A 2 2 Selvicultura de Mejora de las Masas Forestales

When the nations were introduced in the servant songs, we noted that two dif­ ferent terms were used (here given in their plural forms): Dj/U (goyim— nations/ gentiles) and D'ONb (leum m im — peoples). This latter term is qualified in Isaiah 49:1 by the phrase pinna (m erahdq— distant), i.e., “distant peoples.” In addition, two other terms are used in poetic parallel— (‘iyyim— islands) referring to the coastal areas of the Levant and piNn niip (qetseh h a’arets—ends of the earth). The term “ends of the earth” signifies the extent of the known world.

Common Origin. In Isaiah 41:8-10, referring to the descendents of Abraham, God says, “I took you from the ends of the earth.” Then in the second servant song (Isa. 49:6) He commissions their renewed responsibility regarding the nations, say­ ing, “I will make you a light for the Gentiles, that my salvation may reach to the ends of the earth.” Thus, before the servant is commissioned to rise as a light to

the nations at the ends of the earth, his identity is clearly marked as being from the ends of the earth. This should remind all members of Christs body, the church (spiritual Israel), that they, by reason of their common origin, are in solidarity with all nations of the world and in no way entitled to superiority over them.

Common Destiny. Though the “nations” were once marginalized as located at the “ends of the earth,” Isaiah 56:118 envisions a day when “salvation is close at hand” and the mission expressed in the servant songs is realized in part. The salvation promised is not just to those designated by birth as “Israel” or “Jacob.”19 Rather, even the foreigners who have bound themselves to the LORD (niiT'bN nibjn la a rrja — ben hannekar hannilwah el YHWH [Isa. 56:3]) are included in the promised bless­ ing. On what basis are they included? Their commitment is expressed by a willing­ ness to “bind themselves to the Lord,” to “love the name of the LORD,” and to “keep the Sabbath” (Isa. 56:6)—reminiscent of the teachable nature of the D’Tirab (lim- mudim— disciples) of Isaiah 50:4. And most strikingly, these foreigners themselves are also now accepted by the Lord alongside Israel/Jacob as “his servants” who hold fast to God’s covenant (Isa. 56:6).

Though tempted to say “The Lord will surely exclude m e...” (Isa. 56:3), they are assured of a “memorial and a name” (Dtih T—y ad vasem)20 that God promises them within his “temple and its walls” (!’nQin31 'ri’aa — bebeiti ubehom otai [Isa. 56:5]). These foreigners are remarkably like the ones whom God describes in the second song as putting their hope in “his teaching” (iirrin— torato [Isa. 42:4]), i.e., following “his law or instruction.”

Joining with the exiles of Israel, these foreigners from the distant nations now culminate the mission assigned originally to God’s servant in the four songs, and together they enjoy a common destiny portrayed in the prophet’s beautiful sum­ mation.

6And foreigners who bind themselves to the LORD to minister to him, to love the name of the LORD, and to be his servants, all who keep the Sabbath without desecrating it and who hold fast to my covenant—These I will bring to my holy mountain and give them joy in my house of prayer. Their burnt offer­ ings and sacrifices will be accepted on my altar; for my house will be called a house of prayer for all nations. 8The Sovereign LORD declares—he who gathers the exiles of Israel: “I will gather still others to them besides those already gath­ ered” (Isa. 56:6-8).

50

Encountering: God in Life and Mission

Conclusion

The servant songs portray in poetic language a God who is anxious that justice reach to the ends of the earth. He commissions his servant (in the Mosaic and Da- vidic traditions) to endure suffering, to restore Israel, and to enlighten the Gentiles. After the conclusion of the servant songs, Isaiah 56, like a powerful melodic chorus, presents the foreigners with the opportunity of themselves becoming Gods ser­ vants, and promises them joy as they worship in His house of prayer. Gods promise still echoes down through the centuries to our time, “I will gather still others . . . ” The mission is not yet complete.

Notes

‘All references to the English text within this study are from Today’s New International Version (2005).

2Some scholars also include Isaiah 4 2:5-9 in the first song.

3Some scholars also include Isaiah 49:7-11 or 49:7-13 in the second song. 4Some scholars also include Isaiah 50:10, 11 in the third song.

5The fourth song is much longer; it contains five stanzas of three verses each in chiastic structure with the initial and final sections emphasizing exaltation and the middle stanza pointing to a substitutionary death (Hugenberger 1995:114[10—online pagination]).

6The servant in the first three songs is often interpreted as referring to Israel (or at least a pious minority). By contrast, in the fourth song “the reference to the Messiah is predomi­ nant and exclusive” (Archaeological Study Bible 2005:1145 note on 49:1-57:21).

7See the Jewish Publication Society’s The Jewish Study Bible (2004:867 note).

8See Harrison (1969:485 note 33) for an extensive list of proponents for these various options. For the “Second Moses” hypothesis, see Hugenberger (1995).

9See Matthew 12:18-21 which quotes Isaiah 4 9 :1-4 and adds the assertion that “This was to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet Isaiah.”

‘“Grisanti provides a comprehensive survey of this discussion; however, his views on the eschatological role of Israel differ from the author of this chapter.

uBiblia Hebraica Stuttgartensia (abbreviated as BHS).

12Septuagint (abbreviated as LXX).

13 Today’s New International Version (abbreviated as TNIV).

14The singular of “DU occurs eight times in the servant songs if the songs include alter­ nate verses (see notes 1-3); the additional instances being Isaiah 49:7 and 50:10.

‘“Courtesy of the Madaba Plains Project and the Institute of Archaeology, Andrews University. Drawing by Peter Erhard, 1984.

16Note the related terms nftb (limmud—taught/disciple); TO1?]7! (talrriid—scholar); and 110*711 (talmud—Talmud/instruction/teaching).

I7I would suggest that this second song (Isa. 49:1-6) contains a chiastic structure with the following elements—A: call to islands and the distant nations (verse 1); A': salvation to ends of the earth (vs. 6b); B: mentioned from birth/polished arrow/splendor displayed (vs. lb-vs. 3); B': formed in womb/gathers Israel/honored in God’s eyes (vs. 5-vs. 6a); C: {center of chiasm) true reward (vs. 4).

18Isaiah 56:1-8 is not included in the corpus of traditional Deutero-Isaiah (Isa. 40-55). However, the content of Isaiah 56:1-8 fits well as the response of the distant nations (as envisioned by the prophet) to the theme of the first and second servant songs.

19Of interest is the fact that the LXX of Isaiah 42:1 extrapolates and uses Iockco|3 6 trout; pou (Jacob my servant) and IoparjA 6 ekAekioc; pou (Israel my chosen) in place of the Hebrew, which has simply ’"Dp (my servant) and ’T rip (my chosen).

“ Since the foreigners are mentioned in parallel with the eunuchs, I would argue that this promise of a “memorial and a name” (D{bl T—y a d vasem ) applies equally to both.

Chapter 4

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