By Eugene Garner

ISAIAH - CHAPTER 43

JEHOVAH, THE ONLY REDEEMER OF HIS SERVANT-PEOPLE

   But now thus saith the LORD that created thee, O Jacob, and he that formed thee, O Israel, Fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou art mine. When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee. For I am the LORD thy God, the Holy One of Israel, thy Saviour: I gave Egypt for thy ransom, Ethiopia and Seba for thee. Since thou wast precious in my sight, thou hast been honourable, and I have loved thee: therefore will I give men for thee, and people for thy life. Fear not: for I am with thee: I will bring thy seed from the east, and gather thee from the west; I will say to the north, Give up; and to the south, Keep not back: bring my sons from far, and my daughters from the ends of the earth; Even every one that is called by my name: for I have created him for my glory, I have formed him; yea, I have made him.

    1. By contrast with the judgment upon the blindness, hardness and impenitence of Israel (as set forth in chapter 42), this chapter opens with God's contrasting: "But now".
      a. How often, in the scriptures, do those two little words reveal man's extremity to be God's opportunity, (Eph. 5:8, etc.).
      b. But, it must be understood that this is "all of grace"; this does not come as a result of any merit on the part of Israel.
    2. God has created Jacob and formed Israel as a peculiar people for His own possession, glory and service; they are His! He claims them.
      a. He created them for His own pleasure, (vs. 7, 15, 21; 44:2,21, 24; comp. I Pet. 2:9).
      b. He redeemed them from hopeless bondage, (44:22-23; 48:20).
      c. He chose them - calling them by name (45:3-4; Rom. 8:28-30; comp. Gen. 32:28) - to be a special vehicle of His grace to the ends of the earth; divine election is always for responsibility!
      d. Thus, they need not be afraid; He is their adequate protection in every conceivable situation, (vs. 2; Psa. 66:12; 138:7; comp. Ex. 14; Dan. 3:25-27).
    3. As "the Holy One of Israel" He is Jehovah, their God and Saviour! The very title suggests a special relationship between God and this people, (vs. 3a).
    4. From the beginning Israel has been precious and honorable in the Lord's sight; so deep had been His love that He was willing to give Egypt, Ethiopia and Seba a ransom for her, (vs. 3b-4).
    5. Once more He quiets the fears of Israel (vs. 5; 41:10, 14; Jer. 30:10; 46:27-28) - declaring His holy purpose to call His peculiar people (the seed of Jacob, whom He created for His own glory) from the ends of the earth, (Ezra 2; 17:1-10; Neh. 2:1-10).
      a. Here is another of those prophecies that looks on beyond our time to the consummation of the age.
      b. Though there was a partial return from Babylon, it was just that. (Even Daniel, the prophet, failed to return with his people!)
      c. And to this date there has been no general return of Israel from the Assyrian captivity.
      d. But, as already noted (Isa. 12), Israel and Judah will yet be united, under the Messianic David, to fulfill their servant-role during the millennium.

   Bring forth the blind people that have eyes, and the deaf that have ears. Let all the nations be gathered together, and let the people be assembled: who among them can declare this, and show us former things? let them bring forth their witnesses, that they may be justified: or let them hear, and say, It is truth. Ye are my witnesses, saith the LORD, and my servant whom I have chosen: that ye may know and believe me, and understand that I am he: before me there was no God formed, neither shall there be after me. I, even I, am the LORD; and beside me there is no saviour. I have declared, and have saved, and I have showed, when there was no strange god among you: therefore ye are my witnesses, saith the LORD, that I am God. Yea, before the day was I am he; and there is none that can deliver out of my hand: I will work, and who shall let it?

    1. Can any of the nations lay claim to such a Creator - Sustainer - Protector - God as the God of Israel? (vs. 8-9).
      a. Let the nations assemble, state their case and show what their idols have done for them - if they can! This is nothing less than a divine summons to a court of judgment!
      b. Let them produce witnesses to justify their idolatry, superstition, and rejection of God's claims.
      c. Otherwise, let them acknowledge and bow to the truth - the supreme sovereignty of Israel's God! (Without this they can never share in the blessedness that He yearns to bestow upon them.)
    2. Israel is the Lord's witness - the servant whom He has chosen to know, believe, and understand that He is God alone.
      a. There was none before Him and shall be none after Him; He is the eternal God - without beginning and ending.
      b. He is Jehovah - the only Saviour!
    3. When there was no strange god among them, God had spoken to Israel - declaring His love and His covenant-purpose toward them.
      a. He delivered them from the Egyptians - bringing them safely through the Red Sea.
      b. With His outstretched hand He poured out judgment upon Egypt for the benefit of the people He had chosen for Himself.
      c. Thus, he manifested His supreme deity over the gods of Egypt - of which Israel is His witness.
      d. And He is also delivering His people from Babylon; His purpose will not fail.
    4. Before the day was created, Jehovah was God - eternal and omnipotent, (vs. 13; Psa. 90:2).
      a. None can deliver out of His hand.
      b. Nor can any hinder the fulfillment of His purpose, (Isa. 14:27).

