Is. 43:1 But now thus saith the LORD that created thee, O Jacob, and he that formed thee, O Israel, Fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou art mine.
Isaiah starts this chapter with yet another reminder to Israel that it is YHWH, their Creator, Who is speaking. The repetitive statements (created-formed, Jacob-Israel) are part of Isaiah’s poetic style of writing. I’m reminded that Isaiah is prophesying to the southern kingdom of Judah, but in God’s eyes “Israel” is still one entity. God chose Israel and set them apart as a distinct people through whom He wanted to share His truth and His greatness with the nations. That is true of believers today. Peter states that we (the church) also occupy a unique, privileged position for that same purpose.
1Peter 2:9 But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light….
“I have called thee by thy name” – I decided to look up the passage where God gave Jacob the name of Israel. The meaning given was “as a prince hast thou power with God and with men, and hast prevailed.” (Genesis 32:28) This was quite a change from Jacob, “supplanter, one who trips up or undermines.” This seems to be making a statement that God claims Israel (the nation) as His own, warts and all. Just as Jacob fought with God that long night, the nation of Israel has fought with God throughout their history. Just as Jacob eventually came to a point of blessing after the struggle, so too will the nation of Israel eventually turn back to God in faith and repentance to enjoy His blessing.
Is. 43:2 When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee.
As I read these word pictures, I can’t help but think of certain events in scripture—God’s miraculous provision for the Israelites to cross the Red Sea to escape the Egyptians (Exodus 14), for the Israelites to cross over Jordan on the dry ground to enter the promised land (Joshua 3-4), and for the deliverance of the Hebrew children from the fiery furnace (Daniel 3).
I really liked the translation from the NLT for this verse: When you go through deep waters and great trouble, I will be with you. When you go through rivers of difficulty, you will not drown! When you walk through the fire of oppression, you will not be burned up; the flames will not consume you.
God was making a statement that there was nothing that would happen to His people (that includes believers today) from which He could not deliver them. He didn’t say that they wouldn’t experience difficult, dangerous times; He promised to be with them through those times. His presence assures His provision and His protection.
Is. 43:3 For I am the LORD thy God, the Holy One of Israel, thy Saviour: I gave Egypt for thy ransom, Ethiopia and Seba for thee.
Is. 43:4 Since thou wast precious in my sight, thou hast been honourable, and I have loved thee: therefore will I give men for thee, and people for thy life.
This chapter has several declarations of God as God, the One and Only, the God of Israel—their Creator, the Holy One of Israel, their Savior, their Redeemer, their King, the worker of miracles, the One Who declares the future, and the Forgiver of sins. This verse emphasizes that God is their Deliverer. Israel has been given a unique position of privilege and protection by God. Many mighty nations will be made to suffer for the cause of preserving Israel—including Egypt, Ethiopia, and Seba.
“precious” = heavy, valuable, prized
Israel was uniquely set apart as a nation that God loved as a precious possession. Because of their position as designated by God, He has allowed or caused other nations to suffer judgment in deliverance of His prized possession.
Is. 43:5 Fear not: for I am with thee: I will bring thy seed from the east, and gather thee from the west;
Is. 43:6 I will say to the north, Give up; and to the south, Keep not back: bring my sons from far, and my daughters from the ends of the earth;
Is. 43:7 Even every one that is called by my name: for I have created him for my glory, I have formed him; yea, I have made him.
Again the people of Israel are told not to be fearful of people or circumstances because God is with them. Though they had been and will continue to be dispersed among the nations for a time, God promises to gather them back together as a nation—from the east, west, north and south, wherever they might be.
The name of Israel is ever associated with the name of God. The scripture is full of descriptions of God as the God of Israel. When I did a phrase search in Accordance, that phrase was found 203 times. Those who are called by His name have been created for His glory. This verse stood out to me in my study of Revelation (4:11), excerpt below.
Revelation 4:11 Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.
