Isaiah 43:1-1

Isaiah 43:1-19 NIV

But now, this is what the Lord says— he who created you, Jacob, he who formed you, Israel: “Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze. For I am the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior; I give Egypt for your ransom, Cush and Seba in your stead. Since you are precious and honored in my sight, and because I love you, I will give people in exchange for you, nations in exchange for your life.

Do not be afraid, for I am with you; I will bring your children from the east and gather you from the west. I will say to the north, ‘Give them up!’ and to the south, ‘Do not hold them back.’ Bring my sons from afar and my daughters from the ends of the earth— everyone who is called by my name, whom I created for my glory, whom I formed and made.” Lead out those who have eyes but are blind, who have ears but are deaf.

All the nations gather together and the peoples assemble. Which of their gods foretold this and proclaimed to us the former things? Let them bring in their witnesses to prove they were right, so that others may hear and say, “It is true.” “You are my witnesses,” declares the Lord , “and my servant whom I have chosen, so that you may know and believe me and understand that I am he. Before me no god was formed, nor will there be one after me. I, even I, am the Lord , and apart from me there is no savior. I have revealed and saved and proclaimed— I, and not some foreign god among you. You are my witnesses,” declares the Lord , “that I am God. Yes, and from ancient days I am he. No one can deliver out of my hand. When I act, who can reverse it?”

This is what the Lord says— your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel: “For your sake I will send to Babylon and bring down as fugitives all the Babylonians, in the ships in which they took pride. I am the Lord, your Holy One, Israel’s Creator, your King.”

This is what the Lord says— he who made a way through the sea, a path through the mighty waters, who drew out the chariots and horses, the army and reinforcements together, and they lay there, never to rise again, extinguished, snuffed out like a wick: “Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.

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Isaiah 43 is a wonderful chapter in the ongoing prophecy to the Hebrew exiles in Babylon, which began in chapter 40. I love it because it features God's intimate relationship with Israel, it announces their deliverance, and it draws on the Exodus story to highlight God's new actions to save Israel.

The first four verses comfort with words of love and assurance. You can sense God's deep commitment to His exiled people. He is now going to bring them back home across deserts and rivers, even through fire. God is redeeming Israel, giving a ransom for them to buy them out of captivity, to purchase their freedom. God is giving nations like Egypt, Ethiopia (Cush) and Seba (an ancient nation in northern Africa) as the ransom price.

This section reminds me a bit of Valentine cards with messages like, "You are mine." God created and formed Israel. He did so for the purpose of blessing the world with the knowledge of God through them. As they live out holy lives in community with God and one another, they are blessed with peace and prosperity, health and wholeness. They are blessed to become a blessing to the rest. God is not about to abandon His mission through them. The exile is part of what He must do to refine Israel. Now they are ready to resume covenant faithfulness in Judea.

God promises to be with them and protect them on their journey home. Twice God tells them not to fear. He calls to His children from the four corners. He leads them home, even though they have lived as if they were blind and deaf to the holy ways of God.

God challenges the pagan nations to witness to which of their gods prophesied this new exodus from Babylon? Would any have predicted it? But Israel can witness to God. They could imagine such a day, for the Lord led them out of bondage in Egypt centuries before. They know that Yahweh is God alone and there is no other. All the nations worship false gods and lesser spirits.

Isaiah 43:10b-11 NIV

Before me no god was formed, nor will there be one after me. I, even I, am the Lord, and apart from me there is no savior.

The sovereignty of God cannot be challenged for he has no equal. The Israelites can trust that His choice to return them from exile in Babylon to Judea will happen. God will bring down Babylon. They will sink like broken ships on the sea. God is the One who split the Red Sea to lead the Hebrew slaves out of slavery in Egypt. Now He will split the desert with a highway leading straight to Jerusalem.

God reminds His people that He is not simply a God of some famous past. He is a God who will bring fame to His name now, for His deliverance of the exiles will shock the world with awe. Who would've believed it? Jerusalem lay in waste. Israel ceased to be a sovereign nation. And yet under the blessings and provision of the Persian government they will rebuild Jerusalem and reestablish worship at a new temple.

The message that speaks most profoundly to me is the notion to forget about the past because God is doing a new thing to celebrate. How often do we read our bibles and marvel at the stories of God's miraculous acts and wondered why we have never witnessed such things? Some say the age of miracles is past. God no longer does such things. Perhaps we are in an exile of our own waiting for God to act. Before we get to thinking God is helplessly tied to the past, to old stories in an ancient book, let us remember that God is not the product of ancient imagination. God is alive and with us. You are His witnesses that the Spirit of Christ lives in you. In Christ there is life and peace, grace and abundance. All you need is in Him and among God's people in the kingdom of Christ. Do not get hung up on the idea that God will not act to deliver you in any situation. You are His witnesses. He is forming you through every experience in which you walk with Him. God is working for our redemption every day as He makes all things new. Do not fear, but know that the Lord is He, the One and only. God is with us. Immanuel!