Isaiah 49:1-7 His Holy One
We are hearing another prophecy of the Messiah to come; the Redeemer of Israel, His Holy One. The One God called before His birth. The One God placed in His mother’s womb.
I was wondering who this passage was referring to at first. I wondered if it could be Isaiah but we heard of his calling while he was at the altar in the Temple. It is true that the people didn’t listen to the prophet Isaiah, at times. Also, Isaiah was a prophet to Judah alone. He didn’t address the northern kingdom of Israel or the ends of the earth with God’s message.
There is only ONE man that fills the role described by God in this passage. It is Jesus, the Redeemer of Israel and God’s Holy One. The Messiah who first speaks to Israel of God’s grace and forgiveness of sin. The one that the nation rejected and despised.
God didn’t wait until Jesus was rejected to offer salvation to the rest of the world. God KNEW what was going to happen all along. And He PLANNED for the rest of the world to be included from the beginning. When the Gentiles were being reached out to in Acts, those bringing the gospel to them quoted from this portion of scripture. “It is too light a thing that You should be My servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob and bring back the preserved of Israel; I will make You as a light for the nations, that My salvation may reach to the end of the earth” (verse 6). Jacob/Israel wasn’t enough. God wanted to offer His salvation to the whole world! And He makes that CLEAR here! “It’s not enough! My love is bigger than that.”
We also see the end that is still to come. The time when “Kings shall see and arise; princes, and they shall prostrate themselves; because of the Lord who is faithful, the Holy one of Israel who has chosen You” (verse 7). Some kings have recognized Jesus as their redeemer while others refuse His gift of salvation. Each man, woman and child will make that choice for themselves. TODAY it is a choice. One day ALL will bow before Him. ALL will confess He is Lord of all. This day is still to come and because God said it, we KNOW it will happen.
THANK YOU Father for thinking of me from the beginning! I’m not an after thought or a replacement for something that was lost. I’m an original intent! I am created with a purpose. Help me live up to that purpose Father. Bring me back on track when I wander off the path.