Then we are told that the one on the throne is the Creator of all things. Why does/did He create? For His own pleasure (choice, desire, will). Isaiah also supports this truth:
Isaiah 43:7 Even every one that is called by my name: for I have created him for my glory, I have formed him; yea, I have made him.
The verse in Revelation emphasizes that all things were created for His good pleasure. In Isaiah the emphasis is on the fact that those called by His name are created for His glory. Is there a difference in glory and pleasure? In looking at the definitions from the original languages and Webster, I think there is a distinct difference. All things were created according to the pleasure/choice/will/desire of God, but not all things give Him glory. Those who are called by His name have been created with the express purpose of glorifying/honoring God; we are to reflect Him in our lives—by how we act, speak, and think. [end excerpt]
Is. 43:8 Bring forth the blind people that have eyes, and the deaf that have ears.
Is. 43:9 Let all the nations be gathered together, and let the people be assembled: who among them can declare this, and shew us former things? let them bring forth their witnesses, that they may be justified: or let them hear, and say, It is truth.
Again, the Lord employs the language of a court sitting in judgment (cf chapter 41). The wording of verse 8 seems to be referencing people who should be able to see and hear with spiritual understanding, but cannot. They are God’s witnesses according to verse 10. The nations are then called together to produce a witness that can speak to a time when one of their gods acted on their behalf in any way compared to the ways God had acted on behalf of His people—any time when one of their gods had been able to predict the future as had the God of Israel. If they cannot, they should pay attention to God’s witnesses, the people of Israel.
Is. 43:10 Ye are my witnesses, saith the LORD, and my servant whom I have chosen: that ye may know and believe me, and understand that I am he: before me there was no God formed, neither shall there be after me.
Is. 43:11 I, even I, am the LORD; and beside me there is no saviour.
The “blind and deaf” people of Israel have a history full of examples of God’s power and of His unique ability to predict the future with complete accuracy. They have no excuse for their spiritual blindness and deafness, their lack of spiritual understanding. God is explaining that Israel has no excuse for not believing that God is Who He claims to be. God declares boldly that there was no God before Him, and there will be no God after Him. He is the one and only YHWH, the self-existent, eternal God. He is the only One able to defend, deliver, preserve and protect (from the Hebrew for saviour) His people.
Is. 43:12 I have declared, and have saved, and I have shewed, when there was no strange god among you: therefore ye are my witnesses, saith the LORD, that I am God.
“declared…saved…shewed” – God is saying that His actions have proven His words, and He has acted in plain view of the nations. He has proven Himself as no other “god” has. God’s declarations and actions on behalf of His people as recorded in scripture (and I am sure in many ways that weren’t recorded) are proof that He is God.
Is. 43:13 Yea, before the day was I am he; and there is none that can deliver out of my hand: I will work, and who shall let it?
“before the day” – God is outside of time. The Hebrew for day is a reference to time from sunrise to sunset or from sunset to sunset. God created the sun and everything else. This declaration of God is one you have to accept by faith. Creation declares its truth, but it is far beyond my or any other human’s limited understanding. I can say it and know what I’m saying, but I don’t really understand it. I do, however, without a shadow of a doubt believe it.
Nothing and no one is more powerful than God. What He declares will come to pass and nothing or no one can prevent it. God will do as He pleases and no one has the power or ability to stop Him.
Is. 43:14 Thus saith the LORD, your redeemer, the Holy One of Israel; For your sake I have sent to Babylon, and have brought down all their nobles, and the Chaldeans, whose cry is in the ships.
Even though God will judge Israel by using Babylon, God will also redeem them from Babylon. Babylon will also be judged. Their naval power would be overthrown through the wisdom of the Medes and Persians in utilizing dams. The JFB commentary states: “Babylon was on the Euphrates, which was joined to the Tigris by a canal, and flowed into the Persian Gulf. Thus it was famed for ships and commerce until the Persian monarchs, to prevent revolt or invasion, obstructed navigation by dams across the Tigris and Euphrates.”
