LESSON 1, VERSE 1:
Those whose eyes and ears have been touched
by the Spirit of the Lord tell us they see and hear Someone
special 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."
This is one of Isaiah's well-known "Servant"
Texts.
Each we believe refers to the Lord Jesus, the
Messiah.
If so, Jesus Himself is talking ... by means
of Bible prophecy of course.
He, as usual, invites the multitudes to know
Him!
"Listen" translates "shama," used 1159 times
in the Bible! It means "to hear with obedience following!" It is
framed as an imperative here, people are really being strongly
advised, even commanded, to come to the Lord.
Two geographical locations are specifically
named. The "isles," merely spelled "iy" in Hebrew, name those
little ocean-surrounded countries which presumably would be
inhabited by Gentiles!
The people from "far" ("rachod" in Hebrew)
are those living in remote distant lands too.
This is an Old Testament evangelistic call of
sorts. A prophetic "whosoever will" predating John 3:16 or
Romans 10:13.
The verb "hearken" parallels "listen" except
it brings a slightly different shade of meaning. "Qashab" means
literally "to prick up one's ears" or "to regard." This verb is
also an imperative.
The noun "people" is "leom" and means people
in this sense, a gathering of individuals. It is also used to
designate nations and even "folks" elsewhere in Scripture.
It appears to me that this invitation is
geared to those who are not Israelites. Israel, whose prime
object was to give us Jesus, is here a shining light maybe!
Next our Lord tells us that He has been
"called" fromthe womb. "Qara" can mean "to cry out loud" but her
is more like "to summon" or "to bid." Jesus knew His purpose on
earth early!
Jeremiah too was "called" early in life.
"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."
This is the Lord talking to Jeremiah later in his earthly life.
The noun "womb" is "beten" and means either a
woman's belly or womb. The context must be consulted. However I
will say this. In ancient days there was a spiritual correlation
between one's physical appetite and one's sexual desires too.
Maybe this word connection helped cement that idea.
The word "bowels" is "meeh" and actually
means one's internal organs.
To "make mention" is "zakar," to remember or
to record. Jesus was named before His Virgin Birth even.
"But while he thought on these things,
behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream,
saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee
Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy
Ghost. And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his
name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins."
Matthew 1:20-21
In the Old Testament one's "name" was
synonymous with his character and reputation. What a Name He
has!
This same Isaiah best relates it:
"For unto us a child is born, unto us a
son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and
his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God,
The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace." Isaiah 9:6
It's exciting that Jesus is so clearly seen
here seven hundred years before He is born! Of course, He is the
eternal Son of God!
"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."
What a Saviour!
--- Dr. Mike Bagwell
LESSON 2, VERSE 2,
JESUS' MOUTH BEING "LIKE A SHARP SWORD:"
This is one of those lovely Texts where God
the Son is testifying about God the Father!
That's the setting or context for verse 1 for
sure. "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."
Now verse 2 continues with some precious
cargo!
"And He hath made My
mouth like a sharp sword." Isaiah 49:2a
I am so delighted that the verb for "create"
is not used here! Jesus is NOT a created being. He is the
eternal Son of God, the Second Person of the very Godhead! "Hath
made" translates "sum," in Hebrew meaning "ordained" or "set" or
"appointed!"
The noun "mouth" is spelled "peh." It's a
basic vocabulary word to the Jew, even being a letter of their
alphabet! Listen to the "peh" paragraph of Psalm 119, an
alphabetical Psalm! It just might be reflecting Jesus and His
glorious mouth, still talking about His Father! Here "to" His
Father! "Thy testimonies are
wonderful: therefore doth my soul keep them. The entrance of thy
words giveth light; it giveth understanding unto the simple.
I opened my mouth,
and panted: for I longed for thy commandments. Look thou upon
me, and be merciful unto me, as thou usest to do unto those that
love thy name. Order my steps in thy word: and let not any
iniquity have dominion over me. Deliver me from the oppression
of man: so will I keep thy precepts. Make thy face to shine upon
thy servant; and teach me thy statutes. Rivers of waters run
down mine eyes, because they keep not thy law." Here in
Psalm 119:129-136 did you notice the use of the word "mouth" in
mid-passage?
Worlds of information could be written about
Jesus' mouth!
