Isaiah 43

1 et nunc haec dicit Dominus creans te Iacob et formans te Israhel noli timere quia redemi te et vocavi nomine tuo meus es tu

2 cum transieris per aquas tecum ero et flumina non operient te cum ambulaveris in igne non conbureris et flamma non ardebit in te

3 quia ego Dominus Deus tuus Sanctus Israhel salvator tuus dedi propitiationem tuam Aegyptum Aethiopiam et Saba pro te

4 ex quo honorabilis factus es in oculis meis et gloriosus ego dilexi te et dabo homines pro te et populos pro anima tua

5 noli timere quoniam tecum ego sum ab oriente adducam semen tuum et ab occidente congregabo te

6 dicam aquiloni da et austro noli prohibere adfer filios meos de longinquo et filias meas ab extremis terrae

7 et omnem qui invocat nomen meum in gloriam meam creavi eum et formavi eum et feci eum

8 educ foras populum caecum et oculos habentem surdum et aures ei sunt

9 omnes gentes congregatae sunt simul et collectae sunt tribus quis in vobis adnuntiet istud et quae prima sunt audire nos faciat dent testes eorum et iustificentur et audiant et dicant vere

10 vos testes mei dicit Dominus et servus meus quem elegi ut sciatis et credatis mihi et intellegatis quia ego ipse sum ante me non est formatus deus et post me non erit

11 ego sum ego sum Dominus et non est absque me salvator

12 ego adnuntiavi et salvavi auditum feci et non fuit in vobis alienus vos testes mei dicit Dominus et ego Deus

13 et ab initio ego ipse et non est qui de manu mea eruat operabor et quis avertet illud

14 haec dicit Dominus redemptor vester Sanctus Israhel propter vos emisi Babylonem et detraxi vectes universos et Chaldeos in navibus suis gloriantes

15 ego Dominus Sanctus vester creans Israhel Rex vester

16 haec dicit Dominus qui dedit in mari viam et in aquis torrentibus semitam

17 qui eduxit quadrigam et equum agmen et robustum simul obdormierunt nec resurgent contriti sunt quasi linum et extincti sunt

18 ne memineritis priorum et antiqua ne intueamini

19 ecce ego facio nova et nunc orientur utique cognoscetis ea ponam in deserto viam et in invio flumina

20 glorificabit me bestia agri dracones et strutiones quia dedi in deserto aquas flumina in invio ut darem potum populo meo electo meo

21 populum istum formavi mihi laudem meam narrabit

22 non me invocasti Iacob nec laborasti in me Israhel

23 non obtulisti mihi arietem holocausti tui et victimis tuis non glorificasti me non te servire feci in oblatione nec laborem tibi praebui in ture

24 non emisti mihi argento calamum et adipe victimarum tuarum non inebriasti me verumtamen servire me fecisti in peccatis tuis praebuisti mihi laborem in iniquitatibus tuis

25 ego sum ego sum ipse qui deleo iniquitates tuas propter me et peccatorum tuorum non recordabor

26 reduc me in memoriam et iudicemur simul narra si quid habes ut iustificeris

27 pater tuus primus peccavit et interpretes tui praevaricati sunt in me

28 et contaminavi principes sanctos dedi ad internicionem Iacob et Israhel in blasphemiam

Isaiah 43 Commentary

God's unchangeable love for his people. (1-7) Apostates and idolaters addressed. (8-13) The deliverance from Babylon, and the conversion of the Gentiles. (14-21) Admonition to repent of sin. (22-28)

Verses 1-7 God's favour and good-will to his people speak abundant comfort to all believers. The new creature, wherever it is, is of God's forming. All who are redeemed with the blood of his Son, he has set apart for himself. Those that have God for them need not fear who or what can be against them. What are Egypt and Ethiopia, all their lives and treasures, compared with the blood of Christ? True believers are precious in God's sight, his delight is in them, above any people. Though they went as through fire and water, yet, while they had God with them, they need fear no evil; they should be born up, and brought out. The faithful are encouraged. They were to be assembled from every quarter. And with this pleasing object in view, the prophet again dissuades from anxious fears.

Verses 8-13 Idolaters are called to appear in defence of their idols. Those who make them, and trust in them, are like unto them. They have the shape and faculties of men; but they have not common sense. But God's people know the power of his grace, the sweetness of his comforts, the kind care of his providence, and the truth of his promise. All servants of God can give such an account of what he has wrought in them, and done for them, as may lead others to know and believe his power, truth, and love

Verses 14-21 The deliverance from Babylon is foretold, but there is reference to greater events. The redemption of sinners by Christ, the conversion of the Gentiles, and the recall of the Jews, are described. All that is to be done to rescue sinners, and to bring the believer to glory, is little, compared with that wondrous work of love, the redemption of man.

Verses 22-28 Those who neglect to call upon God, are weary of him. The Master tired not the servants with his commands, but they tired him with disobedience. What were the riches of God's mercy toward them? I, even I, am he who yet blotteth out thy transgressions. This encourages us to repent, because there is forgiveness with God, and shows the freeness of Divine mercy. When God forgives, he forgets. It is not for any thing in us, but for his mercies' sake, his promise' sake; especially for his Son's sake. He is pleased to reckon it his honour. Would man justify himself before God? The attempt is desperate: our first father broke the covenant, and we all have copied his example. We have no reason to expect pardon, except we seek it by faith in Christ; and that is always attended by true repentance, and followed by newness of life, by hatred of sin, and love to God. Let us then put him in remembrance of the promises he has made to the penitent, and the satisfaction his Son has made for them. Plead these with him in wrestling for pardon; and declare these things, that thou mayest be justified freely by his grace. This is the only way, and it is a sure way to peace.

Chapter Summary

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.