Bible Commentaries
Isaiah 43

Verses 1-7

Isa 43:1-7

Isaiah 43:1-7

There is a dramatic change in this chapter from the severe rebukes and denunciations of Israel in Isaiah 42, where Israel appears as the blind and deaf servant, to the glorious comfort promised the people of God in this chapter. Many Christians have made this chapter their favorite of the whole prophecy of Isaiah.

However, it should never be overlooked that the blind and deaf servant (the physical Israel, the old Israel, the fleshly Israel) also appears in the last two verses of this chapter. Therefore, the words here are addressed, first to the New Israel, the True Israel, the Spiritual Israel; and then, in the last two verses, the address changes back to the prophecy regarding the former Israel.

There is, however, an almost universal misunderstanding of these first seven verses; and many commentators mistakenly apply them to the old physical Israel, the historical Jews, to which these particular verses have no reference at all.

These precious promises are not in any sense whatever applicable to the rebellious, wicked Israelites, who, as Isaiah wrote this, were still pursuing an exceedingly evil path of sin and rebellion against God. The horrible reign of Manasseh is the only proof of this fact that is needed.

There is no excuse whatever for the high handed manner in which alleged "scholars" have preempted these verses and interpreted them as promises to fleshly Israel, "purely through God’s grace, and with no regard whatever to the evil character of that fleshly Israel." Yes indeed, God’s grace is wonderful; but it is not that wonderful!. The basic fact of all holy religion is that there must be on the part of the people whom God will save, "A true holiness (sanctification) without which no man shall see God" (Hebrews 12:14, KJV).

In the previous chapter here, Isaiah made it very clear that there are "two Israels"; and the very first necessity here is to determine which of the two was addressed by these marvelous promises of comfort, security, blessing, and salvation.

Isaiah 43:1-7

"But now thus saith Jehovah who 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 Jehovah thy God, the Holy One of Israel, thy Saviour; I have given Egypt as thy ransom, Ethiopia and Seba in thy stead. Since thou hast been precious in my sight, and honorable, and I have loved thee; therefore will I give men in thy stead, and peoples instead of 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; and bring my sons from far, and my daughters from the end of the earth; everyone that is called by my name, and whom I have created for my glory, whom I have formed, yea, whom I have made."

"The comfort and encouragement here (Isaiah 43:1-7) is to the pious." Let it also be noted that the promises here are for "everyone that is called by" the name of God (Isaiah 43:7), a qualification that existed only centuries after Isaiah wrote and which pertains to God’s children. Of course, the comfort here was not at all limited to people who would live in the times of the New Covenant; but the inclusion of such qualifications did have the utility of excluding the wicked from the promises of assurance and blessing given here. In the immediate foreground of these wonderful promises is God’s projected return of his chosen people from Babylon. Let it never be forgotten, however, that God’s "chosen people," from the very beginning never applied merely to people who were physically descended from Abraham, but always signified that "remnant" of the fleshly Israel who believed in God and tried faithfully to walk in God’s ways. Jesus Christ elaborated this truth in John 8 in the New Testament.

The past tenses here: "I have redeemed thee; I have called thee by thy name, etc.," are verbs of prophetic certainty; and they have the same meaning as the future verbs: "I will bring thy seed from the east; I will be with thee, etc."

We believe that Adam Clarke was correct in his allegation that Isaiah 43:1 should read, "Called thee by my name," instead of "thy name." He wrote:

It seems from the seventh verse, and from the thing itself, that we should read, "I have called thee by my name," for this form of speech often occurs, but the other never!

Cheyne thought that this chapter teaches that, "All Israel shall be saved." However, he must have overlooked Isaiah 43:28! His comment here is a fair example of the claims made by "faith only" and "grace only" advocates of a salvation totally unconnected with righteousness. It is precisely this type of antinomianism that has practically destroyed the Protestantism of the present century.

As Payne indicated, "The promise of release from exile is the theme here; but it is now widened and deepened." This is true because: (a) the returnees are from all over the world, not merely from Babylon; (b) the promised redemption is an earmark of the new covenant; and (c) because of the emphasis upon God’s love (Isaiah 43:3).

Kidner caught the spirit of this passage perfectly with this comment:

"These seven verses (Isaiah 43:1-7) eloquently detail the assurance that Christ gave his Church, that the Gates of hell shall not prevail against it. Fire, water, distances, peoples etc. can take no toll. Everyone will prevail whom God calls `mine.’"

