I. Scriptural proof that Israel is another name for Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior:
Hearken to me, ye islands; and attend, ye Gentiles; after a long time it shall come to pass, saith the Lord: from my mother’s womb he has called my name: and he has made my mouth as a sharp sword, and he has hid me under the shadow of his hand; he has made me as a choice shaft, and he has hid me in his quiver; and said to me, Thou art my servant, O Israel, and in thee I will be glorified. (Isaiah 49:1-3 Brenton)
Hearken to me, isles; and ye nations attend! (After a long time one will stand up saith the Lord.) From my mother’s womb he mentioned my name and made my mouth like a sharp sword and hid me under the cover of his hand. He made me like a chosen shaft, and in his quiver kept me concealed, and said to me, Thou Israel art my servant, and by thee I shall be glorified. (Isaiah 49:1-3 CTBible)
Listen, O isles, unto me; and hearken, ye people, from far; The LORD hath called me from the womb; from the bowels of my mother hath he made mention of my name. And he hath made my mouth like a sharp sword; in the shadow of his hand hath he hid me, and made me a polished shaft; in his quiver hath he hid me; And said unto me, Thou art my servant, O Israel, in whom I will be glorified. (Isaiah 49:1-3 KJV)
II. Another clear prophesy which was given to Moses concerning the coming Messiah:
The Lord thy God will raise up for thee, from among thy brethren, a prophet like me; to him you shall hearken. (Deuteronomy 18:15 CTBible)
I will raise up for them, from among their brethren, a prophet like thee, and I will put my words in his mouth, and he will speak to them as I command him: (Deuteronomy 18:18 CTBible)
III. Jesus Christ and the sword of the Lord:
A. Please compare Deuteronomy 18:18, above, to the passage from Isaiah Chapter 49, further above. Specifically:
“And he hath made my mouth like a sharp sword”
“and I will put my words in his mouth”
B. And just as Jesus tells the unbelieving men of Judea — willfully mistranslated as “the Jews” — He came not speaking His own words, but those of the Father:
Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? the words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works. (John 14:10 KJV)
He that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings: and the word which ye hear is not mine, but the Father’s which sent me. (John 14:24 KJV)
C. Old Testament mentions of the sword of the Lord:
either three years of famine; or three months to flee before thy enemies while the sword of thy enemies is destroying thee; or the sword of the Lord and pestilence for three days throughout the land, while an angel of the Lord is making havock in all the inheritance of Israel. Now therefore consider What answer shall I make to him who sent me? (1 Chronicles 21:12 CTBible)
The sword of the Lord hath been glutted with blood; it is pampered with suet; with the blood of he goats and lambs, and with the suet of goats and rams. Because there is a sacrifice for the Lord in Bosor, and a great slaughter in Idumea; (Isaiah 34:6 CTBible)
against every outlet by the wilderness destroyers are come: because the sword of the Lord devoureth from one end of the land to the other; there is no peace for any flesh. (Jeremiah 12:12 CTBible)
This is indeed a day for the Lord our God: a day of vengeance, to execute vengeance on his enemies. And the sword of the Lord shall devour and be filled; it shall indeed be glutted with their blood; for there is a sacrifice for the Lord in the land of the north at the river Euphrates. (Jeremiah 46:10 CTBible)
How long wilt thou hew down, sword of the Lord? How long will it be ere thou wilt rest? Return into thy scabbard, rest and be removed. (Jeremiah 47:6 CTBible)
D. New Testament allusions to the sword of the Lord:
Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword. (Matthew 10:34 KJV)
(Yea, a sword shall pierce through thy own soul also,) that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed. (Luke 2:35 KJV)
For he is the minister of God to thee for good. But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid; for he beareth not the sword in vain: for he is the minister of God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil. (Romans 13:4 KJV)
And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God: (Ephesians 6:17 KJV)
For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. (Hebrews 4:12 KJV)
And he had in his right hand seven stars: and out of his mouth went a sharp twoedged sword: and his countenance was as the sun shineth in his strength. (Revelation 1:16 KJV)
And to the angel of the church in Pergamos write; These things saith he which hath the sharp sword with two edges; (Revelation 2:12 KJV)
Repent; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will fight against them with the sword of my mouth. (Revelation 2:16 KJV)
And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. (Revelation 19:15 KJV)
And the remnant were slain with the sword of him that sat upon the horse, which sword proceeded out of his mouth: and all the fowls were filled with their flesh. (Revelation 19:21 KJV)
IV. Please note as well, folks, that in this irrefutable prophecy given by God to the prophet Isaiah in Isaiah Chapter 49 that it is likewise irrefutable that the Messiah — our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ — was coming, as well, for the nations, the isles, the so-called Gentiles:
A. Isaiah 49:1:
(Brenton) Hearken to me, ye islands; and attend, ye Gentiles; after a long time it shall come to pass, saith the Lord: from my mother’s womb he has called my name:
(CTBible) Hearken to me, isles; and ye nations attend! (After a long time one will stand up saith the Lord.) From my mother’s womb he mentioned my name
(KJV) Listen, O isles, unto me; and hearken, ye people, from far; The LORD hath called me from the womb; from the bowels of my mother hath he made mention of my name.
