49:4Isaiah 49:4

The speaker is the servant called from the womb and shaped for His work, Christ laboring in mercy to uplift the world and especially to save Israel.Ms 128, 1901, par. 20–26+2 He speaks under the weight of apparent failure, feeling His strength spent for nothing while Israel rejects Him and remains ungathered amid opposition and hindrance.7T 191.2+2 Yet He holds fast that His cause and reward are with God, entrusting His vindication to the Lord and refusing discouragement over lack of visible results.7T 191.2+4 Seeming fruitlessness for a time does not mean labor is wasted, for God may permit obstruction so His wisdom and power are more clearly seen, and His servants are to commit their work to Him and trust His time and way.Lt 86, 1900, par. 19–21+1 This work is no light thing, for it embraces the restoring of Israel and the carrying of salvation to the Gentiles, a sacred trust that calls ministers and workers today to devoted service, prayer, meditation on the Word, and following God rather than self.7T 191.2+4

The speaker is the servant called from the womb and made like a sharp sword and a polished shaft.Ms 128, 1901, par. 20–26 He is Christ in His work of mercy to uplift and save the world, laboring especially for Israel.Ms 128, 1901, par. 20–26+3

He speaks from a sense of apparent failure, feeling that he has labored in vain and spent his strength for nothing and in vain.7T 191.2+4 He feels this under severe difficulties and opposition and a small apparent reach of his work, without seeing the result he longed for.Lt 86, 1900, par. 19–21+1 Israel rejects him and is not gathered, so his work appears fruitless.DA 678.3–679.3+2 Satanic influences obstruct His way, so that He seems to do little of the work He longed to do and is constantly confronted with apparent failure.DA 678.3–679.3+1

The words that follow add that even if Israel is not gathered, He will be glorious in the eyes of the Lord and God will be His strength.DA 678.3–679.3+1

Even while feeling that labor and strength have been spent to no purpose and without result, the servant holds fast that his case and vindication rest with the Lord and his service is entrusted to God.7T 191.2+4 His judgment is with the Lord and his work with his God, so the outcome is left for God to judge rightly.7T 191.2+4 This is the word of those who have labored under severe difficulties and fear their effort has achieved nothing, teaching them that even when results are discouraging their judgment and their work remain with the Lord.7T 191.2+4 In Christ this meant facing apparent failure in His work of mercy, having labored and spent His strength without seeing the result He longed for, yet trusting that His judgment and work were with God.7T 191.2+4

Resting on that promise, with the assurance that even if Israel is not gathered He will be glorious in the eyes of the Lord and God will be His strength, He was not discouraged by opposition or by the small apparent reach of His work.DA 678.3–679.3+1 Constantly confronted with apparent failure and seeming to do little of the work He longed to do because Satanic influences obstructed His way, He still declared His vindication to be with the Lord and His work with His God and would not be discouraged.DA 678.3–679.3+1

Apparent failure may last for a time, but it does not mean labor is wasted.Lt 86, 1900, par. 19–21+1 God may allow obstructions so that His wisdom and power are more clearly seen and His name glorified.12MR 25.1–2 Servants are therefore to trust God's timing and manner of fulfilling their hopes, and to commit their work, time, and talents to Him even when results are discouraging.Lt 86, 1900, par. 19–21+1

What follows the complaint shows the service is no small or light matter, for it embraces the restoring of Israel and the carrying of God's salvation and light to the Gentiles.Lt 27, 1896, par. 26–28+1 The commission is weighty rather than trifling, and its scope reaches far beyond any present appearance of fruitlessness.Lt 27, 1896, par. 26–28+1

That calling rests upon those who serve in God's appointed institutions and upon those who minister His word, as a sacred and special trust.7T 191.2+2 Such a trust demands a deep sense of responsibility and a devoted, reverent manner of life and labor.7T 191.2+1 The highest desire of those entrusted with it is to serve Christ perfectly, with devotion proportioned to the sacredness of the work.7T 191.2+1

The words belong to the message of Isaiah 49:1-16 addressed to those who profess to respect the law of Jehovah.Ms 52, 1901, par. 21–22 Together with Isaiah 48, Isaiah 49 portrays the work of God's messengers today.RH Jan 11, 1912 Ministers are to read these chapters prayerfully in order to learn what it means to keep the lamp trimmed and burning, to confine themselves to the ministry of the Word, to pray much and meditate on the Word, to advance in spirituality by conforming life practice to an ever-deepening knowledge of God and of Christ as a personal Saviour, and to follow God's guidance rather than self and their own judgment.Ms 52, 1901, par. 21–22+1

The chapter foretells the great and solemn work of presenting the warning message to the world and summons all to diligent labor for repentance.Ms 52, 1900, par. 37–39+1 That labor includes telling people why this belief is held and giving the needed information through camp meetings.Ms 52, 1900, par. 37–39 Sanitariums act as an educating power to reform people and restore the moral image of God, so that those converted will use their means to extend the truth.Ms 52, 1900, par. 37–39 Workers are to arouse slumbering senses and show how far departure from the Lord's ordinances has gone through worldly policy and transgression of His law.Ms 52, 1900, par. 37–39 Physicians are to see the importance of establishing small sanitariums in connection with schools, that true medical missionary workers laboring under God's direction may fulfill His purpose.Ms 52, 1900, par. 37–39+1