Day 6 — Isaiah 43:1-28 Fear Not, You Are Mine
Opening prayer
Heavenly Father, when I feel discouraged by my sin, weakness, or fear, please speak your words of comfort to my heart. Remind me that in Jesus I am redeemed, known, forgiven, and yours. Amen
Headline
God encourages his failed servant people not to fear, because he has redeemed them, called them by name, and promised to do a new thing.
Isaiah 43:1-28
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.
2 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.
3 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.
4 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.
5 Do not be afraid, for I am with you;
I will bring your children from the east
and gather you from the west.
6 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—
7 everyone who is called by my name,
whom I created for my glory,
whom I formed and made.”
8 Lead out those who have eyes but are blind,
who have ears but are deaf.
9 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.”
10 “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.
11 I, even I, am the Lord,
and apart from me there is no savior.
12 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.
13 Yes, and from ancient days I am he.
No one can deliver out of my hand.
When I act, who can reverse it?”
14 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.
15 I am the Lord, your Holy One,
Israel’s Creator, your King.”
16 This is what the Lord says—
he who made a way through the sea,
a path through the mighty waters,
17 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:
18 “Forget the former things;
do not dwell on the past.
19 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.
20 The wild animals honor me,
the jackals and the owls,
because I provide water in the wilderness
and streams in the wasteland,
to give drink to my people, my chosen,
21 the people I formed for myself
that they may proclaim my praise.
22 “Yet you have not called on me, Jacob,
you have not wearied yourselves for me, Israel.
23 You have not brought me sheep for burnt offerings,
nor honored me with your sacrifices.
I have not burdened you with grain offerings
nor wearied you with demands for incense.
24 You have not bought any fragrant calamus for me,
or lavished on me the fat of your sacrifices.
But you have burdened me with your sins
and wearied me with your offenses.
25 “I, even I, am he who blots out
your transgressions, for my own sake,
and remembers your sins no more.
26 Review the past for me,
let us argue the matter together;
state the case for your innocence.
27 Your first father sinned;
those I sent to teach you rebelled against me.
28 So I disgraced the dignitaries of your temple;
I consigned Jacob to destruction
and Israel to scorn.
Comment
It cannot have been easy for Israel to hear yesterday’s words. God had called them blind and deaf. They had failed in their calling as his servant people. They had received his law and promises, but had not listened or obeyed. That could have crushed them.
But today’s reading begins with two wonderful words: “But now” (v.1). God does not leave his people in shame. He speaks encouragement to those who have failed him.
The first encouragement is this: “Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine” (v.1). Israel may be in exile, far from home, and painfully aware of their sin, but God has not stopped being their Redeemer. They are not nameless, forgotten, or abandoned. They belong to him.
This does not mean life will be easy. God does not promise that his people will avoid the waters, rivers, or fire. But he does promise his presence: “When you pass through the waters, I will be with you” (v.2). That is the great comfort. Not trouble-free life, but God-with-us in the trouble.
The second encouragement is that God loves his people. He says, “you are precious and honoured in my sight, and because I love you” (v.4). This is covenant love, undeserved but steadfast. And for us, this love has been displayed most fully in Christ. At the cross, we see how far God will go to redeem his people and bring them home.
The third encouragement is that God still gives his people a purpose. In verses 8–13, Isaiah returns to the courtroom theme. The nations and their idols are summoned again. Who can explain the past? Who can announce the future? Who can save? The answer is only the LORD. And astonishingly, God calls his people as witnesses: “You are my witnesses” (v.10).
That is gracious. The people who had been blind and deaf are now called to testify to what they have seen and heard of God’s saving power. God does not only forgive failed servants. He restores them to service.
The fourth encouragement is that God is King over even the greatest enemy. For the first time since chapter 39, Babylon is named directly: “For your sake I will send to Babylon and bring down as fugitives all the Babylonians” (v.14). Babylon must have seemed terrifying to the exiles. But the LORD says, “I am the LORD, your Holy One, Israel’s Creator, your King” (v.15). Their enemy is not ultimate. Their God is.
Then God reminds them of the exodus, when he made a way through the sea and overthrew Pharaoh’s army (vv.16–17). But surprisingly, he then says, “Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing!” (vv.18–19). He is not telling them to forget his grace, but to stop limiting him to past patterns. The God who made a way through the sea can also make a way through the wilderness. He can bring his people home.
The final encouragement may be the greatest. Israel has not called on God as they should. They have wearied him with their sins (vv.22–24). Yet God says, “I, even I, am he who blots out your transgressions, for my own sake, and remembers your sins no more” (v.25).
That is the deepest comfort of all. God does not forgive because his people deserve it. He forgives for his own sake, because he is merciful, faithful, and committed to his promises. And we know the cost of that forgiveness: the perfect Servant will bear the sins of the failed servant people.
Why does God want me to hear this today? Because discouragement can make me forget grace. I can see my failure, fear, and weakness more clearly than I see God’s redeeming love. But in Jesus, God says to me: Do not fear. I have redeemed you. I have called you by name. You are mine. I am with you. I forgive you. And I still have purposes for you.
Reflect
- Where do I most need to hear God say, “Do not fear… you are mine” (v.1)?
- How does God’s promise to be with his people in trouble comfort me today?
- Why is forgiveness in verse 25 the deepest encouragement of all?
Closing prayer
Redeeming God, thank you that in Jesus I belong to you. Thank you that you know me by name, love me, forgive me, and promise to be with me in every trial. When I am discouraged by my sin or afraid of the future, help me to trust your word and witness boldly to your saving grace. Amen.
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