Was Israel meant to be insular and exclusive or a light to the nations? Let’s look at Isaiah 49.
Is the Messiah tasked with what Israel failed to do as a nation?
Listen to me, coastlands; pay attention, peoples far away. The Lord called me before my birth, called my name when I was in my mother’s womb. He made my mouth like a sharp sword, and hid me in the shadow of God’s own hand. He made me a sharpened arrow, and concealed me in God’s quiver, saying to me, “You are my servant, Israel, in whom I show my glory.” But I said, “I have wearied myself in vain. I have used up my strength for nothing.” Nevertheless, the Lord will grant me justice; my reward is with my God. (Isa 49:1-4 CEB)
Was the Messiah chosen to not only lead Israel back but to save the whole world?
Even before I was born, the Lord God chose me to serve him and to lead back the people of Israel. So the Lord has honored me and made me strong. Now the Lord says to me, “It isn't enough for you to be merely my servant. You must do more than lead back survivors from the tribes of Israel. I have placed you here as a light for other nations; you must take my saving power to everyone on earth.” (Isa 49:5-6 CEV)
Will the Messiah be someone despised and rejected by people?
Thus says the Lord, the Redeemer of Israel and his Holy One, to one deeply despised, abhorred by the nation, 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.” (Isa 49:7 ESV)
Is Jesus not just the mediator of a new covenant, but is He the new covenant?
This is what the Lord says: I will answer you in a time of favor, and I will help you in the day of salvation. I will keep you, and I will appoint you to be a covenant for the people, to restore the land, to make them possess the desolate inheritances, saying to the prisoners: Come out, and to those who are in darkness: Show yourselves. They will feed along the pathways, and their pastures will be on all the barren heights.
They will not hunger or thirst, the scorching heat or sun will not strike them; for their compassionate One will guide them, and lead them to springs of water. I will make all My mountains into a road, and My highways will be raised up. See, these will come from far away, from the north and from the west, and from the land of Sinim [a distant Oriental region]. Shout for joy, you heavens! Earth, rejoice! Mountains break into joyful shouts! For the Lord has comforted His people, and will have compassion on His afflicted ones. (Isa 49:8-13 HCSB)
Doubting, did Zion think that God has abandoned her?
But Zion said, ‘The Lord has abandoned me, and my God has forgotten me.’ “Can a woman forget her nursing child, or have no compassion for the child of her womb? Even these mothers may forget; But as for me, I’ll never forget you! Look! I’ve inscribed you on the palms of my hands, and your walls are forever before me. Your builders are working faster than your destroyers, and those who devastated you go away from you. Lift up your eyes and look around—they have all gathered together and are coming to you. “As surely as I live,” says the Lord, “you will clothe yourself with all of them like ornaments, and tie them on like a bride.” (Isa 49:14-18 ISV)
Will the number of descendants of Israel be overwhelmingly large?
For thy waste and thy desolate places, and the land of thy destruction, shall even now be too narrow by reason of the inhabitants, and they that swallowed thee up shall be far away. The children which thou shalt have, after thou hast lost the other, shall say again in thine ears, The place is too strait for me: give place to me that I may dwell. Then shalt thou say in thine heart, Who hath begotten me these, seeing I have lost my children, and am desolate, a captive, and removing to and fro? and who hath brought up these? Behold, I was left alone; these, where had they been? (Isa 49:19-21 KJV)
Will nations rescue our children? Will those who hope in God not be put to shame?
Thus says Lord Yahweh, “Behold, I will lift up My hand to the nations And make high My standard to the peoples; And they will bring your sons in their bosom, And your daughters will be lifted up on their shoulders. Kings will be your guardians, And their princesses your nurses. They will bow down to you with their faces to the earth And lick the dust of your feet; And you will know that I am Yahweh; Those who hope in Me will not be put to shame. Can the prey be taken from the mighty man, Or the captives of the righteous be granted escape?” (Isa 49:22-24 LSB)
Will God rescue the prey from tyrants and save our children from their oppressors?
Indeed, this is what the Lord says: “Even the captives of the mighty man will be taken away, And the prey of a tyrant will be rescued; For I will contend with the one who contends with you, And I will save your sons. I will feed your oppressors with their own flesh, And they will become drunk with their own blood as with sweet wine; And humanity will know that I, the Lord, am your Savior And your Redeemer, the Mighty One of Jacob.” (Isa 49:25-26 NASB)
Did Paul and Barnabas quote verse 6 to explain their mission to the Gentiles?
For this is what the Lord has commanded us: “I have made you a light for the Gentiles, that you may bring salvation to the ends of the earth.” (Acts 13:47 NIV)
Was Israel meant to be insular and exclusive or a light to the nations?
