The text was Isaiah 49:1-6

1 Listen to me, O coastlands,

and give attention, you peoples from afar.

The LORD called me from the womb,

from the body of my mother he named my name.

2 He made my mouth like a sharp sword;

in the shadow of his hand he hid me;

he made me a polished arrow;

in his quiver he hid me away.

3 And he said to me, “You are my servant,

Israel, in whom I will be glorified.”

4 But I said, “I have labored in vain;

I have spent my strength for nothing and vanity;

yet surely my right is with the LORD,

and my recompense with my God.”

5 And now the LORD says,

he who formed me from the womb to be his servant,

to bring Jacob back to him;

and that Israel might be gathered to him–

for I am honored in the eyes of the LORD,

and my God has become my strength–

6 he says:

“It is too light a thing that you should be my servant

to raise up the tribes of Jacob

and to 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.”

  1. From verse 1: “The LORD called me from the womb, from the body of my mother he named my name.” Our Pastor pointed out that the coming of the Servant, Jesus Christ, was prophesied from the beginning.

    Genesis 3:15

    I will put enmity between you and the woman,

    and between your offspring[1] and her offspring;

    he shall bruise your head,

    and you shall bruise his heel.”

    All through the Old Testament, there are passages pointing to the coming Messiah, and so Isaiah points out that before His birth, His mission is prophesied.

    It is instructive and encouraging to see how the Old Testament continually points to Jesus.

  2. From verse 6: “I will make you as a light for the nations, that my salvation may reach to the end of the earth.” Isaiah makes clear that the Gospel will go beyond Israel to all the world. And though there is disappointment at times to seeming failure of the Gospel (v 4 “”I have labored in vain; I have spent my strength for nothing and vanity.”), yet ultimately we know that God is bringing salvation “to the end of the earth.”

    We can be confident that God will use the Gospel to bring a widespread conversion, in His time. Ultimately, the Gospel will be a success, and we can look forward to a day when:

    Habakkuk 2:14

    … the earth will be filled

    with the knowledge of the glory of the LORD

    as the waters cover the sea.

    For an old pessimist like me, it is also encouraging to see how Scripture points to a day when there will be a great success of the Gospel as many people throughout the world come to faith in God through Jesus Christ.