ISAIAH LESSON 57
We will begin this lesson in Isaiah 49:1 "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."
The mention of the isles, and the people from afar, in this,
indicate to me that this message is for the whole world. The reason
this message is to the whole world, is because salvation through Jesus
Christ is offered to the whole world. This is definitely speaking of
Jesus Christ, who was intended for the Saviour of the world even from
the time He was in His mother's womb. Usually the father is mentioned
in something like this, not the mother. In this case, Jesus was seed
of the woman, so the mother would be mentioned. Genesis 3:15 "And I
will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and
her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel."
The angel told Mary that the baby was to be named Jesus which means
Saviour.
Isaiah 49:2 "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;"
The Word of God is sharper than a two-edged sword. Jesus is the
Word of God. John 1:14 "And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among
us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the
Father,) full of grace and truth." Verse 2 above, leaves no doubt
that this is speaking of the Word of God proceeding out of the mouth
of Jesus Christ. The mention of being hid was the fact that Jesus was
hid from the earth and its people, until the fulness of time came and
He was revealed to mankind. The Word of the Lord Jesus is so keen and
pure that it pierces the heart of man. Look, with me, at exactly what
the sword is. Ephesians 6:17 "And take the helmet of salvation, and
the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:"
Isaiah 49:3 "And said unto me, Thou [art] my servant, O Israel,
in whom I will be glorified."
The cross of Jesus glorified the Father. John 17:1 "These words
spake Jesus, and lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, Father, the
hour is come; glorify thy Son, that thy Son also may glorify thee:"
We will see, also, how we can glorify God. I Corinthians 6:20 "For ye
are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in
your spirit, which are God's." Jesus Christ is the head of all Israel,
both physical, and spiritual.
Isaiah 49:4 "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."
Of course, the labour of Jesus was not in vain. This shows us the
humanity of the flesh of Jesus. Jesus is the Judge of all the world.
Perhaps, He sees the few who truly repent and come to Him.
Isaiah 49:5 "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."
The sadness of all this was the rejection of Jesus by the house
of Jacob. Jesus came to the Jew first and then to the Gentile. God
sent His Son to the physical house of Israel, but few received Him as
their Saviour. The early church was made up primarily of Jews. The
masses of the Hebrew people did not come to Christ, however. The
priests, scribes, and Pharisees were the very ones who rejected Jesus.
Jesus did not choose His apostles from among the teachers, or those in
authority in the temple. He chose common laborers. He taught them His
ways. Paul was an exception to this calling. Paul was a Pharisee of
the Pharisees. Even though he had been taught of Gamaliel, he had to
be retaught by the Holy Spirit, the grace of God. It took Paul three
years to learn. The glory in the eyes of the Father was for those who
did believe.
Isaiah 49:6 "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 is the Light of the world. Since Jesus was the Creator of
the earth, He would, also, be the Saviour of His creation. I Timothy
4:10 "For therefore we both labour and suffer reproach, because we
trust in the living God, who is the Saviour of all men, specially of
those that believe." Jesus provided salvation for all, some do not
receive that salvation unto themselves. Matthew 4:16 "The people
which sat in darkness saw great light; and to them which sat in the
region and shadow of death light is sprung up." John 1:4 "In him was
life; and the life was the light of men." John 1:5 "And the light
shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not." John 8:12
" Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the
world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have
the light of life." There are many more Scriptures that speak of
Jesus as the Light of the world. This would be a fun word search for
you to do.
Isaiah 49:7 "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."
The unsaved world despiseth Jesus, because they realize they are
doomed. We know just how far the hatred went, when they cried out for
Jesus to be crucified. Some would like to blame the Romans for the
crucifixion, some would like to blame the Jews. Truly every human who
ever lived caused the crucifixion of Jesus. Our sin nailed Jesus to
the cross. From the smallest to the greatest can obtain salvation in
just one way, and that is to repent of our sin and come to Jesus. We
all were sinners, and Jesus gave His body on the cross to save us. The
Scriptures say that Jesus was despised of men, but in Him we live or
die. Our eternal life is through faith in Jesus. There is no other
way. Jesus was obedient to the Father even to the death of the cross.
He submitted to the will of the Father that all might be saved. Just
belief in His name brings salvation. Jesus was equal with God, yet
submitted to the humiliation of the cross. All, who open their hearts
and eyes to the truth of Jesus, can be saved. You may be a king, or a
pauper, Jesus has the gift of salvation for you. We believe and
receive, it is that simple.
Isaiah 49:8 "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;"
From the foundation of the earth, God had chosen a time for the
salvation of man to be furnished through the shed blood of Jesus
Christ. God made covenant with faithful Abraham that all the people of
the earth would be blessed. The covenant is kept in Jesus. Galatians
3:29 "And if ye [be] Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs
according to the promise." Jesus was all the fulness of the Godhead
bodily. He was One with the Father and the Spirit. This was a plan
they had made from the foundation of the earth. The desolate heritages
would be those who, up until now, were not thought of as being God's
people. The salvation offered through Jesus was not because you were a
certain nationality, but because you had faith in Jesus.
Isaiah 49:9 "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."
These prisoners were prisoners of sin. They were living in
darkness, until the Light of Jesus shone upon them and brought hope.
Jesus defeated Satan and sin on the cross at Calvary. Jesus took the
sin of the world upon His body on the cross and sin {for those who
believe in Jesus} died on the cross. Jesus is the great Shepherd, and
we believers are His sheep. He is our Protector, as well as our
Provider.
Isaiah 49:10 "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."
Notice, beginning with verse 9 above, how similar this is to the
23rd. Psalm. He {Jesus} leads all believers to green pastures. The
water, of course, is in verse 10 above. Take a look at the special
care Jesus takes of His own, as a Shepherd would His sheep. This shows
the divine care He gives all believers. Notice, that it is the same
One who had mercy on us that feeds us and protects us from the
elements.
Isaiah 57 Questions
1. In verse 1, who are told to listen?
2. The mention of these people, and the people from afar, causes the
author to believe what?
3. Why is this to them?
4. Quote Genesis chapter 3 verse 15.
5. His mouth was made like a ___________ _________.
6. What is spoken of as a two-edged sword?
7. Quote John chapter 1 verse 14.
8. This message is proceding out of whose mouth?
9. The Word of God pierces the __________ of man.
10. Quote Ephesians chapter 6 verse 17.
11. The ______ of Jesus glorified the Father.
12. Quote John chapter 17 verse 1.
13. Quote 1 Corinthians chapter 6 verse 20.
14. What does verse 4 show us?
15. What is the sadness in verse 5?
16. The early church was made up of whom?
17. Who were the very ones who rejected Jesus?
18. The apostles were chosen from what group?
19. Who was an exception to that?
20. How long did Paul spend learning of the grace message?
21. I will also give the for a _________ to the Gentiles.
22. Quote 1 Timothy chapter 4 verse 10. Quote John chapter 1 verse 4.
23. What does the author believe would be an interesting word study?
24. Who despises Jesus?
25. What is an example of just how far the hatred went?
26. Who really caused the crucifixion of Jesus?
27. Our eternal life is through _________ in ________.
28. Jesus was _______ with God, yet suffered the humiliation of the
cross.
29. In verse 9, the prisoners are whom?
30. What 2 things did Jesus defeat on the cross?
31. Who is the great Shepherd?
32. In verse 10, what are some of the beautiful things promised those
who believe?
Home