Isaiah 49 Meditation

I apologize for grammar mistakes.

Isaiah 49:1-7 – Father & Son’s conversation regarding delay of promise fulfilling

This amazing prophecy is Isaiah watching a vision in the throne room after Jesus’ resurrection speaking as to when He will receive the fruit of His labor on the earth (33 years of hard labor). It seemed as though all were lost, yet the Father affirmed Jesus with sure promises.

Royal Father & Son’s Communication

SON’S COMPLAINT

As I am reading this, I am seeing a vision of Jesus bowing before the throne of heaven and speaking these words to Him. Here we can see how openly Son communicates with Father, there is no pretending hiding His true feeling wanting to earn Father’s honor. No, right after Jesus ascended on high taken having done all God’s will sitting at the right hand of the Father, Father being so pleased with Jesus He says “You are My Servant Son, I will glorify you!” But the first thing Jesus replied, “I HAVE LABORED/TOILED IN VAIN!!! I HAVE SPENT MY STRENGTH OF NOTHING AND IN EMPTY FUTILITY!!!” What a blunt and disrespectful words to Holy God and knowing that God is wise and has perfect plan. Jesus speaks so honestly of how He  feels to the Father – as we can see that God has emotions and He needs relief from what He is feeling!! This is the humanity of Jesus! As humans we must be blunt and frank about how we feel, how sad and disappointed we are doing God’s will. Sometimes we just have to talk plainly to God and relief our stress and disappointment to Him. It is ok!! Then Jesus quickly replied to The Holy One, “yet surely my just reward I with the Lord, and my work with my God.” It is exactly like, God your will is so hard, if it’s possible remove it, but if not, let your will be done. The He completely submits. This is a principle we must learn especially Asians. God is not a authoritarian God where there is no communication like a implacable sergeant that is demanding and not reasonable. See through the process He wants to talk us through. He is the perfect Father.

HOLY SPIRIT’S REMINDER

Now Jesus as He releases His feelings and complaints to God, He is reminded by the Spirit. Here we begin to see the perceiving Isaiah heard from Jesus heart because it wasn’t a spoken word, but it was a connotation, it was a spontaneous thoughts. So we can assume that as Isaiah watch the relationship between the Father and the Son, he saw, he heard and he feels. So here I believe is the Holy Ghost speaking to Jesus reminding the words of the Father in the past – His mission and purpose, and also His identity. That’s why Jesus says the Spirit will remind the disciples the words He spoke especially in difficult times. He had a first hand; you can’t give what you don’t have. This is a lesson of communion of the Godhead. The Spirit reminds Jesus, that He was formed to bring Israel back to the Father and deliver them from destruction. Then the Spirit reminds Jesus He is so honored in the sight of God, and God is His strength. I believe as the Holy Spirit speaks in Jesus’ Human Spirit – of One Spirit, and the HS lives in Jesus, it sounded like Jesus talking to Himself!! And here Jesus hears “for I am honorable/glorious in the eyes of the Lord and My God has become my strength.” And as the Spirit speaks there is always impartation of the glory of God. The rhema words become life and power within Jesus’ inner man. What a lesson we can learn here. HS within us will speak through First Person’s voice sometimes, and He will impart strength as He speaks. And the topic He talks to us when we are downcast includes: destiny/purpose/vision as well as How God views us/ how much He loves us! This is the primary job of the Spirit to convince us the Father’s love to a believer – He is the Spirit of adoption which pours out the Love of the Father within our hearts.

FATHER’S COMFORT

We begin to see how Jesus expresses his frustration in such royal and noble Manner, and how Father responded in such royal and humble way comforting the Son. The Father is so grant in His promises! It is so epic! He adds on where the Spirit left off – to gather Israel is too small My Son! What I prepared for you is much greater! In the delay of fulfillment is the magnitude of the promises! The longer it takes, the more epic the Father has in mind! What does it take so long for Jesus to receive that promise to gather Israel back to the Father because it also includes Gentiles! The nations will all be gathered in, that’s why it will take awhile!! Now we understand the Father’s blueprint for the whole world! Son I have a bigger plan and blueprint to glorify you!! Father says, I will give you as a light to the gentiles, and that you will represent me as a Salvation to the ends of the earth!! (This is where Cornelius begin to receive the Spirit and Peter and Paul begin to send to the Gentiles, all because Jesus prayed, and Father responded.) And Father assure Jesus statement, see God doesn’t say Jesus what you testify about your circumstances your view is too negative, come on cheer up, come on get a different view. No Father actually approves and affirms of Jesus’ humble circumstances – “to him whom man rejects and despises, to him whom the nations abhor, to the Servant of rulers” God sees the case of Jesus and agrees on Jesus’ case of mistreatment, then He brings justice and double blessings and payback and promises – “Kings shall see you and arise (Nations), princes, and they shall prostrate themselves” Yes they hated you at a moment, they rejected you. They did not see you as who you are. But Yes! One day they will bow at your feet and serve you!  Doesn’t this reminds us of Joseph’s dream, how the promise was delayed in fulfilling. Then finally God once again says, you know why all this will come to pass, “Because Of You!!! I’ve chosen You!! It is all because of You who chose to obey me and trust in me. So Now I will bring to pass!!” God will be justified in His choosing of instrument, He says I will bring all this to pass because I am faithful, I am Holy, and I have chosen you.”