"Thou art fairer than
the children of men:
grace is poured into thy lips: therefore God hath blessed
thee for ever." Psalm 45:2
"The Lord GOD hath
given me the tongue
of the learned, that I should know how
to speak a word
in season to him that is weary: he wakeneth morning by
morning, he wakeneth mine ear to hear as the learned."
Isaiah 50:4
"The officers answered,
Never man spake like this Man." John 7:46
Or think of Jesus' seven sayings from the
Cross!
When John sees our glorified Lord in
Revelation ... "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 1:16
And the returning Lord is thus described:
"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 19:15
Then Armageddon, "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." Revelation 19:21
Then this rather unusual view of His Mouth:
"Let him kiss me with the kisses of his
mouth: for thy love is better than wine." Song of
Solomon 1:2
But, best of all, will be to hear His mouth
utter these words: "Well done, thou
good and faithful servant: enter thou into the joy of thy Lord."
Matthew 25:21
The Greek word for "sword" here is "cherub"
and means a dagger or a knife or a tool for cutting. But is is
translated as "sword" 97% of its time in Scripture, 401 times of
413 occurrences!
"Sharp" is "chad" in Hebrew and appears only
4 times in the whole Bible! Here are the "sharp" things,
according to "chad."
The tongue of the wicked ...
"My soul is among lions: and
I lie even among them that are set on fire, even
the sons of men, whose teeth are spears and arrows, and
their tongue a sharp sword." Psalm 57:4
The strange woman, the prostitute ...
"But her end is bitter as wormwood, sharp as a twoedged sword."
Proverbs 5:4
And Ezekiel's barbering tool!
"And thou, son of man, take thee a sharp
knife, take thee a barber's razor, and cause it to pass
upon thine head and upon thy beard: then take thee balances to
weigh, and divide the hair." Ezekiel 5:1
Here we have vicious men, immoral women and
an obedient Prophet!
Thank God for the Word!
"For the word of God
is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword,
piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of
the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts
and intents of the heart. Neither is there any creature that is
not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and
opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do."
Hebrews 4:12-13
Jesus is so closely identified with His
Mouth, His Words, that it is sometimes nearly impossible to
distinguish them!
Lord, tell us again:
"And He hath made My mouth like a sharp sword." Isaiah
49:2a
Amen!
--- Dr. Mike Bagwell
LESSON 3, VERSE 2,
JESUS BEING IN THE SHADOW OF HIS FATHER'S HAND:
The Lord Jesus
is talking about His Father!
Testifying,
really!
Here's part of
what He said in Isaiah 49:2. "In the
shadow of His hand hath He hid Me."
The Hand is
considered an emblem of strength and power, attached to the arm
and shoulder as it is.
It is also the
instrument of giving!
An open Hand
symbolizes generosity.
A closed Hand
often indicates protection and security!
"Shadow" is
spelled "tzsel" and means shade.
"Hand" is
spelled "yad" and means hand 1359 times in Scripture.
"Hath hid,"
the verb here, is spelled "chaba," an unusual word indeed. Only
found 33 times in all the Bible it contains the idea of secrecy!
The Father
hiding the Son ... in the shadow of His Mighty Hand!
Did Jesus have
this verse in mind when He taught us in John 10:27-30?
"My sheep hear my voice, and I know them,
and they follow me: and I give unto them eternal life; and they
shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out
of my hand. My Father, which gave them me, is greater
than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of
my Father's hand. I and my Father are one."
There's a
twofold truth illuminated here. The saints of God are secure in
Jesus' Hand! They are also in the Father's Hand! Consequently,
it is logically necessary that Jesus' Hand is also in the
Father's Hand too!
And that's
exactly what our Lord said a thousand years before He was
physically born in Bethlehem! "In the
shadow of His hand hath He hid Me."
We are the
beneficiaries of such an arrangement!
Keying on the
verb "hid," Paul says of us Believers:
"Your life is hid with Christ in God." Colossians 3:3
Again, what is
true of our dear Lord, is also said to be true of us!
And look at
this promise of God to redeemed Israel:
"And I have put my words in thy mouth,
and I have covered thee
in the shadow of mine hand, that I may plant the heavens, and
lay the foundations of the earth, and say unto Zion, Thou art
my people." Isaiah 51:9
The bulk of
what we have "in" Jesus is yet untold!
One could be
so bold as to say: "And if children, then
heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ." Romans
8:17
This gets so
close and sweet and intimate that Paul even calls Jesus our very
"life!" Read Colossians 3:4. "When
Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also
appear with him in glory."
