The Liberator
Isaiah 49:1–10
“Listen to Me, you islands; hear this, you distant nations: Before I was born the LORD called Me; from My mother’s womb He has spoken My name. He made My mouth like a sharpened sword, in the shadow of His hand He hid me; He made Me into a polished arrow and concealed Me in His quiver. He said to Me, “You are My servant, Israel, in whom I will display My splendor.” But I said, “I have labored in vain; I have spent My strength for nothing at all. Yet what is due Me is in the LORD’s hand, and My reward is with My God.” And now the LORD says— He who formed Me in the womb to be His servant to bring Jacob back to Him and gather Israel to Himself, for I am honored in the eyes of the LORD and My God has been My strength—He says: “It is too small a thing for You to be My servant to restore the tribes of Jacob and bring back those of Israel I have kept. I will also make You a light for the Gentiles, that My salvation may reach to the ends of the earth.” This is what the LORD says— the Redeemer and Holy One of Israel— to Him who was despised and abhorred by the nation, to the servant of rulers: “Kings will see You and stand up, princes will see and bow down, because of the LORD, who is faithful, the Holy One of Israel, who has chosen You.” This is what the LORD says: “In the time of My favor I will answer You, and in the day of salvation I will help You; I will keep You and will make You to be a covenant for the people, to restore the land and to reassign its desolate inheritances, to say to the captives, ‘Come out,’ and to those in darkness, ‘Be free!’ “They will feed beside the roads and find pasture on every barren hill. They will neither hunger nor thirst, nor will the desert heat or the sun beat down on them. He who has compassion on them will guide them and lead them beside springs of water.”
This is clearly a prophecy of Isaiah about Jesus Christ. God the Father, the LORD, raised our LORD, the true King of kings to bring salvation to creation in the time of the Father’s favour (v. 8), for God indeed so loved the world He gave His only Son (John 3:16). “The Spirit of the LORD is on Me, because He has anointed Me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent Me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free, to proclaim the year of the LORD’s favor.” (Isa 58:6, 61:1–2). Then He rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant and sat down. The eyes of everyone in the synagogue were fastened on Him. He began by saying to them, “Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing” (Luke 4:17–21). Jesus claimed to be this Servant, that the Father is commissioning He will be the Light unto all the Earth not just Israel (v. 6). Jesus Christ is the liberator of all the earth from darkened hearts due to sin, from the futility of life because of our separation from God, and from evil through justice in the cross. He has conquered death and The Father has displayed His splendour in the resurrection of the Son (v. 3). We are now brought close, and given a slice of eternity because of His redeeming work and we are commissioned to proclaim and share this great news to the nations (Matt 16:20). Let us praise God daily and forever for His amazing love, and thank Him for our freedom! “For in Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life has set you free from the law of sin and death (Rom 8:2),” the Son has set us free, we are free indeed (John 8:36)!
“Listen to Me, you islands; hear this, you distant nations: Before I was born the LORD called Me; from My mother’s womb He has spoken My name. He made My mouth like a sharpened sword, in the shadow of His hand He hid me; He made Me into a polished arrow and concealed Me in His quiver. He said to Me, “You are My servant, Israel, in whom I will display My splendor.” But I said, “I have labored in vain; I have spent My strength for nothing at all. Yet what is due Me is in the LORD’s hand, and My reward is with My God.” And now the LORD says— He who formed Me in the womb to be His servant to bring Jacob back to Him and gather Israel to Himself, for I am honored in the eyes of the LORD and My God has been My strength—He says: “It is too small a thing for You to be My servant to restore the tribes of Jacob and bring back those of Israel I have kept. I will also make You a light for the Gentiles, that My salvation may reach to the ends of the earth.” This is what the LORD says— the Redeemer and Holy One of Israel— to Him who was despised and abhorred by the nation, to the servant of rulers: “Kings will see You and stand up, princes will see and bow down, because of the LORD, who is faithful, the Holy One of Israel, who has chosen You.” This is what the LORD says: “In the time of My favor I will answer You, and in the day of salvation I will help You; I will keep You and will make You to be a covenant for the people, to restore the land and to reassign its desolate inheritances, to say to the captives, ‘Come out,’ and to those in darkness, ‘Be free!’ “They will feed beside the roads and find pasture on every barren hill. They will neither hunger nor thirst, nor will the desert heat or the sun beat down on them. He who has compassion on them will guide them and lead them beside springs of water.”
This is clearly a prophecy of Isaiah about Jesus Christ. God the Father, the LORD, raised our LORD, the true King of kings to bring salvation to creation in the time of the Father’s favour (v. 8), for God indeed so loved the world He gave His only Son (John 3:16). “The Spirit of the LORD is on Me, because He has anointed Me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent Me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free, to proclaim the year of the LORD’s favor.” (Isa 58:6, 61:1–2). Then He rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant and sat down. The eyes of everyone in the synagogue were fastened on Him. He began by saying to them, “Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing” (Luke 4:17–21). Jesus claimed to be this Servant, that the Father is commissioning He will be the Light unto all the Earth not just Israel (v. 6). Jesus Christ is the liberator of all the earth from darkened hearts due to sin, from the futility of life because of our separation from God, and from evil through justice in the cross. He has conquered death and The Father has displayed His splendour in the resurrection of the Son (v. 3). We are now brought close, and given a slice of eternity because of His redeeming work and we are commissioned to proclaim and share this great news to the nations (Matt 16:20). Let us praise God daily and forever for His amazing love, and thank Him for our freedom! “For in Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life has set you free from the law of sin and death (Rom 8:2),” the Son has set us free, we are free indeed (John 8:36)!
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