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The Savior’s Ninefold Mission to The Unbelievers of The World:

Reaching Everyone for God (Isaiah 49:1–13). 

Listen to me, all of you in far-off lands: The Lord called me before my birth. From within the womb, he called me by my name. ²God will make my words of judgment sharp as swords. He has hidden me in the shadow of his hand; I am like a sharp arrow in his quiver.

³He said to me: “You are my servant, a prince of power ^a with God, and you shall bring me glory.”

⁴I replied, “But my work for them seems all in vain; I have spent my strength for them without response. Yet I leave it all with God for my reward.”

⁵“And now,” said the Lord—the Lord who formed me from my mother’s womb to serve him who commissioned me to restore to him his people Israel, who has given me the strength to perform this task and honored me for doing it!—⁶“you shall do more than restore Israel to me. I will make you a Light to the nations of the world to bring my salvation to them too.”

⁷The Lord, the Redeemer and Holy One of Israel, says to the One who is despised, rejected by mankind, and kept beneath the heel of the world’s rulers: “Kings shall stand at attention when you pass by; princes shall bow low because the Lord has chosen you; he, the faithful Lord, the Holy One of Israel, chooses you.”

^8-9The Lord says, “Your request has come at a favorable time. I will keep you from harm and give you as a token and pledge to Israel, proof that I will reestablish the land of Israel and reassign it to its own people again. Through you, I am saying to the prisoners of darkness, ‘Come out! I am giving you your freedom!’ They will be my sheep, grazing in green pastures and on the grassy hills. ¹⁰They shall neither hunger nor thirst; the searing sun and scorching desert winds will not reach them anymore. For the Lord in his mercy will lead them beside the cool waters. ¹¹And I will make my mountains into level paths for them; the highways shall be raised above the valleys. ¹²See, my people shall return from far away, from north, west, and south.”

¹³Sing for joy, O heavens; shout, O earth. Break forth with song, O mountains, for the Lord has comforted his people and will have compassion upon them in their sorrow.^[1] (Isaiah 49:1–13) 

The Savior was given a very special, ninefold mission when He came into the world. Note that the Savior Himself is speaking, inviting all the people from the islands and distant nations to give close attention. What He has to say is of utmost importance. He has a very special message, good tidings of great joy for the world. 

The Savior’s Ninefold Mission to The Unbelievers of The World:

Reaching Everyone for God 

A. The Savior Was Called to Do God’s Will. In fact, God appointed Him for His mission before He was born. He even called Him by Name before His birth. These two facts suggest that the Savior has existed eternally and that a very personal relationship existed between Him and God before His birth. From the beginning, before Creation itself, the Savior was called to be God’s very special messenger to the world. Before He was born, an angel appeared and announced that He was to be called Jesus, “for He shall save His people from their sins” (Mt. 1:21). Later as an adult, Jesus Christ proclaimed: “Lo, I come … to do thy will, O God” (He. 10:7). 

V  “I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly” (Jn. 10:10). 

B. The Savior Was Called to Proclaim the Word of God (V. 2). His mouth was to be like a sharp sword that would divide a person’s soul or fleshly desires from his spirit and righteous behavior (He. 4:12). While He walked upon the earth, the Savior was to use “the Sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God” (Ep. 6:17). His Word would go forth like an arrow, wounding consciences and convicting people of sin, righteousness, and judgment (Jn. 16:8–11). The Savior’s Word would be like a fire that melts people’s hearts before God and like a hammer that breaks their rock-hard hearts, crushing them into soft powder before God. Note this significant fact: while the Savior proclaimed the Word of God, God protected Him in the shadow of His hand. 

V  “And all bare him witness and wondered at the gracious words which proceeded out of his mouth. And they said, Is not this Joseph’s son?” (Lu. 4:22).

V  “And they were astonished at his doctrine: for his word was with power” (Lu. 4:32).

V  “It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life” (Jn. 6:63).

