The Servant Songs, Part II

The second and third Servant Songs build upon each other, and this lesson takes up the second, Isaiah 49:1–13. It covers the Servant’s calling and mission, the rejection He meets, and His vindication. We will explore its themes, make practical application, and see what references we can find to uncover the Servant’s identity.

Who is the speaker? This time the song begins from the Servant’s own perspective (vv. 1–6); then God speaks (vv. 7–12). We are going to see the Servant’s disappointment and struggles from a different perspective, and then the Lord will validate the Servant’s role.

The Servant speaks directly to the coastlands and distant nations — “Listen, O isles, unto me; and hearken, ye peoples, from far” — echoing the global scope introduced in Isaiah 42:4, “the isles shall wait for his law.” The emphasis on far-off nations in both songs underscores that the Servant’s mission extends beyond Israel, with profound implications for the entire world. The repetition reinforces God’s plan of salvation spreading beyond Israel, and it ties back to the “light of the Gentiles” (42:6), which helps connect the two passages as referring to the same Servant. This theme of universal restoration continues to unfold throughout Isaiah’s prophecies, revealing God’s redemptive plan for all people.

The Servant highlights His divine calling — not a mission assumed in adulthood, but one ordained from the womb: “Jehovah hath called me from the womb; from the bowels of my mother hath he made mention of my name” (v. 1; compare v. 5). Being chosen from birth establishes the Servant’s legitimacy and authority as coming from God rather than from human ambition; the mission is God-directed. It is a lifelong dedication to the mission, not a circumstantial one. Others too were called from birth: Jeremiah, Samson, Samuel, John the Baptist, and Paul, whom God “separated… even from my mother’s womb” (Galatians 1:15).

This is a preordained plan; God has all things in place (Isaiah 46:8–13). He declares “the end from the beginning… My counsel shall stand” (46:10). God’s plan is unshakable, and history serves as evidence. Humanity may resist and reject, but He is not shaken: “There are many devices in a man’s heart; But the counsel of Jehovah, that shall stand” (Proverbs 19:21). There is none other; God’s power is immeasurable, beyond compare.

We too have been called (Ephesians 1:4–5; 2:10) — not by merit but by grace (2 Timothy 1:9). We need to have confidence in that standing in order to stand strong.

Verse 2 turns to the Servant’s preparation with several “he hath made…” statements. “He hath made my mouth like a sharp sword”: words carry power, precision and authority — the word of God is “sharper than any two-edged sword” (Hebrews 4:12). “In the shadow of his hand hath he hid me”: protection and concealment; the Servant will be kept under God’s care and hidden. “He hath made me a polished shaft; in his quiver hath he kept me close”: an arrow is a fashioned, precise tool, designed for a purpose and kept secure until the appointed time.

The imagery of being hidden in the shadow of God’s hand and crafted like a polished arrow emphasizes the specific role God had planned. This was careful consideration, preparation, and a degree of protection until the appointed time came. God is not reactionary; He is unbound by time.

This leads to verse 3, where the identity “Israel” is assigned to the Servant: “Thou art my servant; Israel, in whom I will be glorified.” This sparks many different interpretations, which we take up at the end of the lesson.

Verse 4 shows the Servant will not see great success: “I have labored in vain, I have spent my strength for nought and vanity.” But where is the Servant’s reward? With the Lord: “yet surely the justice due to me is with Jehovah, and my recompense with my God.”

Verses 5–6 show the Servant’s mission: to bring Jacob back to God; to be a light to the Gentiles — there it is again; and to be God’s salvation to the end of the earth. “It is too light a thing that thou shouldest be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and to restore the preserved of Israel: I will also give thee for a light to the Gentiles, that thou mayest be my salvation unto the end of the earth” (v. 6).

Notice that verses 5–7 show Israel the nation is to be redeemed by the Servant. So if the identity of the Servant is Israel the nation, how does Israel save itself? There are many individual titles and characteristics in this passage that could not be applied to an entire nation.

God becomes the speaker in verse 7, reaffirming His role to the Israelites. What title is used? “Jehovah, the Redeemer of Israel, and his Holy One.” A redeemer removes the debt or loss, or frees from slavery.

God then speaks of the Servant: “him whom man despiseth… him whom the nation abhorreth… a servant of rulers.” God’s Servant will be despised by man; the nation will abhor Him — a word of abomination, of strong loathing; and He will serve even rulers.

