Listen to Him
Scripture Reading: Isaiah 49:1-7
This is the second “Servant Song” in Isaiah. There is a lot to consider here. Too much for a brief devotional reading. So, I will limit myself to saying this text is pointing us to the incarnation of Christ and His role as a prophet. The first verse begins with “listen to me…” This is distinct from the typical prophetic address. This Prophet does not call people to “hear the word of the Lord,” but rather to “listen to me.” He goes on to describe His words as being “like a sharp sword.”
Who could speak this way? When we get to the New Testament, we find passages that help us understand who was talking like this in Isaiah 49. For example, in John’s vision of Jesus in Revelation chapter one, he says of Him that “in his right hand he held seven stars, from his mouth came a sharp two-edged sword.”
The book of Hebrews says, “The word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword…and no creature is hidden from his sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give account,” (Hebrews 4:12,13). While we often interpret this as speaking about the Bible, and that is certainly an accurate understanding of the text, we also miss the fact that the writer is talking about a Person as well, the Lord himself.
Then, in Mark 9:7 God speaks from heaven and says, “This is my beloved Son; listen to him.”
All of these texts clarify for us who the Servant of Isaiah 49 is. This is Jesus Christ, the only Prophet who could speak this way because His words are God’s words. He isn’t merely a messenger, taking what is given and passing it along. He is the Messenger of God. He is the Word of God. When He speaks, God is speaking.
Therefore, listen to Him.
Amen