Isaiah 49:1-17

In this chapter, we have not merely Isaiah speaking concerning the Christ of God; but it is the Lord Jesus Christ, the Messiah, who here speaks concerning himself.

Isaiah 49:1. Listen, O isles, unto me; and hearken, ye people, from far;

It is very remarkable how constantly the isles are spoken of in this Book of Isaiah, as if it had been foreseen that, in these far-off islands of the sea, the name of Jesus would be greatly magnified. «Listen,» says the Messiah, «O isles, unto me; and hearken, ye people, from far.»

Isaiah 49:1. The LORD hath called me from the womb; from the bowels of my mother hath he made mention of my name.

Christ Jesus our Lord was spoken of by the spirit of prophecy from his very birth, and long before it; and when he did come into the world, and was born of the Virgin Mary, the stars of heaven spake concerning him, and guided the wise men from the East to the place where the young child lay.

Isaiah 49:2. And he hath made my mouth like a sharp sword;

There are no words anywhere so piercing as the words of our Lord Jesus Christ. When you are giving quotations from various authors, you need never write the name «Jesus» at the bottom of any of his words, for they proclaim their own origin. «Never man spake like this man.»

Isaiah 49:2. In the shadow of his hand hath he hid me, and made me polished shaft; in his quiver hath he hid me;

The great weapon of God against sin is his Son Jesus Christ. God has no such means of smiting evil, or effecting his purposes of love, as his own dear Son. This is the «polished shaft» which Jehovah delights to use.

Isaiah 49:3. And said unto me, Thou art my servant,

Above all others, Christ is the servant of God. He is a Son by nature, a servant by his condescension, a servant for our sakes.

Isaiah 49:3. O Israel, in whom I will be glorified.

It is very wonderful that the Redeemer should here be called «Israel.» It is not more wonderful, however, than that in another place his people should he called by his name. You remember those two passages in the prophecy of Jeremiah: «This is his name whereby he shall be called, THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS,» and «This is the name wherewith he shall be called, The LORD our righteousness.» There, the people of God take their Lord's name; and here, Christ takes the name of his people, and himself deigns to be called Israel. Nor is this an unsuitable name for him, for it is he who wrestled on our behalf, and prevailed even as Israel did at Jabbok. Jesus is a greater Prince with God than Jacob ever was. Well, then, doth Jehovah say to him, «Thou art my servant, O Israel, in whom I will be glorified.»

Isaiah 49:4. Then I said, I have laboured in vain, I have spent my strength for naught, and in vain: yet surely my judgment is with the LORD, and my work with my God.

The Messiah, prophetically looking forward, complained that, during his life on earth, he seemed to labour in vain. The nation was not saved: «he came unto his own, and his own received him not.» He wept over the guilty city of Jerusalem; but those tears did not put out the fires of vengeance. He entreated men to turn to God, but they did not and they would not repent. He seemed to labour in vain, and spend his strength for nought, and in vain.

Isaiah 49:5. And now, saith the LORD that formed me from the womb to be his servant, to bring Jacob again to him, Though Israel be not gathered, yet shall I be glorious in the eyes of the LORD, and my God shall be my strength.

Even though the Jewish nation be not yet gathered to Christ, his labour was not in vain. God will not suffer his Son to spend his strength for nought.

Isaiah 49:6. And he said, It is a light thing that thou shouldest 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 earth.

What a blessed word of cheer this is for us poor Gentiles! The favored children of Israel thought us to be little better than dogs; and, behold, we have been lifted up into the children's place. If Israel be not gathered, the Messiah hath become a light to the Gentiles, and God's salvation unto the ends of the earth. Yet we cannot help fervently praying, «Oh, that Israel might soon be gathered to Christ!» Her ingathering will be the time of the fullness of the Gentiles.

Isaiah 49:7. Thus saith the LORD, the Redeemer of Israel, and his Holy One, to him whom man despiseth, to him whom the nation abhorreth,

Who is this but our Divine Lord, Jesus of Nazareth, the Christ of God? These words are spoken of him whom man despised, of him who was despised and rejected of men, of him whom the nation abhorreth, for that favored nation still, alas! abhors the name of Jesus of Nazareth, and will not cherish towards the Christ anything but thoughts of contempt.

Isaiah 49:7. To a servant of rulers,

For, though he was the King of kings, and Lord of lords, he submitted to be a servant to the kings of the earth, and obeyed the rules of human governors. Yet,-

Isaiah 49:7. Kings shall see and arise, princes also shall worship, because of the LORD that is faithful, and the Holy One of Israel, and he shalt choose thee.

The day is coming when he that was spit upon shall be the admired of all mankind. No more the crown of thorns, but many diadems of glory shall rest upon his blessed head; and all men, with loud acclaim, shall salute him as King of kings and Lord of lords.

Isaiah 49:8. Thus saith the LORD, In an acceptable time have I heard thee, and in a day of salvation have I helped thee; and I will preserve thee, and give thee for a covenant of the people, to establish the earth, to cause to inherit the desolate heritages;

It is the Lord Jesus Christ who shall establish all that is good, and cast down everything that is evil. He shall staunch earth's bleeding wounds, and repair her wilderness wastes. Where he comes, flowers spring up all around his blessed feet.

Isaiah 49:9. That thou mayest say to the prisoners, Go forth; to them that are in darkness, Shew yourselves. They shall feed in the ways, and their pastures shall be in all high places.

When Christ leads his flock, wherever they go they shall feed; and even if he leads them to the very tops of the hills, he shall make the pastures grow there for them. There is never a place where Christ leadeth us but what it is safe for us to go there. The Shepherd's feet make pasturage for the sheep that follow him; therefore, be not afraid to go wherever he leads you, but rather rejoice that he putteth forth his own sheep, and goeth before them, for «they shall feed in the ways, and their pastures shall be in all high places.»

Isaiah 49:10. They shall not hunger nor thirst; neither shall the heat nor sun smite them: for he that hath mercy on them shall lead them, even by the springs of water shall he guide them. And I will make all my mountains a way,

Where, naturally, there could not be a way, on those pathless summits of the loftiest Alps, the Lord says, «I will make all my mountains a way,»-

Isaiah 49:11. And my highways shall be exalted.

«I will throw up causeways.» God will make a way for you to get at him if you want to get at him. If you are willing to make a way for God, he will make a way for you; the gulf shall be bridged, the mountain shall be leveled.

Isaiah 49:12. Behold, these shall come from far: and, lo, these from the north and from the west; and these from the land of Sinim.

«The land of Sinim» signifies China. Is it not strange that, in this Book, we should find mention of the land of Sinim, the country of China? But God has a people there, and they shall come to him. I was delighted, last Tuesday, to meet with a brother who had broken bread with us at the Lord's table; he was a poor Chinaman, so he had helped to fulfill this prophecy:

«These shall come from the west; and these from the land of Sinim.»

Isaiah 49:13. 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. But Zion said, The LORD hath forsaken me, and my Lord hath forgotten me. Can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? yea, they may forget, yet will I not forget thee.

Will God ever forget his ancient people, the Jews? Never! They forget their God, but Jehovah never forgets his chosen people: «They may forget, yet will I not forget thee.»

Isaiah 49:16. Behold, I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands;

«I cannot work, I cannot even open the palm of my hand without seeing the memorials of my chosen people: ‘I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands.'»

Isaiah 49:16. Thy walls are continually before me. Thy children shall make haste; thy destroyers and they that made thee waste shall go forth of thee.

For God is full of kindness to his people, and cannot forget them. Oh, that they would never forget him!