God’s message to Israel is this: fear not for I am behind your cause. I bought you, I called you, and I have named you. I will be with you when you encounter difficulties—I am with you through oppression—when you are between a rock and a hard place I am with you. You are precious to me and I will give anything to get you back.
God is going to round up all your children and grand-children from the four corners of the earth. God announces future things and challenges the heathen priests to tell one thing that they had foretold that came true. God calls Israel his witnesses, claims them as his handpicked people, and that there was no other god, and that there never will be.
God says that he is sending Cyrus to Babylon and brings down its rulers and gods. Just to remind them that he is the mighty God that led Israel through the Red Sea and had defeated all of Pharaoh’s army. But, don’t dwell too much on the past for God says that he is going to do a new thing. He will defeat their enemies and build a road to their home land including a way through the wilderness and rivers in the desert. Even the beasts will drink to his praise.
Redemption Through Fire: Exploring God's Promise of a New Thing
Isaiah 43:1
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.
God has a message for Jacob—have no fear for I am the one behind your cause—I bought you—I called you and I have given you a name.
Cross References
- Isa 44:2 Thus saith the LORD that made thee, and formed thee from the womb, which will help thee; Fear not, O Jacob, my servant; and thou, Jesurun, whom I have chosen.
- Zec 13:9 And I will bring the third part through the fire, and will refine them as silver is refined, and will try them as gold is tried: they shall call on my name, and I will hear them: I will say, It is my people: and they shall say, The LORD is my God.
Isaiah 43:2
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.
When you go through great trouble, I will be with you. When you encounter difficulties, I will be with you. When you walk through the fire of oppression, I will be with you. When you go through hell and high water I will be with you. When you are over your head, when you are in rough times, when you are at the end of your rope, when you are between a rock and a hard place, remember God is with thee and will see you through.
Cross References
- Psa 66:12 Thou hast caused men to ride over our heads; we went through fire and through water: but thou broughtest us out into a wealthy place.
- Isa 41:10 Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.
Isaiah 43:3
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.
God paid a huge price for their redemption—Egypt, Ethiopia, and Seba.
Cross References
- Eze 29:19 Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I will give the land of Egypt unto Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon; and he shall take her multitude, and take her spoil, and take her prey; and it shall be the wages for his army. Read: Eze 30:21-26
Isaiah 43:4
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.
God claims that Israel is precious in his sight and that he would give anything to get them back.
Cross References
- Deu 7:6 For thou art an holy people unto the LORD thy God: the LORD thy God hath chosen thee to be a special people unto himself, above all people that are upon the face of the earth. Read: Exo 19:5-6; Hos 11:1; Mal 1:2
Isaiah 43:5-6
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;
God is going to round them up like stray animals, every Jew that bears his name will be coming back from the four corners of the world. All the distant lands and islands will surrender the exiles and they will return home.
Cross References
- Isa 11:11-12 And it shall come to pass in that day, that the Lord shall set his hand again the second time to recover the remnant of his people... from the four corners of the earth.
- Deu 30:3 That then the LORD thy God will turn thy captivity, and have compassion upon thee...
- Eze 37:21 Behold, I will take the children of Israel from among the heathen, whither they be gone, and will gather them on every side, and bring them into their own land.
Isaiah 43:7
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.
Everyone who claims God and is called by his name is created for God’s glory. God formed him in the womb and made him.
Cross References
- Rev 3:12 Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God... and I will write upon him the name of my God... Read: Isa 62:2-3
Isaiah 43:8
Bring forth the blind people that have eyes, and the deaf that have ears.
Bring the blind (those who have eyes but are spiritually blind) and the deaf (those who have ears but cannot hear).
Cross References
- Isa 6:9 And he said, Go, and tell this people, Hear ye indeed, but understand not; and see ye indeed, but perceive not.
- Jer 5:21 Hear now this, O foolish people, and without understanding; which have eyes, and see not; which have ears, and hear not.
Isaiah 43:9
Let all the nations be gathered together, and let the people be assembled: who among them can declare this, and shew us former things? let them bring forth their witnesses, that they may be justified: or let them hear, and say, It is truth.
Who among the heathen could tell in advance things that would happen? No heathen priest could tell what would happen in the future. Let them produce their witnesses and if there are no witnesses, then we must confess that only God can know of future things.
Cross References
- Isa 44:7-9 And who, as I, shall call, and shall declare it, and set it in order for me...?
Isaiah 43:10
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.
There is no other God—never was—never will be. They were the ones that had witnessed God's mighty works and were handpicked.
