But thou, Israel, art my servant, Jacob whom I have chosen, the seed of Abraham my friend.
The verse names Israel, that is Jacob, as God's own servant whom He has chosen, the seed and descendants of Abraham whom He calls His friend. It stands in Isaiah 41-45, where God's purpose for His people is revealed very fully, and those chapters are to be studied prayerfully. In that purpose God remembers His servant Israel and does not forget him.
He wipes away his transgressions as a thick cloud, redeems Jacob, and glorifies Himself in Israel. He calls all the ends of the earth to look to Him and be saved, since there is no God beside Him, and righteousness, strength, and justification are found in the Lord alone. The verses around the verse extend its assurance that God's people are chosen and not cast away.
Though brought from distant places and opposed by enemies, they need not fear, for God is with them to strengthen, help, uphold, and redeem them. The verse teaches reliance on God's infinite wisdom and trust in the Lord alone, not turning away to finite human beings for wisdom or relying on human strength and making flesh an arm. For the Lord is not to be trifled with.
Isaiah 41 is full of promises, assurance, and encouragement that will certainly be fulfilled. The verse comforts true believers amid afflicting judgments of earthquakes, storms on land and sea, and heavy calamities near the close of earth's history. In the latter days those who live out its words place themselves where the Lord will do all He promised. The chapter foretells the work of giving the warning message to the world and explaining the reason for belief.
The assurance calls for response: each person is to do cheerfully the work God has assigned, with diligent repentance and most earnest effort, while God gives strength to His own people. Abraham's title as friend meant a life of prayer. Wherever he pitched his tent he built an altar beside it for morning and evening worship and gathered his household to worship.
When he moved on the altar remained as a witness, so that traveling and roving Canaanites who found it knew who had been there and some were led to worship the living God. On returning he repaired the altar and worshiped.
The verse names Israel, that is Jacob, as God's own servant whom He has chosen, the seed and descendants of Abraham whom He calls His friend. It stands in Isaiah 41-45, where God's purpose for His people is revealed very fully, and those chapters are to be studied prayerfully. In that purpose God remembers His servant Israel and does not forget him.
He wipes away his transgressions as a thick cloud, redeems Jacob, and glorifies Himself in Israel. He calls all the ends of the earth to look to Him and be saved, since there is no God beside Him, and righteousness, strength, and justification are found in the Lord alone. The verses around the verse extend its assurance that God's people are chosen and not cast away.
Though brought from distant places and opposed by enemies, they need not fear, for God is with them to strengthen, help, uphold, and redeem them. The verse teaches reliance on God's infinite wisdom and trust in the Lord alone, not turning away to finite human beings for wisdom or relying on human strength and making flesh an arm. For the Lord is not to be trifled with.
Isaiah 41 is full of promises, assurance, and encouragement that will certainly be fulfilled. The verse comforts true believers amid afflicting judgments of earthquakes, storms on land and sea, and heavy calamities near the close of earth's history. In the latter days those who live out its words place themselves where the Lord will do all He promised. The chapter foretells the work of giving the warning message to the world and explaining the reason for belief.
The assurance calls for response: each person is to do cheerfully the work God has assigned, with diligent repentance and most earnest effort, while God gives strength to His own people. Abraham's title as friend meant a life of prayer. Wherever he pitched his tent he built an altar beside it for morning and evening worship and gathered his household to worship.
When he moved on the altar remained as a witness, so that traveling and roving Canaanites who found it knew who had been there and some were led to worship the living God. On returning he repaired the altar and worshiped.