Sunday School Lesson

1. Isaiah 49:1-13
God Comforts
November 8, 2020
His Followers Sunday School Class
First Baptist Church
Jackson, Mississippi
USA
What’s the number one thing?
The glory of God!
1 Corinthians 10:31 NKJV
31 Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of
God.
References
• English Standard Version (ESV) Study Bible (Wheaton, IL, Crossway, 2008).
• Scriptures today in ESV.
• Palmer, Edwin H., The NIV Study Bible (Grand Rapids, Zondervan, 1985).
• MacArthur, John, The MacArthur Study Bible NKJV (Nashville, Nelson
Publishers, 1997).
• Wiersbe, Warren W., BE COMFORTED: Isaiah (Colorado Springs, Chariot
Victor Publishing, 1992).
Focus of Lesson Today
• Review the historical setting for Isaiah 49.
• Look at God’s message of comfort in the promise of a Messiah as a
servant.
• Study the fulfillments of Isaiah 49 prophecy in the New Testament.
• Let the Scriptures speak words of comfort to us.
Introduction to Isaiah the Prophet
• Isaiah’s name means “salvation of the Lord.”
• Isaiah prophesied during the time of the divided kingdom, directing the
major thrust of his message to the southern kingdom of Judah.
• Isaiah ministered in the Jerusalem area as a prophet from 739-686 B.C. (53
years) during the reigns of 4 kings of Judah: Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz,
Hezekiah.

2. Isaiah 39:5-6 ESV (A Prophecy of Captivity)
5 Then Isaiah said to Hezekiah, “Hear the word of the Lord of hosts: 6 ‘Behold, the
days are coming when all that is in your house, and that which your fathers have
stored up till this day, shall be carried to Babylon. Nothing shall be left,’ says the
Lord.
• Judah is living under the prophecy of upcoming captivity by the
Babylonians and exile for 70 years.
Isaiah 39:7-8 ESV (Captivity of Your Children)
7 ‘And some of your own sons who will come from you, whom you will father,
shall be taken away, and they shall be eunuchs in the palace of the king of
Babylon.’”
• This prophecy was written in 700 BC, and it was fulfilled in 605 BC.
Introduction to Isaiah 49
• The prophecy of Isaiah 39 says Judah’s life is about to change for the
worse, and there is no fixing it.
• What can God say to encourage his people who know they have a dark
future ahead, and life will never be the same for them or their children?
• God’s message of encouragement begins in Isaiah 40.
Isaiah 40:1 ESV (Speak Comfort)
1 Comfort, comfort my people, says your God.
• God tells Isaiah to speak words of “comfort.”
• Comfort ‒ To console, cheer, to give strength and hope.

3. Summary of Isaiah’s Message of Comfort in Isaiah 40
1. God is in control (God is sovereign).
2. God will fulfill His purposes for you.
‐ “You” in these verses represent Judah, (nation of Israel) and each
individual person.
3. God will sustain His people.
4. A Messiah is coming.
Introduction to Isaiah 49
• Isaiah 42-53 includes “4 Servant Songs” describing the Messiah in his role
as a servant.
• Servant ‒ A person who performs duties for others.
• The meaning of “servant” in Isaiah 42-53 must be placed in context of the
scripture.
• In most scriptures, it represents the Messiah; and in others it represents
Israel (corporate personality).
The 4 Servant Songs in Isaiah 42-53
1. Isaiah 42:1-9 The Lord’s Chosen Servant.
2. Isaiah 49:1-13 The Servant, the Light to the Gentiles.
3. Isaiah 50:4-11 The Servant, Israel’s Hope.
4. Isaiah 52:13-53:12 The Sin Bearing Servant.
• These Servant Songs were written around 700 BC, and the first coming
of the Jesus fulfilled many of these prophecies.
Fulfillment of Prophecy by Jesus
Matthew 5:17-18 ESV
17 “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not
come to abolish them but to fulfill them. 18 For truly, I say to you, until heaven and
earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the Law until all is
accomplished.
• Prophecy – A message from God communicated through a messenger
(prophet).
Isaiah 42:1-9 (Summary Servant Song #1)
Isaiah 42:1 ESV
1 Behold my servant, whom I uphold,
my chosen, in whom my soul delights;
I have put my Spirit upon him;
he will bring forth justice to the nations.
• God is speaking of His selection of the servant who will bring justice
to earth.
• Matthew 12:18-21 quotes Isaiah 42:1-4 to introduce Jesus as the
fulfilment as the servant.

