How does Isaiah 55:5 connect with the Great Commission in Matthew 28:19? Isaiah’s Promise Meets Jesus’ Commission “Surely you will summon a nation you do not know, and nations who do not know you will run to you, because of the LORD your God, the Holy One of Israel, for He has glorified you.” “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.” Shared Vocabulary, Shared Mission • Summon / Go – Isaiah speaks of God’s people “summoning” nations; Jesus commands His followers to “go.” • Nations who do not know you / all nations – Both passages envision peoples previously outside the covenant. • Run to you / make disciples – Isaiah pictures eager response; Matthew speaks of intentional disciple-making. • Because the LORD has glorified you / All authority in heaven and on earth (Matthew 28:18) – The divine glorification of the Servant in Isaiah finds its fulfillment in the risen Christ, whose authority undergirds the Great Commission. Old Testament Roots of a Global Gospel • Genesis 12:3 – God promised Abraham that “all the families of the earth will be blessed through you,” setting the trajectory Isaiah echoes and Jesus finalizes. • Psalm 2:8 – “Ask Me, and I will make the nations Your inheritance,” foreshadowing Christ’s universal reign. • Isaiah 49:6 – “I will also make You a light for the nations,” quoted in Acts 13:47 as fulfilled in apostolic mission. How Isaiah 55:5 Propels Matthew 28:19 1. Prophetic momentum: Isaiah declares a future influx of Gentiles; Jesus inaugurates the method—active, intentional outreach. 2. The magnet is the glorified Servant: Isaiah’s “He has glorified you” anticipates the resurrection glory that authorizes the Commission. 3. From Israel outward: Isaiah envisions nations coming to Zion; Jesus flips the direction—Zion’s Messiah sends His people to the nations (Acts 1:8). 4. Covenant expansion: Both passages affirm God’s unwavering plan to include “every tribe and tongue” (Revelation 5:9). Practical Takeaways for Today • Confidence – The Great Commission stands on prophetic certainty; God promised global harvest long before Jesus sent us. • Urgency – Isaiah’s picture of nations “running” signals readiness; believers must match that urgency with obedient going. • Dependence – Success rests on the Lord who “has glorified” His Servant; evangelism flows from Christ’s authority, not human strategy. • Inclusivity – No ethnicity, culture, or background lies outside the scope of Isaiah 55:5 or Matthew 28:19. The gospel is for all. Summary Isaiah 55:5 prophesies nations being drawn to God’s glorified Servant; Matthew 28:19 commands Christ’s disciples to reach those very nations. The prophecy supplies the promise; the Commission supplies the marching orders. Together they unveil one seamless, Scripture-wide mission: God’s glory magnified among all peoples through the exalted Jesus. |
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