Stuart, of whom are these passages speaking?
Isaiah 49
1 “Listen, O coastlands, to Me, and take heed, you peoples from afar! The Lord has called Me from the womb;
from the matrix of My mother He has made mention of My name.
2 And He has made My mouth like a sharp sword; in the shadow of His hand He has hidden Me, and made Me a polished shaft; in His quiver He has hidden Me.”
3 “And He said to me, ‘You are My servant, O Israel, in whom I will be glorified.’
4 Then I said, ‘I have labored in vain, I have spent my strength for nothing and in vain; yet surely my just reward is with the Lord, and my work with my God.’”
5 “And now the Lord says, Who formed Me from the womb to be His Servant, to bring Jacob back to Him, so that Israel is gathered to Him (For I shall be glorious in the eyes of the Lord, and My God shall be My strength),
6 Indeed He says, ‘It is too small a thing that You should be My Servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and to restore the preserved ones of Israel; I will also give You as a light to the Gentiles, that You should be My salvation to the ends of the earth.’”
This is speaking of Jesus. Did you know Paul claimed to be this person? Did you know Paul claimed that he is God's salvation to the ends of the earth?
Acts 13
46 Then Paul and Barnabas grew bold and said, “It was necessary that the word of God should be spoken to you first; but since you reject it, and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, behold, we turn to the Gentiles.
47 For so the Lord has commanded us: ‘I have set you as a light to the Gentiles, that you should be for salvation to the ends of the earth.’
Who is the true Light to the Gentiles?
Isaiah 42
6 “I, the Lord, have called You in righteousness, and will hold Your hand; I will keep You and give You as a covenant to the people, as a light to the Gentiles,
7 To open blind eyes, to bring out prisoners from the prison, those who sit in darkness from the prison house.
Luke 2
27 So he came by the Spirit into the temple. And when the parents brought in the Child Jesus, to do for Him according to the custom of the law,
28 he took Him up in his arms and blessed God and said:
29 “Lord, now You are letting Your servant depart in peace, according to Your word;
30 For my eyes have seen Your salvation
31 Which You have prepared before the face of all peoples,
32 A light to bring revelation to the Gentiles, and the glory of Your people Israel.”
Jesus is the true Light to the Gentiles, not Paul. Paul pronounced upon himself the title given to very Savior Himself.
I ask who should be for salvation to the ends of the earth?
Psalm 65:5
By awesome deeds in righteousness You will answer us, O God of our salvation, You who are the confidence of all the ends of the earth, and of the far-off seas;
Psalm 98:3
He has remembered His mercy and His faithfulness to the house of Israel; all the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God.
Isaiah 49:6
Indeed He says, ‘It is too small a thing that You should be My Servant To raise up the tribes of Jacob, and to restore the preserved ones of Israel; I will also give You as a light to the Gentiles, that You should be My salvation to the ends of the earth.’”
Isaiah 52:10
The Lord has made bare His holy arm in the eyes of all the nations; and all the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of our God.
When Paul quoted Isaiah 49:6, and attributed it to himself, it not only was a lie, but arrogance and pride. Thus, Paul could claim, 'my gospel' to the Gentiles.
If you want to make excuses for Paul, and justify his own words, you are more than welcome, my friend. But remember, you have been shown what came from his mouth.