Isaiah 49:9, commentary and pictures

The verse appoints God's servant to proclaim release to those bound in prison and in darkness, calling them to go free and come out into light and openness from confinement and spiritual bondage. Those thus set free are cared for and fed along the way, with pasture and sustenance provided even in unlikely and elevated places and led to safety. It belongs to the promise heard in an acceptable time and day of salvation, in which the preserved servant is given for a covenant of the people to restore the land, establish the earth, cause the desolate heritages to be inherited, and comfort the afflicted with mercy. That promise was given to Christ as the covenant servant and Messiah, making Him not only the restorer of Israel but a light to the Gentiles and salvation unto the end of the earth to gather the scattered. It is fulfilled through the spread of the gospel by witnesses sent to distant nations, and stands as a present commission for ministers and soul-winners to say to spiritual prisoners of sin to go forth and to those in darkness to show themselves into light.

Liberation and Provision Foretold

The servant is commissioned to speak release, telling the bound to go out into freedom and telling those sitting in darkness to show themselves and come out into light and the open, a deliverance from confinement and from spiritual bondage. This word is to be heeded as God's own word by all who profess to honor His law. It is a promise given to the Messiah in the acceptable time and the day of salvation, when He is heard and helped, preserved and given for a covenant of the people.

Those thus set free are not left to want but are fed and cared for on the journey, finding food in the ways and pasture even in all high places, sustained in unlikely and elevated places and led to safety and sustenance. He who has mercy on them leads them and guides them even by the springs of water, so that under merciful leading they are provided for along the road. This preserving and covenant purpose is to establish the earth, to restore the land, and to cause the desolate heritages to be inherited. It is a true and righteous promise by which the Lord comforts His people and has mercy on His afflicted, and belonging to it is the way by which Christlike character and its attributes may be obtained.

The surrounding promise further declares that those so led shall not hunger nor thirst, neither shall the heat nor sun smite them. Mountains shall be made a way and highways shall be exalted, and the people shall be gathered from far, from the north and from the west and from the land of Sinim. For this heaven and earth are called to rejoice, because the Lord comforts His people and has mercy on His afflicted and Zion is not forgotten. The work thus promised is assured of triumph even when it appears fruitless, so that amid opposition and humiliation there is confidence that the saving work will succeed and that lack and hardship will not overcome those who are led.

Mission to the Nations Today

The promise belongs to Christ as the covenant servant and Messiah, preserved and given for a covenant of the people to establish the earth and cause the desolate heritages to be inherited, heard in an acceptable time and helped in a day of salvation. He is made more than the one to raise up the tribes of Jacob and restore the preserved of Israel, being given also for a light to the Gentiles and for salvation unto the end of the earth, to proclaim liberty to prisoners and call those in darkness to come forth into light and gather those who were scattered. Those He sets free are fed in the ways with pastures in all high places, sustained even in unlikely places, not hungering nor thirsting nor smitten by heat nor sun, but led by mercy beside springs of water, while mountains are made a way and highways exalted and His people are gathered from far, from the north and west and the land of Sinim, for which heaven and earth are called to rejoice because the Lord comforts His people and has mercy on His afflicted and has not forgotten Zion.

The promise is fulfilled through the spread of the gospel, with witnesses and messengers sent to distant nations carrying salvation to every people and to the ends of the earth. Its message to those held captive or living in darkness is to come out into the open, with provision for them along the way even in high places, and as God's covenant for the people He brings salvation to every nation and restores desolate inheritances so that people from distant lands are gathered to Him. The salvation it announces is the same salvation announced concerning release, linking it to that proclamation of freedom and provision for prisoners and people in darkness who are called to come out and promised pasture along the way.

It is a present commission for ministers and for the people appointed to proclaiming the message and doing soul-saving work, meaning to say to spiritual prisoners held by sin to go forth and to those in darkness to show themselves into light, releasing captives and bringing them into light with feeding and care afterward. Keeping the lamp trimmed and burning is fulfilling this commission. It stands as God's own word to be heeded by those who claim to respect the law, declaring liberation to prisoners and manifestation to those in darkness with provision and care that they shall feed in the ways and have pastures in all high places.

It foretells the great and solemn work now to be done of presenting the warning message to the world and giving the reason for the faith. That work is done especially through camp meetings where those who desire information receive it, through using means to establish sanitariums in different parts of the world as an educating power to reform people and restore in them the moral image of God, through knowledge of the Word converting people who then use their means and ability to extend truth, and through arousing slumbering senses to see departure from ordinances by worldly policy and transgression against the law. It calls all to diligent work for repentance and calls physicians to see the importance of establishing small sanitariums in connection with schools and laboring as true medical missionary workers under divine direction to fulfill His purpose, a work that will do a hundredfold more good than food stores or restaurants as then conducted.