The Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary introduces Isaiah chapter 43 with these words, “Isaiah 43:1-28. A succession of arguments wherein Israel may be assured that, notwithstanding their perversity towards God (Isa 42:25), he will deliver and restore them.” Here are the first 7 verses.
Isa 43:1 But now thus says the LORD, he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel: “Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine. 2 When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you. 3 For I am the LORD your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Saviour. I give Egypt as your ransom, Cush and Seba in exchange for you. 4 Because you are precious in my eyes, and honoured, and I love you, I give men in return for you, peoples in exchange for your life. 5 Fear not, for I am with you; I will bring your offspring from the east, and from the west I will gather you. 6 I will say to the north, Give up, and to the south, Do not withhold; bring my sons from afar and my daughters from the end of the earth, 7 everyone who is called by my name, whom I created for my glory, whom I formed and made.”
It seems that fear and anxiety are on the increase throughout the world. There may be many good reasons why that is so. We know that the nation of Israel has had many reasons to fear throughout its existence. The words of Isaiah 43 were addressed to those Israelites who had been taken captive to Babylon. God promised the exiles that in spite of their rebellion against Him, He would return them to their own land. These words in Isaiah 43 reminded them that God could be trusted to care for them, so there was no need for them to be afraid. This is what God promised through Isaiah.
1]. Fear was unnecessary because they owed their existence to His creative power.
Isa 43:1 ‘But now thus says the LORD, he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel: “Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine.”’ In this single verse God encourages them with how he sees them. Not only did He create them but He also “formed” them. The same word is used of creation in Genesis 2:7, “then the LORD God formed the man of dust from the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living creature.” It is also used later in Isaiah 44:2 to remind them that He had made them, formed them and would continue to help them, so there was no need to be afraid. ”Thus says the LORD who made you, who formed you from the womb and will help you: Fear not, O Jacob my servant, Jeshurun whom I have chosen.” Not only that but He had redeemed them. “Redeemed” is from the Hebrew [gâ’al] and is used over 100 times in the Bible to describe God’s redemptive work in setting His people free.
The final phrases in the verse are “I have called you by name, you are mine.” Israel was special. He had formed the nation for Himself to fulfil His purposes and would be with them even when they went through dangers like waters, rivers and fire. [verse 2]. There was no need to fear! They belonged to Him!
2]. Fear was unnecessary because God loved them.
Isa 43:4 “Because you are precious in my eyes, and honoured, and I love you, I give men in return for you, peoples in exchange for your life.”
How precious it is to be told by someone, “I love you!” Perhaps the lives of most of us were changed when that special person in our lives first said to us, “I love you!” And when they loved us from that day on. Especially significant is it when it is the God of the whole creation who says that to us. Even though they were unworthy He still saw them as being precious and honoured. “Honoured” is the Greek word [doxazō] which can be translated as extol, magnify, glorify. Even though God Himself is the only one deemed to be worthy of glory, honour and praise, He wanted them to know He saw them as exulted in His sight. It is a reminder to us in the present day not to engage in any anti-semetic language or activity, for God is always on the side of His people. He loves them!
It would seem that because of the special purpose God had for His people and as a reward for releasing the Jewish captives, Persia was enabled by God to conquer Egypt. “I give men in return for you, peoples in exchange for your life.” It was a fulfilment of the promise in Genesis 12 when God chose Abraham to begin a nation belonging to Him, “The Lord had said to Abram, “Go from your country, your people and your father’s household to the land I will show you. 2 “I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. 3 I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.” Genesis 12:1-3. Persia was blessed by God for its kindness to His people.
3]. Fear was unnecessary because God who was with them would bring them back to their own land.
Isa 43:5 “Fear not, for I am with you; I will bring your offspring from the east, and from the west I will gather you. 6 I will say to the north, Give up, and to the south, Do not withhold; bring my sons from afar and my daughters from the end of the earth, 7 everyone who is called by my name, whom I created for my glory, whom I formed and made.”