Amen!
--- Dr. Mike Bagwell
LESSON 4, VERSE 2,
JESUS AS A POLISHED SHAFT:
Jesus in Isaiah 49:1 begins to "testify"
about His Father!
So far He has told us:
"The LORD hath called Me from the womb; from the
bowels of My mother hath He made mention of My Name. And He hath made My
mouth like a sharp sword; in the shadow of His hand hath He hid Me."
Then today we learn more.
God has also made Jesus "a polished shaft."
But, what is that?
"Chetzs," the noun for
"shaft" is also translated in the King James Bible as "arrow" 48 times and
as "dart" one time. It is only used as a "shaft" one time as well. It's
mother verb means "to pierce or cut or split into two pieces"
Jesus is God's Arrow?
Yes, so we are here told!
Of course He is God's Son,
very God of very God fundamentally.
But when it comes to battle,
to warfare, to defeating the devil ... no arrow is like Jesus!
Jesus, the Victor, is much
like the "sword of Goliath" in this sense: there is none like Him!
"And the priest said, The sword of Goliath the
Philistine, whom thou slewest in the valley of Elah, behold, it is here
wrapped in a cloth behind the ephod: if thou wilt take that, take
it: for there is no other save that here. And David said,
There is none like that; give it me." 1st Samuel 21:9
The Lord Jesus indeed
gloriously defeated the Devil every time and everywhere He faced him!
Especially on the Cross of Calvary!
The devil successfully
pierced Jesus' Hands and Feet and Side ... but Jesus splintered Satan's
very heart!
But notice that Jesus is not
only God's "shaft," but His "polished" shaft! "Barar" means "tested, made
bright, chosen, even manifested!" It is built upon a root word meaning "to
make clear!"
Here's "barar" used twice in
one verse, each time translated "pure." In 2nd Samuel 22:27 David says to
God: "With the pure thou wilt shew thyself pure; and
with the froward thou wilt shew thyself unsavoury."
Here "barar" is "choice."
Moses writes: "All these were the children of
Asher, heads of their father's house, choice and mighty men
of valour, chief of the princes." 1st Chronicles 7:40
Here it's an adverb,
"clearly." Read it from Job 33:3. "My lips shall
utter knowledge clearly," says Elihu.
And Isaiah 52:11 adds:
"Be ye clean, that bear the vessels of the
LORD."
Jesus, God's polished arrow!
Think what must have been
involved in preparing such a beautiful instrument!
The tree from which it was
taken had to be chosen! God's Arrow was also associated with a Tree!
The arrow had to be
straight! Jesus was too!
It had to be carved and
shaped! And even Jesus, we are told in Scripture:
"Though he were a Son, yet learned He obedience by the things which He
suffered; and being made perfect, He became the Author of eternal
salvation unto all them that obey Him." Hebrews 5:8-9
The prepared arrow had to
yield to the hand of the archer! Jesus too was in His father's Hands! At
the Beginning of His Ministry ... "in the shadow of
his hand hath he hid me" ... and again at the End ...
"Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit."
Then the successful arrow
must hit the target! Jesus did! "It is finished,"
He cried from the Cross! Paul later adds: "Blotting
out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary
to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross; and having
spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly,
triumphing over them in it." Colossians 2:14-15 sure sounds "on
target" to me!
And a select arrow would
know the taste of blood during its flight! In Jesus' case, His Own
precious Blood! "And the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from
all sin." 1st John 1:7
Praise the Lord!
--- Dr. Mike Bagwell
LESSON
5, STILL VERSE 2, JESUS "HIDDEN" IN HIS FATHER'S QUIVER:
It's a word picture!
Jesus said of His
Father in Heaven, "In His quiver hath He
hidden Me." Isaiah 49:2
Our Lord has
compared Himself to an arrow, "a polished shaft" to use the
exact wording.
Jesus is a
specially selected, perfectly shaped, powerfully effective
arrow, a "weapon" in the Hand of God!
Here's the setting
in which this statement occurs. Through the miracle of Bible
Prophecy, Jesus is talking. "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. 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; and said unto me,
Thou art my servant ...." Isaiah 49:1-3
Remember, for
today our focus is "In His quiver hath He
hidden Me."
This is the second
time in our short Passage God the Father is said to have
"hidden" God the Son!
