Thought to Guide Your Reading
God woos Isaiah by sending a Servant to take their punishment.Summary in 100 Words or Less
Listen, God called Israel to globalize salvation.God comforts His exiles, "You are my children and I will never abandon you. Did I divorce you? No way!"
"You who want to set things right, consider Abraham, your ancestor. My Promises never fail."
God, save us!
"Why are you afraid of mortals?"
Wake up from your hangover, Jerusalem!
"I will restore My Chosen People to restore My Reputation."
How beautiful are those who bring good news!
Look at God's Servant. He isn't much to look at, but He carries our punishment in silence. He will be the final sacrifice for sin.
How Today’s Reading Contributes to the Gospel: God is Setting All Things Right
God will return Israel when the time is right.
God has not "divorced" or "sold" Israel. They were taken away into captivity because they would not be God's lighthouses. Therefore, God would bring them back with hopes that they would return to their stated purpose and make God's salvation global. God will not punish His Chosen People forever. Why would they be returned? Because of the Promise.What does this mean for Christians today? No matter how bad it may seem, we will be returned if we repent and set things right with God. We may not be the center of the culture or returned in the exact way we were before, but God will bring us back when we are ready to make God's salvation global.
We should not fear mere mortals.
What can mortals do to God? Absolutely nothing! So why fear them? The only thing fear can do is separate us from God. Do not fear people. Respect God and He will set things right.Israel would be restored to defend God's Reputation.
God's reasoning for restoring Israel was not because they had earned His love and respect again. It wasn't because they repented and turned back to Him. The reason God brought Israel back into Canaan is because the nations began questioning His Power. God's Reputation is not punishment. God's Reputation is Salvation. This reasoning is similar to Moses during one of Israel's many rebellions against the God who took them out of Egypt. Do not think our salvation comes because of our righteousness. It comes because of God's.God would bring Salvation through the least-likeliest person—a servant who did not command attention.
Who would believe such a far-fetched idea of a servant coming and bearing the sins of His People? You would expect a god to come down in great fanfare, create a large feast where he or she pronounced all sin removed. Not our god. He was considered disfigured, undesirable, and mocked. But God took that scourge and made Him the most important person to setting things right. His Reward came because He had complete faith in God and died on behalf of those who did not like Him. Jesus came to take away our punishment and guilt!Are your feet beautiful?
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