The Servant (2): A light to the nations

Isaiah 49:1-13

The second Servant Song reveals that a key purpose of the mission of the Servant was to draw people back to God. This had two different elements: bringing Israel back into relationship with God, and drawing all the nations of the earth to God.

Isaiah states it as follows: ‘To bring Jacob back to Him, so that Israel might be gathered to Him’ (v5). This is a hugely significant message, particularly given the situation at the time where the nation of Israel was facing a pretty bleak future in exile. However, the promise of the Servant brings hope that His mission will result in the nation being stirred to return to God and enable God to restore relationship with His people.

In the following verse the scope of the mission widens even further: ‘It is too small a thing that you should be my Servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob and to restore the preserved ones of Israel; I will also make You a light of the nations, so that My salvation may reach to the end of the earth.’ (v6). Clearly God has big plans for the mission of the Servant. Not only will He draw the nation of Israel back to their God, but through Him He will bring light to the nations and provide a way back to God for every tribe and people group. This has echoes of the promise to Abraham (A blessing to all the nations) which was that all nations of the earth would be blessed through him.

At the dedication of Jesus described in Luke 2:25-35, Simeon picked up on these two themes. Simeon blessed the child Jesus saying that He will be ‘A light of revelation to the Gentiles and the glory of Your people Israel’ (v32). He realised that the baby was going to be significant in both the restoration of Israel and in the salvation of many people from all nations. The apostle Paul agreed that Jesus fulfilled this and summarised that ‘the Christ … would be the first to proclaim light both to the Jewish people and to the Gentiles’ (Acts 26:23).

And Jesus described Himself as follows: ‘I am the Light of the World’ (John 8:12). There is no doubt that Jesus fulfilled this element of the Servant’s mission!

Further reading:        Luke 2:25-35

Worship video:

To think about:
Why is light the image used by Isaiah to describe the Servant’s mission?  Matthew 5:14-16 calls us to be the light of the world.   What does this mean for you in the situations God has placed you in?

Creative response:

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