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  • From: Harold Holmyard <hholmyard AT ont.com>
  • To: b-hebrew AT lists.ibiblio.org
  • Subject: Re: [b-hebrew] Mashiach
  • Date: Thu, 31 Aug 2006 05:37:32 -0500

Dear Shoshanna,

Isaiah 49: 1-5 As he prepares to prophesy regarding many countries, Isaiah stresses that G-d selected him for this purpose - even from the womb.

Verse 6 does not refer to Mashiach, because Mashiach does not bring salvation to "the ends of the earth". Mashiach brings salvation to Israel, and AS A BY-PRODUCT, the rest of the world will know G-d and will worship G-d - as they were commanded (7 Noahide laws).


HH: It is the same thing. A prophet does not have to mention every fact each time he brings up a subject. Isaiah talks about the messianic era in his prophecies relating to the servant and clearly discusses the salvation of Israel. For example, the last part of Isaiah 52 talks about the servant, but the first part talks about the salvation of Israel:

Is. 52:1 Awake, awake, O Zion, clothe yourself with strength. Put on your garments of splendor, O Jerusalem, the holy city. The uncircumcised and defiled will not enter you again.
Is. 52:2 Shake off your dust; rise up, sit enthroned, O Jerusalem. Free yourself from the chains on your neck, O captive Daughter of Zion.
Is. 52:3 For this is what the LORD says: “You were sold for nothing, and without money you will be redeemed.”

"Light for the nations" is what Israel is called.


HH: The person is a covenant to the people of Israel. It is the same person in Isaiah 49 as in Isaiah 42.

Is. 42:6 “I, the LORD, have called you in righteousness; I will take hold of your hand. I will keep you and will make you to be a covenant for the people and a light for the Gentiles,

Is. 49:8 This is what the LORD says: “In the time of my favor I will answer you, and in the day of salvation I will help you; I will keep you and will make you to be a covenant for the people, to restore the land and to reassign its desolate inheritances,


Most commentaries agree that Verse 7 begins a new prophecy: When G-d redeems Israel, which has been 'despised...loathed...a servant," its disgrace will be ended and it will be honored by kings and rulers, who will recognize that redemption came about "because of Hashem". Ibn Ezra says that the prophet is still speaking about himself and the contempt with which his prophecies have been treated.



HH: It is a person, the same person as in Isaiah 52-53. Compare the two passages:

Is. 49:7 This is what the LORD says — the Redeemer and Holy One of Israel — to him who was despised and abhorred by the nation, to the servant of rulers: “Kings will see you and rise up, princes will see and bow down, because of the LORD, who is faithful, the Holy One of Israel, who has chosen you.”

Is. 52:13 See, my servant will act wisely; he will be raised and lifted up and highly exalted.
Is. 52:14 Just as there were many who were appalled at him — his appearance was so disfigured beyond that of any man and his form marred beyond human likeness —
Is. 52:15 so will he sprinkle many nations, and kings will shut their mouths because of him. For what they were not told, they will see, and what they have not heard, they will understand.

Is. 53:3 He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering. Like one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not.
Is. 53:4 Surely he took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows, yet we considered him stricken by God, smitten by him, and afflicted.

HH: This person is rejected by Israel at first. Note that Isaiah says "we" esteemed him not, referring to Israel not esteeming him.

Yours,
Harold Holmyard









HH: The entire section shows that the things this person does are far
too great for Isaiah, as great a prophet as Isaiah was:

Is. 49:1 � Listen to me, you islands; hear this, you distant nations:
Before I was born the LORD called me; from my birth he has made mention
of my name.
Is. 49:2 He made my mouth like a sharpened sword, in the shadow of his
hand he hid me; he made me into a polished arrow and concealed me in his
quiver.
Is. 49:3 He said to me, ìYou are my servant, Israel, in whom I will
display my splendor.î
Is. 49:4 But I said, ìI have labored to no purpose; I have spent my
strength in vain and for nothing. Yet what is due me is in the LORDís
hand, and my reward is with my God.î
Is. 49:5 And now the LORD says ó he who formed me in the womb to be his
servant to bring Jacob back to him and gather Israel to himself, for I
am honored in the eyes of the LORD and my God has been my strength ó
Is. 49:6 he says: ìIt is too small a thing for you to be my servant to
restore the tribes of Jacob and bring back those of Israel I have kept.
I will also make you a light for the Gentiles, that you may bring my
salvation to the ends of the earth.î
Is. 49:7 This is what the LORD says ó the Redeemer and Holy One of
Israel ó to him who was despised and abhorred by the nation, to the
servant of rulers: ìKings will see you and rise up, princes will see and
bow down, because of the LORD, who is faithful, the Holy One of Israel,
who has chosen you.î
Is. 49:8 � This is what the LORD says: ìIn the time of my favor I will
answer you, and in the day of salvation I will help you; I will keep you
and will make you to be a covenant for the people, to restore the land
and to reassign its desolate inheritances,
Is. 49:9 to say to the captives, ëCome out,í and to those in darkness,
ëBe free!í ìThey will feed beside the roads and find pasture on every
barren hill.
Is. 49:10 They will neither hunger nor thirst, nor will the desert heat
or the sun beat upon them. He who has compassion on them will guide them
and lead them beside springs of water.
Is. 49:11 I will turn all my mountains into roads, and my highways will
be raised up.
Is. 49:12 See, they will come from afar ó some from the north, some from
the west, some from the region of Aswan.î

Yours,
Harold Holmyard
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