"I have given Egypt as thy ransom, Ethiopia and Seba in thy stead" (Isaiah 43:3). "This means that God granted to the Persians, beforehand, as a reward for their release of the captive Israel, the country of Egypt, and a portion of Ethiopia as additions to their empire." There is a very good reason, however, behind the vigorous objections that some critical writers offer against this interpretation. As Rawlinson noted:

"Even the very latest dates assigned by skeptical critics to Second Isaiah (their imaginative author of this part of Isaiah) still makes this a very remarkable prophecy. Both Egypt and Ethiopia became part of Persia several years after Cyrus died, whose son Cambyses effected these conquests circa 527-526 B.C.

In order, therefore, to challenge the undeniable evidence here of predictive prophecy; many scholars soften the meaning here to be a mere prediction that God will remove even mighty nations whenever it is necessary to preserve Israel. Of course, such a proposition is indeed true; but we believe there is a more specific thing mentioned here.

The certainty that this passage promises the return from Babylonian captivity must be accepted; "But it also certainly looks beyond to the gathering of all God’s people who are called by God’s name. That great ingathering was accomplished and will continue to be accomplished only under the Servant Jesus Christ, whom God appointed to the task.”

Isaiah 43:1-4 REDEMPTION: This chapter forms the climactic statement of God’s Purpose for Israel’s servanthood—to be God’s Called. This chapter also forms the conclusion to the preceding discussion of the interrelation of national Israel—covenant Israel—to the Messiah. This whole section of Salvation Through God’s Servant (chapters 40–53), is a kaleidoscopic view of the correlation of Israel and the Messiah. Israel was called for the messianic purpose, but she sinned. God must chasten her to purify her. After her purification she will be redeemed and from her will come the Messiah and His kingdom in which only the regenerated shall dwell.

Two words are used in verse one to emphasize Jehovah’s claim upon Israel; bara, create and yatzar, form, shape, are the distinctive Hebrew words showing God’s unique relationship to Israel. She is His possession by right of His having brought her into existence and having molded her into what He wants her to be. The Hebrew word for redeemed is goael and a derivative of the same word is sometimes translated kinsman (cf. Ruth 3:2, etc.). Israel is kin to God by creation and redemption. Israel is God’s child, His son, His bride (cf. Ezekiel 16:1 f; Hosea 11:1 f; Isaiah 49:14-18; Isaiah 62:1 f, etc.). Israel is God’s precious possession. The placing of the two names of verse one are interesting. Yaakoov, Jacob, means “defraud, circumvent, crooked, deceitful,” while Yisrael, Israel, means “prevail, prince or ruler of God, or perhaps, God will rule.” Israel is the name God gave Jacob after Jacob wrestled with the angel of the Lord and prevailed. Hosea appeals to the spineless, compromising Israel of his day to take again the character of its forefather who was so singleminded about striving for the spiritual birthright (cf. Hosea 12:2-6). So, Israel was what God named this nation because He redeemed it or purchased it, not only through the change made in Jacob’s character, but also throughout her history. This is what God calls Israel—mine!

Not only has God redeemed Israel, He will continue to do so. He will protect her. When she is forced to go through waters (probably when being taken captive, for there were hardly any bridges over rivers then) God will keep her from being swept away. When they were forced to walk through fire, God would not allow the flame to consume them. A literal fulfillment of protection from fire is recorded in the event with the three Hebrew men (Daniel 3:1-30) in the fiery furnace of Nebuchadnezzar. The point is Israel need not fear extinction for God is powerful and mighty to save from any thing. God could even save them from lions (Daniel), hangmen (Esther) and their own countrymen (Jeremiah).

Jehovah, Creator of all mankind, is jealous enough for Israel, His precious servant, called to glorify His name in all the earth, He is willing to give up other nations and peoples as a substitutionary ransom to keep Israel. God is ready to sacrifice practically the whole African continent (as was then known, Egypt, Ethiopia, and Seba) if need be to keep Israel free to fulfill her messianic destiny. Some think this is a prediction that God is willing to, and did, assign Egypt, Ethiopia and Seba to Persia as compensation for their letting Israel return to Palestine by the edict of Cyrus (cf. 2 Chronicles 36; Ezra 1). Egypt and Ethiopia did submit to the Persian yoke in the days of Cambyses (cir. 527–526 B.C.), about 10 years after the return of the exiled Jews to Palestine.

