Tuesday, January 24, 2017
Isaiah 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.
SHARP, USED A LOT, EFFECTIVE
An important aspect of Jesus' God-given mission as His Servant is here pictured by Isaiah. He describes how Jesus' work would involve speaking words He had received from His Father, words that would be "sharp and to the point" (so to speak). Jesus would talk straight. He wouldn't mince words. In love He would tell people not always what their ears wanted to hear, but what their hearts needed to hear: the message about sin and its punishment; death in hell; the message about grace, that God loved the world to such an extent that He gave His only Son so that whoever believes in Him shall not perish in hell's misery but live on forever. This was the golden theme of His ministry.
The other description Isaiah gives of Jesus is beautiful too. He prophesies that the Father would make His Son into a polished arrow concealed in His quiver. The thought here is that Jesus would be a tool that His Father would use to bestow, over and over again, countless blessings to countless souls. Like a tool you have at home (kitchen knife or screw driver) which stays shiny and polished because it's used a lot for its handiness and because it works so well. So by the words which He would give to His Son to speak, the Father would accomplish His gracious purpose. He'd "get the job done" of leading poor sinners to repentance and faith and bringing them into possession of His gift of eternal life.
God the Father continues to use His Son in this effective way today through words of Scripture spoken and shared by His Christians who carry out their calling as ambassadors of His Gospel.
