View Isaiah II series – Listen to audio
Isaiah 49:8-26 The Servant Will Bless and Increase God’s People
The Lord says he will use his servant to display his glory. Here we find out clearly that the glory of God is displayed in his works of destroying his enemies and rescuing his people.
49:8-13 These verses are speaking about the work of the servant mentioned at the start of the chapter, the Messiah. What things will God’s servant accomplish? Discuss how Jesus does these things for us.
- Restore the land+++ Revelation 21:5 He who was seated on the throne said, “I am making everything new!”
- Set captives free +++John 8:36 So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed. (see also Luke 4:18)
- Feed his people +++John 6:51 I am the living bread that came down from heaven. Whoever eats this bread will live forever. This bread is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.”
- Will remove hunger and thirst +++Matthew 5:6 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. & +++John 4:14 but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” & +++Revelation 7:16 ‘Never again will they hunger; never again will they thirst. The sun will not beat down on them,’ nor any scorching heat.
- Have compassion and guide them: +++Mark 6:34 When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd. So he began teaching them many things.
- Lead them to springs: +++Revelation 21:4 ‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.”
- Make the way smooth: +++Hebrews 10:19-20 Brothers, we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place through the blood of Jesus. It is a new and living way he opened for us through the curtain, that is, his flesh.
- Gather his people from afar: +++Matthew 8:11 I tell you that many will come from the east and the west and will recline at the table with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven.
49:14 When all the destruction came upon Jerusalem the people would have felt abandoned and forgotten by God. This is misguided since God was punishing the sins of the wicked and had not forgotten them. And as for the faithful few, they were not forgotten either. He was refining and rescuing them. Share when we might feel forgotten even when we remain in faith.
- Various answers are possible, anytime we see things going bad in our life.
49:15-21 Each of these seven verses contains poetic images of comfort for Jerusalem. Explain the main point of each comforting image. Apply it to the New Testament Church. Share which gives you the most comfort at this time.
- 49:15 Mother not forgetting her child
- 49:16 Inscribed on palms
- 49:17 Children are hurrying back (a future |”look”)
- 49:18 The city/ The Church will wear children like jewelry on a bride
- 49:19 Land will go from desolate to overfilled
- 49:20 Children will be so numerous they will be saying, “make room for me.”
- 49:21 A mother wondering who raised all the children surrounding her.
49:22-23 Isaiah prophesies here that the expanded family of God will come from kings and queens who will give up their children to be part of Israel. Explain how this is fulfilled.
- In history as God brought back the people from exile in Babylon. They grew up (cf. Jer 19-20) in a foreign land and had families for 70 years, but God had plans for them to prosper and multiply and return to Israel.
- In history as many from all nations become part of the family of God and children of Abraham through faith in Jesus.
- Mt 2:1-2 After Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, when Herod was king, Wise Men from the east came to Jerusalem. They asked, 2“Where is he who has been born King of the Jews? We saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.”
- Matthew 8:11 I tell you that many will come from the east and the west and will recline at the table with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven.
- See also Rev 7:9 ff After these things I looked, and there was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people, and language, standing in front of the throne and of the Lamb…
49:24-26 God will rescue the captive children of Israel. Compare with the following and discuss how we are rescued: Lk 11:14-20, 1 John 3:8, Rev 12:9-12, Gal 1:4
- God rescued us from the power of sin, death, and the devil through the work of Jesus, who is “your Savior and your Redeemer, the Mighty One of Jacob.”
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Subscribe: RSS