From the time the promise was given to Jacob (Genesis 28:14), Israel became precious to Jehovah. From that time on God placed the interests of Israel above those of other peoples. Young says, “Perhaps the general thought is simply that in choosing Israel God passed by other nations and thus they were sacrificed (i.e., were the ransom price) in its place.” The point, of course, is not that Israel of itself merits this evaluation of preciousness; the point is God’s grace. Paul makes this matter clear in Romans, chapters 9–10–11. Israel’s preciousness consists solely in God’s sovereign choice of her to be His servant. The same is true of the new Israel, the church. The church is precious not because of the merit of the human beings in her membership but because of God’s sovereign redemption by grace to the church in the unique work of Christ, offered through belief and obedience of the Gospel. The preciousness of the church is shown in that God was willing to offer His monogenes, “only, unique” Son as a ransom.

Isaiah 43:5-7 REGENERATION: The captivity, which was certain to come, was symbolic of the estrangement between Israel and God. Israel willfully and deliberately separated themselves from His holiness (cf. Isaiah 30:1-14, etc.). The separation was not God’s choosing. However, in order to demonstrate vividly Israel’s need for God’s holy fellowship, God delivered her to captivity. But Israel is not to fear. Because a remnant has believed the prophets and remain true to Jehovah, He will bring them back from all over the earth to their land again and to their appointment with destiny. That return from the exile, however, is only a first step. The meaning of these verses is by no means restricted to the return from the captivity. As Young says, “In a far deeper sense it is addressed to all those who are afar off, who can be brought to the true Mount Zion only by the gracious working of the Lord . . . The reference is to the spiritual gathering of lost sinners in Jesus Christ.” The “seed” refers to the spiritual descendants of Jacob. There are plenty of references in Isaiah to demonstrate this principle (cf. comments on Isaiah 19:16-25, etc.).

Verse seven indicates that God is referring to His spiritual people and not just physical Israel, when it says “every one that is called by my name.” Jesus made plain who God’s sons were in John 8. Not all descended from Israel belong to Israel (cf. Romans 9:6; Romans 2:25-29; Galatians 6:13-16, etc.). Anyone who does not come to God through Jesus Christ is not called by God’s name. The arrangement of the words, created, formed, and made, seem to be in an ascending scale depicting the work of God in the redemption of those called by His name. First there is the new creation (the initial new birth, becoming a Christian), then the shaping or molding of that life into the image of Christ from one degree of glory to another and last the perfecting or consummating work of glorifying the child of God. Isaiah is talking about a regeneration. He is depicting the bringing from an Israel that was one only in name, to Israel that is one in truth!

Verses 8-13

Isa 43:8-13

Isaiah 43:8-13

"Bring forth the blind people that have eyes, and the deaf that have ears. Let all the nations be gathered together, and let the peoples be assembled: who among them can declare this, and show us former things? let them bring their witnesses, that they may be justified; or let them hear, and say, It is truth, Ye are my witnesses, saith Jehovah, 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 Jehovah; and besides me there is no saviour. I have declared, and I have saved, and I have showed; and there was no strange god among you: therefore, ye are my witnesses, saith Jehovah, and I am God. Yea, since the day was; and there is none that can deliver out of my hand: I will work, and who can hinder it?"

One of the big things in this paragraph is that the fleshly Israel, the deaf and blind Israel, are here commissioned as God’s witness, whether or not they were willing; and this tremendous predictive prophecy is this very day being fulfilled all over the earth. The very existence of Israel is a witness for every single line of the Old Testament; and "These are they that testify of me," as Jesus stated it. Note that the imaginary court scene is again used as a device for emphasizing these significant facts.

The greatest possible triumph over false gods was demonstrated in the delivery of Israel from Egypt; and, in the conquest of Canaan under Joshua, the same sensational triumph was again demonstrated.

