In this verse from Isaiah, the Lord is responding to the people of Israel, who say:
“The Lord has forsaken me, and my Lord has forgotten me.” (Isaiah 49:14)
The Lord tells them that even though it is possible for a nursing mother to forget her own child, it is impossible that He will ever forget His chosen people. He literally knows them like the palm of His own hand - because they are written there!
To see what makes this exchange more beautiful, and more relevant to us 'new testament' people, you need to go up a few verses, and see that this whole section is preceded by talk of the coming Messiah.
“And now the Lord says,
Who formed Me from the womb to be His Servant,
To bring Jacob back to Him,
So that Israel is gathered to Him
(For I shall be glorious in the eyes of the Lord,
And My God shall be My strength)” (Isaiah 49:5)
The Lord Jesus was put into the womb of a young virgin named Mary. The purpose in this strange and wonderful miracle is two-fold. First, as it says here, to gather the people of Israel and turn them back to God. The second purpose becomes clear with the next verse:
“Indeed He says,
‘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 give You as a light to the Gentiles,
That You should be My salvation to the ends of the earth.’” (Isaiah 49:6)
God the Father says to His Son Jesus that it is not enough to just bring His chosen people of Israel to Him, but also to bring all His other children of the world as well!
This wonderful prophetic book - written with words inspired by the Holy Spirit - was composed approximately 700 years before the birth of Jesus of Nazareth. Before it ever happened, God had a perfect plan to save us all. The Light of the World came and proved that He was worthy to be more than the Savior of Israel – that is too small a thing… He is the Savior of us all!
#LoveMatters