Isaiah 49:1-3 - Hawker's Poor Man's Commentary

We find here some glorious speaker, calling upon the nations of the isles to attend to him, and declaring both the authority upon which he spoke, and the subject of his discourse. And if we make application of it to the Lord Jesus Christ, as God-man Mediator, nothing can be more beautiful and interesting. He first demands attention; then speaks of the persons to whom his discourse was directed; and then of his authority, and the object of his call. And Jesus, and Jesus only, was and is all this; and of no other could it be said or spoken: God the Father is said to have given his dear Son to be a light to lighten the Gentiles, and to be the glory of his people Israel; Luke 2:32. And from the womb of all eternity, was Jesus called, yea, in the volume of the book was it written of him. If the Reader will compare what the beloved Apostle John saith of the book of the divine decrees, which was in the hand of him that sat upon the throne, and which none was found worthy to open but the Lamb that had been slain; he will be led perhaps to the sense of the passage, and discover that the Bible itself is but the transcript, in the revealed part of it, of what was written therein; Revelation 5:1-10; Psalms 40:6-8. And when the hour approached for the open revelation or Jesus, the angel declared his name, as we read, Matthew 1:21. But we must not stop here. God the Father, who called Christ to the work, is said to have fitted him for it. So the covenant terms ran, Psalms 89:19-24. Perhaps the hiding of Christ might refer to what Paul speaks of the mystery of redemption, hid from ages and generations, Ephesians 3:4-10. The mouth of Jesus, like a sword, hath reference to the power and sovereignty with which he spake as never man spake. The word of Christ is said to be quick and powerful, Hebrews 4:12; John 5:25; Psalms 45:5. Lastly, God's owning him in the work, as well as calling him to the work, is most blessedly set forth in this passage: Christ, as Mediator and Surety, is Jehovah's servant, the Husband of his Church and people; and I hope the Reader will not overlook, what is as sweet a part as any, that Christ takes, in this passage, the name of his Church. It is an usual thing in life for the wife to take the name of her husband but Jesus, in his unequalled condescension, here takes the name of his wife, and is called Israel. Precious Lord Jesus! what humility was thine!