God says, “It is too small a thing for you to be my servant to restore the tribes of Jacob and bring back those of Israel I have kept. I will also make you a light for the Gentiles, that my salvation may reach to the ends of the earth.” Isaiah 49: 6

I find this verse quite extraordinary.  The focus of the prophecy of the book has been on the waywardness of Israel. It is as though the purpose of God is to shape a virtuous Israel. It appears that is what God wants, a purified Israel, worshiping God and making peace with one another under God’s eternal mercy. As I read the prophecy of God through Isaiah I see that the intent is to perfect Israel.

Then, well on in the prophecy we come upon this verse that now leaps out on us, quite unexpectedly and with telling force, “It is too small a thing for you to be my servant to restore the tribes of Jacob and bring back those of Israel I have kept. I will also make you a light for the Gentiles, that my salvation may reach to the ends of the earth.”

Behold. The ultimate purpose of God is to save the nations and he is employing Israel in that new thing.  Israel is not the center of the blessing, even though they are the objects of God’s blessings.  God has the nations in mind all the time. The purposes of his blessing Israel are many but the most overarching is that Israel is to exhibit what it means to live under the rule of God and then to invite all nations, not to join the nation Israel, but to worship the God of Israel there where they are. God is a missionary God, that is obvious.  God is, after all, the God of all and wants all nations to come under his tender care.

I need to make sure that I am not involved in “too small a thing.”  My vision must align with that of God, the salvation of the nations, not simply the restoration of Israel! That is “too small a thing.”  The big thing is the salvation of all mankind.  I must keep this ever in mind.