Isaiah 49

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Isaiah 49:1-26 (KJV) 

1 Listen, O isles, unto me; and hearken, ye people, from far; The LORD hath called me from the womb; from the bowels of my mother hath he made mention of my name. 

Although Cyrus is the last vessel God has spoken of in the last few chapters, it seems that Isaiah is speaking of Jesus now; however, Cyrus had an anointing on him that was like Christ.

God knows us from the womb.  Every baby that enters the womb has an assignment from God.

(Cyrus is the king that will make sure the Jews are protected after the exile while rebuilding the temple of the Lord.)

2 And he hath made my mouth like a sharp sword; in the shadow of his hand hath he hid me, and made me a polished shaft; in his quiver hath he hid me; 

God has given His anointed a mouth that will leave no room for doubt when He speaks.  Jesus is in the plan and hand of God.  Jesus knows He can be sent like an arrow at any time to carry out the will of God.  We too should be arrows in the mighty hand of God.

3 And said unto me, Thou [art] my servant, O Israel, in whom I will be glorified. 

God named Jesus and gave Him His Orders to be carried out.

4 Then I said, I have laboured in vain, I have spent my strength for nought, and in vain: [yet] surely my judgment [is] with the LORD, and my work with my God. 

I never heard Jesus speaks these words, but like many of us, we think and sometimes repeat these words when we have tough times.  At the end of the confession, Jesus knew his fate would be judged by God.I have felt this way, but I know that even in my confusion, the Lord comforts and directs my endeavors.

5 And now, saith the LORD that formed me from the womb [to be] his servant, to bring Jacob again to him, Though Israel be not gathered, yet shall I be glorious in the eyes of the LORD, and my God shall be my strength. 

Now I am ready to complete my assignment.  I am coming to bring God's people back to the purpose of the Father.  The Father spoke that He will do so, and Jesus is the vine that will bring the branches back in oneness with God.

6 And he said, It is a light thing that thou shouldest be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and to restore the preserved of Israel: I will also give thee for a light to the Gentiles, that thou mayest be my salvation unto the end of the earth. 

Jesus said our burden is light.  God said the burden of Jesus is light.  It is God who does the work through us.  He wants to use our bodies to carry out His assignment.

7 Thus saith the LORD, the Redeemer of Israel, [and] his Holy One, to him whom man despiseth, to him whom the nation abhorreth, to a servant of rulers, Kings shall see and arise, princes also shall worship, because of the LORD that is faithful, [and] the Holy One of Israel, and he shall choose thee.

Jesus is God's assignment to redeem all mankind back to God.

 

8 Thus saith the LORD, In an acceptable time have I heard thee, and in a day of salvation have I helped thee: and I will preserve thee, and give thee for a covenant of the people, to establish the earth, to cause to inherit the desolate heritages; 

God appoints Jesus to carry out His plan at the right time.  God the Father told Jesus, His Son, He will protect and affirm His covenant to all mankind so that man could have free access to the Father.

9 That thou mayest say to the prisoners, Go forth; to them that [are] in darkness, Shew yourselves. They shall feed in the ways, and their pastures [shall be] in all high places. 

Jesus has been given the authority to remove any bondage that keeps a man from being free to carry out God's plan on the earth.

10 They shall not hunger nor thirst; neither shall the heat nor sun smite them: for he that hath mercy on them shall lead them, even by the springs of water shall he guide them. 

God's people will never hunger or thirst after He is made Lord of their lives.  Whatever is needed God promises to provide.

11 And I will make all my mountains a way, and my highways shall be exalted. 

Anything seemingly too high for mortal man to achieve God said  He will make a way and the way He makes will be made known and big for all who want His Ways.

12 Behold, these shall come from far: and, lo, these from the north and from the west; and these from the land of Sinim. 

Jesus said if He is lifted up, He will draw men from all directions to Him.

13 Sing, O heavens; and be joyful, O earth; and break forth into singing, O mountains: for the LORD hath comforted his people, and will have mercy upon his afflicted. 

Nature will sing when it is known that the people of God are in one accord with God's Word.

14 But Zion said, The LORD hath forsaken me, and my Lord hath forgotten me. 

When we remove our eyes from the Word of God, we say God has left us.

15 Can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? yea, they may forget, yet will I not forget thee. 

Yes, some mothers forget their children, but God does not.

16 Behold, I have graven thee upon the palms of [my] hands; thy walls [are] continually before me. 

God tells us our names are engraved in the palms of His hands.  We are as close to God as He says we are.

17 Thy children shall make haste; thy destroyers and they that made thee waste shall go forth of thee. 

When are under God's control willingly, our children will see and come quickly back to us;  anyone who tries to make it difficult for us to carry out God's assignment in us, will be removed.

18 Lift up thine eyes round about, and behold: all these gather themselves together, [and] come to thee. [As] I live, saith the LORD, thou shalt surely clothe thee with them all, as with an ornament, and bind them [on thee], as a bride [doeth]. 

Look around and see all the promises I told you about.  Every promise I made to you I will uphold.

19 For thy waste and thy desolate places, and the land of thy destruction, shall even now be too narrow by reason of the inhabitants, and they that swallowed thee up shall be far away.

When you arrive at the designated place, I will cause you to need more room.  When godly people come to any place people want to be there from all over.  When a good manager takes over, people want to work for the new manager.  There will be so many people who want to be around God's people, that the place will need to be enlarged.

20 The children which thou shalt have, after thou hast lost the other, shall say again in thine ears, The place [is] too strait for me: give place to me that I may dwell. 

All who stay with you will tell you that the place you have made for them is too small.  Others who left you will know they made a wrong move.

21 Then shalt thou say in thine heart, Who hath begotten me these, seeing I have lost my children, and am desolate, a captive, and removing to and fro? and who hath brought up these? Behold, I was left alone; these, where [had] they [been]? 

It will be like a dream to see all that God has done because you made Him your Lord.

22 Thus saith the Lord GOD, Behold, I will lift up mine hand to the Gentiles, and set up my standard to the people: and they shall bring thy sons in [their] arms, and thy daughters shall be carried upon [their] shoulders. 

The Gentiles or non-Jewish nations will run toward you carrying their sons and daughters because of the good things they see in you.

23 And kings shall be thy nursing fathers, and their queens thy nursing mothers: they shall bow down to thee with [their] face toward the earth, and lick up the dust of thy feet; and thou shalt know that I [am] the LORD: for they shall not be ashamed that wait for me.

The government will heed your needs.  The government will watch you so closely that they will want to know your every move.

 24 Shall the prey be taken from the mighty, or the lawful captive delivered? 

Don't worry no one will take you from Me.

25 But thus saith the LORD, Even the captives of the mighty shall be taken away, and the prey of the terrible shall be delivered: for I will contend with him that contendeth with thee, and I will save thy children. 

 Anyone who wants to fight you will have to fight Me says the Lord.

26 And I will feed them that oppress thee with their own flesh; and they shall be drunken with their own blood, as with sweet wine: and all flesh shall know that I the LORD [am] thy Saviour and thy Redeemer, the mighty One of Jacob.

I will cause all who turn away from me to be consumed by their own devices.  If God removes Himself from us we will die.