Isaiah
Messianic prophecies, and the remnant of Israel
"Do not fear, I will help you"
Chapter 41, verses 1 to 20
AUTOMATIC TRANSLATION TO BE REVISED
In this chapter, the Lord calls upon Nations to a confrontation with him; They shall renew their strength, that is, produce their strongest arguments. This is not a courtroom where they will be subjected to a trial, but an opportunity to hear the facts and draw conclusions.
The Lord first describes his call of Cyrus, "one of the East". The past tense is used to describe certain of this, it was still a future for Isaiah. It should be mentioned here that some commentators believe that the verses 2 and 3 refer to the call of Abraham, but the military victories of the man described here now overshadow the accomplishments of Abraham.
This man (Cyrus, King of Persia) had a remarkable string of victories. In the way of your steam roller, the resistance was weak, as dust and stubble. He advanced quickly in places that were new to him. Who raised up Cyrus and called a generation to another successful? It was the Lord, he was the first and continues being the same with the last (latest generation).
In other words, you are "the first", the preexisting all human history, everything is under your control to bring one generation after another, and leads all things to an end. The Islands (distant people) see and even the most distant tremble when they realize the danger that threatens them. This would be your situation in relation to Ciro and also will be at the end of this season.
The Nations are terrified to hear about the approach of the Conqueror, and people try to encourage each other saying that there is nothing to fear. Hastily cast an idol to save them from destruction and arrest him with nails to fasten it. The utter inability of the idol so stands out against the statements of attributes and authority of the Lord.
Then, the Lord is addressed to Israel as his servant, Jacob whom he had chosen, the seed of Abraham, taken from the ends of the Earth and called from its corners, with the encouraging words found in verses 9 to 20:
· Israel visas, the Chaldeans were remote enough to be "the ends" and "the corners" of the Earth. The Lord called Abraham among them, in order to increase his seed as a nation, that was in their plans. preexisting
· His vocation was to be chosen by the Lord's servant.
· The Lord was his God, and three reasons are given by the Lord to free them from fear and despair:
the Their presence: "because I'm with you";
the Your relationship: "I am your God";
the Your warranties and these are three (the "and" that the League is cumulative, meets the above and thus transmits the additional guarantee for the following):
§ The power: "I grow stronger" strengthening in weakness, difficulty and opposition; the Word also combines the meaning of taking care of;
§ Of assistance: "and help you" giving guidance, direction and protection;
§ Support: "and support you with the right hand of my righteousness", suggesting the loyalty in fulfilling his promises; the Hebrew word for right hand (the right hand) is associated with the idea of power, success and suggests the prosperity.
As the servants of Christ, we can also receive the same comfort of these promises, not considering how to apply only to Israel.
Israel, as the people of God, ever had and still has numerous and powerful enemies, and his power, persecution and growing antagonism and will grow more intense as we approach the end of these times. The soothing promises that we found here are the guarantee of help from God and the final overthrow of their enemies.
· All irritassem against Israel would be embarrassed, confused and tornadoes in nothing, and who contendesse with he would perish, because the Lord your God hold the right hand promising to "do not fear, I will help you". Not only is there the promise of crushing defeat all your enemies, but likewise the promise of protection and strength. Not only will there be release, but Israel itself will be taken over and used for the realization of the purposes of God. The guarantee of assistance of verse 10 is repeated here. The right hand is the one that most of us use to do our work, is the emblem of our activities.
· The "fear not" is repeated as an introduction to the promise that Israel will have power over those who opposed him. We've got two similes:
the Firstly, "o worm of Jacob" (the same insect larva of Jonah 4:7), suggests something weak, helpless, object of contempt and disgust. Your Messiah has so in their sufferings on Calvary, to be their Redeemer (Psalm 22:6).
the Secondly, "You povozinho of Israel"; the Hebrew word is suggestive of a condition of decreased, as "men in small number" (the same word is found in Genesis 34:30 and Deuteronomy 4:27); this will be after the great tribulation.
· The Lord has put because can also get up. For the third time, he says, "I got you" and ensures that, first by their Sir name and then by the promise "and your Redeemer is the Holy one of Israel". He adds, so to speak, your signature to your statement. The Lord is to be without origin, self-existent, eternal, and again He announces his title as the Foundation of guarantee of their redemptive work (see, for example, Isaiah 43:14, 44:6.24, 48:49:26, 17, 54:5.8, 60:16, Jeremiah 50:34 and compare Isaiah 29:22, 51:11, 62:12, and Jeremiah 31:11). In each place the word "Redeemer" is the verb on the noun goel, an Avenger relative-Redeemer. Redemption is always based on her graceful compliance with the obligation of a relative (Leviticus 25:48.49), embody in order to make his atoning sacrifice.
