Isaiah 49:4-7 – The Servant’s Reward
In this chapter we see Jesus in a marvelous way. In verse four, the servant who is spoken of here sighs. You see, even though God has called his servant, yet things are not easy. This is wonderfully prophetic, of course, of the way things were for Jesus, for almost all of His public ministry. Oh, yes, for a time He was wildly popular. Yet quickly enough, the vast crowds abandoned Him when His words got too difficult for them (John 6:60-71). How often are we despondent? We work for God. We think, we hope, that we shall see some amazing things happening, and nothing much happens. As we fear that our life is wasted and we are forsaken, the first thing to remember is that our Jesus knows. He knows our weakness and our temptation. And note, too, that the servant, though all seemingly was against Him, went on and persevered in what He knew God’s calling was. He was being faithful. The servant here in verse 4 looks to the promises of God found in God’s Word. And there He takes hope as He trusts in the promises of His God, and in the God of those promises.
In verse five we see the servant’s first reward. It is to return the Israel of God to saving faith. What a reward that He should be able to deliver His people loved by Him from all eternity! There would be a wider and more glorious reward for the servant’s glorious Person and faithful Work. We see that in verses 6-7. This servant is to be the light of the world, as John would later call Him. We read in John that the darkness cannot triumph over or even comprehend the light. Now it’s true that He is called here, the One Whom man despises in verse seven, the One Whom the nation abhors. Isaiah will take this up more fully several chapters later in chapter 53. But though He is not thought of as much by His own people, He is brought to be the one before whom all bow down. We do not yet see all the nations yielded to the Servant such as is promised here in verse seven. A day yet awaits when kings shall bow in their office as king. Nations shall be yielded to Messiah, the Prince, God’s servant. And His reward shall be great again. Even the kingdom of Satan shall fall before Him, not in conversion like these nations, but in conquest, just as we see from Jesus’ own words in Matthew 16: “I will build my church and the gates of hell, shall not prevail against it.” The darkness shall not triumph, and all that brings us to sigh shall come to an end. The servant is receiving His reward, and all shall be His, and in Him all shall be ours.
Question
- What is the servant’s reward?
Prayer Points
- Pray for the triumph of the gospel through all the nations.
- Use prayer points from your congregation.
- Pray for family matters.