Isaiah 49

Isaiah 49:1

Isaiah: God controls the nations God’s special servant An EasyEnglish Bible Version and Commentary (2800 word vocabulary) on Isaiah chapters 49 to 57 www.easyenglish.info Norman Hillyer This commentary has been through Advanced Checking.

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Chapter 49 ‘My special Servant’

In the Book of Isaiah, the meaning of ‘my (that is, the *Lord’s) special Servant’ varies. Sometimes, ‘my special Servant’ identifies a person, such as Eliakim (Isaiah 22:20) or David (Isaiah 37:35) or Isaiah himself (Isaiah 20:3). Most of the verses that include ‘my special Servant’ appear in the second part of the Book of Isaiah (about 20 times). About half of these verses identify the ‘Servant’ as ‘Israel’. Several verses (42:1, 42:6, 52:13, 53:11) refer the name to *Messiah. The *New Testament identifies *Messiah as Jesus. (Take care; sometimes a verse may include more than one of these meanings at the same time!)

 Verses 1-7 provide the second of the ‘Servant Songs’ (see my notes at the beginning of Chapter 42 and the notes on 42:1). The work of God’s Servant v1 Listen to me, you foreign nations. Listen, you people that live in distant places. Before I was born, the *Lord called (appointed) me to be his special Servant. He named me even before my birth. v2 He made my words about God’s judgement to be as sharp as a sword. He hid me under the shadow of his hand. He made me like a sharp arrow that is ready to use. v3 He said to me, ‘Israel, you are my special Servant. In you I will display my great *glory.’

v4 But I thought, ‘I have worn myself out in vain. I have used my strength for no profit, for nothing.’ But then I told myself that my actions were in the *Lord’s care. The result of my work for God is safe in his hands.

Verse 1

Many *Israelites lived abroad. But here the reference is to foreign nations, rather than to *Israelites. Isaiah repeats the command to listen. This is to emphasise that the message is for foreigners.

 To ‘call’ does not mean to shout to gain attention. In the Bible, ‘call’ is a technical word. It means to appoint to a task. Isaiah’s ‘call’ came before he was even born. (See Jeremiah 1:4-5 for a similar thought).

Verse 2

‘Sword’ and ‘arrow’ are word pictures. The words show that Isaiah’s message from God will have a powerful effect on people’s lives. Like a sword or an arrow, Isaiah’s words will be sharp (clear, sudden and powerful). The *Lord has prepared Isaiah ahead of time to speak the sharp words of God’s judgement.

 The mere ‘shadow’ of a hand may seem strange ‘protection’. But with God, even his shadow is always sufficient (see Psalms 17:8). The shadow reminds God’s people that he is very close to each believer.

Verse 4

When God originally called Isaiah to speak for him, he had warned Isaiah about people’s reaction. People would not listen to Isaiah (see Isaiah 6:9-12). But Isaiah wisely realised that his own duty was to obey God. What happened as a result was not Isaiah’s responsibility (see Isaiah 40:4-8). It was God’s responsibility. God’s plan is also for other nations v5 Before I was born, the *Lord was making me his Servant. This was so that I should bring the *Israelites back to him again. The *Lord is giving me this honour. And he will provide strength for me to achieve the task. v6 And now the *Lord speaks again: ‘It is too small a task for you, as my Servant, merely to bring the *Israelites back from foreign countries. I also appoint you to be my light to the nations. You are to take the light of my power to save. Take that light to all the nations of the world.’

Verse 5

The first words are similar to those in Isaiah 43:1 and 49:1. But here Isaiah adds that the *Lord provides him with the necessary help.

Verse 6

The *Lord has an even greater task for Isaiah. He is to tell all nations that the *Lord can rescue every person from the result of an evil life.

 Similar words describe God’s double purpose for his special Servant and for Cyrus. God intends them to spread his ‘light’ to the whole world (see Isaiah 42:6). And to everybody in the world (see Isaiah 48:20).

 God’s ‘light’ is a word picture. It means a clear knowledge of God’s purposes. God will rescue his people v7 (These are the words of the *Lord. It is he who defends Israel. He is Israel’s Holy God. The *Lord is speaking to his Servant.)

‘Other people consider you to be of no value. Other nations hate you. Rulers make your people to become slaves. But the day is coming when even kings will stand in your honour. And princes will kneel in front of you. Because the *Lord remains true to his word. He is the Holy God of Israel. He has chosen you to be his special people.’

Verse 7

Much of what appears here will appear again in the 4th Servant Song (see Isaiah 52:13 to 53:12).

 There is a double meaning of ‘Servant’ in this verse. The name refers to the experience of the nation called Israel. But it also refers to the experience of *Messiah. (See my note at the beginning of this chapter).

 When Israel failed to carry out the *Lord’s purpose, *Messiah did so instead of Israel. God will lead his people home v8 The *Lord says, ‘My Servant, I intend to answer your cries for help. I have decided the time when I will help you. I will come to rescue you. I have also chosen you to take my promise of hope to other nations. You will again build your own country that enemies have ruined. Then people will return to possess the land. v9 You will tell prisoners that they are free.

Those in darkness can come into the light. God’s people will be like sheep that find grass to eat. Those sheep find grass that is ready for them by the road. And even a bare hill will provide what God’s people need to eat. v10 They will not be hungry. They will not be without water to drink. Nor will the fierce sun hurt them with its heat.

I who pity them will guide them to springs (fountains) of fresh water. v11 I will make a road for them over my hills. And I will prepare all the way for my people to travel. v12 See, they are coming from a great distance! Some from the north. Some from the west. Some from the country called Syene.’

v13 Shout for joy, you heavens! Cheer loudly, you earth! Sing a happy song of success, you mountains! Because the *Lord is comforting his people, because troubles have upset them.