Here we see an interesting paradox. The Servant will be despised and abhorred, yet “Kings shall see and arise; princes, and they shall worship.” From rejection to recognition — and beyond recognition, to worship. This pattern of suffering and vindication is a common theme not just in Isaiah but in the New Testament as well. And the Lord is described again: “the Holy One of Israel, who hath chosen thee.” Again, who chose the Servant? Not man, and not the Servant Himself — God.

Then the song becomes a conversation between God and His Servant: “In an acceptable time have I answered thee, and in a day of salvation have I helped thee; and I will preserve thee, and give thee for a covenant of the people” (v. 8). Again we see “time,” a common theme; Paul quotes this verse and adds, “behold, now is the acceptable time; behold, now is the day of salvation” (2 Corinthians 6:2). As in chapter 42, God is not thrusting His Servant into a hostile environment without any help: He helps, preserves, and gives Him as a covenant. God will remain active and provide aid to enable the success of the Servant.

The Servant will “raise up the land, to make them inherit the desolate heritages” (v. 8). At first glance this is the return from Babylon and the reclaiming of Jerusalem — Ezra? Nehemiah? But what else has been made desolate? What legacies tarnished? Both a physical and a spiritual inheritance could be argued.

Verse 9 brings again the freeing of prisoners: “saying to them that are bound, Go forth; to them that are in darkness, Show yourselves.” “Go forth” is like “Let my people go,” or “Arise, take up thy bed, and walk.” Come out of darkness; step into the light. Along the journey they will be fed and provided for (compare 40:11), with pasture where there was once desolation. Again we see God’s ability to transform waste and darkness into prosperity and light.

In verses 10–11 God provides sustenance, shelter, mercy and renewal: “They shall not hunger nor thirst; neither shall the heat nor sun smite them: for he that hath mercy on them will lead them.” The key: God’s providence comes out of mercy, not obligation. No mountain is impassable; the highways are safe, clear and exalted (compare 40:4). It is the theme of a very familiar psalm, the 23rd, repeated in Revelation 7:16–17. In this song God highlights His mercy, compassion and providence rather than the judgment and penalties of rejecting Him.

In verse 12, “these” — likely the prisoners and those in darkness of verse 9 — come from far: from the north (Babylon, Assyria), from the west (the coastal regions and Mediterranean nations), and from “the land of Sinim.” All shall sing and praise, even the mountains: “Sing, O heavens; and be joyful, O earth; and break forth into singing, O mountains: for Jehovah hath comforted his people, and will have compassion upon his afflicted” (v. 13). The song culminates with heavens and earth called to rejoice — not because struggles and temptations have vanished, but because of the comfort and mercy God has shown to those who are His. The Lord comforts His people and, again, shows mercy, specifically on the afflicted.

As the song concludes: who is the Servant? Or rather, who does this passage best describe, considering the Scriptures God has revealed to us?

Could the Servant be Jesus? He was called before birth (vv. 1–3; Luke 1:31; John 1:1). He was hidden until the appropriate time (v. 2; Luke 2:51; John 2:4). He felt the rejection (vv. 4, 7; Matthew 27:46; 1 Peter 2:23). He is covenant and liberator (vv. 5–6; Luke 22:20; John 8:36). He is the tender leader and shepherd (vv. 8–13; John 6:35; Revelation 7:17). Conclusion: only Jesus matches every stage of the Servant’s identity and mission.

Could the Servant be Israel? Those who say so point to verse 3, “Thou art my servant; Israel.” On this reading the Servant is simply the faithful remnant of Israel who remain true to God; Israel is meant to be a light to the nations; Israel will suffer hardship and rejection but will survive and return from exile; and although individual terms are used, this is simply the personification of the nation — the passage continues the discussion of Israel, not of a Messianic figure. But as we saw in verses 5–7, the Servant brings Jacob back to God; the nation cannot be its own redeemer.

Could the Servant be Jesus, Joseph Smith and the Restored Church all at once? Many Mormons hold the position that one prophecy can have multiple true interpretations. Jesus is viewed as the ultimate fulfillment of Isaiah 49, but Joseph Smith is also believed to fulfill it (specifically 49:1–2), and the LDS Church to fulfill the restoration of the world. Recent leaders, including the church’s president, claim the chapter refers to temple work.

Can a prophecy hold different true interpretations? Yes — but from a logical, literary and hermeneutical standpoint, each must fulfill the passage in its entirety. The LDS interpretations do not each complete the prophecy; they fulfill only parts. The shifting between Israel, Christ, Smith and the Church blurs the passage. It only works if you say the identity changes every few verses rather than being fulfilled in its completion — yet the passage flows and shows no clear signs of breaks in meaning.