The Second Song of the Lord's Servant (Isaiah 49:1-7)
Rev. Myung-Sin Choi
“1 'Listen, O coastlands, to Me, And take heed, you peoples from afar! The Lord has called Me from the womb; From the matrix of My mother He has made mention of My name. 2 And He has made My mouth like a sharp sword; In the shadow of His hand He has hidden Me, And made Me a polished shaft; In His quiver He has hidden Me.' 3 'And He said to me, 'You are My servant, O Israel, In whom I will be glorified.' 4 Then I said, 'I have labored in vain, I have spent my strength for nothing and in vain; Yet surely my just reward is with the Lord, And my work with my God.' ' 5 'And now the Lord says, Who formed Me from the womb to be His Servant, To bring Jacob back to Him, So that Israel is gathered to Him (For I shall be glorious in the eyes of the Lord, And My God shall be My strength), 6 Indeed He says, 'It is too small a thing that You should be My Servant To raise up the tribes of Jacob, And to restore the preserved ones of Israel; I will also give You as a light to the Gentiles, That You should be My salvation to the ends of the earth.' ' 7 Thus says the Lord, The Redeemer of Israel, their Holy One, To Him whom man despises, To Him whom the nation abhors, To the Servant of rulers: 'Kings shall see and arise, Princes also shall worship, Because of the Lord who is faithful, The Holy One of Israel; And He has chosen You.' ”
Introduction
As you know Martin Luther very well and a friend saw how Luther prayed. The friend described in a letter how Luther prayed. Luther would pray every single day for three hours to God without skipping a day. The friend happened to hear what Luther prayed about. Luther would pray, “God of Grace…” And when the friend would hear Luther’s prayers, his prayers were filled with faith and spiritual. It was as if Luther was praying to his father who was close and to a close friend. When I read about this, I realized that Luther had no choice but to possess the mystery to succeed. In order for us to receive answers, what we need the most is the prayer life of Luther. The prayer life where we can communicate with God and have deep fellowship with God. When we are able to pray like this, then prayer time will be the most happy time for us. God has given us a precious message and Biblical passage today. May we receive God’s word and be victorious. When you look at the first song of the servant which is seen in Isaiah 42. In Isaiah 42, it speaks about the Triune God but the second song is seen in Isaiah 49. Isaiah 49 speaks about how Jesus needed to live when He came down to Earth.
1. Jesus' Status as the Servant
1) Jesus' birth
Verse 1 - This was what God proclaimed. God tells all people from all around the whole to hear His word. God is also giving us a message today. Then, God continues to speak that God has called His servant before the time of creation and called forth His servant. “Me” is referring to Jesus Christ, the Messiah who is to come. God called Jesus from the womb. This means that from the beginning and before the creation of time, God had already called Jesus. What does it mean by the matrix of the mother? It is talking about how Jesus was called from Mary’s womb. Jesus heard God’s ministry even when He was in Mary’s womb.
This was written in Matthew 1:21 “And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.” - God proclaimed this message while Mary was carrying Jesus in her womb. God called Jesus as the Savior who will save His people from their sins. He will save the people of God from destruction and death. From the start, Jesus started His life with God’s great plan and God was prophesying about this. This all happened so that God could save us. This was determined before the time of creation. From Mary’s womb, Jesus was introduced to the world. How was Jesus born? He was born as the Savior.
