Obedient to the Message

Isaiah 50:5 says, "The Lord GOD has opened My ear; and I was not rebellious, nor did I turn away." Jesus listened to the Father and did not turn away from the Word. He always remained obedient to the message. Oh, that we too would open our ear and listened to what God is telling us. Oh, that we too would not turn away but would always remain obedient to the message.

This was completely contrary to the people of Isaiah's day. Their idea of God's power and care had to do with preserving the cultural status quo and enlarging the nation politically and militarily. It had little to do with accepting God's standards of justice and righteousness. We must be obedient to the message of righteousness and stay on track.

The Messiah, the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ stayed on message. Again He said, "I was not rebellious, nor did I turn away" (v. 5b). The Messiah, the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, when He walked this earth two thousand years ago, stayed on message. He did not waiver from the message the Father sent Him to deliver.

Listening to the Father and not turning away is also a contrast with the people of Israel in Isaiah's day, the people to whom he prophesied. The prophets had faithfully taught them God's truth, but they did not listen. Isaiah stated plainly: "Surely from long ago your ear was not opened" (Isa. 48:8). Like Jesus, we must have our ears open, listening to the Word of God and being obedient to the message. Amen.

Obedient to the Word

Isaiah 50:4a says, "The Lord GOD has given Me the tongue of the learned, that I should know how to speak." The Lord God gave Jesus what He was to speak to the people. He faithfully taught the Father's message.

Jesus clarified this in John 8:21-32 as He spoke with the Jewish leaders in the temple: "Jesus said to them again, 'I am going away, and you will seek Me, and will die in your sin. Where I go you cannot come.' So the Jews said, 'Will He kill Himself, because He says, "Where I go you cannot come?"' And He said to them, 'You are from beneath; I am from above. You are of this world; I am not of this world. Therefore I said to you that you will die in your sins; for if you do not believe that I am He, you will die in your sins.' Then they said to Him, 'Who are You?' And Jesus said to them, 'Just what I have been saying to you from the beginning. I have many things to say and to judge concerning you, but He who sent Me is true; and I speak to the world those things which I heard from Him.' They did not understand that He spoke to them of the Father. Then Jesus said to them, 'When you lift up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am He, and that I do nothing of Myself; but as My Father taught Me, I speak these things. And He who sent Me is with Me. The Father has not left Me alone, for I always do those things that please Him.' As He spoke these words, many believed in Him. Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, 'If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.'"

The key thought is found in verses 26 and 28. Jesus said, "He who sent Me is true; and I speak to the world those things which I heard from Him" (v. 26b). "I do nothing of Myself; but as My Father taught Me, I speak these things" (v. 28b).

Jesus spoke what the Father gave Him. He faithfully preached the truth. "A word in season to him who is weary. He awakens Me morning by morning, He awakens My ear to hear as the learned" (Isa. 50:4b). But it was not always what the people wanted to hear. In John 6, Jesus told those who followed Him, that if they trusted in Him, they must willingly sacrifice as He did. They must show the same commitment as He did. Many responded, "This is a hard saying; who can understand it?" (v. 60). In other words, "who can accept it?" Jesus said plainly, "There are some of you who do not believe" (v. 64a). Then we read: "Jesus knew from the beginning who they were who did not believe, and who would betray Him" (v. 64b). So again He speaks plainly, "Therefore I have said to you that no one can come to Me unless it has been granted to him by My Father" (v. 65). "From that time many of His disciples went back and walked with Him no more" (v. 66).

The Word He spoke eventually led to His death. Knowing this, He still taught the truth faithfully, no matter the cost. Still He urged His disciples to trust in Him for their eternal life: "He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me. And He who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me. And He who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me. He who finds his life will lose it, and he who loses his life for My sake will find it" (Matt. 10:37-39). Take up your cross every day and teach the Word of Truth faithfully, just as Jesus did. Amen.

The Day of Salvation

"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'" (Isaiah 49:8). Quoting verse 8a, Paul declared: "For He says: 'In an acceptable time I have heard you, and in the day of salvation I have helped you.' Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation" (2 Cor. 6:2). And in his sermon on the day of Pentecost, Peter said: "Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved" (Acts 4:12). Salvation is in Jesus—no other!

Here again we are told that the Savior would be sent to all people, not just Israel. "I will preserve You and give You as a covenant to the people, to restore the earth" (Isaiah 49:8b). This passage refers both to "the people, to restore the earth" (v. 8b) and to the people of Israel "to inherit the desolate heritages" (v. 8c). So the Covenant of Salvation is inclusive. It is for His people Israel, who will be restored to their inheritance when Jesus comes again, and it is for the rest of us, who received the offer of salvation through faith at His first coming.

In Hebrew, the word for "salvation" (v. 8a) is yeshuah, which means "Jehovah saves," or "the Lord saves." It is also the proper name "Joshua" or "Jesus." That is why, while Joseph "thought about" what to do with Mary when she was found to be with child, "an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, 'Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take to you Mary your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins'" (Matt. 1:20-21). So Jesus is the Savior who gives salvation.