4. Isaiah 49:1a ESV (“Listen to me” Servant Song #2)
1a Listen to me, O coastlands,
and give attention, you peoples from afar.
• Isaiah 49 is written from the servant’s point of view (first person
narrative).
• The “me” is Jesus the Servant Messiah.
• The message is for the whole world, not just Israel.
Isaiah 49:1b ESV (“he named my name.”)
1b The Lord called me from the womb,
from the body of my mother he named my name.
• God names Jesus.
• Matthew 1:20-21 ESV
20 But as he considered these things, behold, an angel of the Lord
appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not
fear to take Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is
from the Holy Spirit. 21 She will bear a son, and you shall call his
name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.”
Isaiah 49:2a ESV (The Power of the Word)
2a He made my mouth like a sharp sword;
in the shadow of his hand, he hid me;
• Revelation 1:16 ESV (John’s description of Jesus)
16 In his right hand he held seven stars, from his mouth came a sharp
two-edged sword, and his face was like the sun shining in full
strength.
The Power of the Word
• Hebrews 4:12 ESV
12 For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged
sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow,
and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.
Isaiah 49:2b ESV (“he hid me away”)
2b he made me a polished arrow;
in his quiver he hid me away.
• Galatians 4:4-5 ESV
4 But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born
of woman, born under the law, 5 to redeem those who were under the
law, so that we might receive adoption as sons.

5. Isaiah 49:3 ESV (God will be glorified)
3 And he said to me, “You are my servant,
Israel, in whom I will be glorified.”
• The nation of Israel failed to be the one in whom God was glorified.
• The servant of the Lord will be the one in whom God will be glorified.
• Israel is represented in this verse by the servant.
Jesus brought glory to God.
• John 17:4-5 ESV
4 I glorified you on earth, having accomplished the work that you gave me
to do. 5 And now, Father, glorify me in your own presence with the glory
that I had with you before the world existed.
Isaiah 49:4a ESV (Rejected by men)
4a But I said, “I have labored in vain;
I have spent my strength for nothing and vanity;
• Israel’s rejection of the Messiah appeared to make the servant’s
labor in vain.
• John 1:11 ESV
11 He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him.
Isaiah 49:4b ESV (Jesus’ reward was pleasing His Father)
4b yet surely my right is with the Lord,
and my recompense (reward) with my God.”
• Matthew 3:16-17 ESV
16 And when Jesus was baptized, immediately he went up from the
water, and behold, the heavens were opened to him, and he saw the
Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming to rest on him;
17 and behold, a voice from heaven said, “This is my beloved Son,
with whom I am well pleased.”
Isaiah 49:5 ESV (The regathering of Israel)
5 And now the Lord says,
he who formed me from the womb to be his servant,
to bring Jacob back to him;
and that Israel might be gathered to him—
for I am honored in the eyes of the Lord,
and my God has become my strength—

6. Ezekiel 11:17 ESV (Israel will be regathered)
17 Therefore say, ‘Thus says the Lord God: I will gather you from the peoples and
assemble you out of the countries where you have been scattered, and I will
give you the land of Israel.’
• The regathering of the nation of Israel will occur in the millennial reign of
the Messiah.
Isaiah 49:6 ESV (A light to the world, and salvation for all)
6 he says:
“It is too light a thing that you should be my servant
to raise up the tribes of Jacob
and to bring back the preserved of Israel;
I will make you as a light for the nations,
that my salvation may reach to the end of the earth.”
Luke 2:28-32 ESV (Simeon’s revelation of Jesus at the Temple)
28 he (Simeon)took him up in his arms and blessed God and said,
29 “Lord, now you are letting your servant depart in peace,
according to your word;
30 for my eyes have seen your salvation
31 that you have prepared in the presence of all peoples,
32 a light for revelation to the Gentiles,
and for glory to your people Israel.”
Paul’s conversion and calling. (Isaiah 49:6 “a light for the nations”)
Acts 26:15-16 ESV
15 And I said, ‘Who are you, Lord?’ And the Lord said, ‘I am Jesus whom you are
persecuting. 16 But rise and stand upon your feet, for I have appeared to you for
this purpose, to appoint you as a servant and witness to the things in which you
have seen me and to those in which I will appear to you, 17 delivering you from
your people and from the Gentiles—to whom I am sending you 18 to open their
eyes, so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to
God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who
are sanctified by faith in me.’
Jesus’ final words to the disciples. “to the end of the earth”
Isaiah 49:6b ESV
6b I will make you as a light for the nations,
that my salvation may reach to the end of the earth.”
Acts 1:8 ESV
8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you
will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end
of the earth.”

7. Paul and Barnabas quote Isaiah 49:6 in their sermon to Antioch.
Acts 13:46-47 ESV
46 And Paul and Barnabas spoke out boldly, saying, “It was necessary that the
word of God be spoken first to you. Since you thrust it aside and judge
yourselves unworthy of eternal life, behold, we are turning to the Gentiles. 47 For
so the Lord has commanded us, saying,
“‘I have made you a light for the Gentiles,
that you may bring salvation to the ends of the earth.’”
Isaiah 42:6-7 ESV (Servant Song #1) “a light for the nations”
6 “I am the Lord; I have called you in righteousness;
I will take you by the hand and keep you;
I will give you as a covenant for the people,
a light for the nations,
7 to open the eyes that are blind,
to bring out the prisoners from the dungeon,
from the prison those who sit in darkness.
Isaiah 49:7 ESV (The servant will be worshipped.)
7 Thus says the Lord,
the Redeemer of Israel and his Holy One,
to one deeply despised, abhorred by the nation,
the servant of rulers:
“Kings shall see and arise;
princes, and they shall prostrate themselves;
because of the Lord, who is faithful,
the Holy One of Israel, who has chosen you.”
Philippians 2:9-11 ESV (The servant will be worshipped.)
9 Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is
above every name, 10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in
heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue confess that
Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
Isaiah 49:8a ESV (The day of salvation)
8a Thus says the Lord:
“In a time of favor I have answered you;
in a day of salvation I have helped you;
• The day of salvation is the first coming of the Messiah to earth as the
Son of God.

