God Speaks
The LORD Will Redeem and Restore His People through His Suffering Servant
Verse of the Day: And now the LORD says–He who formed me in the womb to be His servant to bring Jacob back to himself, for I am honored in the eyes of the LORD and my God has been my strength–He says: “It is too small a thing for you to be my servant to restore the tribes of Jacob and bring back those of Israel I have kept. I will also make you a light to the Gentiles, that my salvation may reach to the ends of the earth.” (Isaiah 49:5-6 NIV 2011)
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Watch TBR Day 210
We Respond
Reflection: Consider the following questions regarding Isaiah 49-53:
1. What does this chapter tell me about God?
2. What does this chapter tell me about the human beings He created?
Here is one possible answer to each of these questions. Ask the Holy Spirit if there are any others for you personally to ponder.
Isaiah 49
1. God will make Himself known to all mankind as the LORD, their Savior, their Redeemer, the Mighty One of Jacob.
2. People who put their trust in the LORD will not be put to shame.
Isaiah 50
1. God is not the one who sends people away from Him (into hell). In spite of our rebellion, the Sovereign LORD has provided a Rescuer who endured the cruel treatment we deserved.
2. People sell themselves into slavery (control) of various kinds (or go to hell) because of their own sins.
Isaiah 51
1. God will turn their plans back on those who desired to destroy His people.
2. People who trust in the LORD, although they may be cowering in prison now, will be set free. Imprisonment, starvation, and death will not be their final fate!
Isaiah 52
1. The LORD God will demonstrate His holy power before the eyes of all the nations. All the ends of the earth will see the victory of our God.
2. When the LORD startles many nations, kings will stand speechless in His presence. They will see what they have not been told; they will understand what they have not heard about.
Isaiah 53
1. It was the LORD’s good plan to crush Jesus, the suffering Messiah, and cause Him grief, yet when His life is made an offering for sin, He will have many descendants. He will enjoy long (everlasting) life, and the LORD’s good plan will prosper in His hands.
2. Down through the centuries and even now, we have turned our backs on Jesus and looked the other way. He was despised, and we did not care.
Prayer:
3. How might I pray regarding Isaiah 49-53?
O LORD God, You are the only true and living God. You created people and reveal Yourself to us in myriads of ways. The chief of these is through Your Word, the Bible, through Your Holy Spirit interacting with people who have put their trust in You, through the objects of nature and the natural processes, and through the miracles and wonderous works You perform daily (whether we recognize them or not). In trusting, obeying, and fearing (standing in awe of) You, people will never be put to shame. Thank You, Jesus, that by believing in You no one needs to go to hell. You save me from the punishment that my sinful rebellion deserves. I am no longer held in bondage to sin. Now, may I have both such a love and holy fear of You that I no longer want to sin. When I do sin, Holy Spirit, please help me to quickly confess and forsake it so that I can continue to enjoy intimate friendship with the Triune God. LORD, turn the plots and schemes of our enemies back on themselves. Please reassure my brothers and sisters in Christ, who are suffering or imprisoned, that they will be set free. Imprisonment, starvation, and death will not be their final fate! Startle the nations. Cause kings to fall to their knees, speechless in Your presence. Allow them to see what they have not been told; may they understand what they have not heard about. Father God, Jesus agreed with and carried out Your good plan to crush Him, the suffering Messiah, and cause Him grief, yet when His life is made an offering for sin, He will have many descendants. He will enjoy long (everlasting) life, and the LORD’s good plan will prosper in His hands. We are sinful, ungrateful creatures who have turned our backs on Jesus and looked the other way. To this day, He is despised, and we do not care, nor do we truly care for our fellow human beings. We deserve Your wrath, but in Your great mercy and grace, forgive us on the basis of Christ’s sacrifice. Take away our sins, pour all the righteousness of Christ into us, and cause our lives to bring You glory, LORD. AMEN
Action: (Ask God, the Holy Spirit, if He wants you to work on one of the suggestions below or something else more personal that He points out.)
4. What action does the LORD want me to take in response to Isaiah 49-53? With the help of God’s Holy Spirit:
- I will confess before God and other people that I have despised, disregarded, or not stood up for Jesus and the people for whom He died so that they could be free of sin and death.
- I will declare to all who will listen, “In spite of our rebellion, the Sovereign LORD has provided a Rescuer (Jesus Christ) who endured the cruel treatment we deserved.”
- I will pray for and communicate with people who trust in the LORD, who are suffering persecution now, telling them that they will be set free; imprisonment, starvation, and death will not be their final fate!
- I will study various news sources for evidence that God is making Himself known to all mankind as the LORD, their Savior, their Redeemer, the Mighty One of Jacob.
Share: I plan to share what I’ve learned with __________.