“your redeemer” – as discussed in verses 3-4, Babylon would eventually be sacrificed to the preservation of Israel.
Is. 43:15 I am the LORD, your Holy One, the creator of Israel, your King.
God continues to emphasize His uniqueness and His special relationship to Israel through the prophet. I think I missed a point back in verse one that stands out more clearly to me in this verse. God is not only the Creator of the universe; He is the Creator of Israel. He brought them forth in a miraculous way through the loins of Abraham through the birth of Isaac and by preference through the sons of Jacob. He created them as a nation unique in position before Him in the earth—their only rightful King.
Is. 43:16 Thus saith the LORD, which maketh a way in the sea, and a path in the mighty waters;
Is. 43:17 Which bringeth forth the chariot and horse, the army and the power; they shall lie down together, they shall not rise: they are extinct, they are quenched as tow.
God’s deliverance of His people from Egypt was a defining point in their history. They went into Egypt as 70 and came out as thousands with great wealth. It’s really the point in history that Israel emerged as a nation among the nations, albeit without a land of their own to begin with. In these verses God is stating a point of comparison for the miraculous things He is going to do for them in the future—that point of comparison, His miraculous deliverance of His people from Egypt so many years ago by parting the waters of the Red Sea and the ensuing destruction of the Egyptian army.
“a way in the sea, and a path in the mighty waters” – Chuck Missler relates the story of how this verse prompted one man’s quest to map the oceans. Quoted from an article at http://www.khouse.org/articles/2008/773/.
Matthew Fontaine Maury was born in Spotsylvania County, Virginia, in 1806. As an avid Bible reader, he was struck by the reference in Psalm 8 to “the paths of the seas” (Psalm 8:8). He also noticed that Isaiah wrote of a “path through the mighty waters” (Isaiah 43:16). Are there pathways in the seas? Who could imagine such a thing? The pursuit of this enigma became Maury’s lifetime quest.
He entered the Navy in 1825 as a midshipman. By 1842 he was placed in charge of the Depot of Charts and Instruments, out of which grew the U.S. Naval Observatory and Hydrographic Office. To gather information on maritime winds and currents, Maury distributed to ship captains specially prepared logbooks from which he compiled pilot charts, enabling him to shorten the time of sea voyages. In 1848 he published maps of the main wind fields of the Earth.
Maury was ultimately able to produce charts of the Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian Oceans, a profile of the Atlantic seabed, and the first modern oceanographic text. He is internationally recognized as the “Father of Oceanography,” and Maury Hall at the U.S. Naval Academy is named in his honor. All because of a remez, a hint of something deeper, in a verse in the Psalms.
[end quote]
Is. 43:18 Remember ye not the former things, neither consider the things of old.
Again, I think the NLT embodies the thought behind this statement: But forget all that—it is nothing compared to what I am going to do.
Is. 43:19 Behold, I will do a new thing; now it shall spring forth; shall ye not know it? I will even make a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert.
Is. 43:20 The beast of the field shall honour me, the dragons and the owls: because I give waters in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert, to give drink to my people, my chosen.
Because of the set up of the previous verses, I tend to think that God is prophesying through Isaiah about the future kingdom of Israel when the Lord is on the throne. If there were the types of miracles employed in bringing the captives back home from Babylon that would put the parting of the Red Sea to shame, I believe they would have been recorded in scripture. The real miracle will come when Israel experiences the blessings associated with the millennial kingdom.
After the Jews were driven out of Israel by the Romans, the land of Israel became a wasteland. I’ve learned that when the Turks took over, they established a tax based on the number of trees on one’s property. This caused many of the people in the land to destroy their trees. Water is a hot commodity in Israel. In recent times they have had to make deals to purchase water from Turkey to meet the needs of the people. Also, there was no significant Jewish population to speak of in the land until the birth of the new nation of Israel in 1948.
