Isa 43:1-3 | KingComments | STEP | With the words “but now” the LORD suddenly passes from judgment to comfort ( ). This expression is typical for Isaiah, he uses it fifteen times, and also for Jeremiah, who uses it twelve times. The LORD leaves His complaint about the blinded, hardened and unrepentant state of Israel to unfold His actions in connection with His covenant in the past, present and future. In this and the following verses, the Divine “I” appears about thirty-five times, which places a strong emphasis on the personal actions of God. These actions are all based on His creative power and His redeeming grace. For us who stand in the fulfillment of Christ’s atoning sacrifice and service to us through His Holy Spirit, God’s irrevocable assurances and promises in this section are doubly precious. The action of God is represented in in a chiastic manner. Chiasm is a Hebrew poetic form that gives a symmetrical mirror image with emphasis on the middle part. The chiastic structure in these verses is as follows: a. ---b. ------c. ------c. ---b. a. a. The first and the last part of this poem, and (2 x a.), make it clear that Israel will experience His grace because of their special bond with God. He is their Creator and will therefore never forsake them. b. and the parallel (2 x b.) give the encouragement to know that no power will ever be able to destroy the chosen people. c. Finally, and (2 x c.) make it clear as a center point how precious Israel is to God. God will always pay the ransom necessary to redeem His people. What an encouragement! The change from righteous indignation to loving comfort and comforting promises and assurances is extraordinarily meaningful. It shows that restoration cannot be achieved by any meritorious effort on the part of the wandering people. Their terrible need can only be met by Divine grace. The love of God is not sentimental. His love is never exercised at the expense of His holiness and never compromises His righteousness. The love that chastens is of earlier date than the chastening. He loves His people before they go astray, making His chastening necessary. In His love the LORD created them. The expressions used here take us back to creation ( ). This makes it clear that the same God Who created heaven and earth also formed the people of Israel. That same God now wants to show His mercy. The creation of Israel is a supernatural act in response to purposed counsel. He also formed them in His love. This is a supernatural process which He had also purposed and of which He testifies in His actions with the patriarchs and the descendants of Jacob. In His love He also redeemed them. Again and again He has reminded the people that nothing but His direct power has redeemed them from Egypt. Finally, in His love He called them by their name. The calling by name has in Scripture the thought of tenderness rejoicing in the possession of the called one. Thus He has called His own sheep by name and has led them ( ). Creation, redemption and calling are also our part. We are created in Christ Jesus ( ), redeemed by His blood ( ) and called by His grace ( ). The encouragement “do not fear” is based on the evidence of God’s mercy in the past. The LORD promises them His presence as they pass through the waters and rivers, reminding them of their going through the waters of the Red Sea and through the Jordan ( ). He then assures them that He will be with them as they walk through the fire of the exile ( ) and the great tribulation (cf. ; ). In this context, water speaks for us of dangers arising from circumstances of daily life, trials of faith in the ordinary things of life. Fire speaks of persecution. Both forms can occur in the life of the believer. These are obstacles we encounter on our path to block our way, but through which the Lord helps us. It is God’s purpose to banish fear from our hearts and to strengthen our faith through all that is contained in the assurance: “For I am the LORD your God” ( ). These names speak of His majesty and the greatness of His infinite Being and His omnipotent power. He is their Savior. But when He saves them, He also does so as “the Holy One of Israel”. He never acts contrary to His holiness and righteousness; on the contrary, His actions result from it. For the redemption of His people He pays with other nations. When Cyrus lets His people go, He gives him other nations in their place. “The wicked is a ransom for the righteous” ( ). For this Israel must first stand righteously before God. How God works that, we see in the following chapters. He will never owe anyone anything. He acts in this way for the benefit of His people because these people are precious in His eyes ( ). He holds it in high esteem and loves it above other nations. The language used here is that of a bridegroom to his bride. What the LORD does is an act of pure grace, for the people have not deserved it. They are no better in themselves than other nations. We may think of ourselves in the same way. We are “justified” and “made pleasant” before God. This we are not in ourselves, but “in the Beloved” ( ). The Father loves us as He loves the Son ( ). indicate that the LORD will gather His people from all over the world and bring them into His land. This will happen in the end time. He commands the nations north and south of Israel to bring them, whom He calls “My sons” and “My daughters”, back to His land from the outermost places. As a reason for this action, He repeats the comforting message of . He identifies Himself with them by speaking of them as “everyone who is called by My name” ( ). It refers both to identification in character with Him Himself and to possession of Him in order to show His glory and grace. They are His possession to radiate His honor. He “created” them in an act of power by which He originated them as a people. That He has “formed” them, refers to the process of His grace to change what He has created so that it reflects His glory. He has also “made” them into what they are, which indicates the completion of His Divine work. In these three acts there is a climax: creating, forming, completing. These three aspects also apply to us Christians. They express the wonders of God’s counsel and power and the riches of His grace. He created us in Christ, He changes us through the active power of the Holy Spirit and will complete us at the coming of the Lord.

‏ Isaiah 43:1-3

The Loving God

With the words “but now” the LORD suddenly passes from judgment to comfort (Isa 43:1). This expression is typical for Isaiah, he uses it fifteen times, and also for Jeremiah, who uses it twelve times. The LORD leaves His complaint about the blinded, hardened and unrepentant state of Israel to unfold His actions in connection with His covenant in the past, present and future. In this and the following verses, the Divine “I” appears about thirty-five times, which places a strong emphasis on the personal actions of God.