Israel (the old fleshly one) did not actually wish to be God’s witness; but God required it of her any way. They did not wish to preach to the Gentiles; but, in spite of their efforts to avoid it, their greatest men, of whom was Paul the Apostle, preached the word to the Gentiles in spite of all Jewish efforts to stop it. That fulfilled the type seen in Jonah, who preferred death to preaching to Nineveh; but God put his hook in the nose of that prophet and compelled him to do it contrary to his personal desire.

There should be no misunderstanding relative to who are meant by those called "the blind with eyes, and the deaf with ears." "These are the Jews who had mixed themselves up with the heathen, learned their ways, and had rejected the Word of God.” It is the height of folly to suppose that the gracious promises of the first seven verses may be logically applied to such racial Israelites.

Yes indeed, Israel in time would witness for God; but it would not be by the controlling majority of the rebellious nation, but by that pitifully small remnant composed of people such as the apostles of Christ. That witnessing would not occur in the lifetime of Isaiah, nor in any of the events following the end of the exile; but, for ages, the fleshly Israel would continue to be "a passive and reluctant exhibit.” What a poor witness fleshly Israel proved to be! As Kelley wrote, "One of the amazing things that emerges from this passage is that a task so momentous should have been entrusted to a people as unfit as Israel (cf. 2 Corinthians 4:7).”

Isaiah 43:8-10 MESSENGER: Israel was called by God to be His servant as a testimony among the nations of Jehovah’s sovereignty (cf. Exodus 19:5; Deuteronomy 4:6-7; Deuteronomy 14:2; Deuteronomy 26:18; Deuteronomy 28:10; Psalms 135:4; Leviticus 20:24-26; Deuteronomy 7:6). The passage before us deals with God’s call to this servanthood. Israel had not fulfilled her purpose (cf. Amos 3:9-11; Jeremiah 2:9-13; Jeremiah 18:13), she “out-heathened the heathen.” She was given the land of Canaan to show the heathen nations the holiness of God, but she became more unholy than the heathen around her! Now, Isaiah, speaking for Jehovah, is calling for a remnant of Israel to turn again to this God-oriented purpose.

The “blind” and the “deaf” are the Gentiles who claim they have “eyes” and “ears” to see and hear what is truth through their idols and diviners. But Jehovah challenges them to gather all the idols and soothsayers of all the nations on the earth and bring forth evidence of their abilities. God has challenged the heathen gods many times before (Moses and the Egyptian magicians; Elijah and the prophets of Baal) and He makes the challenge many times after this (Isaiah 44:9 f; Daniel 1-6, etc.). God is predicting, through His prophet Isaiah, the captivity and restoration of Israel. Which one of the heathen gods Israel has adopted is able to infallibly foretell the future like Jehovah? The false prophets of Israel are continually insisting that no captivity will come to them (cf. Micah 3:9-12). If the heathen gods Israel worships are gods, let them bring a record of their prophetic successes of the past. How many historical events have they foretold and seen fulfilled? Jehovah is not afraid of such a challenge for He knows they are not gods (Jeremiah demonstrated the impotence of the false prophets when he challenged the predictions of Hananiah, Jeremiah 28:1-17). The god of Israel is the only God of truth. He alone has the truth. He alone knows righteousness and holiness. Israel is the only messenger of truth and righteousness, but they have rejected this servanthood for false gods. The challenge to the nations to amalgamate all their powers and present the best opposition they can to the sovereignty of Jehovah is much like the challenge in Joel 2:30 to Joel 3:21.

The heathen opposition has no witnesses and no evidence. But Jehovah has. Israel is God’s witness. In fact, this is their destiny. Israel is not called to be a mighty worldly power dominating other nations and exercising world-empire. That never was Israel’s destiny and never shall be. The new Israel, the church, is not of this world. Israel testified by her very existence and was called to testify by her deeds and words that Jehovah is the only God. Leupold says, “Monotheism is Israel’s most precious insight. Whatever indications along this line had begun to glimmer here and there in divine revelation, all this now comes to clear expression and is finalized by our prophet.” God had chosen Israel to be His servant, to be the instrument through which He could manifest His power and glory and holiness to all the earth. Israel had plenty of empirical proof of Jehovah’s sovereignty. There was no reason for Israel not to know and believe there was only One God! But Israel set aside reason in favor of greed, lust and pride. For this the prophets often characterized their countrymen as irrational, stupid, perverse, self-willed, stubborn (cf. Ezek. ch. 2 & 3, etc.). The prophets did preserve a small remnant of faithful who did become witnesses in all the earth to the sovereignty of Jehovah. The dispersion of these faithful by the Persians, Greeks and Romans prepared the way for the preaching of the gospel all over the world in the first century A.D.