Cross References
- Isa 44:8 Fear ye not, neither be afraid: have not I told thee from that time, and have declared it? ye are even my witnesses. Is there a God beside me? yea, there is no God; I know not any.
- Isa 46:9 Remember the former things of old: for I am God, and there is none else; I am God, and there is none like me.
Isaiah 43:11-12
I, even I, am the LORD; and beside me there is no saviour. I have declared, and have saved, and I have shewed, when there was no strange god among you: therefore ye are my witnesses, saith the LORD, that I am God.
There never was another God and there never will be. Before Israel had any foreign gods among them, God had saved them and showed his power among them.
Cross References
- Isa 12:2 Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and not be afraid: for the LORD JEHOVAH is my strength and my song...
- Deu 32:12 So the LORD alone did lead him, and there was no strange god with him.
Isaiah 43:13
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?
From the time of the first existence of day, God was and from that time onward God is.
Cross References
- Psa 90:2 Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever thou hadst formed the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, thou art God.
Isaiah 43:14
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.
God declares that he is their redeemer and that he has sent to Babylon Cyrus who will bring down all the nobles and the Chaldeans. He will bring down ships and all idols will be destroyed.
Cross References
- Isa 44:24-28 ...That saith of Cyrus, He is my shepherd, and shall perform all my pleasure...
Isaiah 43:15-17
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.
Just to jog their memory that he was the creator of Israel and still their king. This message is from him that once led Israel through the Red Sea and caused them to cross on dry ground. God says that he called forth the war chariots and cavalry and extinguished them like putting out a candle.
Cross References
- Isa 51:15 But I am the LORD thy God, that divided the sea, whose waves roared: The LORD of hosts is his name.
- Isa 14:20-22 ...For I will rise up against them, saith the LORD of hosts, and cut off from Babylon the name, and remnant, and son, and nephew, saith the LORD.
Isaiah 43:18
Remember ye not the former things, neither consider the things of old.
Forget all of the things regarding the past, stop dwelling on them, because that is past history and I am going to do something more marvelous.
Cross References
- Jer 3:16 ...they shall say no more, The ark of the covenant of the LORD: neither shall it come to mind...
- Isa 65:17 For, behold, I create new heavens and a new earth: and the former shall not be remembered, nor come into mind.
Isaiah 43:19-20
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.
Stop brooding over the past, and focus on the new thing that I am going to do for you. I will build a road for you to go home on and make a way in the wilderness and create rivers in deserts. Jackals, ostriches, and wild beasts will drink to my honor. All the provisions were planned and prepared for Israel’s return to their homeland.
Cross References
- Isa 42:9 Behold, the former things are come to pass, and new things do I declare: before they spring forth I tell you of them.
- Jer 31:9 ...I will cause them to walk by the rivers of waters in a straight way, wherein they shall not stumble...
Isaiah 43:21
This people have I formed for myself; they shall shew forth my praise.
He had fashioned and made Israel a people for himself and they would exhibit his praises when he redeemed them from the Chaldeans.
Cross References
- Psa 102:18 This shall be written for the generation to come: and the people which shall be created shall praise the LORD.
Isaiah 43:22-24
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... 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.
They didn’t ask for God’s help—tired of God. God had not asked for much—his requests were very few. They never brought God incense, nor the fat of sacrifices but were generous with their sins—all this left God fed up with them.
Cross References
- Mal 1:13-14 Ye said also, Behold, what a weariness is it! and ye have snuffed at it, saith the LORD of hosts...
- Jer 6:20 To what purpose cometh there to me incense from Sheba... your burnt offerings are not acceptable, nor your sacrifices sweet unto me.
Isaiah 43:25
I, even I, am he that blotteth out thy transgressions for mine own sake, and will not remember thy sins.
God says that he is forgiving them of their sins and will never think of them again.
Cross References
- Psa 79:8 O remember not against us former iniquities...
- Heb 10:17 And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more.
Isaiah 43:26
Put me in remembrance: let us plead together: declare thou, that thou mayest be justified.
God says that they needed to talk things over and that they needed to plead their case for his forgiveness.
Cross References
- Isa 1:18 Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD...
Isaiah 43:27-28
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.
Their ancestors had started this sinning and they had resisted the prophets and the Holy Ghost. Teachers as well as the common people, all had gone astray and were not steadfast with God. God had disqualified the temple leaders, he caused the feasts and Sabbaths to be forgotten, He had brought them down to the ground.
Cross References
- Mal 3:7 Even from the days of your fathers ye are gone away from mine ordinances...
- Deu 28:15-20 ...The LORD shall send upon thee cursing, vexation, and rebuke, in all that thou settest thine hand unto for to do, until thou be destroyed...