The people of Israel [God’s people] would be able to return to their own land by God’s actions on their behalf. The word for “called” in verse 7 is different from called in verse 1. It is [epikaleomai meaning to place one’s name upon people]. God had called Israel to belong to Him as His people, indeed His children. They were God’s own people. He had placed His name was upon them. They were His!
The words here [such as created, formed, made and called] are similar to those in verse 1. But what is added here are the words, “whom I created for my glory.”
That is why God chose His people, to bring glory to Him by the way in which they lived, as Jesus said, “In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.” Mat 5:16. When believers live as they should, in obedience to the Lord, they will bring glory to the Lord, not to themselves. That should always be the motivation in the hearts of all believers, to bring glory to the Lord, not to themselves.
These words in Isaiah 43 apply to the whole of the True Israel, all those who have received God’s Saviour Jesus Christ into their lives throughout the ages. And it is great to know that the glory in our lives can increase so that God is more glorified through our lives committed to Him. This happens when our eyes are fixed on Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith [Heb 12:2]. As we gaze at Him in adoration and praise, we are changed, “And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.” 2 Cor 3:18. (As I write this article on Transfiguration Sunday in the ehurch year, I note that the word used here for “transformed” is [metamorphoō] which is exactly the same as is used of Jesus being transformed on the Mount of Transfiguration.) It is the Holy Spirit within us who brings about that radical transformation in our lives. Becoming more and more like Him – to His glory!)
How wonderful it is that we have the incredible privilege of reproducing in our own lives, the glory of Jesus as we live for Him in our everyday lives! Because He has said to His people, “Fear not! I am with you!” and especially those wonderful words, “I love you!”
Blog No.467 posted on Sunday 19 February 2023.
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467. God’s Love For His People. Isaiah 43:1-7.
The Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary introduces Isaiah chapter 43 with these words, “Isaiah 43:1-28. A succession of arguments wherein Israel may be assured that, notwithstanding their perversity towards God (Isa 42:25), he will deliver and restore them.” Here are the first 7 verses.
Isa 43:1 But now thus says the LORD, he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel: “Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine. 2 When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you. 3 For I am the LORD your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Saviour. I give Egypt as your ransom, Cush and Seba in exchange for you. 4 Because you are precious in my eyes, and honoured, and I love you, I give men in return for you, peoples in exchange for your life. 5 Fear not, for I am with you; I will bring your offspring from the east, and from the west I will gather you. 6 I will say to the north, Give up, and to the south, Do not withhold; bring my sons from afar and my daughters from the end of the earth, 7 everyone who is called by my name, whom I created for my glory, whom I formed and made.”
It seems that fear and anxiety are on the increase throughout the world. There may be many good reasons why that is so. We know that the nation of Israel has had many reasons to fear throughout its existence. The words of Isaiah 43 were addressed to those Israelites who had been taken captive to Babylon. God promised the exiles that in spite of their rebellion against Him, He would return them to their own land. These words in Isaiah 43 reminded them that God could be trusted to care for them, so there was no need for them to be afraid. This is what God promised through Isaiah.
1]. Fear was unnecessary because they owed their existence to His creative power.
Isa 43:1 ‘But now thus says the LORD, he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel: “Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine.”’ In this single verse God encourages them with how he sees them. Not only did He create them but He also “formed” them. The same word is used of creation in Genesis 2:7, “then the LORD God formed the man of dust from the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living creature.” It is also used later in Isaiah 44:2 to remind them that He had made them, formed them and would continue to help them, so there was no need to be afraid. ”Thus says the LORD who made you, who formed you from the womb and will help you: Fear not, O Jacob my servant, Jeshurun whom I have chosen.” Not only that but He had redeemed them. “Redeemed” is from the Hebrew [gâ’al] and is used over 100 times in the Bible to describe God’s redemptive work in setting His people free.