   Thus saith the LORD, your redeemer, the Holy One of Israel; For your sake I have sent to Babylon, and have brought down all their nobles, and the Chaldeans, whose cry is in the ships. I am the LORD, your Holy One, the creator of Israel, your King. Thus saith the LORD, which maketh a way in the sea, and a path in the mighty waters; Which bringeth forth the chariot and horse, the army and the power; they shall lie down together, they shall not rise: they are extinct, they are quenched as tow.
   Remember ye not the former things, neither consider the things of old. Behold, I will do a new thing; now it shall spring forth; shall ye not know it? I will even make a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert. The beast of the field shall honour me, the dragons and the owls: because I give waters in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert, to give drink to my people, my chosen. This people have I formed for myself; they shall show forth my praise.

    1. Even before Judah goes into the Babylonian captivity the Lord encourages her by stating His purpose to humble the Babylonians - for her sake, (vs. 14).
    2. The nation must not forget that He, her Lord, is also her Creator, Sustainer, Redeemer and King, (51:13; 43:20b; 41:14, 21; 44:6; Psalm 121:4).
    3. Of the anti-God world-system, which Isaiah sees manifesting itself through Babylon (vs. 17), it is said: "They shall lie down together, they shall not rise: they are extinct, they are quenched as tow" - overthrown so as never again to lift up their head, (Psa. 76:5-6; Isa. 1:31).
    4. But Isaiah hastens to contrast what God will do for Israel, His firstborn, (vs. 19; Ex. 4:22).
      a. It will be a "new thing", (42:9; 48:6).
      b. He will raise up (delivering from prison) the people whom He has formed for Himself, that they may truly show forth His praise, (vs. 21; Psa. 102:18; Eph. 1:10-12).
    5. The terminology used in verses 19-20 appears frequently in Isaiah and alludes to restoration and formative re-organization of the Theocracy in which the covenant-nation (Israel) will have a significant role.
    6. Thus, "the ransomed of the Lord" will come to Zion with everlasting joy, and praise for God's wonderful works, (42:12; Lk. 1:74-75; I Pet. 2:9).
    7. This is most aptly described, by Peter, as a "time of refreshing" from the presence of the Lord, (Acts 3:19-21); a day of rest, gladness and peace.

   But thou hast not called upon me, O Jacob; but thou hast been weary of me, O Israel. Thou hast not brought me the small cattle of thy burnt offerings; neither hast thou honoured me with thy sacrifices. I have not caused thee to serve with an offering, nor wearied thee with incense. Thou hast bought me no sweet cane with money, neither hast thou filled me with the fat of thy sacrifices: but thou hast made me to serve with thy sins, thou hast wearied me with thine iniquities.
   I, even I, am he that blotteth out thy transgressions for mine own sake, and will not remember thy sins. Put me in remembrance: let us plead together: declare thou, that thou mayest be justified. Thy first father hath sinned, and thy teachers have transgressed against me. Therefore I have profaned the princes of the sanctuary, and have given Jacob to the curse, and Israel to reproaches.

    1. In spite of God's bounty toward Israel, the people of the covenant have not considered and called upon Him, (vs. 22a; 1:2-4; 30:9-11).
    2. Though they grew weary of him, it was not because He wearied them by requiring incense, (vs. 22b; 23c; Micah 6:3; Mal. 1:13; 3:14; Jer. 7:21-26).
    3. His people have been unfaithful in their stewardship and worship.
      a. They have brought no cattle for burnt offerings, nor have they honored Him with sacrifices, (vs. 23a; Amos 5:25; Zech. 7:5-6; Mal. 1:6-8).
      b. They have withheld their offerings, (vs. 24a; II Chron. 29:7).
      c. And they have wearied God with their sins and iniquity, (vs. 24b; Neh. 13:10; Mal. 3:8).
    4. Yet, for His own name's sake (37:35; 48:9, 11; Ezek. 36:22), God blots out their transgressions and declares that He will remember their sins no more, (vs. 25; 44:22; 55:6-7; Jer. 50:20; Isa. 38:17; Jer. 31:34).
    5. Still, He summons them to vindicate their actions, (vs. 26; 1:18).
      a. Their first father (Abraham) sinned, (vs. 27a; 51:2; Ezek. 16:3).
      b. And their teachers have transgressed against the Holy One of Israel, (vs. 27b; 9:15; 28:7; Jer. 5:31).
    6. Therefore, He has excommunicated them (cutting them off from covenant-fellowship with Himself), and delivered them up to reviling, until they are ready to humble themselves before their Maker, (vs. 28; 47:6; Lam. 2:2-6; Ezek. 6:14-15).