Jesaja 43:1-8

1 Maar nu, alzo zegt de HEERE, uw Schepper, o Jakob! en uw Formeerder, o Israel! vrees niet, want Ik heb u verlost; Ik heb u bij uw naam geroepen, gij zijt Mijn.

2 Wanneer gij zult gaan door het water, Ik zal bij u zijn, en door de rivieren, zij zullen u niet overstromen; wanneer gij door het vuur zult gaan, zult gij niet verbranden, en de vlam zal u niet aansteken.

3 Want Ik ben de HEERE, uw God, de Heilige Israels, uw Heiland; Ik heb Egypte, Morenland en Seba gegeven tot uw losgeld in uw plaats.

4 Van toen af, dat gij kostelijk zijt geweest in Mijn ogen, zijt gij verheerlijkt geweest, en Ik heb u liefgehad; daarom heb Ik mensen in uw plaats gegeven, en volken in plaats van uw ziel.

5 Vrees niet, want Ik ben met u; Ik zal uw zaad van den opgang brengen, en Ik zal u verzamelen van den ondergang.

6 Ik zal zeggen tot het noorden: Geef; en tot het zuiden: Houd niet terug; breng Mijn zonen van verre, en Mijn dochters van het einde der aarde;

7 Een ieder, die naar Mijn Naam genoemd is, en dien Ik geschapen heb tot Mijn eer, dien Ik geformeerd heb, dien Ik ook gemaakt heb.

8 Breng voort het blinde volk, hetwelk ogen heeft, en de doven, die oren hebben.

Jesaja 43:1-8 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO ISAIAH 43

Is this chapter the Lord comforts his own people, under their afflictions, with many precious promises; asserts his deity against the idols of the nations; promises deliverance from Babylon, and a greater redemption than that; one branch of which is forgiveness of sin; and closes the chapter with a prediction of the destruction of the Jews by the Romans, for their iniquities. The Lord claims his interest in his people, not only on the foot of creation, but of redemption and calling, and promises them his presence in the midst of afflictions, Isa 43:1,2, puts them in mind of what he had done for them; and assures them of future layouts, as the effect of his unchangeable love to them, Isa 43:3,4 and promises the conversion of their seed and offspring in the several parts of the world, Isa 43:5-7 then challenges the Heathen nations to give such proofs of the deity of their idols as he was capable of giving of his, as his people were witnesses, taken from his eternity and immutability, as the alone Jehovah, and from his omniscience and omnipotence, Isa 43:8-13, after which the destruction of Babylon is prophesied of, and the redemption of his people out of it; which they are encouraged to believe from his being Jehovah, their Sanctifier, Creator, and King; and from what he had done formerly for them, when he brought them out of Egypt, Isa 43:14-17, and which yet was not to be mentioned or remembered, in comparison of what he would do in the world, a new thing, redemption by the Messiah, and the conversion of the Gentiles to the glory of his grace, Isa 43:18-21, the sins of omission and commission the people of God had been guilty of are mentioned, which are freely pardoned for Christ's sake, Isa 43:22-25 when the body and bulk of the Jewish nation were given up to destruction, because of their sins, Isa 43:26-28.