question his providence and justice. And the land of your destruction, The LORD has called Me from the womb; Behold, these shall come from far: and, lo, these from the north and from the west; and these from the land of [China] Sinim ( Isaiah 49:11-12 ). Chapters 13-27 : Historical Commentary on the Old Testament: forthcoming: Boda, Mark J. Isaiah: Story of God . After you have lost the others, 3 He said to me, "You are my servant, Israel, and . The children you will have, i. Opponents who try to ruin Israels work will not be successful and will leave in shame and defeat (17-18). And not have compassion on the son of her womb? To Him whom the nation abhors, We may request cookies to be set on your device. Jer 1:5 ). And I will make all my mountains a way, and my highways shall be exalted. It is common in Isaiah thus to interpose a song of praise on the announcement of any great and glorious truth, and to call on the heavens and the earth to rejoice together (see the notes at Isaiah 12:1-6; Isaiah 42:10-11; Isaiah 44:23). * [ 49:3 ] Israel : the servant is identified with the people of Israel as their ideal representative; however, vv. They shall feed along the roads, 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. You always can block or delete cookies by changing your browser settings and force blocking all cookies on this website. The promises exceed anything that took place in the return from captivity under Cyrus. First, because the Messiah comes from Israel, and is a representative of the nation. His words are like a sharpened sword - truth that defends the righteous and destroys the rebellious. to be a covenant for the people, to restore the land and to reassign its desolate inheritances, 9 to say to the captives, 'Come out,' and to those in darkness, 'Be free!' "They will feed beside the roads and find pasture on every barren hill. Princes also shall worship, And that is the equivalent here to, "Thou hath called me from the womb; from the bowels of my mother hast thou made mention of my name. was like a sharp sword. Even the captives of the mighty shall be taken away, Even by the springs of water He will guide them. But this will always prompt you to accept/refuse cookies when revisiting our site. Commentary, explanation and study verse by verse. And rejoice, O earth! . When the Servant completes His work of salvation, the whole creation, not just humankind, will experience liberation from the effects of the Fall (cf. b. It is Best to Obey The Lord. Second, because the Messiah fulfills the name Israel, which means, governed by God., i. He'll gather them from the north and from the west and from the east. Biblical Commentary Isaiah 49:1-7 EXEGESIS: THE WIDER CONTEXT: THE SERVANT SONGS Chapters 42-53 of the book of Isaiah contain four Servant Songs. God will show His strength and love for Zion by giving unto Babylon what Babylon gave unto Zion, even though they thought it unlikely, as shown by the question of Isaiah 49:24. i. The land will be too narrow for you by reason of the inhabitants. Isaiah Chapter49 Lessons from the text . He will crush the Babylonians in a judgment suited to the cruel oppression that they inflicted on their helpless victims (25-26).Other Jews blamed God for their troubles, as if he had cast them off like a husband who divorces his wife or a father who sells his children to pay off his debts. And He said to me, Zion believes, The LORD has forsaken me, and my Lord has forgotten me.. Who is speaking? As I live, says the LORD, Verse 14 Verse Isaiah 49:14. Article Images Copyright 2023 Getty Images unless otherwise indicated. Though Israel be not gathered, yet shall I be glorious in the eyes of the LORD, and my God shall be my strength. And to restore the preserved ones of Israel; and who hath brought up these? He will receive the worship and honor He deserves, because He is the chosen of the LORD. 13 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. Now He speaks here about the fact that He's going to bring them back again. Zion, in distress, said, The Lord has forsaken me, and looks after me no more; my Lord has forgotten me, and will look after me no more. And He has chosen You.. I have spent my strength for nothing, and in vain: yet surely my judgment is with the LORD, and my work with my God ( Isaiah 49:4 ). Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers, Keil and Delitzsch Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament. What God will do for Zion we are told, Isaiah 49:17; Isaiah 49:17. So any nation or any people that opposes the Jews is not just contending with a race of people. Isaiah 46:1-13 Sovereign Control of God. And now the LORD says, And their pastures shall be on all desolate heights. They shall bow down to you with their faces to the earth, and lick up the dust of your feet, Even the captives of the mighty shall be taken away, Copyright - Enduring Word       |      . 66:9-13). Her friends, who had deserted her, shall be gathered to her, and shall contribute their utmost to her assistance and comfort: Thy children shall make haste. c. From the matrix of My mother He has made mention of My name: This was fulfilled in Luke 1:31, where the LORD, through the angel Gabriel, declared the name of Jesus before the conception in Marys womb. For the Lord has comforted His people And will have compassion on His afflicted. The Servant's weapon is the word of the Lord (49:2). 