Isaiah 49:1-7 "Listen to me, O coastlands, and hearken, you peoples from afar..."

"Listen to me, O coastlands, and hearken, you peoples from afar. The Lord called me from the womb, from the body of my mother he named my name. 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. And he said to me, 'You are my servant, Israel, in whom I will be glorified.' 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.' And now the Lord says, 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—he says: 'It is too light a thing that you should be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob and to restore the preserved of Israel' I will give you as a light to the nations, that my salvation may reach to the end of the earth.' Thus says the Lord, the Redeemer of Israel and his Holy One, to one deeply despised, abhorred by the nations, the servant of rulers: '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'" (Isaiah 49:1-7 RSV).

Comment:

This passage—known as the Second Servant Song—describes both the thrill and the challenge of a spiritual call. We all have a spiritual purpose, established before we come into human form. In this case, the writer describes his spiritual purpose as 'speaking the Word'—sending the truth outward like “a sharp sword” or “a polished arrow.” As the passage continues, it is clear that the prophet feels he has failed in his mission—"I have labored in vain" (Isaiah 49:4)—yet he still believes that the initial calling will be vindicated. "I will give you," he is assured by the Lord of his being, "as a light to the nations." So this passage is an affirmation that whatever our spiritual purpose may be, it will not be diminished or destroyed by the challenges of human life. Our ultimate Truth shines even through the appearances of defeat.   If you are interested in the four Servant Songs in Isaiah, I might refer you to the Unity Online Radio Bible Alive broadcast of Wednesday, January 12, available in the archives at www.unity.fm <http://www.unity.fm>. I spent a good part of the hour-long program on these four intriguing passages.   Blessings!

Rev. Ed