Isaiah 49:1

Using the same terminology with which the Lord had appealed to Israel to listen to Him (cf. Isaiah 41:1; Isaiah 46:3; Isaiah 46:12; Isaiah 48:1; Isaiah 48:12), someone called the world’s population to pay attention to what he had to say. He claimed a divine calling from his birth; God had commissioned him to announce what he would reveal (cf. Jeremiah 1:5; Matthew 1:21; Luke 1:31-33; Luke 1:41; Luke 2:21; Galatians 1:15). There was more to announce than just that Yahweh would redeem Israel from Babylonian captivity (cf. Isaiah 48:20). Who is the speaker? What follows, which this description of Him corroborates, is that the Servant Messiah is speaking, not Israel, [Note: Watts, Isaiah 34-66, p. 187.] or the believing remnant in Israel, or Cyrus, or Isaiah. Several of the Messiah predictions, including this one, refer to His mother (cf. Isaiah 7:14; Genesis 3:15; Psalms 22:10-11; Micah 5:2).

"When Assyria was coming to prominence Isaiah predicted the coming of the King, the virgin’s Son [Isaiah 7:14]. Now that the world power is exercising its might and will take God’s people captive, Isaiah announces the Servant of the Lord as the true Deliverer. Thus the two epochs point us to the Messiah, first to His Person and then to His work." [Note: Young, 3:268.]