The Redemption of the Servant (Isa. 44:1-28)

It is a strange habit of the LORD (at least, strange to us!) that he starts with the weak, the foolish, what appears to be the wrong place – the wrong time!

Canaan was the promised land – but in Joseph's day, Egypt became the land of life. There were lots of widows in Israel in Elijah's day, but God chose a Sidonian widow – a widow from Jezebel's country!

So perhaps we should not be surprised to hear that life will come – the Spirit will be poured out – in Babylon.

Jacob has been handed over to the looters and plunderers – the Servant of the LORD has refused to obey the LORD!

And so last time, in chapter 43, we heard that the LORD is the Redeemer of his Servant.

That theme is at the heart of chapter 44. If you sometimes get whiplash thinking that Isaiah is talking about Israel – but then all of a sudden, it sounds like Isaiah is talking about Jesus – you are on the right track! Because Jesus is and does all that Israel was supposed to be and to do!

Even the parts about the deaf and blind servant! After all, as Paul says, "For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin..." (2 Cor 5:21)