V  “Then Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life” (Jn. 6:68).

V  “The officers answered, never man spake like this man” (Jn. 7:46).

V  “He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my words, hath one that judgeth him: the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day” (Jn. 12:48).

V  “He that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings: and the word which ye hear is not mine, but the Father’s which sent me” (Jn. 14:24). 

C. The Savior Was Called to Be God’s Servant, The New Israel on Earth. The work that Israel as a nation had failed to do, the Savior would do. Remember that God had chosen the Israelites for three primary purposes: 

Ø  To be the people who would bear strong testimony that He alone is the Lord (Jehovah, Yahweh), the only living and true God.

Ø  To be the people through whom He would send His Word, the Holy Word of God, to the world.

Ø  To be the people through whom He would send the Messiah, the Savior, to the world. 

But the Israelites failed in their God-given task. They failed to be God’s witnesses to the unbelievers of the world. They failed to keep God’s holy commandments. They chose to live immoral and unrighteous lives, striving to acquire the power, riches, and pleasures of this world. And most tragic, when God sent Christ into the world, they rejected Him (Jn. 1:11). Despite Israel’s failure, God still loved the world and was determined to save the world (Jn. 3:16). Therefore, He appointed His Son to be the new Israel, to be His very special witness of God’s love and salvation. God also appointed Christ to be the Savior of the world and to proclaim His Holy Word to the ends of the earth. The Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, fulfilled every purpose for which God had appointed the old Israel. Christ Himself became God’s servant, the new Israel. 

Thought 1. Believers often seek the power, riches, and pleasures of this world; consequently, they fail to carry out the mission for which God has called them. Christ came to be God’s Servant, and He was faithful in His calling. As the Servant of God, He ministered to the people of the world, fulfilling His mission. God has given us the mission of being His witnesses to a lost and dying world, a world that reels in desperate need. Yet far too many of us became wrapped up in the pleasures and possessions of this world instead of committing ourselves to the task of reaching the lost and meeting the needs of the world. We must follow the example of Christ. 

V  “Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many” (Mt. 20:28).

V  “For whether is greater, he that sitteth at meat, or he that serveth? is not he that sitteth at meat? but I am among you as he that serveth” (Lu. 22:27).

V  “He riseth from supper and laid aside his garments; and took a towel and girded himself. After that he poureth water into a bason, and began to wash the disciples’ feet, and to wipe them with the towel wherewith he was girded” (Jn. 13:4–5).

V  “Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross” (Ph. 2:6–8). 

D. The Savior Was Called to Live a Life of Total Trust in God (V. 4). From a human perspective, the Savior had meager, disappointing results on earth (Jn. 1:11). Christ had few followers who really trusted in Him. From all appearances, His mission seemed a failure, especially when He was crucified upon the cross and His apostles scattered for their lives. But note what the Savior said centuries before He came to earth: He would cast Himself and the results totally upon God. The results were in God’s hand, and the Savior left them and the reward due Him entirely up to God. Although He had labored faithfully to the point of utter exhaustion and the giving of His life, He trusted that God would make His mission a success. 

V  “And when the tempter came to him, he said, if thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread. But he answered and said, it is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God” (Mt. 4:3–4).

V  “Then saith Jesus unto him, get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve. Then the devil leaveth him, and behold, angels came and ministered unto him” (Mt. 4:10–11).

V  “Jesus answered and said unto him, if a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him” (Jn. 14:23).

V  “If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love” (Jn. 15:10).

V  “For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous” (Ro. 5:19).

V  “Then said he, lo, I come to do thy will, O God. He taketh away the first, that he may establish the second” (He. 10:9). 

