Feeling Abandoned By God? (Isaiah 49:14-50:3) Series

A few weeks ago, in Isaiah 47, we read about the fall of Babylon, the capital city of the Babylonian empire. The city was described using female imagery-- as a delicate virgin daughter, as a queen. She was described as being proud, and boastful, and savage in her treatment of God's people. And when God described her upcoming judgment, He did so using that female imagery. Lady Babylon was a queen, who would lose her throne. Lady Babylon was above the ordinary struggles of life, but she'd be forced to go out into the fields, and become a common worker. She'd lose both her husband-- probably the Babylonian gods-- and her kids-- probably her citizens. She would move from a lofty, proud, exalted place, to something very low and humble.

This week, we will find ourselves once again hearing the words of a city, and the city is once again described using female imagery. This time, it's Jerusalem, and she's described as Lady Zion. So the prophet/God sets out a tale of two cities, you could say. Lady Babylon is currently exalted, and is going to be brought low by God. And Lady Zion? She's been brought low by God, and the question is, whether or not that will be reversed.

Before we are introduced to this lady, we should refresh our memory of last week's passage. In a perfect world, we would've read, and worked through, Isaiah 49:7-50:3 all in one sitting. I couldn't pull that off, but this is a compromise of sorts. I'll read through verse 13, and then pause. And these words, just as a refresher, you should hear as being addressed to Israel. That's the one who is despised, and detested, and a servant to rulers:

(7) Thus has said Yahweh, the Redeemer of Israel, His holy one,

to the one whose life was despised (see NET Bible),

to the one detested by the nations (following LXX, van der Mere, against MT),

to a servant of rulers [Isaiah 52:5; *Shalom Paul]:

"Kings shall see,

and princes shall stand [Leviticus 19:32; Job 29:8; Judges 3:20; *Shalom Paul];

and/that they may bow down [Isaiah 49:23; *Paul],

because of Yahweh, who [is] reliable/trustworthy-- the Holy One of Israel--

and He has chosen you." [Isaiah 44:1, 2; 45:4]

(8) Thus has said Yahweh: [very close connections to Isaiah 42:6-7 in what follows]

"In a time of favor, I will answer you (following 1QIsaa, NIV, against MT, in translating as imperfects here and

next line],

while in a day of salvation/victory I will help you--

I will rescue you,

and I will make you into a covenant people, [Isaiah 42:6; an inverted construct]

by restoring/raising up the land, [God is doing these infinitive verbs, how He rescues and makes

them a covenant people]

by giving as an inheritance the desolate inheritance, [Isaiah 49:19; 61:4; 62:4; 64:9]

(9) by saying to the prisoners,

"Come out!," [Isaiah 48:20]

to the ones who [are] in the darkness, [Isaiah 42:7; contrast Isaiah 47:5; *Paul]

"Reveal yourselves!"

Along the roads, they will feed, [Isaiah 40:11]

while on every barren height, their pasturage [will be]. [Isaiah 41:18]

(10) They will not be hungry,

and they will not be thirsty, [Isaiah 48:21]

and they will not be struck with a scorching heat and the sun,

because The One loving them will lead them,

while to springs of water He will guide them--

(11) I will make all the mountains into a road,

while my highways will be built up (*van der Mere).

(12) LOOK! These ones, from far off, they will come,

while LOOK! These ones, from the north and from the west, [Isaiah 43:4; 60:4, 9; *Paul]

while these ones from the land of Syene!

(13) Sing for joy, O heavens, [Isaiah 44:23; 52:9; 55:12]

and rejoice, O earth!

May they break forth-- the mountains-- in singing,

because Yahweh has comforted his people,

and He answered him (=Israel, his people-- note the parallelism-- not Jesus).

He will have compassion,

So in these verses, God promises that He will reverse his people's fortunes, and restore them. He will make them honored in the sight of the nations. He will restore their ancestral lands to them-- the promised land. He will free prisoners. And God will bring them home, on a freshly built highways, alongside plentiful water, and plentiful pasturage. No matter where God's people find themselves in exile, no matter where they are scattered across the nations, they will find that the long journey home is the best road trip of all time. And the prophet then closes off this part in verse 13 with a call to all of creation to praise God. When God rescues you, and restores you, and brings you home, everything God has created should celebrate. That's the natural response to God's help, and blessings. And if you've ever wondered why we sing on Sunday mornings-- there's a big part of your answer.