During the millennial reign the curse on the earth seems to be lifted according to chapter 11 and the later passages in Isaiah. The prophet Ezekiel describes a healing river that will some day flow to the Dead Sea. Water will no longer be a problem. The produce of the land will be bountiful and the twelve tribes will occupy all of the land originally promised by God in Numbers 34. These changes will be the result of the miraculous workings of the Messiah when He comes to reign as King on planet earth. These miracles will make the stories of the Exodus seem like small potatoes in comparison.
Is. 43:21 This people have I formed for myself; they shall shew forth my praise.
God has a purpose for the nation of Israel; His purposes will always be accomplished. God’s promises to Abraham were unconditional. God’s purpose for Israel included their response to Him in praise. As we look over history and into the future, it would seem that God has had to wait a long time for Israel to honor Him as He deserves; but in God’s perspective it will only be a little while.
Psalm 90:4 For a thousand years in thy sight are but as yesterday when it is past, and as a watch in the night.
Is. 43:22 But thou hast not called upon me, O Jacob; but thou hast been weary of me, O Israel.
Is. 43:23 Thou hast not brought me the small cattle of thy burnt offerings; neither hast thou honoured me with thy sacrifices. I have not caused thee to serve with an offering, nor wearied thee with incense.
Is. 43:24 Thou hast bought me no sweet cane with money, neither hast thou filled me with the fat of thy sacrifices: but thou hast made me to serve with thy sins, thou hast wearied me with thine iniquities.
Verse 22 is a very sad statement—“but thou has not called upon me.” God so desires to bless His people and to live in fellowship with them. Because He is righteous and just, He must exercise judgment as well as mercy and compassion. God is so disappointed in the response of His people. Instead of responding to Him with gratitude and obedience, they have unashamedly adopted a sinful lifestyle. They have not only flaunted their sin, they have shown no repentance for that sin. We learned earlier in the book that when they did offer sacrifices, they were offered as a matter of ritual—not from a grateful or repentant heart.
Is. 43:25 I, even I, am he that blotteth out thy transgressions for mine own sake, and will not remember thy sins.
As I read through the different translations and thought about this verse, I began to think again of the difference in God’s way of thinking. We normally think about God providing a way of forgiveness of our sins because of His love for us. I don’t think that is a wrong statement, but it misses the greater truth. God loves us according to His own desires and purposes. The fact of His love and His provision for forgiveness of sin is directly related to His purposes and desires. All of God’s actions are done according to His purposes—“for mine own sake.”
“remember” = “to mark (so as to be recognized), i.e. to remember; by implication, to mention”
When God blots out our sins, forgives our sins, He is saying that He will never bring them up to us again. We will never be called to account for those sins. Our record is clean. This does not mean that we will not suffer the consequences of sin that is forgiven, but we will never be condemned based on that sin.
Is. 43:26 Put me in remembrance: let us plead together: declare thou, that thou mayest be justified.
Is. 43:27 Thy first father hath sinned, and thy teachers have transgressed against me.
Is. 43:28 Therefore I have profaned the princes of the sanctuary, and have given Jacob to the curse, and Israel to reproaches.
In these last verses, we seem to return to a courtroom setting. The Lord is asking them to state their case that justifies turning from Him in rebellion and disobedience. The facts are that they have been sinners from the very beginning in spite of God’s blessing. I tend to think that “thy first father” references Adam, but could just as easily reference Abraham. “Thy teachers” is a general reference to the spiritual leaders of the nation throughout history, but probably more specifically those in leadership at the time of Isaiah’s prophecy. When I checked out the Hebrew roots for profaned, it referenced “wounded, defiled, polluted, sick, weak.” I think the Lord is saying that He is allowing the people to suffer according to His word.
Deuteronomy 11:26-8 Behold, I set before you this day a blessing and a curse; A blessing, if ye obey the commandments of the LORD your God, which I command you this day: And a curse, if ye will not obey the commandments of the LORD your God, but turn aside out of the way which I command you this day, to go after other gods, which ye have not known.
