In my last post, we learned about The Servant of the Lord in Yesha’yahu 49:1-7. In this post, we begin to learn about The Restoration of Isra’el ~ Part 1 in Yesha’yahu 49:8-14.

Unfortunately, I have had to break the topic into two separate posts to maintain a readable length.

⁸ Here is what Adonai says: “At the time when I choose, I will answer you; on the day of salvation, I will help you. I have preserved you, and I have appointed you to be the covenant for a people, to restore the land and distribute again its ruined inheritances to their owners,

The covenant is a reference to the covenant made with Avraham in Genesis 12:2-3. Adonai will restore His people to the land He gave them and which they forfeited.

Sha’ul quotes this verse saying to the Corinthians: “As God’s fellow-workers, we also urge you not to receive His grace and then do nothing with it. For He says, ‘At the acceptable time I heard you; in the day of salvation I helped you.’” ~ 2 Corinthians 6:1-2 (CJB)

⁹ to say to the prisoners, ‘Come out!’ to those in darkness, ‘Show yourselves!’ They will feed along the paths, and all the high hills will be their pastures.

In His first sermon, Yeshua declared that His mission was, among other things, to preach deliverance to the captives, here prisoners (see Luke 4:18). Yeshua not only talked about doing this but accomplished it when He healed those who were bound by HaSatan (see Matthew 8:16) and, ultimately freed all of humanity from the stranglehold of sin through His death on the Cross.

 ¹⁰ They will be neither hungry nor thirsty; neither scorching wind nor sun will strike them; for He who has mercy on them will lead them and guide them to springs of water.

What a great promise! The people of God have been in desperate straits, but Adonai will deliver them.

¹¹ I will turn all My mountains into a road; My highways will be raised up. ¹² There they come, some from far away, some from the north, some from the west, and some from the land of Sinim.”

The prophecy again uses language drawn from the Exodus and wilderness wandering traditions. Sinim is typically associated with modern Aswan in Egypt.

¹³ Sing, heaven! Rejoice, earth! Break out in song, you mountains! For Adonai is comforting his people, having mercy on his own who have suffered.

Yesha’yahu began with a prophecy calling on heavens and earth to serve as witnesses to testify that Adonai’s people deserved their punishment; now they rejoice in their restoration. The land is commanded to break into song at the prospect of the coming Messiah.

¹⁴ “But Tziyon says, ‘Adonai has abandoned me, Adonai has forgotten me.’

Tziyon, personified as a woman, represents Yerushalayim. She complained or lamented that Adonai had abandoned her. The verses that follow suggest that what she missed was her children or the inhabitants of Yerushalayim. Their absence in exile led her to suggest that Adonai had forgotten her.

In my next post, we will continue to learn about The Restoration of Isra’el ~ Part 2 in Yesha’yahu 49:15-26.

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