This research paper, written by John Heringer at Reformed Theological Seminary – Charlotte for Dr. Richard Belcher Jr., explores Isaiah 49:1–6 and the identity of the Servant of the Lord within Isaiah’s second Servant Song. Heringer argues that the Servant represents both corporate Israel and an individual redeemer who restores the nation and extends salvation to the ends of the earth.
Through literary and theological analysis, the paper demonstrates that the Servant’s mission to bring Jacob back to God while being “a light to the nations” finds ultimate fulfillment in Jesus Christ. Heringer connects the text’s covenantal themes to the New Testament’s presentation of Christ as the true Israel—the obedient Son who accomplishes what the nation could not. The result is a profound portrait of divine faithfulness, mission, and redemption.
Course and semester: OT5400 Isaiah–Malachi — Fall 2024