E. The Savior Was Called to Redeem and Return Israel to God (V. 5). He was sent “to the lost sheep of the house of Israel” (Mt. 15:24). He was sent to lead them to God so they could be delivered from the bondages of sin and death, live righteous lives, and be assured of living eternally with God (Jn. 3:16–17). Although the Jews rejected the Lord Jesus, God honored and strengthened Him for His task of bringing Israel back to God, and the Savior was successful. Remember that the very first followers of Christ were Jewish believers and that the first church was also made up of Jewish believers. Moreover, when the Lord returns to earth, a large number of Jews will know that Jesus Christ is the Savior. They will trust Him and become acceptable to God. God will receive them into His eternal kingdom.

But note what the Lord, the Father of the Savior, says: reaching Israel alone is too small a task for Christ, for He is God’s Servant. God’s Servant deserves a far greater task. Therefore, God enlarged His mission on earth, that of reaching the Gentiles (point 6). 

F. The Savior Was Called to Be a Light to the Gentiles. In other words, Christ was to be the Savior of the entire world and to bring salvation to every human being. Note that two points are being stressed:

Ø  The Person sent by God is Himself the Savior. If people wish to be saved, they must approach God through the person of Jesus Christ. He is the Mediator, the High Priest, who brings people to God. As He said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man comes to the Father but by Me” (Jn. 14:6).

Ø  The Person sent by God was given the awesome task of taking God’s salvation to the ends of the earth. Because of its overwhelming importance, God’s message of salvation must be taken to every human being. And the task of proclaiming the message must not fail.

 

V  “As it is written in the book of the words of Esaias the prophet, saying, the voice of one crying in the wilderness, prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight. Every valley shall be filled, and every mountain and hill shall be brought low; and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough ways shall be made smooth; And all flesh shall see the salvation of God” (Lu. 3:4–6).

V  “Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life” (Jn. 8:12).

V  “And Jesus said, for judgment I am come into this world, that they which see not might see; and that they which see might be made blind. And some of the Pharisees which were with him heard these words, and said unto him, are we blind also? Jesus said unto them, if ye were blind, ye should have no sin: but now ye say, we see; therefore, your sin remaineth” (Jn. 9:39–41).

V  “And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved” (Ac. 2:21).

V  “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. For the scripture saith,

V  Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed. For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him. For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved” (Ro. 10:9–13).

V  “Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son” (Col. 1:13).

V  “Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth” (1 Ti. 2:4).

V  “For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world” (Tit. 2:11–12). 

G. The Savior Was Called to Suffer, To Be Despised and Rejected by People (53:3–7; Mk. 15:1–41; Jn. 1:10–11). The Savior would become the suffering Servant of God. He would be subjected to humiliation at the hands of people, be ridiculed and mocked, assaulted, and abused, despised, and rejected, scourged, and crucified.

Notice who is revealing that the Savior will be the suffering Servant of God. It is God Himself, the Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel who reveals this fact. The Savior’s sufferings have a purpose—to redeem or pay the ransom to set people free from sin, death, and the coming judgment. As the Holy One of Israel, the Lord always acts on the basis of His holiness, always does what is righteous and just. And the right thing to do is to fulfill His promises, in particular the promise to send the Savior into the world to provide redemption. Through the suffering of the Savior, the Lord does the righteous thing for the human race: He provides redemption for all who trust, obey, and follow the Lord Jesus Christ. 

V  “And they that passed by railed on him, wagging their heads, and saying, Ah, thou that destroyest the temple, and buildest it in three days, save thyself, and come down from the cross” (Mk. 15:29–30).

V  “And the Pharisees also, who were covetous, heard all these things: and they derided him” (Lu. 16:14).

V  “And many of them said, He hath a devil, and is mad; why hear ye him?” (Jn. 10:20).

V  “And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and [He] became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross” (Ph. 2:8).

V  “He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not. Surely, he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned everyone to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all. He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth” (Is. 53:3–7). 

