In Isaiah 49, the prophet addressed the people of the coastlands who were far away; he addressed the Gentiles whereas previously, he addressed the house of Jacob.
The prophet said YHWH called him by his name before he was born. Note the description of the prophet. In this couplet, he said that:
- YHVH made his mouth like a sharp sword while hiding him in the shadow of YHVH’s hand.
- YHVH made him like a sharpened arrow while concealing him in YHVH’s quiver.
This description is basically the same. In previous passages, YHVH seemed to be Jesus (Yeshua). Now, YHVH seems to be the heavenly Father who called His Son, Yeshua from the womb for a specific purpose. This is obviously a messianic passage.
Recently, we learned from John 1 that the Word of God is Yeshua. The Word of God is not just the Bible; it is also Yeshua. Both are “living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.” (Hebrews 4:12)
YHVH told him, “You are My Servant, you are Israel, through whom I will be glorified.” Note the name Israel means, “He will rule as God.” It seems as if Yeshua, in His humanness, told YHVH He had labored for nothing but it is YHVH who will judge and determine the quality of His work and reward Him for His faithfulness.
Can you imagine how Yeshua must have felt as He ministered to Israel and dealt with the religious leaders of His day? It must have often felt like He had labored for nothing. It’s easy to feel this way when people won’t listen to truth. When we feel this way, we should remember what Yeshua’s Father said when Yeshua arose from the waters of baptism—“this is My Son in whom I am well pleased.” Yeshua was glorious in the eyes of YHVH. This was at the beginning, not the end of Yeshua’s ministry. The Father said this because He knew what Yeshua was going to do.
YHVH told Yeshua that he was formed in the womb to be His servant. YHVH wanted Yeshua to bring Jacob back to Him. The people were referred to as Jacob because they were living according to the flesh. They needed to repent and return to God and His commandments. This is still necessary so that Israel can be gathered to Him in the future.
To us this would be a really great or enormous thing to accomplish; but, YHVH said it was “too small a thing.” This is why YHVH also made Yeshua to be a light to the Gentiles so that YHVH’s salvation (Yeshua) could come to the ends of the earth. Up to this point, this had not been accomplished. This was not a new idea; this was YHVH’s plan for a very long time. YHVH wanted the Gentiles to know this.
YHVH is the Redeemer of Israel; He is their Holy One. YHVH assured His son that even though men and nations despise and hate Him, “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.” (Isaiah 49:7b)
YHVH makes some incredible promises to His son in Isaiah 49:8: “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 a covenant to the people, To restore the earth, To cause them to inherit the desolate heritages.”
I believe this is a promise for the future. The Father will let Yeshua know when it is time to return and deliver His people. The Father will help Yeshua to accomplish His will. It was the Father who:
- preserved Yeshua while He was dead in the grave;
- gave Yeshua as a covenant to the people (as the groom and bride price of the marriage covenant);
- intends for Yeshua to restore the earth and inherit the desolate heritages;
- instructed Yeshua to set the captives free and bring them from darkness into light;
- intends for Yeshua to gather, comfort, feed, nourish, protect, and lead His people.
Many in Zion believe that the Lord has forsaken and forgotten them. This is true of the past, present, and future. YHVH has not forgotten. God’s people are inscribed on the palms of His hands. Yeshua bears the scars of crucifixion that provided for the redemption and atonement of His people.
He is allowing wickedness for a time but one day, the destroyers or enemies of God’s people will be forced to go away from them. Revelation 19:15 describes it this way: “Now out of His mouth goes a sharp sword, that with it He should strike the nations. And He Himself will rule them with a rod of iron. He Himself treads the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God.” Yeshua, the sharpened arrow in YHVH’s quiver will be unleashed with a sharp sword at some point in the near future.
Israel will be adorned as a bride. The nations will bring the children of Israel home; there will be so many in Israel that they will say the places they have are too small. They will ask for a place where they can dwell. There will be no more fighting over the land. No one will be trying to divide the land. The disputes over building in Jerusalem will be a thing of the past. The land will extend far beyond its current borders; it will extend to those described in Ezekiel.
At that time, all flesh will know that YHVH is Israel’s Savior, Redeemer, and the Mighty One of Jacob.
Highway to Holiness 