Jesus just said
that the Father had hidden Him in the shadow of His Hand.
Now our Lord adds
that, as the Father's polished arrow, He is hidden in the quiver
of the Almighty!
Two different
verbs for "hide" are used here, in just one verse!
"In the shadow of
his hand hath he hid me" translates "chabar" for "hide."
Its basic meaning is "to withdraw." This is hiding in a special
sense, like when someone picks up a special object and tucks it
into his shirt, hiding it in his bosom. How very personal this
is!
More generic is
the second occurrence of "hide." Jesus says:
"He hath made Me a polished shaft, in His
quiver hath He hid Me." This verb "to hide" is spelled "sathar"
and means "to conceal." But in this sense: "to cover!" In
reality "sather" is less personal than "chabar."
Then, why did the
Holy Spirit her use both verbs?
There must be a
reason, every word of Holy Scripture being divinely inspired as
is the case.
I believe this
metaphor or word picture of Jesus as God's weapon, God's arrow
or polished shaft, prefigures the Cross of Calvary!
While "chabar" is
intimate and loving, that kind of "hiding," the verb "sathar" is
"hiding" in the sense of "separation" also! Watch this
underlined use of "sathar." Laban is speaking to Jacob.
"And Laban said, This heap is a
witness between me and thee this day. Therefore was the name of
it called Galeed; and Mizpah; for he said, The LORD watch
between me and thee, when we
are absent
one from another." Genesis 31:48-49
Listen to Cain use
"sathar" in a "separation" sense too. He's talking to God the
Father. "Behold, thou hast driven me out
this day from the face of the earth; and
from thy face shall I
be hid; and I shall be a fugitive and a vagabond in
the earth; and it shall come to pass, that every one that
findeth me shall slay me." Genesis 4:14
An archer, to
properly display the power and accuracy and sharpness of the
arrow he's made ... must be "separated" from it. The arrow must
be shot! It must be spent! It must strike the enemy!
All Jesus' years
on earth prior to Calvary, before "His Hour" of Death finally
arrived, were spent being God's polished shaft but still in
the Father's quiver! A quiver is just a case for holding
one's arrows, or arrow singularly here!
Then the Day
arrived, the Day of Crucifixion!
God slowly
unsheathed His Arrow, the Lord Jesus!
The Almighty
pulled the bow tautly and released Jesus on the target, on the
enemy, on the Devil!
And, as they say,
the rest is history!
According to
Hebrews 2:14, Here's why Jesus came: "That
through death he might destroy him that had the power of death,
that is, the devil." Sounds like a direct "hit" to me!
According to 1
John 3:8, "For this purpose the Son of God
was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil."
God's Arrow struck the mark!
Jesus, God's
Weapon!
Think about it!
The Devil, a
defeated foe!
Amen!
--- Dr. Mike Bagwell
LESSON 6, VERSE 3:
To us Trinitarians this verse reveals the Father, God the
Father, talking to the Son, God the Son! The Holy Spirit having
recorded the words, of course!
More about this later, tomorrow, Lord willing.
But look: "And said unto me, Thou art
my servant, O Israel, in whom I will be glorified."
Isaiah 49:3
Jesus is called the "Servant" of the Lord numerous times in
Isaiah! It's one of His many lovely Names or Titles for our
Lord!
"Behold my servant, whom I uphold; mine
elect, in whom my soul delighteth; I have put my spirit
upon him: he shall bring forth judgment to the Gentiles."
Isaiah 42:1 is presenting to us Jesus!
"Behold, my servant shall deal prudently,
he shall be exalted and extolled, and be very high. As many were
astonied at thee; his visage was so marred more than any man,
and his form more than the sons of men." This is Jesus
again, here in Isaiah 52:13-14.
The noun "servant" is "ebed" and means a common slave literally,
a bondman. Paul, in Greek of course, loved to use that word for
himself! He was always a minister or servant or bond-slave of
Jesus Christ!
But here Jesus is called "Israel." And assuredly God the Father
does not have the nation Israel in mind, not here anyway. Do not
misunderstand, Israel the Nation will some day be God's obedient
submissive servant! But not here, not in this Text!