H. The Savior Was Called to Be Honored by The Rulers and Citizens of The World (V. 7). While on earth, the Savior was abused and crucified. However, after His sufferings, He was raised from the dead and exalted as Lord by the power of God Himself. When the Savior returns to set up God’s kingdom on earth, all the citizens of the world will honor Him. All kings, princes, and rulers will rise up from their thrones in utter shock and amazement that Jesus Christ is truly Lord. Prostrating themselves before Him, they will willingly surrender the authority of all the nations of the earth, and they will honor Christ as Lord of the universe (45:24; 52:15; Ph. 2:10–11). 

V  “So then after the Lord had spoken unto them, he was received up into heaven, and sat on the right hand of God” (Mk. 16:19).

V  “Hereafter shall the Son of man sit on the right hand of the power of God” (Lu. 22:69).

V  “This Jesus hath God raised up, whereof we all are witnesses. Therefore, being by the right hand of God exalted, and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost, he hath shed forth this, which ye now see and hear. For David is not ascended into the heavens: but he saith himself, The Lord said unto my Lord, sit thou on my right hand, Until I make thy foes thy footstool. Therefore, let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ” (Ac. 2:32–36).

V  “The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom ye slew and hanged on a tree. Him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour, for to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins” (Ac. 5:30–31).

V  “Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places” (Ep. 1:20).

V  “Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” (Ph. 2:9–11).

V  “And I beheld, and I heard the voice of many angels round about the throne and the beasts and the elders: and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands; Saying with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing” (Re. 5:11–12). 

I. The Savior Was Called to Be God’s Covenant for The People (Vv. 8–13). Note that it is the person of Christ Himself that is the covenant. Through Him, God pledges to fulfill all His promises. The Savior is to be the Mediator through whom God brings to the world the promise of salvation and all the other promises He has made down through the ages. The promises given to Israel, as well as to the Gentiles, are to be fulfilled through the Savior. Note that God promised to answer the prayers of his suffering Servant and to help Him in the day of salvation. Throughout His life on earth, the Savior suffered agonizing pain due to the continual hostility of people, in particular the religionists. Bearing the weight of so much opposition broke His heart, causing Him to go before the Lord with loud cries and tears, begging for help and strength to complete His mission. This is exactly what Scripture says: 

V  “Who in the days of his flesh, when he had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto him that was able to save him from death, and was heard in that he feared; Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered; And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him” (He. 5:7–9). 

God heard the strong cries and saw the tears of His suffering Servant. Filled with a heart of love for His Son (Jn. 3:16), God answered the Savior’s prayers. He met His need, whatever the need of the hour was. God protected the Savior in order to guarantee that He would become the covenant for the people, the pledge that God would fulfill His promises to His people. 

Five promises, in particular, are mentioned: 

1)      Through the Savior, God promises to restore the land and to assign the inheritance promised to the people (v. 8b). This is a reference to the inheritance God gave each tribe when the land was divided under the leadership of Joshua (Jos. 14:1–15). When Christ returns to earth to set up God’s kingdom, the true believers among the Israelites will receive their promised inheritances. But so will all Gentile believers. In that day, God will reward every believer with the inheritance promised in His Holy Word. 

V  “And now, brethren, I commend you to God, and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up, and to give you an inheritance among all them which are sanctified” (Ac. 20:32).

V  “Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light” (Col. 1:12).

V  “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you, Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time” (1 Pe. 1:3–5). 

2)      Through the Savior, God promises to set the people free from captivity and darkness (v. 9a). Israel’s deliverance from the captivity in Babylon is a clear picture of the Savior delivering God’s people from the bondages of sin, death, and the coming judgment. The Savior redeems and sets free all those who put their trust in Him. 

V  “For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God; Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus” (Ro. 3:23–24).

V  “Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works” (Tit. 2:13–14).

V  “Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us. For if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh: How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?” (He. 9:12–14).

V  “Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot” (1 Pe. 1:18–19). 