The final phrases in the verse are “I have called you by name, you are mine.” Israel was special. He had formed the nation for Himself to fulfil His purposes and would be with them even when they went through dangers like waters, rivers and fire. [verse 2]. There was no need to fear! They belonged to Him!
2]. Fear was unnecessary because God loved them.
Isa 43:4 “Because you are precious in my eyes, and honoured, and I love you, I give men in return for you, peoples in exchange for your life.”
How precious it is to be told by someone, “I love you!” Perhaps the lives of most of us were changed when that special person in our lives first said to us, “I love you!” And when they loved us from that day on. Especially significant is it when it is the God of the whole creation who says that to us. Even though they were unworthy He still saw them as being precious and honoured. “Honoured” is the Greek word [doxazō] which can be translated as extol, magnify, glorify. Even though God Himself is the only one deemed to be worthy of glory, honour and praise, He wanted them to know He saw them as exulted in His sight. It is a reminder to us in the present day not to engage in any anti-semetic language or activity, for God is always on the side of His people. He loves them!
It would seem that because of the special purpose God had for His people and as a reward for releasing the Jewish captives, Persia was enabled by God to conquer Egypt. “I give men in return for you, peoples in exchange for your life.” It was a fulfilment of the promise in Genesis 12 when God chose Abraham to begin a nation belonging to Him, “The Lord had said to Abram, “Go from your country, your people and your father’s household to the land I will show you. 2 “I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. 3 I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.” Genesis 12:1-3. Persia was blessed by God for its kindness to His people.
3]. Fear was unnecessary because God who was with them would bring them back to their own land.
Isa 43:5 “Fear not, for I am with you; I will bring your offspring from the east, and from the west I will gather you. 6 I will say to the north, Give up, and to the south, Do not withhold; bring my sons from afar and my daughters from the end of the earth, 7 everyone who is called by my name, whom I created for my glory, whom I formed and made.”
The people of Israel [God’s people] would be able to return to their own land by God’s actions on their behalf. The word for “called” in verse 7 is different from called in verse 1. It is [epikaleomai meaning to place one’s name upon people]. God had called Israel to belong to Him as His people, indeed His children. They were God’s own people. He had placed His name was upon them. They were His!
The words here [such as created, formed, made and called] are similar to those in verse 1. But what is added here are the words, “whom I created for my glory.”
That is why God chose His people, to bring glory to Him by the way in which they lived, as Jesus said, “In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.” Mat 5:16. When believers live as they should, in obedience to the Lord, they will bring glory to the Lord, not to themselves. That should always be the motivation in the hearts of all believers, to bring glory to the Lord, not to themselves.
These words in Isaiah 43 apply to the whole of the True Israel, all those who have received God’s Saviour Jesus Christ into their lives throughout the ages. And it is great to know that the glory in our lives can increase so that God is more glorified through our lives committed to Him. This happens when our eyes are fixed on Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith [Heb 12:2]. As we gaze at Him in adoration and praise, we are changed, “And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.” 2 Cor 3:18. (As I write this article on Transfiguration Sunday in the ehurch year, I note that the word used here for “transformed” is [metamorphoō] which is exactly the same as is used of Jesus being transformed on the Mount of Transfiguration.) It is the Holy Spirit within us who brings about that radical transformation in our lives. Becoming more and more like Him – to His glory!)
How wonderful it is that we have the incredible privilege of reproducing in our own lives, the glory of Jesus as we live for Him in our everyday lives! Because He has said to His people, “Fear not! I am with you!” and especially those wonderful words, “I love you!”
Blog No.467 posted on Sunday 19 February 2023.
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About Jim Holbeck
Once an Industrial Chemist working for the Queensland Government but later an Anglican minister in Brisbane, Armidale and Sydney. Last position for eighteen years before retirement in 2006 was as the Leader of the Healing Ministry at St Andrew's Cathedral Sydney.