Isaiah 1:1 "Listen, O isles, unto Me and hearken, ye people from far…"
He is speaking to a people who do not know Him. To Gentiles who live at the ends of the earth. They have not known the Covenant of Abraham…This message is to them.
Jesus is speaking Is. 49:1-16. The Lord (Jehovah) has called Him from His mother's womb and made mention of His Name. "Called in Hebrew is "quara" accosting a person, to call out to, properly, address by, bidden, call (for, forth) cry unto, be famous, invite, give Name, preach (make), proclaim (-ation) pronounce, publish, renowned, to call, cry, utter a loud sound. To call unto, cry (for help) Call with Name of God, to summon, invite, call and commission."
Jesus had a "call" on Him. A summons, a commission. Only He, as the Lamb of God, could fulfill His calling. (He was called from His mother's womb to fulfill His destiny.)
Is.49:1…And made mention of His Name. Matt 1:21. "She shall bring forth a Son and you shall call HIS NAME JESUS: For He shall save His people from their sins."Jesus in Greek goes back to the original Hebrew word which means "Jehovah saves." "Yehowshua (yeh-ho-shoo'ah) Joshua. It comes from the Hebrew word "Yasha" (yaw-shah). A primary root…to be open, wide or free. To be safe, and bring ( having) salvations, Save(iour), Get Victory!"
This touches my heart so much…my Savior…Jesus.
Isaiah 49:2. He has made my mouth like a sharp sword…Hebrews 4:12. Rev. 1:16-17. Here we find another Name I AM THE ALPHA AND OMEGA…THE FIRST AND THE LAST. Vs, 8…ALPHA AND OMEGA. THE BEGINNING AND THE END saith The Lord (Jesus is Lord) which was and which is and which is to come THE ALMIGHTY. (Remember in Genesis "El" (Elohim and Elyone) meant Almighty. Rev. 19:15 "Out of His mouth goeth a sharp sword…"Through this sharp sword (The Word of God) He will rule the nations. (Even to the ends of the earth.)
Isaiah 49:2. In this passage we find two "hid". I found it fascinating that they are two different words and yet they emphasize one another…compounding the meaning.
In the shadow of His Hand He has hid me…Hid here is Hebrew "chaba" Held, hide (self) do secretly, to be hidden... KJV> "In the shadow of His Hand hath He hid Me…Shadow in Hebrew "tsel" shade, literal or figurative: defense. Shade (-ow) Shadow (on dial) shade as protection. Shadow (symbolic of transitoriness of life) from "tsalal" a primary root through the idea of hovering over." (In Genesis the Spirit of God hovered over).
When I saw "on dial" I thought of time. He was hidden until time for Him to be revealed.
Is 49:2…And made Me a polished shaft (arrow); in His quiver hath He hid Me.
This second "hid" (hidden in the quiver) is "cathar" ( saw-thar) To hide by covering. Keep close, conceal, hide, and keep Secret. To hide carefully. To be hidden carefully, be concealed -arrow case. In LASB version "Hid Me in the shadow of His Hand I AM a sharp arrow in His quiver.
Jesus, as the polished shaft (arrow) was hid in His Father's quiver…Hebrew..."ashpah" (ashpaw) in the sense of covering. A quiver or arrow-case.
God the Father kept Him and hid Him as His Secret Weapon. In the fullness of time the Father brought Him from His mother's womb and named Him. Jesus mouth was like a sharp sword (The Word of God…He is the Word made flesh).
He was the hidden mystery of God. 1 Cor. 2:5-8 He was the Polished Arrow shot into the heart of the enemy.
Is. 49:3…He is the Servant in Whom God is glorified. Mark 10:45. The Son of Man came to minister.
He came to Israel as a suffering Messiah. As Shiloh. Coming gently, lowly, riding on a colt. The Son of David. He had shown the work of His Father…the miracles, deliverances, healings, and teachings. He gave His life. On the cross He cried, "It is finished!"
Yet Israel was not gathered to Him. Matt. 23:37-39, Luke 19:41-44…He wept over the city. John 1:11 He came unto His own but they received Him not.
Is. 49:4-5 He feels like He has labored in vain because Jacob (Israel) has not been gathered to Him. Yet He is glorious in the eyes of the Lord (His Father, Jehovah). Let us look one more time at the prophesy given to Judah in Gen. 49:10…"Until Shiloh come and unto Him shall the gathering of the people be".
There were many in Israel who did believe in Him. But the Priests and leaders and most of the tribes did not believe in him. They were not gathered to Him.