Verse 8

To ‘answer’ means more than ‘use words’. ‘Answer’ includes action to provide practical help.

Verses 9-12

God’s people have a long journey to return to their own land. But all along the way, God will provide everything that they need (see Isaiah 41:17-20).

Verse 12

Syene is the area up the river Nile to the south (see Jeremiah 44:1). Today Syene is called Aswan.

Verse 13

The picture in words suggests that the people’s joy affects all that God has created (see my note on Isaiah 44:23). The *Lord pities his people v14 The inhabitants of *Jerusalem had been thinking, ‘The *Lord has left us. The *Lord has forgotten us.’

v15 ‘Certainly not! A mother can never forget the baby at her breast. She will not forget her love for the child that she has *borne. Even if that were possible, I, your *Lord, will certainly never forget you. v16 See, I have drawn a picture of you on my hands. So the walls of *Jerusalem that enemies ruined are always in my mind. v17 Those who will repair the great damage to *Jerusalem are in a hurry to come to you. Enemies knocked down and completely ruined your city.

Those enemies will soon leave you. v18 Open your eyes. Look about you. All the members of your family are returning home. They are entering *Jerusalem together.’ The *Lord said that this would happen. ‘And I make another serious promise to you. As I live,’ says the *Lord, ‘you will proudly display all your sons as if they were precious stones. You will put them on yourself as if you were a bride.’

Verse 14

*Babylonian forces attacked *Jerusalem in 587 *BC. They ruined the city. They completely destroyed the Temple (see Isaiah 32:14). The *Lord’s promise to protect the city seemed to be without worth.

Verse 16

A picture in words emphasises that the *Lord has certainly not put *Jerusalem out of his mind.

Verse 17

To build something, normally takes much more time than to knock it down. But the *Lord declares that these busy builders will repair *Jerusalem very quickly. They will build the city even more quickly than the *Babylonians were able to destroy it. That would be most unlikely, of course. It is just a description to say that the builders will work extremely quickly.

Verse 18

The whole situation is changing very fast. The evidence is all round the city for people to see for themselves. The *Lord has carried out the things that he promised to do.

 In the original language, ‘As I live, says the *Lord’ is a special form of words. It emphasises that the promise afterwards is definite. Even as certainly as God always lives, so as certainly his promise is always true. (See Numbers 14:21 and Zephaniah 2:9. Also see Ezekiel 14:16, among very many other examples in that *Old Testament Book.) *Jerusalem’s wonderful future v19 Cruel enemies ruined *Jerusalem and they made the land a desert. But now you will not have enough space for its inhabitants. Those who destroyed your country will have gone. v20 The children who were born during your time of despair will complain: ‘This place is too small for us. We need more space in *Jerusalem for all of us to live here.’

v21 You will tell yourself, ‘Someone must have *borne these children for me. I had lost my own children. I could have no more. I was in a foreign country. I was without a home. Someone must have brought up these children. I was completely alone. I cannot understand where these children came from.’

v22 (These are the words of the *Lord God.) ‘See, I will lift up my hand to the nations to attract their attention. I will signal to many people. They will carry your sons in their arms. They will lift your daughters onto their shoulders. v23 Kings will act as your fathers. Princesses will act as your mothers. They will humbly fall on the ground to give you honour. They will taste the dust at your feet. Then you will have clear evidence that I am the *Lord. I will never disappoint those who trust me.’

Verse 19

Judah’s enemies ate all the food that happened to be growing. But they did not bother about good agricultural practice. So they did not plough or sow. Soon the fields had no more value than a desert. The land would take several years to recover after the enemies left Judah.

Verse 20

In this verse, ‘children’ refers to *descendants of the original *exiles of the *tribe called Judah. The ‘time of despair’ means ‘when you were *exiles in the country called Babylon’.

Verse 21

The verse gives a picture in words to describe everybody’s happy surprise. Suddenly, a huge number of *refugees are coming back to *Jerusalem. It is so wonderful, after all that the people of God have suffered far away in a foreign land.

Verses 22-23

Foreign nations will now have a very different opinion about God’s people. And God’s people themselves will realise that the *Lord himself has brought it all about. Only he could have done it. The *Lord is on our side v24 Normally, nobody can take back the possessions that soldiers steal. Nobody can rescue the people whom fierce enemies lead away to be their prisoners. v25 But the *Lord declares, ‘These things will certainly happen. Rescue will come to prisoners whom soldiers have *seized. Even goods that a cruel man has stolen will come back to their owners. I myself will oppose those who oppose you. And I myself will rescue your sons. v26 I will oppose those people who were so cruel to you. They will tear apart their own bodies to eat as meat. They will be like drunks, but blood will flow instead of wine. I will force them to do these things. Then everybody will know that I am the *Lord. It is I who saves you. I am your rescuer, the Powerful God of Israel.’

Verses 24-25

The *Lord will take practical action to bring back the people’s original situation.

Verse 26

These are more pictures in words. These cruel men caused so much trouble for other people. But in the end, they will cause their own deaths. And the *Lord will use the situation to rescue his people.

© 2007 Wycliffe Associates (UK)

This publication is written in EasyEnglish Level B (2800 words).

July 2007

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var w11 = new Array;w11[0]=’<b%3ELord</b%3E ~ God’s name in the Bible; in the original language, it means ‘head over all’ and ‘God always’.’;w11[1]=’<b%3EMessiah</b%3E ~ Old Testament title for Christ.