8. 2 Corinthians 5:21-6:2 ESV (The day of salvation explained)
21 For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might
become the righteousness of God.
1 Working together with him, then, we appeal to you not to receive the grace of
God in vain. 2 For he says,
“In a favorable time I listened to you,
and in a day of salvation I have helped you.”
Behold, now is the favorable time; behold, now is the day of salvation.
Isaiah 49:8b ESV (The New Covenant)
8b I will keep you and give you
as a covenant to the people,
to establish the land,
to apportion the desolate heritages,
• Matthew 26:27-28 ESV
27 And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he gave it to
them, saying, “Drink of it, all of you, 28 for this is my blood of the
covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.
Hebrews 9:15 ESV (Jesus is the new covenant in Isaiah 6:8)
15 Therefore he is the mediator of a new covenant, so that those who are called
may receive the promised eternal inheritance, since a death has occurred that
redeems them from the transgressions committed under the first covenant.
Isaiah 49:9-12 ESV (Walking in the light)
9 saying to the prisoners, ‘Come out,’
to those who are in darkness, ‘Appear.’
They shall feed along the ways;
on all bare heights shall be their pasture;
10 they shall not hunger or thirst,
neither scorching wind nor sun shall strike them,
for he who has pity on them will lead them,
and by springs of water will guide them.
11 And I will make all my mountains a road,
and my highways shall be raised up.
12 Behold, these shall come from afar,
and behold, these from the north and from the west,
and these from the land of Syene.”

9. Revelation 7:9, 15-17 ESV (Worshipping in the light of heaven)
9 After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number,
from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before
the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in
their hands,
15 “Therefore they are before the throne of God,
and serve him day and night in his temple;
and he who sits on the throne will shelter them with his presence.
16 They shall hunger no more, neither thirst anymore;
the sun shall not strike them,
nor any scorching heat.
17 For the Lamb in the midst of the throne will be their shepherd,
and he will guide them to springs of living water,
and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.”
Isaiah 49:13 ESV (God Comforts)
13 Sing for joy, O heavens, and exult, O earth;
break forth, O mountains, into singing!
For the Lord has comforted his people
and will have compassion on his afflicted.
• God’s comfort in Isaiah 49 was the promise of a servant Messiah
who provides salvation for all the world.
• God fulfilled that promise in Jesus Christ.
God’s comfort is salvation in Jesus.
John 3:16 ESV
16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes
in him should not perish but have eternal life.”
God’s comfort is Jesus’ defeat of Satan.
Revelation 20:10 ESV
10 and the devil who had deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and
sulfur where the beast and the false prophet were, and they will be tormented
day and night forever and ever.
John’s description of the servant Messiah
John 1:1-5 ESV
1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was
God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made through him,
and without him was not any thing made that was made. 4 In him was life, and
the life was the light of men. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness
has not overcome it.

10. The Servant’s Offer
Matthew 11:28 ESV
28 “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.”
The Plan of Hope & Salvation:
John 3:16-17 NKJV
16 “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever
believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. 17 For God did not
send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him
might be saved.”
John 14:6 NKJV
6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the
Father except through Me.”
Romans 3:23 NKJV
23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,
Romans 6:23a NKJV
23a For the wages of sin is death,
• Death in this life (the first death) is 100%.
• Even Jesus, the only one who doesn’t deserve death, died in this life to
pay the penalty for our sin.
• The death referred to in Romans 6:23a is the “second death” explained in
Revelation 21:8.
Revelation 21:8 NKJV
8 “But the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral,
sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with
fire and brimstone, which is the second death.”
• Anyone who’s lifestyle is one or more of the sins listed in Revelation 21:8,
will experience the “second death,” if they do not repent.
• To Repent means to turn around, to go in the opposite direction, to turn
away from sin and believe in Jesus.
Romans 5:8 NKJV
8 But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners,
Christ died for us.
Romans 6:23b NKJV
23b but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

11. Revelation 21:7 NKJV
7 “He who overcomes shall inherit all things, and I will be his God and he shall be
My son.”
• Romans 10:9-10 explain to us how to be overcomers.
Romans 10:9-10 NKJV
9 that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that
God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For with the heart one
believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto
salvation.
Romans 10:13 NKJV
13 For “whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.”
Do you have questions?
Would you like to know more?
Please, contact First Baptist Church Jackson at 601-949-1900 or
https://www.firstbaptistjackson.org/contact-us/