2) Jesus' childhood
Verse 2 - This is talking about from an early age, Jesus was living this kind of life. This was talking about the earthly ministry that Jesus carried out from a young age. God made Jesus’ mouth like a sharp sword. This means the power of Jesus’ words. What is the power of the word? The power of the word can be enjoyed through prayer and meditation. What kind of life did Jesus live? He continued to live His life with meditation on God’s word and restoring prayer with God. What was made in the shadow of God’s hands? Jesus was born from Mary’s womb but He had divine nature that came from God; He was the Son of God. But God kept this hidden with His hand. This great word of God, Jesus and the Son of God, His identity was kept hidden. God kept wielding Jesus to become sharp and refined as much as possible. Jesus did not come to Earth with great privileges and a fancy lifestyle but He suffered while He was on Earth. Jesus was born on this earth where His earthly father was a carpenter and lived a life of poverty. He suffered a lot with a lowly lifestyle and experienced great difficulties. God made Jesus suffer on Earth and what did God want Jesus to see? God wanted Jesus to see the problems and suffering of mankind who were in the midst of Genesis 3, 6, and 11. God wanted Jesus to see the great suffering of mankind that was brought on from the snares of Satan. Jesus experienced all of it while He was on Earth. That is why Jesus knows all of our suffering very well. Jesus saw all of the great hardships and tribulations of man. God trained Jesus so that He could see all of this and experience the worst of mankind.
2. Jesus' Ministry as the Messiah
1) Jesus' earthly ministry
Verse 3 - When Jesus started His earthly ministry, this was what God told Jesus. Jesus started His earthly ministry after He was baptized. The moment John the Baptist baptized Jesus, all of the sins of mankind went to Jesus.
When Jesus was baptized, something that we can see is seen in Matthew 3:17 “And suddenly a voice came from heaven, saying, 'This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.' ”- After Jesus was baptized, God was so pleased and happy that He said, “I am so pleased with my Son.” Why was God pleased? This was because mankind who had no choice but to be destroyed, Jesus was taking all of the sins of mankind.
John 1:29 “The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, 'Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!' ” - The next day is referring to the day after Jesus was baptized. The day after, John the Baptist saw Jesus coming towards him. After John the Baptist’s spiritual eyes were opened, he was able to see Jesus who was carrying all of the sins of mankind. All of the sins, curses, and fate of hell of man were all upon Jesus and walking towards John. When God saw this, He was pleased with His Son, Jesus.
Verse 4 - Jesus Christ was baptized and started His earthly ministry, and the content of His ministry is recorded here. When Jesus was doing His ministry, He was always proclaiming God's word and wasn’t resting but when He looked around, He saw people sleeping and disregarded His message. He took in everything and dedicated His life for His ministry, many people left and ignored Him. When Jesus died on the cross, all of His disciples abandoned Him. That was why Jesus said, “I have labored in vain.” He went around healing sick people and helping others but what was left from His ministry were only 120 disciples in the end. But despite all of that, Jesus continued to say, “Yet surely my reward is with the Lord and my work with my God.” In God’s eyes, it may look like Jesus failed and was a failure but Jesus confessed, “My word is with my God.” This is very important. This means that when Jesus died on the cross, God’s justice was served. God is the one who will justify and judge all things. There are people who live for others but we must look in Jesus’ perspective. Who do we need our acknowledgment from? We need to live a life where only God will justify us and acknowledge us. May we be victorious.
2) The fruit of Jesus' ministry
Verses 5-7 - From here, we can see where Jesus came from.
John 8:42 “Jesus said to them, ‘If God were your Father, you would love Me, for I proceeded forth and came from God; nor have I come of Myself, but He sent Me.’ ” - This talks about where Jesus was born. Jesus came from God. He came from God. This means that He came from the bosom of God. God sent Jesus. Why did God send His Son, Jesus to Earth from His heart? To save mankind. To become mankind’s sacrifice. To solve the problems of mankind. Because we possessed problems where we couldn’t solve, only the Son of God could solve.
Verse 5 - What God was pleased with the most was that Jesus died on the cross. The glory of God was fulfilled when Jesus died on the cross for mankind. This was what this was about.
John 17:1 “Jesus spoke these words, lifted up His eyes to heaven, and said: 'Father, the hour has come. Glorify Your Son, that Your Son also may glorify You.' ” - This was before Jesus died on the cross; this was the content of His prayer to God. Jesus was asking to die on the cross for His people. This was what will glorify God, Jesus knew about this. This was Jesus’ glory. To follow God’s plan and will, this is what Jesus was praying to God about. After Jesus prayed this prayer, He followed the will of God and died on the cross. God was so pleased. God glorified His Son, Jesus, and brought Him to resurrection. This is the end of verse 5.