· The verses 15 and 16 vividly portray the nation as an instrument of the Lord to annihilate their enemies. Israel will be a sharp, new thresher with double-edged swords, as a tool that cuts up straw and fodder and grains from the chaff separates. The hills and hillocks (figure of the proud and powerful enemies) will be espicaçados and ground, and scattered by the wind. A whirlwind of the Lord will suppress the irresistible last vestige of them.
· The nation will rejoice in the Lord and glory to the Holy one of Israel will yield. But the Lord, looking to the future, also remember compassionately from the "poor and needy" who are in need of water: not just the exiles in Babylon, but all his people in their hardship and suffering in every season. The Lord promises to remember them and answer your prayer. He will " Open rivers in high stripped, and fountains in the midst of the valleys; make the desert a Lake of water, and the dry land Springs".
· While all this portrays a miserable condition change of Israel for a receiver abundant blessing in the Millennium (compare Isaiah 35:6.7), a passage which confirms the fact that Isaiah wrote both parts of this book), this promise also contain a spiritual meaning. This because of the reference to the water supplied in desert travel to supernaturally get out of Egypt, and it is applied in 1 Corinthians 10 spiritually: 4 (compare with John 4:14, 7:37 -39 and see Revelation 22:17).
· In verse 19, Isaiah goes on to describe symbolically providing variety of refreshment and comfort to the nation in the future. Its abundance is indicated at the mention of the seven trees that the Lord says he will plant in the wilderness, which will be transformed into a real paradise. Beautiful branches will be supplied to the feast of Tabernacles. The trees are all fragrant, as well as durable and again this double character's figurative spiritual fragrance and the permanence of the enjoyment of the communion of the Holy Spirit.
In addition, it will be evident that this planting and abundance is not the result of mere natural production. The people will find out in four steps forward, that everything will be done by thehand of the Lord"with the creative power of the"Holy one of Israel": they will see, and know, and consider, and understandtogether. This sequence of four verbs is notable and significant. She also describes what must be the result of our scripture meditations on the Lord's relationship with us. We will learn that Javê, or Lord, you Who made the universe, incarnated himself as the man Jesus, he gave his body and blood in redemption of the sinners who repent and submit to him, governs the universe and in due course will send all their carnal and spiritual enemies, to the place of eternal damnation.
R David Jones
1 "Keep silence before Me, O coastlands, And let the people renew their strength! Let them come near, then let them speak; Let us come near together for judgment.
2 "Who raised up one from the east? Who in righteousness called him to His feet? Who gave the nations before him, And made him rule over kings? Who gave them as the dust to his sword, As driven stubble to his bow?
3 Who pursued them, and passed safely By the way that he had not gone with his feet?
4 Who has performed and done it, Calling the generations from the beginning? 'I, the LORD, am the first; And with the last I am He.' "
5 The coastlands saw it and feared, The ends of the earth were afraid; They drew near and came.
6 Everyone helped his neighbor, And said to his brother, "Be of good courage!"
7 So the craftsman encouraged the goldsmith; He who smooths with the hammer inspired him who strikes the anvil, Saying, "It is ready for the soldering"; Then he fastened it with pegs, That it might not totter.
8 "But you, Israel, are My servant, Jacob whom I have chosen, The descendants of Abraham My friend.
9 You whom I have taken from the ends of the earth, And called from its farthest regions, And said to you, 'You are My servant, I have chosen you and have not cast you away:
10 Fear not, for I am with you; Be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, Yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.'
11 "Behold, all those who were incensed against you Shall be ashamed and disgraced; They shall be as nothing, And those who strive with you shall perish.
12 You shall seek them and not find them— Those who contended with you. Those who war against you Shall be as nothing, As a nonexistent thing.
13 For I, the LORD your God, will hold your right hand, Saying to you, 'Fear not, I will help you.'
14 "Fear not, you worm Jacob, You men of Israel! I will help you," says the LORD And your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel.
15 "Behold, I will make you into a new threshing sledge with sharp teeth; You shall thresh the mountains and beat them small, And make the hills like chaff.
16 You shall winnow them, the wind shall carry them away, And the whirlwind shall scatter them; You shall rejoice in the LORD, And glory in the Holy One of Israel.
17 "The poor and needy seek water, but there is none, Their tongues fail for thirst. I, the LORD, will hear them; I, the God of Israel, will not forsake them.
18 I will open rivers in desolate heights, And fountains in the midst of the valleys; I will make the wilderness a pool of water, And the dry land springs of water.
19 I will plant in the wilderness the cedar and the acacia tree, The myrtle and the oil tree; I will set in the desert the cypress tree and the pine And the box tree together,
20 That they may see and know, And consider and understand together, That the hand of the LORD has done this, And the Holy One of Israel has created it.
Isaiah chapter 41 verses 1 to 20