Isaiah 43:11-13 MESSAGE: The absolute sovereignty of Jehovah is the message Israel is to proclaim. They are witnesses to it. They have seen and heard first-hand—for that is what a witness is. A witness does not tell what he thinks or feels—he tells what he has seen and heard. What Israel has seen is only Jehovah can save. Jehovah demonstrated to the sensory organs of man (eyes, ears, touch, etc.) that He alone saves. Jehovah did not reveal His saving power to Israel in a systematic philosophy—He revealed it in deeds, events, in the historical, human frame-of-reference. He also demonstrated experientially that none of the gods of man, none of the pagan idols, could save. Therefore, Israel must be God’s witness. God has not revealed Himself so precisely and extensively to any other people. God has no other witnesses. Isaiah knows about such a “manifest destiny.” When Isaiah was in the temple, God asked, “Who will go for us, whom shall I send?” (cf. Isaiah 6).

There cannot be another witness and there cannot be another God. There is only one God. He is from everlasting to everlasting. He had no beginning and has no end. Where is there one who can gainsay that!? God may be morally rejected and disobeyed, but His eternal power and deity cannot rationally be denied (cf. Romans 1:16 f). Philosophy, science or psychology can never disprove the existence of God. Men would have to know everything there is to know, have existed everywhere there is existence in order to absolutely disprove God. So far, all the evidence proves beyond any reasonable doubt, that Jehovah does exist and none can deliver out of His hand and none can hinder whatever He wants to do!

Verses 14-21

Isa 43:14-21

Isaiah 43:14-21

"Thus saith Jehovah, your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel; for your sake I have sent to Babylon, and I will bring down all of them as fugitives, even the Chaldeans in the ships of their rejoicing. I am Jehovah, your Holy One, the Creator of Israel, your King. Thus saith Jehovah, who maketh a way in the sea, and a path in the mighty waters; who bringeth forth the chariot and the horse, the army and the mighty man (they lie down together, they shall not rise; they are extinct, they are quenched as a wick): Remember ye not the former things, neither consider the things of old. Behold, I will do a new thing; now shall it spring forth; shall ye not know it? I will even make a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert. The beasts of the field shall honor me, the jackals and the ostriches; because I give waters in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert, to give drink to my people, my chosen, the people which I formed for myself, that they might set forth my praise."

Isaiah 43:14 - The mention here of "ships of their rejoicing" takes us back to the times when Isaiah lived, because at that time Babylon was indeed a maritime power, a fact that ended with the conquest of Cyrus, this fact fitting Isaiah as the author, not some imaginary prophet after the exile.

"I have sent to Babylon ..." (Isaiah 43:14). "Here again we have the past perfect tense, the tense of prophetic certainty.” This, of course, is a prophecy of Cyrus’ coming against Babylon to destroy it,

God here promised to do "a new thing." It would be an even greater thing than that of the Exodus from Egypt; and "for the real fulfillment of this, we must look beyond the modest homecomings from Babylon, although these are in view, to that great Exodus which God accomplished in Jerusalem (Luke 9:31), which alone justifies the language of this and kindred passages.”

We have already noted that God has used the word "Redeemer" as his title in the rescue of Israel, and that this word comes from an old Hebrew requirement that the "next of kin .... the Redeemer" was obligated to purchase his kinsman back from slavery if necessary; and here we have that word again; but it was surely a fact lost on the Jews of that day that the "redeemer" who would give himself as a sacrifice to redeem Israel would be a far different person from any that the Jews might have supposed.

This passage (Isaiah 43:14) promises that Babylon shall be destroyed, by Cyrus, although he is not mentioned by name until Isaiah 44. The citizens of Babylon will take flight in their ships which were widely used in the navigation of the Euphrates, which, according to Kelley, "They used to transport their idols along the Euphrates, during the New Year Festival.” Lowth explains that due to the method of Cyrus’ attack on Babylon, by changing the Euphrates out of its course, the suitability of that great river for navigation was greatly reduced; and besides, the Persians built dams and other obstructions which destroyed that use of the river.