Alvan you are chosen to God, if you trust God and walk with God the Father and Spirit through your trials, see what He will bring to pass. He is looking for connection, He is looking for conversation, He will comfort and strengthen you. And as you agree with Him in faith, He will qualify you to receive the fullness of what He has chosen for you. Many people give up and call God a liar yet never endure the race to the end, therefore let go of that glorious inheritance God has for them. Many get bitter and blame God in their hearts that He is a harsh taskmaster while never dialogue and work through the issues with the Father and Spirit. Jesus can make it only because He knows how to pray – communicate and talk. How important it is to speak to God about our frustration and weakness and reminds us of His promise of His nature. God is faithful, He will comfort and give us the power to endure to the end in Jesus Name!

Isa 49:14-26

After Father promises Jesus such amazing promises then He begin to let Him see His plan in details. Explaining to the Son, what was the fruit of His labor though it was hidden for awhile, it was a sacrifice a covenant that will bring freedom, spiritual food, protection, guidance, and the Holy Spirit to God’s believing people. And that nations will come to this same covenant, even mentioning China (v. 11-12). Jesus all your labor is for the purpose to show my Love, comfort, mercy to all my people! Father patiently decoding His plan of redemption to the Son.

Then starting from v. 14 God started to talk to Zion which is Israel. Interesting this involvement include the church and Israel. While all the these good things are extending to the church, Zion feels forgotten, forsaken by the Lord! God continue to encourage Zion that she is never forgotten, the promises will surely come to pass. As the Lord explain Israel’s waiting process it makes sense that the Son of God has to go through the process of waiting as well because both timings are interrelated. One cannot happen faster than the other, if one happens the other will happen spontaneously. Jesus is a Jew, Jesus is Israel. And He is the arrow that will be unleashed at the end of the age that will unlock all mystery and bring complete salvation to Israel His people and nations the gentiles.

Isa 49:23 – For they shall not be put to shame who wait for look for hope for and expect me. This is interesting because earlier the Father promised the Son that kings and princes will fall prostrate at Jesus’ feet, and now they are at the feet of Israel. This is actually the exact fulfillment of the promise I believe, the kings of the earth worshipping and obeying Jesus (King of the Jews) will result the kings of the earth bringing Jews back to Israel and bowing at the feet of Israel. Jesus will pay back and honor His people. Vs. 7 Kings shall see Jesus the man whom the nation abhors they will rise I believe this also correlates to the Kings becoming fathers and mothers to Israel. Interestingly it ends with the famous promise, “they shall not be put to shame who wait for me.” So in this same chapter we see the comparison between Jesus’ wait time complaints and Father’s comfort then promise, then we see Israel’s wait time and complaints and Father’s comfort then promise, they are in such similarity. Then we begin to understand as He is so are we. As Jesus is waiting, so we are waiting. As Jesus will be rewarded in due time, we will be rewarded as well. So we must look to our example the author and finisher of our faith, He is faithful to carry us to the end.

And the Father reveals His secret plan and purpose of letting the Son be polished then hidden from the world’s view. That is the mystery of the gospel the plan of redemption for the whole world. As salvation is from Jews, then because God loves the world, Jews were cut off and the gentiles can come in. Finally, when Gentiles reach the fullness of numbers and glory, Jews will once again be grafted in so God can answer Jesus’ prayer to give Him the nations as inheritance. Jesus’ first coming as weak and broken, and the return of Jesus are all written here. All this is to demonstrating the ways of God, the manifold wisdom of God even thousands of years back God already know the end from the beginning. He is showing His manifold wisdom to the principality and the powers of the air. God is truly our Savior Redeemer, and the Mighty One of Jacob! See how this chapter end with these 3 names of God the Father – God will be known to the whole world that He is a God who saves, a God who redeems, and a God who is powerful full of glory. Amen! (12/14)