3)      Through the Savior, God promises to guide His people and to provide for and protect them (vv. 9b–10). God has always given this wonderful promise to His people, to all who truly believe and follow Him. Note that no matter where people go, the Lord promises to meet their needs along the way. Even the barren hills will provide food for true believers. In compassion, the Lord promises to guide and lead His people, meeting whatever needs they have. Whether Jews or Gentiles, if people truly trust the Lord, their needs will be met. 

V  “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you” (Mt. 6:33).

V  “The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusted in him, and I am helped: therefore, my heart greatly rejoiceth; and with my song will I praise him” (Ps. 28:7).

V  “Oh, how great is thy goodness, which thou hast laid up for them that fear thee, which thou hast wrought for them that trust in thee before the sons of men!” (Ps. 31:19).

V  “For thou hast been a strength to the poor, a strength to the needy in his distress, a refuge from the storm, a shadow from the heat, when the blast of the terrible ones is as a storm against the wall” (Is. 25:4).

V  “And thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, saying, this is the way, walk ye in it, when ye turn to the right hand, and when ye turn to the left” (Is. 30:21).

V  “Fear thou not; for I am with thee be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness” (Is. 41:10).

V  “Fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou art mine. When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee” (Is. 43:1–2). 

4)      Through the Savior, God removes all obstacles and guides His people back to the promised land (vv. 11–12). This is a wonderful picture of people coming to the Savior from all parts of the earth. No barrier can keep God from bringing believers to the Savior. In the last days of human history, a remnant of the Jews will return to the promised land to worship the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will establish the seat of His government in Jerusalem. 

V  “And when the Gentiles heard this, they were glad, and glorified the word of the Lord: and as many as were ordained to eternal life believed” (Ac. 13:48).

V  “And when there had been much disputing, Peter rose up, and said unto them, Men and brethren, ye know how that a good while ago God made choice among us, that the Gentiles by my mouth should hear the word of the gospel and believe” (Ac. 15:7).

V  “Be it known therefore unto you, that the salvation of God is sent unto the Gentiles, and that they will hear it” (Ac. 28:28).

V  “For the kingdom is the Lord’s: and he is the governor among the nations” (Ps. 22:28).

V  “Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: for I am God, and there is none else” (Is. 45:22). 

5)      Through the Savior, God promises to comfort His people and to have mercy on them in their affliction (v. 13). 

V  “Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort; Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God” (2 Co. 1:3–4).

V  “And in that day, thou shalt say, O Lord, I will praise thee: though thou wast angry with me, thine anger is turned away, and thou comfortedst me” (Is. 12:1).

V  “For the Lord shall comfort Zion: he will comfort all her waste places; and he will make her wilderness like Eden, and her desert like the garden of the Lord; joy and gladness shall be found therein, thanksgiving, and the voice of melody” (Is. 51:3).

V  “But the mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting upon them that fear him, and his righteousness unto children’s children” (Ps. 103:17).

V  “Who is a God like unto thee, that pardoneth iniquity, and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of his heritage? he retaineth not his anger forever, because he delighteth in mercy” (Mic. 7:18).^[2]

Before the Servant, the Messiah, was born, God had chosen Him to bring the light of the gospel (the message of salvation) to the world (see Acts 13:47). Christ offered salvation to all nations, and His apostles began the missionary movement to take this gospel to the ends of the earth. Missionary work today continues Jesus’ great commission (Matthew 28:18–20), taking the light of the gospel to all nations. Do you support evangelism and missionary efforts with your money? Do you have talent or other resources to help spread the message of Christ? God wants you to be involved. How can you help?^[3]

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^a 49:3  a prince of power, or “Israel.”

^[1] Taylor, Kenneth Nathaniel. 1997. The Living Bible, Paraphrased. Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House.

^[2] Leadership Ministries Worldwide. 2005. Isaiah: Chapters 36–66. Vol. II. The Preacher’s Outline & Sermon Bible. Chattanooga, TN: Leadership Ministries Worldwide.

^[3] Life Application Bible Notes. 2007. Tyndale.