The imperative clauses of Isaiah 18 forbid the Jews to dwell upon past deliverances at the hands of God because, "God’s future interpositions upon behalf of Israel would be so marvelous that all past deliverances shall be forgotten in comparison.”

Isaiah 43:14-17 OPPRESSOR DEFEATED: God makes a prophetic decree. He dooms Babylon, the oppressor of His covenant remnant, before Judah is taken captive. Babylon is already looming on the political horizon as a pagan world power standing in opposition to God’s redemptive people (cf. comments on chapter 39, Vol. II). How does Jehovah “send” to Babylon and bring them down? Apparently this is a prophecy of the Persian conquest of Babylon. It was the Persians who after conquering Babylon, decreed and financed the return of the Jews to Palestine (see Daniel, chapters 7–9). The Persians served as God’s instrument to execute His deliverance of Judah. There is a great deal of irony in the predicted Babylonian fall. They will flee like fugitives. Once proud, secure, self-sufficient, powerful Babylon who made so many flee their homelands as fugitives will suffer the same fate (see Habakkuk’s description of the fall of Babylon). Even more ironic, the great fleet of merchant ships and navy vessels which made Babylon so rich and powerful, and which brought so much gladness to the hearts of the Babylonians, will be jammed full of terrified, fleeing fugitives. The Chaldeans, like the Assyrians, had mighty warrior kings. They were rich, powerful and pompous. They were feared and idolized by all the world. But Israel’s king is King of kings! He is Jehovah, Creator, Judge, Holy One and Redeemer. Though Israel might appear to be without a king during the captivity in Babylon, her King would demonstrate His power time and time again (cf. Daniel 2:47; Daniel 3:28; Daniel 4:37; Daniel 6:25-27). Finally, He would demonstrate His sovereignty in the restoration of the nation under Ezra, Zerubbabel and Nehemiah (cf. 2 Chronicles 36:22-23; Ezra 1:1-4). The “way in the sea” in Isaiah 43:16-17 is a metaphorical allusion to Jehovah’s deliverance of the children of Israel through the Red Sea under the leadership of Moses. Just as Jehovah overcame natural obstacles and powerful, wicked human oppressors when He delivered Israel from Egypt, so He will deliver Israel from her captivities under Assyria and Babylon. That mighty Egyptian army with its chariots of war, before which Israel trembled and cringed, lay extinct at the bottom of the Red Sea. So, Jehovah will snuff out the mighty Babylonian empire in one night! (cf. Daniel 5:1-30).

Isaiah 43:18-21 OPPRESSED DELIVERED: But, as grand and glorious as these great national deliverances are, they are warned they should not let their hopes rest on them. God is going to do a new thing much more glorious. The “new” thing is apparently not just the deliverance from the Babylonian captivity, though that is its starting place. It must be more than that for the deliverance from captivity is not any more glorious than the exodus from Egypt. The “new” thing in itself is the wondrous new redemption accomplished in the death and resurrection of the Messiah (cf. Isaiah 42:9-10; Isaiah 48:6; Isaiah 62:2; Isaiah 65:17; Isaiah 66:22; Ezekiel 11:19; Ezekiel 36:26; Ezekiel 18:31, for the new thing God is going to do in the messianic kingdom). Even “now” it was beginning to be apparent to those who had the faith to see it. The revelations of Ezekiel (40–47) and Daniel (7–12) graphically outlined the mission of Israel as prototypical of the redemption for all mankind from their captivity in sin. Men of faith, like Daniel, recognized that God was already beginning to do this “new” thing. They anxiously desired to know when it would come to its completion (cf. Daniel 12:5 f; 1 Peter 1:10-12). The figurative language describing “a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert,” is a favorite vehicle of prophetic literature to describe the messianic blessedness (cf. Isaiah 19:23; Isaiah 35:1-10; Isaiah 51:3, etc.). When God shall have finally and fully regenerated men, nature itself shall also be redeemed (cf. Romans 8:18-25). This, too, is a much used expression of the prophets to show that, as Keil and Delitzsch say, “when the sufferings of the people of God shall be brought to an end, the sufferings of creation will also terminate; for humanity is the heart of the universe, and the people of God (understanding by this the people of God according to the Spirit) are the heart of humanity.” In other words, the consummation of God’s redemptive work will result in the reclamation of men and nature which were cursed in the garden of Eden because of sin. God is working in regenerate men by the power of the gospel received and lived by faith. Regenerated man will then be at harmony with his God, himself and God’s creation. At this point, God will redeem his natural creation and create a new heaven and a new earth (2 Peter 3:13). Thus, Paradise will be restored. But it is not the surroundings, the natural environment that is significant. God can make that over by sheer force. He has made man with a free will to choose his own destiny. The remaking of man is all important. Heaven will not be heaven so much for that natural place in which we find ourselves as that nature which is found in us. No better commentary on Isaiah 43:21 can be found than that in 1 Peter 2:9 : “But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s own people, that you may declare the wonderful deeds of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.”

