Isaiah
49 reminds me of the first time I visited the Pentagon in Washington.
It is amazing how small things look from a distance and yet our
perspective radically changes as we get closer. To put the size into
proportion, the area of open field inside the center is 10 acres! In
today’s chapter I believe Isaiah is writing the words of God the
Son, recorded for Himself, to be an encouragement as He walked on the
earth in human form. Yes, Jesus the Messiah, also faced temptation,
felt hunger, experienced both joy and disappointment. I believe
these words, written from eternity’s perspective sustained Him. He
writes, “Before I was born the
LORD called Me; from My mother’s womb He has spoken My name.
He made My mouth like a
sharpened sword… He made Me into a polished arrow and concealed Me
in His quiver“. All of us
need words of inspiration from time to time. He continues with a
note from the Father, “You are
My servant… in
whom I
will display My splendor“.
Listen to when they are needed, “I
have labored in vain; I have spent my strength for nothing at all“.
In fatigue, in sorrow and in pain, we doubt. Hear the confidence
boost in the next verse, “He
who formed Me in the womb to
be His servant … to gather Israel to Himself…
has been My strength“.
God says, this is a small thing compared to even a bigger purpose,
“I will also make You a light
for the Gentiles, that My salvation may reach to the ends of the
earth“. Perhaps God has a
bigger purpose for you too?
Don’t
forget, Jesus was “the
Redeemer“, but He, “was
despised and abhorred by the nation“.
During those times He was able to read Isaiah’s words on the
scroll, “Kings will see You and
stand up, princes will see and bow down, because of the LORD… who
has chosen You“. He read
God’s personal promise, “I
will help You; I will keep You and will make You to be a covenant for
the people, to restore the land… to say to the captives, ‘Come
out,’ and to those in darkness, ‘Be free!’“.
And the Father makes a promise to the nation of Israel, “They
will neither hunger nor thirst… He who has compassion on them will
guide them and lead them… For the LORD comforts His people“.
They reacted just like you and me when we have challenges, “The
LORD has forsaken me, the Lord has forgotten me“.
The truth is, we can reject Him, we can run from Him and we can
blame Him, but Jesus promised, “Never
will I leave you; never will I forsake you”
(Hebrews 13:5). Whose words are you listening to?
The
Father asks, “Can a mother
forget the baby at her breast and have no compassion?”
And He adds, “Though she may
forget, I will not forget you!”
More than that, He says, “I
have engraved you on the palms of my hands“.
What Did Jesus say to Doubting Thomas? “Put
your finger here; see My hands. Reach out your hand and put it into
My side. Stop doubting and believe”
(John 20:27). Next Isaiah writes a promise that took nearly 2700
years to fulfill, “Your
children hasten back… Though you were ruined and made desolate…
now you will be too small for your people“.
The tiny nation was reestablished in 1948 and the population has
doubled many times since. God makes two more promises to both the
Jew and Gentile believers, “those
who hope in Me will not be disappointed“;
“I will contend with those who
contend with you“. If you
have been disappointed, maybe it is time to draw near? How? By
faith alone; remember Jesus’ final words to Thomas? “Because
you have seen Me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not
seen and yet have believed“.
Isaiah closes the chapter, “Then
all mankind will know that I, the LORD, am your Savior“.
“Faith comes
by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God”
(Romans 10:17).