49:13. 49:1-13 - today's passage 50:4-11 52:13-53:12 Oswalt: In subtle but nevertheless clear ways the focus has shifted from the physical captivity of the Judeans to the moral and spiritual captivity of Israel and the whole world. And set up My standard for the peoples; They intend to thoroughly thrash their enemies. God's compassion is too immense to be limited to . Please be aware that this might heavily reduce the functionality and appearance of our site. . God replies that he can do it. b. How Daniels Prophecy of 70 Weeks Connects to the End Times. * [ 49:1 ] Gave me my name : designated me for a special task or mission (cf. And He has made My mouth like a sharp sword; In the shadow of His hand He has hidden Me, And made Me a polished shaft; God is always mindful of the condition of His people, despite the objections of a doubting Zion. Sing, O heavens! Chapters 49 to 51 contain especially strong messages of encouragement and hope. 13.Praise, O heavens; and rejoice, O earth. And take heed, you peoples from afar! For your waste and desolate places, Free Online Commentary. If we bind God's law as a sign upon our hand (Deuteronomy 6:8; Deuteronomy 6:11; Deuteronomy 6:18), he will engrave our interests as a sign on his hand, and will look upon that and remember the covenant. And bind them on you as a bride does. This was true for Zion when freed from the Babylonian captivity; it is even more true for those set free from captivity to Satan. 49:1-13) God's Servant, the Messiah, is the speaker in verses 1-5. The purpose of Jesus Christ was to bring Jacob back to God, back to the Father, and to restore the preserved of Israel. "[9] The appearance of this outburst of praise in the midst of a long list of prophecies is similar to the appearance of the proleptic songs interspersed throughout the prophecy of Revelation, thus exhibiting the same characteristic found in other authentic portions of God's Word. Yet He triumphed over such temptation by declaring, my just reward is with the LORD. I haven't forgotten you. "He (Yahweh) said to me, 'You are my servant, Israel, in whom I will display my splendor'.". But he still loves them and has the power to save them. I am like a sharp arrow in his quiver. [1.] How can the LORD speak of the Messiah as Israel? 1. 49:14-16. But they will not. God the Father is a spirit. New Revised Standard Version and Student Study Handout for Isaiah 9:2-7 International Bible Lesson "For a child has been born for us, a son given to us; authority rests upon his shoulders; and he is named Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace" (Isaiah 9:6NRSV). Israel had fallen away from the Lord and Isaiah was. Isaiah 49:1-7 Commentary; Isaiah 49:8-16a Commentary; Isaiah 50 Commentary. Then I said, I have labored in vain ( Isaiah 49:3-4 ), "For He came to His own, His own received Him not" ( John 1:11 ). Isaiah 49:2. And if you look at it, it is a very small area. He calls upon the distant islands and the Gentile nations to listen to himhis divine calling is of universal significance, it does not just relate to the nation of Israel, it has bearing upon all the nations of the world (verse 1a). And when the Israelis go in and take the oil and cut the prices in half, everybody is going to hail them as the heroes, because suddenly this whole problem of world economy is going to be reversed. #2 "I have engraved you on the palms of my hands;". Why are both Jesus and Satan referred to as the morning star? And in this Israel is the true name expressed. THE MESSIAH: A RESTORER OF ISRAEL (Isaiah 49:8-13) 8. God says, "It's all right, but I still won't. And who has brought these up? Isaiah 51:12-23 . The response to Gods saving work will be universal joy (cf. ( Psalms 137:1-4 ) Now some of the old rabbis say that the next two verses are God's response to this cry. But, says God, I will not forget thee. And who in the world would object? Note, God's compassions to his people infinitely exceed those of the tenderest parents towards their children. But God said. We need 2 cookies to store this setting. And now, saith the LORD that formed me from the womb to be his servant, to bring Jacob again to him ( Isaiah 49:5 ). Study the Bible on the go with Andrew's free online Bible commentary. This promise of salvation (49:8-12) leads into a rapturous eruption of praise and joy: "Shout for joy, you heavens; rejoice, you earth; burst into song, you mountains! I will also give You as a light to the Gentiles, Its use here is possibly because of the similarity in sound to the word 'destruction'(dad). And, of course, here God said, "Can a mother forsake her or forget her nursing child? i. And he said, It is a light thing that you should 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 eaRuth ( Isaiah 49:5-6 ). (l) "pauperum suorum", V. L. "pauperes suos", Forerius; "inopes suos", Vitringa; "humiles", Sept. "mansuetorum", Targum. well, they may forget, but I will not forget thee ( Isaiah 49:15 ). You are free to opt out any time or opt in for other cookies to get a better