Verses 22-24

Isa 43:22-24

Isaiah 43:22-24

"Yet thou hast not called upon me, O Jacob; but thou hast been weary of me, O Israel. Thou has not brought me of thy sheep for burnt-offerings; neither hast thou honored me with thy sacrifices. I have not burdened thee with offerings, nor wearied thee with frankincense. Thou hast bought me no sweet cane with money, neither hast thou filled me with the fat of thy sacrifices; but thou hast burdened me with thy sins, thou hast wearied me with thine iniquities."

If any further proof of when and by whom this chapter was written, here it is. Now, could any exilic, or post-exilic "Deutero-Isaiah," or "Second Isaiah" have written such a complaint to Israel at any time whatsoever after the onset of the captivity? Absolutely No! Why? Because at the time projected in such a ridiculous postulation, It was sinful for Israel to have offered any such sacrifices as those mentioned here anywhere else on earth except in Jerusalem! What kind of simpleton, therefore, must that alleged "Deutero-Isaiah" have been to complain of Israel’s alleged action in this passage? On the other hand, Isaiah was writing of the conditions in Jerusalem over a century before the captivity during which Israel would have the comfort and encouragement of these passages. This is another example of how the radical critics overreach themselves and exhibit their own incompetence.

Isaiah 43:22-24 To PRAISE: Israel was called to praise and exalt the name of Jehovah by worshipping Him and keeping His commandments. By worship and obedience to Jehovah’s Law, Israel would thus “call” upon Him in faith and show her dependence on His grace. However, Israel did not call upon Him. Israel did not obey Jehovah’s Law. Israel considered the Law of Jehovah insufferable, restrictive, boring, and she tired of its discipline, (cf. Isaiah 7:13; Jeremiah 9:5; Micah 6:3; Habakkuk 3:2; Malachi 2:17, etc.). Israel tired of God as lustful men tire of their wives (Jeremiah 3:19-20; Hosea 1, 2; Ezekiel 16:1 f). The word of the Lord became to Israel an object of scorn (Jeremiah 6:10; Jeremiah 6:16). To be sure, Israel had trampled God’s courts with multitudes of sacrifices and offerings (Isaiah 1:10-17). But, the prophet speaks with sarcasm. Israel was not really bringing all those sacrifices to honor Jehovah. They were doing it to honor themselves. They were more than willing to bring ten thousand offerings as a substitute for putting to practice the Law of God in personal godliness (Micah 6:6-8). They were willing to earn religious merit from sacrifices as long as the Holy One of Israel did not demand moral holiness from them. It was not the number of offerings that burdened the Israelites, it was the moral “strings” attached to a humble relationship of faith and obedience to a Holy God that “wearied” Israel. The astonishing thing is Jehovah’s law was always a refreshing, regenerating, pleasurable experience every time Israel obeyed it—individually and nationally (cf. Psalms 119, etc.). Jehovah intended only blessing in His Law (Deuteronomy 28:1 f). History proved it!