Verse 6 and Luke 2:31-32 “Which You have prepared before the face of all peoples, 32 A light to bring revelation to the Gentiles, And the glory of Your people Israel.” - This speaks about the purpose of Jesus. Jesus will be the one who proclaims God's word. God received Jesus’ glory and poured upon all of the authority of heaven and earth to Jesus. The 120 people in Mark’s upper room waited for Jesus’ word and held onto, and prayed with it. Through the prayers of the 120 disciples, God worked and all of the remaining people from other nations came. From this event, the gospel continued to grow and 3,000 disciples were made.
Verse 7 - Jesus who is sitting at the right hand of God’s heavenly throne is doing the same work even now.
Mark 16:19-20 “After the Lord Jesus had spoken to them, He was taken up into heaven and He sat at the right hand of God. 20 Then the disciples went out and preached everywhere, and the Lord worked with them and confirmed His Word by the signs that accompanied it.” - Jesus who ascended to heaven, He is not just sitting there but He continues to work with His people when we proclaim God's word and the preaching of the gospel. Healing is taking place as seen in verse 7. May we receive the blessing of becoming a child of God and as a child of God. Even now, all nations are giving glory to God and worship to God through the work of salvation that Jesus fulfilled. Kings and beggars, and everything can worship God. Then, this means we must hold onto God’s covenant once again.
3. CVDIP, The Watchmen's CVDIP
1) Find the bartizan of "Covenant 24" in you
Through the leaders’ message, we received the message of finding the bartizan and the bartizan that we must hold onto. There are three things that we must hold onto. First, inside of us, find the bartizan of covenant 24.
Hold onto John 16:24 “Until now you have asked nothing in My name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full.” - The living God is speaking to us from His throne so we must hear His voice. God is giving us this word from His throne. Let us hold onto five things. First, inside of us, pray that the work of God’s word, salvation, and power of the triune God work upon us. Secondly, come upon me with the power of your throne. Third, grant me the power to save the 3 ages in the last days. This is because the last age is upon us. Fourth, let us pray for the power to conquer the age of the universe and the age of the kingdom of the air. Fifth, pray for the 5 powers. The powers of finances, spiritual, physical, intellectual, and manpower. Pray with this 24 hours. Let us establish the bartizan of 24. I pray that you will stand in the bartizan within your fields and pray with these things.
2) Find the bartizan of "Vision 25" in you
God’s authority will be upon you. This is the authority that we must enjoy. We already received them.
Genesis 41:38 “And Pharaoh said to his servants, 'Can we find such a one as this, a man in whom is the Spirit of God?' ” - The blessing that Joseph enjoyed. Let us become remnants who can have the Spirit of God upon us. Let us enjoy the greatest blessings.
John 14:14 “If you ask anything in My name, I will do it.” - In the Early Church, they held onto the covenant and received answers wherever they went. This authority is also upon us as well. Let us find this and enjoy it.
Philippians 3:21 “Who will transform our lowly body that it may be conformed to His glorious body, according to the working by which He is able even to subdue all things to Himself.” - This was the authority that Paul enjoyed. This authority is upon the children of God. Let us enjoy this authority on this earth in the name of Jesus.
Conclusion
Let us find the bartizan of the eternal dream in us. Let us find the eternal dream that is for us. What is your dream? You have to find the dream that God intended for you. This was the message that Jesus gave to us. Matthew 28:18-20 “And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, 'All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.' Amen.’ ” and Mark 16:19-20 - Find this bartizan. May this be our eternal dream. Acts 1:8 “But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.' ” - This is not what we do. If we hold onto God’s covenant, then God will use us. Let us make this our enteral dream and hold onto it, then God will fulfill it in our lives. There are more bartizans and covenants that Rev. Kwang-Su Ryu mentioned but I will mention them later.
댓글