Rsbc
Sunday Night
May 19. 2002
The Book of Isaiah
Subject: “ THE PROMISE OF A GREAT REDEEMER”
Text: Isaiah 49:1-12
Intro: To find Christ in this passage one need not look very far. This book especially the last half of it is dedicated to the LORD JESUS CHRIST and his coming work he was going to do.
A nation to whom the LORD would recover from Babylon and send back into the land of promise would one day reject this true Messiah as their saviour. We shall see in this text although the vast majority would indeed reject him, GOD PRESERVED a people for his name sake.
When Isaiah would preach about redemption the immediate thing that would fill the hearts and the minds of this people was redemption from Babylon...and while that was so, there a was a greater redemption coming...
John Gill says:
This is a prophecy concerning Christ, and redemption by him; and of the enlargement of the church in the latter day, by the conversion of Jews and Gentiles; which the isles, and people afar off, are exhorted to listen and hearken to, delivered out by the prophet, in the person of Christ;
Geneva Bible Notes written 1599
This is spoken in the person of Christ, to assure the faithful that these promises should come to pass: for they were all made in him and in him would be performed.
Matthew Henry Likewise believed this to be speaking of the LORD JESUS CHRIST,
I. WE SEE CHRIST UNDER THE TYPE OF ISAIAH, TO HIS OFFICE AS MEDIATOR.. VS 1‑3.
1st. The appeal he makes...vs 1 “ Listen”
The great majority of people in the world do not listen, in this church I often wonder who is listening and who is not listening. If we don’t listen we loose out.
Page # 2
Mark 4:18‑19 And these are they which are sown among thorns; such as hear the word, 19 And the cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things entering in, choke the word, and it becometh unfruitful.
2nd. He declares his calling and who called him: vs 1 “The LORD hath called”
Another prophet was told he likewise was called simularly...
Jeremiah 1:5 Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, [and] I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations.
3rd. The instrument of his mouth...vs 2 “Sharp sword”
Two places Jesus is said to have a sharp twoedged sword which comes out of his mouth..
Revelation 1:16 And he had in his right hand seven stars: and out of his mouth went a sharp twoedged sword: and his countenance [was] as the sun shineth in his strength.
Revelation 2:12 And to the angel of the church in Pergamos write; These things saith he which hath the sharp sword with two edges;
This is his word and he uses his word to judge, to rebuke, to correct, to destroy, to comfort, to give life, and many other things...it is said at his coming the next time concerning the sword in his mouth..
Revelation 19:15 And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God.
Revelation 19:21 And the remnant were slain with the sword of him that sat upon the horse, which sword proceeded out of his mouth: and all the fowls were filled with their flesh.
The polished shaft is the arrow of his word...so that it will penetrate the heart of sinners...
John 6:63 It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words
that I speak unto you, [they] are spirit, and [they] are life.
Page # 3
4th. The claim of GOD upon him...vs 3
a. He was his servant...
Over and over in the ministry of Christ he stressed that he came not to do his will but the will of his father. He was ever aware of his duty and responsibility to the father.
b. In whom I will be glorified..
That is in this nation was the seed of the woman, and the seed of the woman is the LORD JESUS CHRIST thereby he will be glorified. Christ came from the tribe of Judah the kingly tribe.
John 17:4 I have glorified thee on the earth: I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do.
II. THE ASSURANCE GIVEN HIM ...VS 4‑8.
There is a number of things in these verses worthy of our attention concerning the LORD JESUS CHRIST...
1st. The assurance...vs 5
Not all Israel will be gathered only a remnant .. Listen to the words of the LORD JESUS CHRIST concerning them...
Matthew 23:37 O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not!
2nd. The great work declared...vs 6
a. Raise up the tribes of Jacob... (Israel )
The word raise up does not mean he would raise them up to their former glory, but that he would raise them up to a acceptable position which is that he would save them by his grace, he would redeem them.
Thus Christ did; James said: James 1:1 James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad, greeting.
Page # 4
b. But he would also save his elect among the gentile nations...vs 6 “ a light to lighten the gentiles”
Luke 2:32 A light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of thy people Israel.
3rd. The attitude our LORD would receive...vs 7
a. He would be despised..
Isaiah 53:3 He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were [our] faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not.
b. He was abhorred...
This means that Christ was “utterly distasteful, to be detested”
c. Some would honor him...