The “sweet cane” (Heb. kaneh) of Isaiah 43:24 was probably the scented calamus (reed) or some kind of aromatic bark. It was an ingredient of the holy oil (Exodus 30:23); imported from a distance (Jeremiah 6:20; Ezekiel 27:19) and was thus rare and costly. Its sweetness refers to the scent, not the taste. Another Hebrew word in this verse is significant (kaniytha) because it is from the same root as the word translated “sweet cane” but means “bought” or “purchased.” There appears to be a definite play upon words here emphasizing the preciousness of the offering of cane. Reviythaniy is translated “filled” in the same verse but literally means “moisten, satiate,” or “drench.” The point of this verse is simply this: the people of Israel had not really extended themselves in giving offerings of quality or quantity. They probably skimped on their offerings much the same as their descendants did after the return from the captivity (cf. Malachi 1:6-14; Malachi 3:6-12, etc.). On the contrary, Israel had gone out of its way to load Jehovah down with its insulting rebellion. The word “burdened” in this verse is from the Hebrew root ’avad meaning “servile labor.” The guiltiness of Israel pressed upon The Holy One of Israel, as a burden does upon a servant. The other word, “wearied,” is from the Hebrew root vaga’ which means literally, “fatigued” or “exhausted.” Instead of Israel fulfilling its calling to praise Jehovah, it was a pain to Him. But the Lord is going to create for Himself an Israel (a new Israel, ruled by His new David) that will fulfill its calling of praise. And He is beginning the work with the prophets and the captivity (cf. Isaiah 43:19).

Verses 25-28

Isa 43:25-28

Isaiah 43:25-28

"I, even I, am he that blotteth out thy transgressions for mine own sake; and I will not remember thy sins. Put me in remembrance; let us plead together: set thou forth thy cause, that thou mayest be justified. Thy first father sinned, and thy teachers have transgressed against me. Therefore, I will profane the princes of the sanctuary; and I will make Jacob a curse, and Israel a reviling."

Isaiah 43:25 does not mean that God is forgiving Israel’s sins without regard to their penitence; but it calls attention to the truth that only God can forgive their sins. The mention of the sins of "their first father," evidently Jacob, is apparently brought in here to demonstrate that the whole history of the Jews has been a dreary account of their wickedness and rebellion against God. Will God actually overlook all this and forgive the fleshly descendants of Abraham no matter what they do? Who could believe such a thing?

Adam Clarke commented on this final verse thus:

"Alas! What a curse does the old Israel still bear, and what reproach do they still suffer? No national crimes have ever equaled those of the Jewish nation; for no nation ever had such privileges to neglect, despise, and sin against. When shall the severity of God toward this people have an end? Answer: Whenever, with one heart, they turn to him, and receive the doctrine of the Lord Jesus Christ; and not till then.”

Isaiah 43:25-28 To PARDON: Jehovah is going to perfect (bring to fruition or completion) from the Israel of Isaiah’s day, a pardoned Israel. There is a very interesting three-fold repetition of the personal pronoun “I, I, I am,” in the Hebrew construction of Isaiah 43:25, translated “I, even I, am he . . .” It means emphatically that Jehovah alone is responsible for any blotting (makhah, taking away even down to the very core or marrow) out of transgressions. Jehovah does it exclusively from His own graciousness, for His own name’s sake. He does it because of Who He Is—not from any merit of man’s person. The rest of the context indicates this is the emphasis. Jehovah wills to pardon man and Jehovah accomplishes man’s pardon by His work and Jehovah decrees the terms of acceptance. Man is left free to accept or reject the divinely procured pardon according to man’s willingness to obey the divinely decreed terms. One thing is certain; standing before the tribunal of God, no man can claim self-justification. Jehovah warns Israel to “remember” Who He Is! He knows their sins (cf. Amos 5:12; Amos 5:8; Ezekiel 8:12; Ezekiel 9:9, etc.). The first “father” of Israel, Abraham, called “father of the faithful and friend of God,” sinned. All the “teachers” (prophets, priests and kings) of Israel sinned (Isaiah 53:6; Psalms 14:2-3; Psalms 53:3)—all have sinned. Therefore, Jehovah would have to take away Israel’s priests (because they were leading Israel to sin) into captivity. Israel’s access to God through its priesthood and its sanctuary would be suspended until she repented. Jacob (Israel) was to be made a “curse” (kherem in Hebrew, literally, devoted or banned, or outlawed). Israel was to suffer the ban of God and become an outlaw (read Deut. ch. Isaiah 28:15 f), and instead of being respected by vile pagan nations, Israel would be reviled. God called her from the beginning to show forth His wonderful grace and forgiveness through covenant relationship, but she rejected His covenant and His grace. Now she must be “allured” back to pardon in a new covenant relationship, but through “trouble” (see Hosea 2:14-15). Israel’s pardon will be perfected when she brings forth her Messiah, but she must be prepared for that by chastening.