Deuteronomy 28 gets quite specific about how the curse will affect them.
Still we must remember that God will always preserve a remnant that will one day experience the fullness of blessing and fellowship with the Lord.
Zechariah 8:11-15 But now I will not be unto the residue of this people as in the former days, saith the LORD of hosts. For the seed shall be prosperous; the vine shall give her fruit, and the ground shall give her increase, and the heavens shall give their dew; and I will cause the remnant of this people to possess all these things. And it shall come to pass, that as ye were a curse among the heathen, O house of Judah, and house of Israel; so will I save you, and ye shall be a blessing: fear not, but let your hands be strong. For thus saith the LORD of hosts; As I thought to punish you, when your fathers provoked me to wrath, saith the LORD of hosts, and I repented not: So again have I thought in these days to do well unto Jerusalem and to the house of Judah: fear ye not.
Is. 44:1 Yet now hear, O Jacob my servant; and Israel, whom I have chosen:
Is. 44:2 Thus saith the LORD that made thee, and formed thee from the womb, which will help thee; Fear not, O Jacob, my servant; and thou, Jesurun, whom I have chosen.
The message from God through the prophet again emphasizes the fact that Jacob/Israel was chosen (selected, appointed) as God’s special servant. Again, emphasis is given to the fact that God is interested in us from our very beginnings—from the time that He makes us in the womb of our mother. Regarding the nation of Israel, God’s plan from the beginning was to bring about a miraculous birthing of the nation through the reproductively “dead” bodies of Abraham and Sarah through their son Isaac. Isaac’s son Jacob was chosen in God’s sovereignty to be the man through whom the twelve tribes of the nation would be fathered. Jacob was declared as God’s choice while still in his mother’s womb. God doesn’t implement a miraculous plan and then abandon His people to work out the rest. He has promised to help them; the Hebrew includes to “surround, aid, protect.” Again God uses the distinctive names to make a point. Jacob is a reference to the self-reliant people who continually struggle in their relationship to their God. The Hebrew for Jesurun states “upright.” God is again making a comparison regarding His nation as they related to Him through most of their existence and the nation that will experience blessing and fellowship during the reign of the Messiah.
Is. 44:3 For I will pour water upon him that is thirsty, and floods upon the dry ground: I will pour my spirit upon thy seed, and my blessing upon thine offspring:
Is. 44:4 And they shall spring up as among the grass, as willows by the water courses.
Regarding the nation of Israel, I don’t see how anyone can look at their history and think that this is describing any time in their history since the time of Isaiah. This has to be referencing a time yet future; I believe it is the reign of Messiah from the throne of David. The prophet’s message is directly connected to the nation of Israel. This message is concerning spiritual thirst and spiritual insight for the blessed remnant of Israel which will turn to their Messiah in faith and become a very populous nation. This will be the point in time that Abraham will experience the fulfillment of God’s blessing upon him and his seed.
The truth of this principle in reference to a God who never changes also applies to His people of all times. God reiterates this principle in the New Testament. God will always respond to those who truly seek Him, those who desire to know Him, those who realize they have a need and recognize Him as The Source for meeting that need.
Matthew 5:6 Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.
Hebrews 11:6 But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.
As I read through this section again, I felt the need to reference the scripture that defines the Holy Spirit as “living water.”
John 7:37-39 In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink. He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. (But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive: for the Holy Ghost was not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified.)
Those who come to faith in Jesus Christ as part of the “church” experience that provision of the Spirit in their lifetime. In reference to the nation of Israel, that experience will come when they recognize Jesus as their Messiah and He returns as King of kings.
Is. 44:5 One shall say, I am the LORD’S; and another shall call himself by the name of Jacob; and another shall subscribe with his hand unto the LORD, and surname himself by the name of Israel.
At this future time of blessing for the nation of Israel, instead of rebelling against the Lord, His people will be eager to boast about the fact that they belong to the Lord. The names of Jacob and Israel, which are associated with Almighty God, will be honored and desired. Many will choose to subscribe (grave – fix indelibly) their hands with the name of the Lord and will choose to add the name Israel to their name as a last name.