Jesus Himself, gave a prophesy concerning the temple in Jerusalem that Israel was so proud of…Mark 13:1..2 Jesus answering said until him "See these great buildings? There shall not be left one stone upon another that shall not be thrown down." Luke 23:28 "Jesus turning unto them said, daughters of Jerusalem, weep not for me but weep for yourselves, and your children." Luke 19:44. And shall lay thee even with the ground, and thy children within thee; and they shall not leave in thee one stone upon another; because thou knewest not the time of thy visitation." Greek for visitation "episcope" inspection (for relief) by implication, superintendence. Visitation. Investigation. The act by which God looks into and searches out the ways, deeds, character, of men in order to adjudge them their lot accordingly. Whether joyous or sad. Oversight, overseer ship, office, charge, the office of an elder." It came from another word."episkeptomai" ep-ee-skep, middle voice. To go to see, look out, visit. To look upon or after, to inspect, examine with the eyes. To look upon in order to help or to benefit. To look after, have care for, provide for: of God."
What do you think when you see that they did not know the time of their visitation?
To me it means they missed the Messiah…He had come as Shiloh…as a suffering Messiah not as the conquering King they had been looking for.
Here is a question? Did the rejection of their Messiah (He came unto His own and His own received Him not) bring judgment? According to the word we just studied did the visitation of Christ, an act of God, look into the character of man?" The Father gave His Son with good will (as the angels sang).
In 70 AD Israel would be scattered around the world. They, as a people, would suffer much. (We will talk about this later.)
Is 49:6 It is a light thing…Hebrew galal (kaw-lal) a primary root- causatively, make light, small, easy, trifling, be of little account. Be insignificant.
Now He will give Jesus for a Light to the Gentiles. He will be Jehovah's Salvation unto the ends of the earth.
Salvation…Hebrew "yshuw'ah" (yesh-oo-aw)…something saved, deliverance, aid, victory, prosperity, health, help, salvation, save, saving, welfare. Salvation of God. Victory!"
Unto the ends of the earth! (Remember the Isles.) Romans 9:23-25. Children of the Living God. John 1:12 to those who believe in His Name gave He power to become the sons of God.
John 10:14-18 other sheep would be brought into His fold. There are two words for fold here…the "other fold" is "aule" and it means a yard (as open to the wind) sheep fold. An uncovered space around the house…a roofless enclosure." I thought of "no covering". These sheep will be brought into Jesus fold "poimne" (poym-nay) a flock of sheep. Of Christ's flock. The body of those who follow Jesus as their guide and keeper."
John 10:16 they will hear (Greek " akouo" (ak-oo-o) to hear. Give audience. Come to the ears. Shall hear (er -ken) understand. To be endowed with the faculty of hearing, not deaf. To hear. To attend to. Consider what is or has been said. Perceive the sense of what is said. To perceive by the ear what is announced in one's presence. To get by hearing (Faith comes by hearing the Word of God), learn. To give ear to a teaching or a teacher. To comprehend." John 10:25-29. His sheep hear His Voice.
Hear My Voice "(Greek for voice -phone (fo-nay) through the idea of disclosure; a tone (articulate) saying or language: noise, sound, voice. A sound, a tone. Voice. Of the sound of uttered words. Speech of a language, tongue."
Is 42:4-7 A Light unto the Gentiles. Matt 4:15-16. He has become our Light and our Salvation to the ends of the earth. Ps 27:1. The Lord is my Light and my Salvation.
Is 49:7 Thus said the Lord (Jehovah) THE REDEEMER "Hebrew - gall (gaw-al) to redeem (according to the oriental law of kinship. To be the next of kin (and as such to buy back a relative's property.) Avenger, deliver purchase, ransom, redeems revenger."
AND HIS HOLY ONE Hebrew "qadowsh (kaw-doshe) Sacred (ceremonially or morally) as noun -God (by eminence.) Holy One. Sacred, holy, saint, set apart.
Is 49:7-9 THE REDEEMER AND HIS HOLY ONE…THE MAN, THE MOST HIGH HAS CHOSEN... has been despised, to Him Whom the nation (Israel) abhorred…He will be worshipped.
Vs.8 The Lord has preserved Him… Preserve...Hebrew "natsar (nawtsar) to guard, to protect, maintain, obey, HIDDEN THING, Keep (er, ing) to guard, watch over. To preserve from dangers. To guard and keep secret. To be kept close, be blockaded. Watchman."
