CALLED

1 Listen to me, you islands; hear this, you distant nations: Before I was born the LORD called me; from my birth he has made mention of my name.

v.1

Listen to me – a specific demand by the servant, to be heard, to be taken note of.

You islands – as previously – 42:4 – isolated pockets of humanity, and extremities of the earth, i.e. listen to me everyone, even you who think you're too far off as to be unimportant, or not even noticed by me!

Hear this – second call to get attention. In other words he feels this is very important and they need to hear it!

You distant nations . Islands suggest disparate groups of people, nations = corporate groups that have formed for power purposes. i.e. whether you are individuals who feel weak and inadequate or strong and powerful, hear this!

Before I was born – his purpose was not established by him in his life, but even before he was born – by God! He was what he was, not by nature or nurture, but by God's will.

The LORD – Yahweh – the covenant God of Israel decreed me.

Called me – God calls but a call requires a response. There is a sense that God calls things into being, but when He calls people it requires a response from them. He called, we repented. He calls into ministry, we respond and obey. Jesus made decisions – e.g. Gethsemane – to obey – Heb 10:5 – God prepared a body v.7, Jesus purposed to obey and do the Father's will.

From my birth – Jesus was not created as a separate entity but was born out of God – hence ‘begotten' – formed out of God, of the same essence.

There seems an indication (implied) that the Son came from the Father and any sense of eternal existence (as God) was because his essence was God, yet in the identifiable form of the Son, he seems to follow the identifiable form of the Father, e.g. Amoeba – one forms from another, so with the Son, yet even that is an imperfect picture because there is a oneness in the godhead that is different from two amoeba. God is one, expressed in three.

  Lord, your word indicates that you have chosen ME even before I was born (ERph 1:4). You know me and have a design for my life (Eph 2:10). Help me to be more and more aware of that.

PREPARATION

2 He made my mouth like a sharpened sword, in the shadow of his hand he hid me; he made me into a polished arrow and concealed me in his quiver.

v.2

He made – God the Father worked on the Son (the servant) to make him what he was. He brought about these things purposefully.

My mouth – words are a key part of the servant's ministry. Jesus was described by John as “the Word” – the expression of the Father – when God communicates it is usually with language – it may be with words, pictures, living object lessons, even people – but it is communication that can then be further communicated. Words are critical to who we are and what we achieve. The Father achieves His purposes through us in a variety of ways, but mostly, words are a vital element of what we do. We may hold someone or hug them, but the words we speak to them or about them are critical. They change us.

A sharpened sword – a sword is for cutting or piercing (Heb 4:12 ./ Rev 1:16 )) – and his words are to have that effect. It is for close-in effect, personal. His word cuts through pretence, falseness, hypocrisy, sham, untruth.

A sharpened sword – the Father taught the Son how words (in human ways) were to have even greater impact. This sword would not be stopped by anything. It would totally penetrate. The Lord teaches us by words and even more by experience.

He hid me – he waited in heaven for the right time, ready to be brought out to achieve the goals set by God.

In the shadow of his hand – close. The son dwelt by and with the Father. Protected while waiting. In the shadow – overshadowed, protected, covered.

He made me – a purposeful process to bring about a specific characteristic or ability in me – by God! I am God's workmanship.

A polished arrow – an arrow goes into a distant target – very rapidly. A sword waves around and is a general target weapon. The arrow, Jesus, went directly to Israel . Even more it eventually went round the globe – very rapidly.

A polished arrow – prepared, so that nothing will hinder his flight.

Concealed me – a second reference to be hidden out of sight until the right moment. This was God's intention, to keep him hidden until the right moment, when history was at its best moment to receive him.

In his quiver – the place where you keep arrows, the place next to him in readiness. All the while in heaven before he came to earth, the Son was in state of readiness or expectation.

  Lord, you work in me to train me to be your servant, for so you also call each of us who are your children (Mt 20:26-28). Help me to be alert to what you are doing in me, that I may be more co-operative.

APPOINTED

3 He said to me, "You are my servant, Israel, in whom I will display my splendour."

v.3

He said to me – the Lord spoke to the servant – intimacy

You are my servant – this was the call – to be a servant – see before.

Israel – father of many – the servant actually is an individual but represent all of the people of God – they all come from him.

In whom – it will be in his life that God's presence will be seen.

I will display – I'm going to let it be seen.

My splendour – the splendour of God is his glory – that bright light that surrounds him, that reveals His wonder. The servant will reveal the wonder of God.

  Lord, you have called us to be your witnesses (Acts 1:8), to be salt in this world (Mt 5:13), and light to others to reveal you (Mt 5:14-16). You tell me that I am your temple (1 Cor 3:16, 6:19) and the temple was the place where others encountered you. May it be like that with me.

RELIANCE

4 But I said, "I have laboured to no purpose; I have spent my strength in vain and for nothing. Yet what is due me is in the LORD's hand, and my reward is with my God."

v.4

But – despite this, there was a time when the servant didn't feel he'd achieved anything

I said – the servant replies to the Lord.

I have laboured – he had a task, a job, working at something

I have laboured to no purpose – at this point the servant feels that what he has done so far has been pointless. This is the expression of the man in the God-man being that was Jesus. When the disciples betrayed him, fled him and denied him at the end, even though he knew it would all happen, the human side of him was pulled down. Jesus, although he was God, was also very much man, and as such felt as we feel.