What Isaiah says throughout the early chapters, Isaiah 49:9 repeats: the Messiah frees the prisoners and those who are in darkness. "You may say to the prisoners 'Go forth,' to those who are in darkness, 'Show yourselves'" (v. 9a). Both pictures, the prisoner set free and those in darkness being revealed, are metaphors indicating that spiritual truth is made known which sets us free from the bondage of spiritual darkness and sin.

"They shall feed along the roads, and their pastures shall be on all desolate heights. 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" (vs. 9b-10). The day will come when Jesus will return and set up His kingdom on earth. Then Israel will be rescued from captivity and oppression. They will be content and enjoy prosperity instead. They will be like a well-fed flock of sheep, protected and watered.

"I will make each of My mountains a road, and My highways shall be elevated. Surely these shall come from afar; Look! Those from the north and the west, and these from the land of Sinim" (vs. 11-12). "Sinim" (v. 12b) is the ancient name for China and can be understood as referring to the Far East. The Covenant of Salvation is a covenant for all people. Those who are saved come from the north, the west, and even from the Far East! Israel returns from every direction; believers come from every direction. Salvation is for all who call upon the name of the Lord Jesus.

Here, Isaiah mixes the promises of the Messiah to the people of Israel and to the Gentiles. Mixing the promises like this is a literary device used to emphasize that the Savior is not just for Israel, but for everyone—a covenant for all people.

Picture Isaiah in the temple court singing or chanting these words. For those listening there was probably a lot of shaking of heads. What was he saying? It can't be! The Messiah was for them alone. He would come to rescue them only. They never bought into the idea of a Messiah who would offer salvation to everyone. Yet that is what Jesus did. And the end result is a grand scene of rejoicing.

"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" (v. 13). The remnant of Israel will turn to Jesus and rejoice greatly. People from all nations will turn to Jesus and rejoice. The Covenant of Salvation is truly a covenant of rejoicing.

"Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation" (2 Cor. 6:2). "Nor is there salvation in any other" (Acts 4:12). Salvation is in Jesus alone—no other. Trust Him! Amen.

A Light in the Darkness

This Sunday is Mother's Day and we will be reopening our church here in Stanzel. Beginning Sunday, we will again have Sunday School at 9:30 am, Morning Worship at 10:30 am, and Evening Service at 7:00 pm. Praise God! Pray to see you all there. Now to today's Bible Insight:

Isaiah 49:1-7, presents Jesus as the Giver of Light. He begins, "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" (v. 1). The Servant here speaks to the nations, the people that did not know the God of Israel. They were "from afar" (v. 1a), or literally, "far off," and the only way for them to be brought near was for God's Servant to bring them.

Paul reminds us that we were "once Gentiles in the flesh" and that "at that time you were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ" (Eph. 2:11-13). And Jesus said: "The LORD has called Me from the womb" (Isa. 49:1b). The Servant, fully Man and fully God, was called even before He was born on earth, to come and bring light in the darkness.

"And He has made My mouth like a sharp sword" (v. 2a). The Servant will be a very effective speaker and will conquer the enemy with His teaching. Hence, the term "sharp sword" (v. 2a), which is a weapon of war. Ephesians 6:17 refers to "the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God." Hebrews 4:12 says, "The word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword… and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart." The Servant, the Lord Jesus Christ, speaks the truth and His Word is powerful.

"In the shadow of His hand He has hidden Me, and made Me a polished shaft; In His quiver He has hidden Me" (Isa. 49:2b). Twice He says, "He has hidden Me" (v. 2b). It has to do with God's timing. Before His birth on earth, He was hidden with God the Father. Christ was in heaven ready to be sent at the right moment, to bring light to a dark world.

Verse 3 is the only place where Isaiah refers to the Messiah, the Servant, by the name Israel: "And He said to me, 'You are My servant, O Israel, in whom I will be glorified.'" The emphasis is on both His human and divine origin. He is fully Man and fully God at once. He is the One who was chosen among Israel.

People everywhere will see His glory. They will see the glory of the Father shining through the Messiah, the Servant. And the entire ministry of the Servant, of Jesus Christ, was aimed at glorifying the Father.

"I have labored in vain," Jesus said. "I have spent my strength for nothing and in vain" (v. 4a). When Jesus came a little over 2000 years ago, the people of Israel rejected Him. "He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him" (John 1:11). At the time of His death it would appear that He had labored in vain. His own people, those He came to save, rejected Him and His message.

But His work was not in vain. All of His suffering paid big dividends. He truly was a light in the darkness. "But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name" (John 1:12).