Here's how we can prove that Jesus is in view, not the Twelve
Tribes. Look at the next two or three verses, after verse three
I mean. "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." This is verse five. God the Father is still
speaking. The "Me" is still Jesus too. The Lord again identifies
Himself as the Servant. Then, in a third person framework,
Israel the Nation is mentioned! In our Paragraph the "Servant"
and the "Nation" are distinguished. The "Servant" is the Helping
One. While the "Nation," Israel, is the helped one! So
when verse three labels the "Servant" as "Israel" these two
terms identify One Person, the Lord Jesus Christ!
He is the True Israel!
Israel means "God is my Prince!"
Or, some say, "Prince of God!"
Then again, one Preacher said, "Princed by God!" That means
"ruled by God!"
In all three definitions above, Jesus is the Only One Who
completely fulfills each!
Jesus worshipped His Father
fully!
Jesus IS God, the Prince of God, the Son of God!
And Jesus never once
disobeyed God!
Amen!
Then the verb "be glorified," translating "paar," means "to
beautify, to boast to vaunt, or even to adorn!"
Thrilling!
The verb action here is incomplete.
The Father will continue being glorified in the Son on and on
and on ... even when time ceases to be!
Eternally beautified in the Son!
The Son exhibiting the Father as though wearing Him for all to
see!
That verb "vaunt," really, represents in a sinless way the
Father "showing off" in the Son! I mean that respectfully and
reverently, just defining the word.
God is proud of His darling Son!
Indeed!
I'm nearly beside myself in praise as I type these words!
Yes, this is Jesus.
No doubt about that!
"And He (God the Father) said unto me
(Jesus), Thou art my servant, O Israel, in whom I will be
glorified." Isaiah 49:3
Thank God for the illumination Bible Prophecy affords us yet
today, even partially fulfilled Bible Prophecy!
--- Dr. Mike Bagwell
LESSON 7, CONCLUSION:
We have been studying Isaiah 49:1-3 for the past few days.
In this lovely
Passage God the Father is actually heard speaking to His Son.
Prophetically
Jesus tells us that the Father said unto Him:
"Thou art my servant, O Israel, in
whom I will be glorified." Isaiah 49:3
Also here Jesus
testifies of His Father: "The LORD hath
called me from the womb; from the bowels of my mother hath he
made mention of my name. 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." Isaiah
29:1-3
What intimacy this
Paragraph of Scripture reveals!
Then I began to
think. There are other places where the Father speaks to the
Son, or vice versa! In Scripture I mean.
Listen to Them
talk in Psalm 2. Jesus tells us: "The LORD
hath said unto me, Thou art my Son; this day have I
begotten thee. Ask of me, and I shall give thee the
heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of
the earth for thy possession. Thou shalt break them with
a rod of iron; thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter's
vessel." This is serious communion!
Again in Psalm 40
we find it. But here Jesus is talking to His Father:
"Then said I, Lo, I come: in the volume of
the book it is written of me, I delight to do thy will, O
my God: yea, thy law is within my heart. I have preached
righteousness in the great congregation: lo, I have not
refrained my lips, O LORD, thou knowest."
Here's the Father
waking His Son every morning, teaching Him to minister to the
needy! "The Lord GOD hath given me the
tongue of the learned, that I should know how to speak a word in
season to him that is weary: he wakeneth morning by
morning, he wakeneth mine ear to hear as the learned."
Isaiah 50:4
Even in the New
Testament we have such communion between the Godhead! Here Jesus
speaks first, then the Father answers.
"Father, glorify thy name. Then came there a voice from heaven,
saying, I have both glorified it, and will glorify
it again." John 12:28
Here's what is
surely true. The Father and the Son lived in constant conscious
communion One with the Other, unbroken for all eternity! So much
so that Jesus could say: "The Father hath
not left me alone; for I do always those things that please
him." John 8:29 here is astounding! Always? Yes, said our
Lord, always!
How blessed we are
to be privy to such language!
Oh, one more quick
example please.
Think what the
Father must have said to the Son, the resurrected Son, as He
ascended back to Glory after His successful earthly ministry! We
know thanks to Psalm 110:1. "The LORD said
unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine
enemies thy footstool. " Amen!
That's what Jesus
is doing too!
Then Psalm 110:4
continues: "The LORD hath sworn, and will
not repent, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of
Melchizedek." God's still talking! Jesus is the Priest!
We all know that
the Trinity is One. The Godhead is unified. Yet Deity exhibits
itself in three Persons too!
Three as One Who
commune with Each Other!
It's precious
dialogue when one can "tune in" to such talk!
Listen intently!
--- Dr. Mike Bagwell