Wow, what a turn around. The land of Israel today is home to many religions; the Jewish population is even divided in their view of Judaism—orthodox Jews, secular Jews, and Jews that are anti-religion or agnostic.
Is. 44:6 Thus saith the LORD the King of Israel, and his redeemer the LORD of hosts; I am the first, and I am the last; and beside me there is no God.
Again, the prophet identifies YHWH as the King of Israel. He is the One who reigns in sovereign authority in Israel whether they choose to acknowledge Him or not. Again, He is identified as their Redeemer, their Deliverer, and the One who will ransom them with the blood of His Son. I missed the word and the first time through. This message is from YHWH and His redeemer, Jesus the Son, the Lord of hosts; Jesus is the Commander in Chief of the armies of God. Both can identify themselves as the first and the last; Jesus identifies Himself that way four times in the book of Revelation:
Revelation 1:11 Saying, I am Alpha and Omega, the first and the last: and, What thou seest, write in a book, and send it unto the seven churches which are in Asia; unto Ephesus, and unto Smyrna, and unto Pergamos, and unto Thyatira, and unto Sardis, and unto Philadelphia, and unto Laodicea.
Revelation 1:17 And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead. And he laid his right hand upon me, saying unto me, Fear not; I am the first and the last….
Revelation 2:8 And unto the angel of the church in Smyrna write; These things saith the first and the last, which was dead, and is alive….
Revelation 22:13 I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last.
Again, YHWH identifies Himself as the One and Only God; there is no other. There is no room for debate in this statement; it is an absolute.
Is. 44:7 And who, as I, shall call, and shall declare it, and set it in order for me, since I appointed the ancient people? and the things that are coming, and shall come, let them shew unto them.
YHWH alone can bring forth witnesses to His unique ability to tell His purposes for the future and bring it to pass in just the way He foretold.
“since I appointed the ancient people” – This seems to be a statement that references the fact that God has declared prophecies to His people from the time that He made His covenant with Abraham. God had often raised up prophets to foretell how He would act in judgment towards Israel (and/or her enemies), and history reflects the complete accuracy of His predictions.
I decided to look at the Hebrew for “ancient” and was surprised to see that it referenced being eternal, everlasting. God’s covenant with David promised that He would establish the throne of his kingdom forever. This verse seems to evidence that this was always part of God’s plan.
Is. 44:8 Fear ye not, neither be afraid: have not I told thee from that time, and have declared it? ye are even my witnesses. Is there a God beside me? yea, there is no God; I know not any.
“from that time” = the time “since I appointed the ancient people”
“Fear ye not” – Beginning with Abraham, the man singled out by God to father the nation through which would come the Messiah, God has promised to bless His people.
Genesis 12:1-3 Now the LORD had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father’s house, unto a land that I will shew thee: And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing: And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.
This promise was unconditional; there were no strings attached. It did not preclude, however, the need for God to chastise or punish His people when they blatantly rebelled against Him. Always the punishment came with a promise to preserve a remnant. There is coming a time in the future that Israel will no longer be rebellious, but will rejoice in the blessings that are theirs because Messiah is on the throne. God’s dealings with the nation of Israel have served as a witness to the Gentile nations. His actions on behalf of His nation give proof that He is the One and Only God; there is NO OTHER. God is all-knowing, and He doesn’t know of any other “god”—meaning, there is no other God!
Is. 44:9 They that make a graven image are all of them vanity; and their delectable things shall not profit; and they are their own witnesses; they see not, nor know; that they may be ashamed.
Is. 44:10 Who hath formed a god, or molten a graven image that is profitable for nothing?
Is. 44:11 Behold, all his fellows shall be ashamed: and the workmen, they are of men: let them all be gathered together, let them stand up; yet they shall fear, and they shall be ashamed together.