When Christ comes again, the purpose for which He came the first time will see its complete fulfillment: "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" (Isa. 49:5a). He came with the purpose of bringing Jacob, or Israel, back to God. But they rejected their own Messiah. So by the plan of God, salvation was extended to us. Still, Israel will see a great revival, a great turning back to God through faith in Jesus in the end times. So all is not in vain: "(For I shall be glorious in the eyes of the LORD, and My God shall be My strength)" (v. 5b).

"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'" (v. 6). The purpose that is being fulfilled, the purpose for which Jesus came and for which He is coming again, is two-fold: He came to call Israel back to God and He came to call the Gentiles, those who were "far off," to salvation in Christ.

The mandate given to Abraham was fulfilled through Jesus Christ: "And in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed" (Gen. 12:3). Jesus accomplished what Israel had failed to do. He suffered and died and rose again to be a blessing to "all the families of the earth" (Gen. 12:3). He is truly "a light to the Gentiles" bringing "salvation to the ends of the earth" (Isa. 49:6b).

"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'" (v. 7). This verse begins by pointing out that the One the Lord God is speaking to is "the Servant," the Messiah, Jesus Christ and that He was despised by "man," or Gentiles, and abhorred by "the nation," or Jews (v. 7a). He was disliked by nearly everyone and He suffered greatly, being humiliated by them, dying the cruel death on the cross for our forgiveness. Isaiah repeats this theme over and over again (cf. Isa. 50:6-9; 52:14-15; and 53:3).

Yet when He comes again we are told that kings and princes will recognize Him as the Messiah and worship Him. "Kings shall see and arise, princes also shall worship" (Isa. 49:7b). Again, Isaiah said: "Kings shall shut their mouths at Him; for what had not been told them they shall see, and what they had not heard they shall consider" (Isa. 52:15). And it is all because "the LORD," God's "chosen" one, "is faithful" (Isa. 49:7c). Amen.

Jesus Is My Light

According to Isaiah, Jesus is the Great Physician. Isaiah 42:7 says He came, "To open blind eyes, to bring out prisoners from the prison, those who sit in darkness from the prison house." In Scripture, the Messiah is often referred to as light. Jesus said, "I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life" (John 8:12).

In John chapter one, Jesus is seen not only as Creator and Truth, He is called "the light of men" (v. 4) and "the true Light" (v. 9). Again, in John 9:5, Jesus said, "I am the light of the world."

Numerous times the Bible refers to God's people as being "in the light," and it admonishes them to "walk in the light." Ephesians 5:8; says, "For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light." And 1 John 1:7 says, "But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.

Isaiah 42:7 paints a picture consistent with the rest of Scripture. Man is blind. He is in spiritual darkness. He is held captive by his own self-centered, sinful nature. Jesus came to open our eyes spiritually and to release us from our prison of sin. He is the Great Physician. Without Him, we are in spiritual darkness, but with Him we are "in the light" (1 John 1:7).

Isaiah goes on to indicate that Jesus is the All-Powerful God. "I am the LORD, that is My name; and My glory I will not give to another, nor My praise to carved images" (Isaiah 42:8). Over and over again throughout Isaiah and in the other prophets, we are reminded that we can depend on these prophecies. They will not fail. They will be fulfilled in every way. His Word is true and it is established first of all by His might. He is omnipotent. He is the All-Powerful God.

"I am the LORD" (v. 8a). "I am" the one and only, all-powerful God. This is the name God gave to Moses as symbolic of His relationship with Israel—"I AM WHO I AM"... "Thus you shall say to the children of Israel, 'I AM has sent me to you'" (Exodus 3:14). In Exodus, "I Am" is joined with the word "Yahweh" ("the LORD") to make the name "I AM WHO I AM." Here He says emphatically, "I am the LORD, that is My name" (Isa. 42:8a).

The name Yahweh, "the LORD," is loaded with spiritual truth for the Israelites. Yahweh was the One who made the heavens and the earth, and who created life itself. It was He who cared for them and rescued them time and time again. He is the God of truth and righteousness. He is the one and only true God.

"My glory I will not give to another, nor My praise to carved images" (v. 8b). He is far greater than all the false gods, all the idols that had tempted the Israelites for centuries, turning them away from Him. It had been Isaiah's task to warn them of the pending judgment that was to come upon them because they had turned away from God. Now he makes it clear that God, the all-powerful Yahweh, will not share His glory.

Isaiah continues to establish the fact that Jesus is our standard of life. Another argument used to establish the truth of the Messianic prophecy is here in verse 9: "Behold, the former things have come to pass, and new things I declare; before they spring forth I tell you of them." You can believe all of the prophetic messages of Isaiah, as well as those of all the other prophets, because God has a perfect track record. All he had promised had come to pass. He is the standard-bearer.

He tells us what will happen before it takes place. You can count on it. You can take it to the bank. If God said it, it will take place just as He said. All prophecy given in Isaiah and the other prophets, including all things still waiting to be fulfilled, will take place. Take comfort in that truth. And rest assured: He is my light. Amen.