I have spent my strength – he had given out

In vain and for nothing – it again (3x) seemed pointless. In the period following Gethsemane lack of sleep followed by vicious beating would leave the man feeling exhausted and worse.

Yet – another link word – again despite THIS

What is due to me – surely a servant gets wages, something ought to come out of this. Despite the weakness, the frailty and the dejection of being a true human who has been utterly degraded, in himself he declares the truth – this is faith!

Is in the Lord's hand – I'll leave it entirely up to him. In his human self there is nothing he can do. He is caught up in a flow of events that he is powerless to change. The only way he can change them is deny who he is or use his divine power. Luke 4:30 shows us that he had that power if he wanted to use it.

And my reward - same thing – repetition – surely something ought to come out of this.

Is with my God – He's going to leave the outcome to the Lord – he exalts the Lord in the way he refers to him.

God's purpose (v.3) is to display His splendour through His servant. That is the divine will. Yet when the Son took on human form, he experienced all of the human emotions that we feel. Nevertheless, in the midst of that he showed that it was possible to rely utterly on God – despite the circumstances.

Lord, I am aware that I become tired and in myself sometimes want to give up, yet in the midst of all that I purpose to be remain true to my calling and to You. I place my trust in you.

A) To Israel

And now the LORD says – he who formed me in the womb to be his servant to bring Jacob back to him and gather Israel to himself, for I am honoured in the eyes of the LORD and my God has been my strength –

v.5

And now – now he quotes what the Lord has said to him – it changes from what he was saying about himself to what the Lord has said specifically about him.

In the first song the Lord established his credentials for speaking as Creator. Here the servant is going to reveal something from God but first establishes his initial calling, what God has done.

the LORD says – this is what Yahweh says. It's not what he says but what the Lord says about him – it needs that emphasis.

he who formed me in the womb – before he tells us what the Lord said, he tells about his relationship to the Lord – he is brought into being by the Lord.

to be his servant – he's been brought into being expressly to be His servant, to fulfil God's will on earth.

to bring Jacob back to him – the purpose of being a servant is to bring the wayward Israel (Jacob) back to God. That's the first calling.

and gather Israel to himself – another way of expressing it – to draw the people of God to God. Is the reference to Jacob & Israel simple parallelism, repeating the same thing differently for emphasis, or is the reference to Israel a wider reference to all the people of God, wherever they may be on the earth, and from whatever nationality or culture?

for I am honoured – the Lord has exalted him, esteemed him, lifted him up, brought him into the public arena.

in the eyes of the LORD - this is what the Lord thinks of Him, this is a divine assessment – others may think otherwise (see later song) but God esteems him.

and my God has been my strength - it is the Lord who has sustained him in his task, and what the Lord thinks of him has strengthened him.

NB. All of this verse has really been an aside, even though he tells us that he's been called to Israel, he really wants to tell us his task is bigger.

Lord, help me to be a blessing first and foremost to your people - first to my family and then to your church.

B) To the World

6 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 for the Gentiles, that you may bring my salvation to the ends of the earth."

v.6

he says - look, it's the Lord who has said this, the Lord who has established the strategy, not the servant on his own.

It is too small a thing for you to be my servant - this One is too big just to be a servant for a small task.

and bring back those of Israel I have kept - bringing Israel is only part of the job – a fairly easy job because has kept them, protected them, maintained them in existence.

I will also - no, the Lord has something else, something much bigger for the servant to do.

make you a light for the Gentiles - no, the servant is going to bring light to the entire world, not just one nation.

that - in order so, so that something will be achieved.

you - it will be the servant who actually achieves this – he's not merely speaking it, he's going to achieve it.

bring my salvation – God wants to bring the needed salvation to the world that was in a mess because of sin. He's got something to achieve and it's the servant who is going to achieve it for heaven.

to the ends of the earth." - this will go around the whole globe, there will not be any far off part that is outside God's plan.

Lord, please help me to be a witness to anyone I encounter, whoever they are, whatever they look like.

v.7

This is what the LORD says - now the Lord starts to speak afresh, a word of encouragement to the servant. Such a word indicates there is a need for encouragement.

the Redeemer - he comes as the God of action, the one who redeemed Israel from Egypt and from the Exile.

and Holy One of Israel - he is the one who is known by Israel to be holy, utterly distinct and perfect. He is known through history.

to him - he speaks to the servant.

to him who was despised - the servant will be despised??? The servant will not have an easy ride!

and abhorred - it gets worse – loathed!

by the nation - the nation of Israel

to the servant of rulers - he will even be the servant of rulers – that's how he comes. This is said to counter balance what follows.

Kings will see you - Yes, his public arena will include being seen by the very top people

and rise up – such people stay seated in the presence of ordinary people, but the servant will cause them to get up – getting up is a sign of acknowledgement and having to respond

princes will see – junior rulers who tend towards arrogance are also impacted

and bow down - they tend to stand around looking good – but they will bow, acknowledging the greatness of the servant.

because of the LORD – they will do this because it's God's plan.

who is faithful – and so the servant can trust His faithfulness, when He says it, He does it.

the Holy One of Israel – this One who has proved Himself to His servant by the way He has already done great and glorious things with Israel.

who has chosen you - remember, servant, it may be tough but you can trust the Lord because He chose you and appointed you, this is His plan and His plans always succeed.

Lord, I rest in your love and trust in your wisdom for my life.