These actions are all based on His creative power and His redeeming grace. For us who stand in the fulfillment of Christ’s atoning sacrifice and service to us through His Holy Spirit, God’s irrevocable assurances and promises in this section are doubly precious.

The action of God is represented in Isa 43:1-7 in a chiastic manner. Chiasm is a Hebrew poetic form that gives a symmetrical mirror image with emphasis on the middle part. The chiastic structure in these verses is as follows:

a. Isa 43:1

---b. Isa 43:2

------c. Isa 43:3

------c. Isa 43:4

---b. Isa 43:5-6

a. Isa 43:7

a. The first and the last part of this poem, Isa 43:1 and Isa 43:7 (2 x a.), make it clear that Israel will experience His grace because of their special bond with God. He is their Creator and will therefore never forsake them.

b. Isa 43:2 and the parallel Isa 43:5-6 (2 x b.) give the encouragement to know that no power will ever be able to destroy the chosen people.

c. Finally, Isa 43:3 and Isa 43:4 (2 x c.) make it clear as a center point how precious Israel is to God. God will always pay the ransom necessary to redeem His people. What an encouragement!

The change from righteous indignation to loving comfort and comforting promises and assurances is extraordinarily meaningful. It shows that restoration cannot be achieved by any meritorious effort on the part of the wandering people. Their terrible need can only be met by Divine grace.

The love of God is not sentimental. His love is never exercised at the expense of His holiness and never compromises His righteousness. The love that chastens is of earlier date than the chastening. He loves His people before they go astray, making His chastening necessary.

In His love the LORD created them. The expressions used here take us back to creation (Gen 1:1 ; Gen 2:4-7). This makes it clear that the same God Who created heaven and earth also formed the people of Israel. That same God now wants to show His mercy. The creation of Israel is a supernatural act in response to purposed counsel. He also formed them in His love.

This is a supernatural process which He had also purposed and of which He testifies in His actions with the patriarchs and the descendants of Jacob. In His love He also redeemed them. Again and again He has reminded the people that nothing but His direct power has redeemed them from Egypt. Finally, in His love He called them by their name.

The calling by name has in Scripture the thought of tenderness rejoicing in the possession of the called one. Thus He has called His own sheep by name and has led them (Jn 10:3). Creation, redemption and calling are also our part. We are created in Christ Jesus (Eph 2:10), redeemed by His blood (Eph 1:7) and called by His grace (Gal 1:15). The encouragement “do not fear” is based on the evidence of God’s mercy in the past.

The LORD promises them His presence as they pass through the waters and rivers, reminding them of their going through the waters of the Red Sea and through the Jordan (Isa 43:2). He then assures them that He will be with them as they walk through the fire of the exile (Isa 42:25) and the great tribulation (cf. Dan 3:25; Psa 66:12).

In this context, water speaks for us of dangers arising from circumstances of daily life, trials of faith in the ordinary things of life. Fire speaks of persecution. Both forms can occur in the life of the believer. These are obstacles we encounter on our path to block our way, but through which the Lord helps us.

It is God’s purpose to banish fear from our hearts and to strengthen our faith through all that is contained in the assurance: “For I am the LORD your God” (Isa 43:3). These names speak of His majesty and the greatness of His infinite Being and His omnipotent power. He is their Savior. But when He saves them, He also does so as “the Holy One of Israel”. He never acts contrary to His holiness and righteousness; on the contrary, His actions result from it.

For the redemption of His people He pays with other nations. When Cyrus lets His people go, He gives him other nations in their place. “The wicked is a ransom for the righteous” (Pro 21:18). For this Israel must first stand righteously before God. How God works that, we see in the following chapters. He will never owe anyone anything. He acts in this way for the benefit of His people because these people are precious in His eyes (Isa 43:4). He holds it in high esteem and loves it above other nations. The language used here is that of a bridegroom to his bride.

What the LORD does is an act of pure grace, for the people have not deserved it. They are no better in themselves than other nations. We may think of ourselves in the same way. We are “justified” and “made pleasant” before God. This we are not in ourselves, but “in the Beloved” (Eph 1:6b). The Father loves us as He loves the Son (Jn 17:23).

Isa 43:5-6 indicate that the LORD will gather His people from all over the world and bring them into His land. This will happen in the end time. He commands the nations north and south of Israel to bring them, whom He calls “My sons” and “My daughters”, back to His land from the outermost places. As a reason for this action, He repeats the comforting message of Isa 43:1.

He identifies Himself with them by speaking of them as “everyone who is called by My name” (Isa 43:7). It refers both to identification in character with Him Himself and to possession of Him in order to show His glory and grace. They are His possession to radiate His honor.

He “created” them in an act of power by which He originated them as a people. That He has “formed” them, refers to the process of His grace to change what He has created so that it reflects His glory. He has also “made” them into what they are, which indicates the completion of His Divine work. In these three acts there is a climax: creating, forming, completing.

These three aspects also apply to us Christians. They express the wonders of God’s counsel and power and the riches of His grace. He created us in Christ, He changes us through the active power of the Holy Spirit and will complete us at the coming of the Lord.