Isaiah 49
Isaiah 49 is a prophecy that presents the Messiah as the Servant of the Lord. This chapter focuses on the mission of the Servant, not only to restore Israel but also to bring salvation to the Gentiles. It expresses God's faithfulness to His people and His promise to redeem them. The chapter emphasizes the global mission of the Messiah and the comfort and restoration promised to Israel.
Isaiah 49:1-10 (NKJV)
1 "Listen, O coastlands, to Me,
And take heed, you peoples from afar!
The Lord has called Me from the womb;
From the matrix of My mother He has made mention of My name.
2 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;
In His quiver He has hidden Me.”
3 “And He said to me,
‘You are My servant, O Israel,
In whom I will be glorified.’
4 Then I said, ‘I have labored in vain,
I have spent my strength for nothing and in vain;
Yet surely my just reward is with the Lord,
And my work with my God.’”
5 “And now the Lord says,
Who formed Me from the womb to be His Servant,
To bring Jacob back to Him,
So that Israel is gathered to Him
(For I shall be glorious in the eyes of the Lord,
And My God shall be My strength),
6 Indeed He says,
‘It is too small a thing that You should be My Servant
To raise up the tribes of Jacob,
And to restore the preserved ones of Israel;
I will also give You as a light to the Gentiles,
That You should be My salvation to the ends of the earth.’”
7 Thus says the Lord,
The Redeemer of Israel, their Holy One,
To Him whom man despises,
To Him whom the nation abhors,
To the Servant of rulers:
“Kings shall see and arise,
Princes also shall worship,
Because of the Lord who is faithful,
The Holy One of Israel;
And He has chosen You.”
8 Thus says the Lord:
“In an acceptable time I have heard You,
And in the day of salvation I have helped You;
I will preserve You and give You
As a covenant to the people,
To restore the earth,
To cause them to inherit the desolate heritages;
9 That You may say to the prisoners, ‘Go forth,’
To those who are in darkness, ‘Show yourselves.’
“They shall feed along the roads,
And their pastures shall be on all desolate heights.
10 They shall neither hunger nor thirst,
Neither heat nor sun shall strike them;
For He who has mercy on them will lead them,
Even by the springs of water He will guide them."
In these verses, the Messiah speaks to the distant nations, declaring His divine calling from birth. He is presented as a Servant who will bring both Israel and the Gentiles to God. The sharp sword imagery shows His power through His words, while being hidden like an arrow in a quiver symbolizes His preparation for the appointed time. Despite feelings of failure in His mission, God assures Him that His role will extend beyond Israel to bring salvation to the ends of the earth. The Messiah will be despised but ultimately honored by kings and rulers, demonstrating God’s faithfulness to His promises. He is also a covenant to the people, bringing freedom, restoration, and protection for those who seek Him.
Isaiah 49:11-13 (NKJV)
11 "I will make each of My mountains a road,
And My highways shall be elevated.
12 Surely these shall come from afar;
Look! Those from the north and the west,
And these from the land of Sinim.”
13 Sing, O heavens!
Be joyful, O earth!
And break out in singing, O mountains!
For the Lord has comforted His people,
And will have mercy on His afflicted."
God promises to remove obstacles for His people to return. The imagery of leveling mountains shows how God will make a way for His people, both from Israel and the nations. The mention of distant lands highlights the global nature of this gathering. The heavens and earth are called to rejoice because of the comfort and mercy God provides for His afflicted people, indicating the magnitude of this divine intervention.
Isaiah 49:14-16 (NKJV)
14 "But Zion said, ‘The Lord has forsaken me,
And my Lord has forgotten me.’
15 “Can a woman forget her nursing child,
And not have compassion on the son of her womb?
Surely they may forget,
Yet I will not forget you.
16 See, I have inscribed you on the palms of My hands;
Your walls are continually before Me."
Zion expresses doubt, feeling forsaken by God during their trials. God responds with a tender comparison, stating that even if a mother could forget her child, He will never forget His people. The imagery of inscribing them on His palms demonstrates His constant care and attention. The mention of Zion's walls shows that God is always mindful of His people and their needs, even when they feel abandoned.
Isaiah 49:17-21 (NKJV)
17 "Your sons shall make haste;
Your destroyers and those who laid you waste
Shall go away from you.
18 Lift up your eyes, look around and see;
All these gather together and come to you.
As I live,” says the Lord,
“You shall surely clothe yourselves with them all as an ornament,
And bind them on you as a bride does.
19 “For your waste and desolate places,
And the land of your destruction,
Will even now be too small for the inhabitants;
And those who swallowed you up will be far away.
20 The children you will have,
After you have lost the others,
Will say again in your ears,
‘The place is too small for me;
Give me a place where I may dwell.’
21 Then you will say in your heart,
‘Who has begotten these for me,
Since I have lost my children and am desolate,
A captive, and wandering to and fro?
And who has brought these up?
There I was, left alone;
But these, where were they?’"
God promises restoration to Zion. Her children, symbolizing the returning exiles, will gather to her quickly. Despite the former destruction and desolation, the land will become too small for all the new inhabitants. Zion, once desolate, will be overwhelmed with joy, astonished by how her people have multiplied. This unexpected blessing is a testament to God’s power to turn sorrow into abundance.
Isaiah 49:22-23 (NKJV)
22 "Thus says the Lord God:
'Behold, I will lift My hand in an oath to the nations,
And set up My standard for the peoples;
They shall bring your sons in their arms,
And your daughters shall be carried on their shoulders;
23 Kings shall be your foster fathers,
And their queens your nursing mothers;
They shall bow down to you with their faces to the earth,
And lick up the dust of your feet.
Then you will know that I am the Lord,
For they shall not be ashamed who wait for Me.'"
God declares that He will summon the nations to help restore His people. Foreign kings and queens will serve and honor Israel, treating them with the highest respect. The image of kings and queens as foster parents shows how the Gentile nations will assist in their restoration. Those who trust in God will not be put to shame, as He will fulfill His promises and demonstrate His sovereignty to all.
Isaiah 49:24-26 (NKJV)
24 "Shall the prey be taken from the mighty,
Or the captives of the righteous be delivered?
25 But thus says the Lord:
'Even the captives of the mighty shall be taken away,
And the prey of the terrible be delivered;
For I will contend with him who contends with you,
And I will save your children.
26 I will feed those who oppress you with their own flesh,
And they shall be drunk with their own blood as with sweet wine.
All flesh shall know
That I, the Lord, am your Savior,
And your Redeemer, the Mighty One of Jacob.'"
God reassures Zion that He will rescue them from even the most powerful oppressors. He will fight for His people and save their children. Those who oppress Israel will face severe judgment, and through this, all people will know that God is the Savior and Redeemer of His people. This section emphasizes God’s power to deliver His people and His commitment to their salvation.