B. The underlying Greek:
(Greek OT) Ἀκούσατέ μου, νῆσοι, καὶ προσέχετε, ἔθνη· διὰ χρόνου πολλοῦ στήσεται, λέγει κύριος. ἐκ κοιλίας μητρός μου ἐκάλεσεν τὸ ὄνομά
1. νῆσος (Strong’s G3520)
nēsos (nay’-sos)
Probably from the base of G3491; an island: – island, isle.
2. ἔθνος (Strong’s G1484)
ethnos (eth’-nos)
Probably from G1486; a race (as of the same habit), that is, a tribe; specifically a foreign (non-Jewish) one (usually by implication pagan): – Gentile, heathen, nation, people.
C. Proof from a parable of Jesus that the unbelieving “Jews” KNEW that Jesus was the long ago prophesied Messiah, the Christ; thus were they committed to murdering Him:
But when the husbandmen saw the son, they said among themselves, This is the heir; come, let us kill him, and let us seize on his inheritance. (Matthew 21:38 KJV)
But those husbandmen said among themselves, This is the heir; come, let us kill him, and the inheritance shall be ours. (Mark 12:7 KJV)
But when the husbandmen saw him, they reasoned among themselves, saying, This is the heir: come, let us kill him, that the inheritance may be ours. (Luke 20:14 KJV)
D. Even the Roman governor Pontius Pilate knew that they delivered Jesus for envy:
Therefore when they were gathered together, Pilate said unto them, Whom will ye that I release unto you? Barabbas, or Jesus which is called Christ? For he knew that for envy they had delivered him. (Matthew 27:17-18 KJV)
But Pilate answered them, saying, Will ye that I release unto you the King of the Jews? For he knew that the chief priests had delivered him for envy. (Mark 15:9-10 KJV)
E. An important and most-telling consideration: Synagogue of Satan-controlled Hollywood (cf, Revelation 2:9; 3:9; John 8:37-44) has always pinned the blame for Jesus’ crucifixion on Pontius Pilate even though, in Scripture, it is irrefutable that Pilate knew Jesus was innocent and a just man, and wanted, in fact, to let Him go, as did even Pilate’s wife:
Then said Pilate unto him, Hearest thou not how many things they witness against thee? And he answered him to never a word; insomuch that the governor marvelled greatly. Now at that feast the governor was wont to release unto the people a prisoner, whom they would. And they had then a notable prisoner, called Barabbas. Therefore when they were gathered together, Pilate said unto them, Whom will ye that I release unto you? Barabbas, or Jesus which is called Christ? For he knew that for envy they had delivered him. When he was set down on the judgment seat, his wife sent unto him, saying, Have thou nothing to do with that just man: for I have suffered many things this day in a dream because of him. But the chief priests and elders persuaded the multitude that they should ask Barabbas, and destroy Jesus. The governor answered and said unto them, Whether of the twain will ye that I release unto you? They said, Barabbas. Pilate saith unto them, What shall I do then with Jesus which is called Christ? They all say unto him, Let him be crucified. And the governor said, Why, what evil hath he done? But they cried out the more, saying, Let him be crucified. When Pilate saw that he could prevail nothing, but that rather a tumult was made, he took water, and washed his hands before the multitude, saying, I am innocent of the blood of this just person: see ye to it. Then answered all the people, and said, His blood be on us, and on our children. (Matthew 27:13-25 KJV)