experience. ii. They began "Thus says the Lord", and they do not usually address a worldwide audience. From the matrix of My mother He has made mention of My name. iv. And give You as a covenant to the people: Jesus, the Messiah, doesnt merely bring a covenant; He is a covenant to the people. Proud member And God's purposes are to be fulfilled there. Depicts the Servant's call to go to Israel (Isa 49:1-4) . Studying Isaiah 49 18-23. In Isaiah 42:3, the servant is described as "a bruised reed" and . b. But I won't forget." Bibliographical Information Clarke, Adam. To restore the earth, [2.] What Does It Really Mean That Your Body Is a Temple? Thus saith the LORD, the Redeemer of Israel, and his Holy One, to him whom man despised, to him whom the nation abhorred, 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 ( Isaiah 49:7 ). 6-12. And he said unto me, Thou art my servant, O Israel ( Isaiah 49:3 ). Who has begotten these for me, GOD'S SERVANT-KING WILL SUCCEED IN HIS MISSION OF BLESSING ISRAEL AND BRINGING LIGHT TO A LOST WORLD e. I will make each of My mountains a road: The mountains in the way of the returning exiles both in near and far fulfillment would seem to defeat the purpose of the LORD. Jesus sets those in bondage to sin and the law free (John 8:33-36, Galatians 3:22-23). There I was, left alone; but these, where were they? Her enemies, who had threatened and assaulted her, shall be forced to withdraw from her: Thy destroyers, and those who made thee waste, who had made themselves masters of the country and ravaged it, shall go forth of thee. The new commentaries continue this tradition. c. That You may say to the prisoners, Go forth: Jesus ministry set people free from bondage and imprisonment. Neither heat nor sun shall strike them; The first song (42:1-4) tells of the call of the Servant to "bring justice to the nations" (42:1). A woman, whose honour it is to be of the tender sex as well as the fair one, cannot but have compassion for a child, which, being both harmless and helpless, is a proper object of compassion. 1 Listen to me, all you in distant lands! And the purpose is not to torment you, or because He hates you. By proceeding, you consent to our cookie usage. for the Lord hath comforted his people; with the discoveries of his love and grace; by his gracious presence among them; by the coming of Christ unto them in a spiritual way; by sending his Spirit, and renewing the face of things, and reviving his work in the midst of them; by the pure and powerful preaching of the Gospel, and comfortable administration of Gospel ordinances; and by large additions of converts made unto them: and will have mercy upon his afflicted, or "poor", or "meek" and "humble" ones, as the words (l) may be rendered: the Lord's people is a poor and afflicted people, poor in a temporal and spiritual sense; the church and interest of Christ is in a poor and low condition: the Lord's people are afflicted outwardly and inwardly, and so become meek, and are kept humble; these the Lord, in the latter day, will raise from a low and distressed condition to a more exalted and comfortable one; which will be an instance of his mercy and compassion, and be matter of joy unto them. We use cookies to let us know when you visit our websites, how you interact with us, to enrich your user experience, and to customize your relationship with our website. The best commentaries on Isaiah ranked by scholars and reviewers: (1) Oswalt, John N. in NICOT, (2) Webb, Barry G. in BST, (3) Motyer, J. Alec . This week, we're looking more closely at "daughter Zion's" restoration to motherhood. God Foretells Destruction / Isaiah 47.10 - 15. There I was, left alone; you shall surely clothe yourselves with them all as an ornament, For your waste and desolate placeswill even now be too small for the inhabitants. If the Masoretic Text is correct, a long standing interpretation connects Sinim with China. (Wolf), ii. As Jesus told Thomas in a post-resurrection appearance, look at My hands (John 20:27). Converts to the faith of Christ are the children of the church; they shall join themselves to her with great readiness and cheerfulness, and flock into the communion of saints, as doves to their windows. Your sons shall make haste; I will feed those who oppress you with their own flesh, In Isaiah 49:4 the prophet-Servant complains to Yahweh, "I have labored in vain, I have spent my strength ( koa) for nothing and vanity; yet surely my cause ( mispa) is with the LORD, and my reward with my God." In contrast to this self-evaluation, Yahweh is much more positive in his assessment of his Servant. a. Thus says the LORD: This is a truly significant Jewish sign that proclaims the nearness of our Lord's return. 1. Actually, as shown in Micah 5:2, Jesus was called even before He was in Marys womb, yet here He starts at the point which any man could most readily relate to. Behold, I will lift up mine hand to the Gentiles, and set up my standard to the people: and they shall bring their sons in their arms, and thy daughters shall be carried upon their shoulders. 