In Jesus death, when He committed His Spirit into His Father's Hand, the Lord (Jehovah) kept Him. Even when He ascended into hell and took the keys of death and hell from Satan and took the Title Deed of this earth, God kept Him. Jesus trusted His Father that He would not see corruption. Ps. 16:8-11 "I have set the Lord always before Me; because He is at My right hand, I shall not be moved. Therefore My Heart is glad, and My glory rejoiceth: My flesh also shall rest in hope. For You will not leave My soul in hell; neither will You suffer Your HOLY ONE to see corruption. You will show Me the path of life: in Your presence is fullness of joy; at Your Right Hand there are pleasures for evermore." He was RESURRECTED!
Vs.8 He has been given as a Covenant of the people (Gentiles included) to establish the earth, to cause to inherit desolate heritages. Hebrew for heritages "nachalah (nakh-al-aw') Property, something inherited, occupancy, an heirloom, generally an estate, portion, share." Desolate is "shamen" (shaw-mame) to stun, grow numb, devastate, stupefy, make amazed, be astounded, be an astonishment, desolate (ion), waste, to be desolated, be deserted, be appalled. Appalling, causing horror. To cause to be desolate."
Something had caused their heritages to be desolate…now Christ is giving back their heritages. Now He says…"To say to the prisoners "Go forth-come out of darkness."
Vs.10 He will lead them by springs of water (Sounds like a Good Shepherd to me.).
Zion
Vs. 14-16 Zion (Israel) says the Lord has forsaken them…they are graven in the palms of His Hands, just as we are. Now He is speaking to Israel. From vs. 14-26.
In 70 AD His ancient people were scattered around the world. In the 1940's Hitler began an extermination of the Jewish people. Over a million children were killed in the Holocaust.
I have been to the Holocaust museum in Jerusalem and also to Dakau in Germany (a concentration camp) over both of these places there is the heavy stillness of God… awesomeness, as if He is saying "Look what they did to my people…the apple of My eye." A person does not want to speak. I saw where they were kept and the gas chambers in Germany.
At the Holocaust museum the art work on the grounds are so moving. They are strong, heart rendering, pieces made of iron or steel. A railroad car, on a track going no where, hangs in the air. I saw stacks of suitcases and shoes. The Jewish people tried to tell their story even on pieces of toilet paper. There is a memorial building for the children. As you pass through the dark, hanging onto the railing, there are stars in the dark. The names of the children who died are spoken over and over again. There are no words when you leave…only silence…stillness.
On the grounds they have" The Avenue of the Righteous" where a tree is planted for every Gentile who helped the Jewish people.
To me I felt they were Memorials the Lord had made for His people. To show to the world what had happened to His ancient people.
Ezekiel 37 1-14. Here is a picture of Israel. They are dried bones in a valley…can they live again? Ezekiel prophesied. The bones came together, flesh covered them. From the four winds breathe came. They lived and stood up and became a great army. The Lord will place them in their land vs. 14.
I have seen pictures of the holocaust, their bodies; their bones were heaped on top of each other or laid in ditches.
The Lord puts their bones back together, breaths into them and they become a great army. (Israel has one of the greatest armies in the world). Ez. 37:21
The "gathering" of Israel began after the Holocaust. They began returning to their promised land. The British were in control of "Palestine." In 1948 Israel became a nation…thanks also to President Truman who endorsed it. So began the fight to possess their land. Once again the age old animosity between the Son of the flesh -Ishmael and the Son of Promise - Isaac (Israel). In 1967 the 6th Day war was fought and for the 1st time in 2,000 years Jerusalem belonged to Israel.
In this passage in Isaiah 49, that we have been reading, it shows the Gentiles helping God's people come back to their land…vs.22. I have seen on television Jewish people arriving on planes from Russia and other countries.
Israel is gathering. There is coming the gathering to their Messiah. On the Day of Trumpets (One of the Feasts of Israel)…when the Trumpets were blown it was for the gathering of Israel
ZECH 9:16.
Matt 24:14 And this Gospel of the Kingdom shall be preached in all the world and for a witness unto all the nations; and then shall the end come.
Hidden mysteries: Romans 11:25-:36, 1 Cor.2:5-8, Col. 1:25-29, Col. 2:2-3, The natural man does not understand the hidden mystery 1 Cor:9-16... . Rev 5:12. Eph 3:8-12. This mystery was hidden in God from the beginning of the world…Who created all things by Jesus Christ. The intent…vs.10 that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God.
MAY THE LORD BE PRAISED FOR HIS MANIFOLD WISDOM.