Isaiah 49 | NIV Bible | YouVersion (2024)

FAQs

What is one truth we can learn from Isaiah 49 16? ›

God's hands never get dirty and He never has to wash them. That means that He writes our name on his hand it is there forever. God never forgets us and He always loves us. A mother may be true, her affection may be as pure and as strong as earth can furnish but she may forget.

In Isaiah 49:15 the image is very feminine - God is compared to a mother breastfeeding her baby or a pregnant woman carrying her unborn child. The image in Isaiah 49: 16 is more masculine as God is remembering and protecting where we live.

Together with Isaiah 42:1-7, Isaiah 50:4-9, and Isaiah 52:13-53:12, Isaiah 49:1-7 speaks of the Servant of God who is called to be a light to the nations; a source of salvation (Isaiah 49:6) to bring justice to those who are entrapped in situations of oppression: the poor, the needy, the imprisoned (Isaiah 42:6-7).

The prophet expresses confidence that despite his apparent failure, God will recognize his effort and reward him appropriately. The specific nature of the reward is not mentioned, but it could be that God, in his own time, will allow the prophet to see the result of his hard labor.

God's people do not exist for themselves alone, nor is their restoration an end in itself. God gathers God's people into God's life for one purpose: the salvation of the world. God charges Israel, God's servant, to be “a light to the nations, that my salvation may reach to the end of the earth” (verse 6).

In verse 16, God says, “Behold, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands; your walls are continually before me.” The “walls” are a reference to the broken-down walls of Jerusalem while the Jews were in exile in Babylon. God is saying: “I see your life; I know exactly what is going on in your life.

The book of Isaiah is filled with sobering accounts of Israel's sin and rebellion and warnings of their coming judgement. But along with warnings, Isaiah also offers a message of hope—a suffering servant, a coming Messiah, who would come to establish God's Kingdom on Earth and create a new Jerusalem.

The Proof of God's Love

The question of God's love is answered in verse 15. God will not forget those who trust in him, even if a mother forgets her nursing child. After proclaiming his love, God proves his love.

The message of the book of Isaiah to the world is that there is indeed a Savior, the Messiah, who has humbly, painfully, and gloriously won salvation for sinners and for all who would trust in him (Isa.

And I will make all my mountains a way means that God will make a passage across the mountains. They will not block the return of the exiles. The phrase my mountains may be used to recall the theme that God is their Creator. It probably does not indicate that he owns them, but rather that he has made them.

What is the meaning of Isaiah 49 18? ›

In the prophetic vision of Isaiah, a powerful metaphor is used to relay God's promise and faithfulness to His people. This verse serves as a promise of restoration and reflects a deeper reality where the representatives of Jerusalem, symbolized as her sons, are described as jewels surrounding a bride.

God will make the servant a light to the Gentiles (the nations) and bring the salvation of the Lord to the ends of the earth. Not only will the servant restore and save Israel, but he will also restore and save the world. This is an appropriate task for the servant.

In the shadow of his hand hath he hid me - This passage has been very variously interpreted. Many have understood it as meaning that the shadow of the hand of God would cover or defend him - as a shade or shadow protects from heat. The word 'shadow' is used for protection in Isaiah 25:4; Psalms 17:8; Psalms 36:8.

He said to Me, "You are My Servant, Israel, In Whom I will show My glory" (v 3). The LORD said to Me [the Servant]: "You are My Servant." This is the first time this particular prophecy has explicitly referred to the Messiah as "My Servant." A servant is someone who does not act on his own will but the will of another.

YHWH'S ORACLE OF REASSURANCE TO ZlON in Isa 49:14-18 is one of the biblical passages in. which God's steadfast love is most clearly compared to maternal love. Zion, the city of God, is identified and addressed as a mother, one who is distraught with grief and feelings of helplessness and loss.

16 Behold, I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands; thy walls are continually before me. 17 Thy children shall make haste; thy destroyers and they that made thee waste shall go forth of thee.

Can't you see? I have carved your name on the palms of my hands! Your walls are always my concern.

Rich and poor, alike, should remember that money is temporary. It is not a substitute for God's approval. All people face death and God's judgment. There is no reason to envy a person who has earthly wealth but lacks eternal hope.

Isaiah Teaches:

Like Israel, our sin separates us from our Holy God. In His mercy, God calls us to return to Him and be healed, cleansed, forgiven, and fully restored to relationship with Him. The Lord is calling you today to reason together with Him. Though your sin is like scarlet, He will make it white as snow.