2. It is mainly on the basis of this phrase that there is the practice of kissing the popes feet. (Bultema). d. He has made My mouth like a sharp sword: This means that the very words of the Messiah have power and authority. See how deplorable the case of God's people may be sometimes, such that they may seem to be forsaken and forgotten of their God; and at such a time their temptations may be alarmingly violent. Because they do not have the economic base to afford the worldwide inflation that has ensued from the increased oil prices. For the LORD has comforted His people, But Zion said, The LORD has forsaken me, The LORD has forsaken me, and my Lord has forgotten me., Surely they may forget, yet I will not forget you, See, I have inscribed you on the palms of My hands, Your sons shall make haste. Israel will return and rebuild its homeland. 17 Thy children shall make haste; thy destroyers and they that made thee waste shall go forth of thee. It is too small a thing that You should be My Servant The one thing that tells us beyond a doubt that Isaiah, the prophet, wrote all of it, is his use of the title "Holy One of Israel". But when a stronger than he comes upon him and overcomes him, he takes from him all his armor in which he trusted, and divides his spoils. 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. By Christ the prince of this world, the great destroyer, is cast out, is dispossessed, has his power broken and his attempts quite baffled. God will now speak to them, not by his prophet, but by the Assyrian conqueror, who will do what they said Isaiah had done, i.e. Since these providers may collect personal data like your IP address we allow you to block them here. Listen, O coastlands, to Me: As the context will show, these words come prophetically from the Messiah, the Servant of the LORD revealed in previous chapters. In short, men either remain in suspense, or tremble, or utterly fall and even faint. are without the yod or the conjunction vau before the verb: and so the Septuagint, Syriac, and Vulgate. But they are seeking to expand. This one "despised and abhorred by a nation" (v. 7) is thus the same person as the servant in Isaiah 53, who is likewise described as "despised" and rejected (53:3). He calls not only Israel to hear His voice, but the coastlands (islands) and distant peoples because His message is for all mankind. That You may say to the prisoners, Go forth, Jesus set the sick and diseased free from the bondage of their infirmities (Luke 13:16). To bring Jacob back to Him, II. If you refuse cookies we will remove all set cookies in our domain. Church work is usually slow work; but, when God's time shall come, it shall be done suddenly. And it is a thing that is actually causing millions of people to starve to death in the third world. The reason of all this is. With such love, how could God ever forget His people? That I, the LORD, am your Savior, This verse is the clearest indication that the Servant is the nation of Israel. The servant was to be a light to the nations, making it possible for non-Jews who had been in darkness because of being without the knowledge of God and his promises to be forgiven of their sins and to cease being in a state of alienation from him. Can a nursing mother forget her nursing child? In an acceptable time I have heard You, and in the day of salvation I have helped You; I will preserve You: The LORD God extended His help and preservation to the Messiah all through His earthly ministry. The idea is that God will bring back the captives (particularly in the far fulfillment) from every conceivable place. Once more God promises the return of the captive Jews to their homeland. Isaiah 13. The reason of all this is, for the Lord hath comforted his people; with the discoveries of his love and grace; by his gracious presence among them; by the coming of Christ unto them in a spiritual way; by sending his Spirit, and renewing the face of things, and reviving his work in the midst of them; by the pure and powerful preaching of the Gospel, and comfortable administration of Gospel ordinances; and by large additions of converts made unto them: and will have mercy upon his afflicted, or "poor", or "meek" and "humble" ones, as the words F12 may be rendered: the Lord's people is a poor and afflicted people, poor in a temporal and spiritual sense; the church and interest of Christ is in a poor and low condition: the Lord's people are afflicted outwardly and inwardly, and so become meek, and are kept humble; these the Lord, in the latter day, will raise from a low and distressed condition to a more exalted and comfortable one; which will be an instance of his mercy and compassion, and be matter of joy unto them. Though the promise seems too good to be true, God confirms it with an oath to the nations. It's exciting, because God fulfilled His promise. c. Thus says the LORDto Him whom man despises, to Him whom the nation abhors: The LORD speaks to His Messiah, and reveals that He will be One whom man despises, and whom His own nation abhors. Because of their captivity in Babylon, Zion wonders Does God really care about us? God will answer, with strength and insight, this question that many have asked since. He reminds the doubting exiles that he is the all-powerful God and Israels covenant redeemer.
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