Simply put—Idols are worthless. Those who make them should be ashamed. It is obvious that they can’t see or think; they are made by men. The day is coming when those who have made them and those who have worshipped them will be gathered together in fear and shame in judgment before Almighty God.
Is. 44:12 The smith with the tongs both worketh in the coals, and fashioneth it with hammers, and worketh it with the strength of his arms: yea, he is hungry, and his strength faileth: he drinketh no water, and is faint.
Is. 44:13 The carpenter stretcheth out his rule; he marketh it out with a line; he fitteth it with planes, and he marketh it out with the compass, and maketh it after the figure of a man, according to the beauty of a man; that it may remain in the house.
Is. 44:14 He heweth him down cedars, and taketh the cypress and the oak, which he strengtheneth for himself among the trees of the forest: he planteth an ash, and the rain doth nourish it.
Is. 44:15 Then shall it be for a man to burn: for he will take thereof, and warm himself; yea, he kindleth it, and baketh bread; yea, he maketh a god, and worshippeth it; he maketh it a graven image, and falleth down thereto.
Is. 44:16 He burneth part thereof in the fire; with part thereof he eateth flesh; he roasteth roast, and is satisfied: yea, he warmeth himself, and saith, Aha, I am warm, I have seen the fire:
Is. 44:17 And the residue thereof he maketh a god, even his graven image: he falleth down unto it, and worshippeth it, and prayeth unto it, and saith, Deliver me; for thou art my god.
These verses paint a pretty pathetic picture. They speak of men putting forth great effort to make an idol that is beautiful in the eyes of man, just to stand it up in the home. The men make great preparation to have the best wood available, to the point of planting special trees to provide for a continuing supply to meet their needs. They use the same wood to provide heating, to cook, and to make a “god” to worship. How foolish to think that an image you have created can respond to your worship or to your prayers! The Psalmist states it like it is:
Psalm 115:4-8 Their idols are silver and gold, the work of men’s hands. They have mouths, but they speak not: eyes have they, but they see not: They have ears, but they hear not: noses have they, but they smell not: They have hands, but they handle not: feet have they, but they walk not: neither speak they through their throat. They that make them are like unto them; so is every one that trusteth in them.
Is. 44:18 They have not known nor understood: for he hath shut their eyes, that they cannot see; and their hearts, that they cannot understand.
Is. 44:19 And none considereth in his heart, neither is there knowledge nor understanding to say, I have burned part of it in the fire; yea, also I have baked bread upon the coals thereof; I have roasted flesh, and eaten it: and shall I make the residue thereof an abomination? shall I fall down to the stock of a tree?
Is. 44:20 He feedeth on ashes: a deceived heart hath turned him aside, that he cannot deliver his soul, nor say, Is there not a lie in my right hand?
The men who participate in this idolatry seem to have no ability to understand the absurdity of what they are doing. This reminds me of some verses from my study in the book of Romans.
Romans 1:21-25 Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things. Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves: Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen.
There comes a point when God decides to give man over to his own desires; He shuts their eyes and their hearts. That is a very sobering thought.
Is. 44:21 Remember these, O Jacob and Israel; for thou art my servant: I have formed thee; thou art my servant: O Israel, thou shalt not be forgotten of me.
Is. 44:22 I have blotted out, as a thick cloud, thy transgressions, and, as a cloud, thy sins: return unto me; for I have redeemed thee.
“Remember” = “to mark, be mindful, think on”
Through the prophet, God is urging His people to think about what He is saying. As a nation they had been chosen by God to be His servant, and nothing they do will change that. In spite of their rebellion, God will accomplish His purposes in and through them. Just as God forgives us and cleanses us from our sins when we turn to Him in faith, He will just as surely forgive and cleanse Israel when they turn to their Messiah in faith.
“I have redeemed thee” – This act is spoken of as accomplished even though Jesus would not yet come to die on the cross for hundreds of years and would not come to reign from the throne of David for more than 2000 years after that. When God says it, it is as good as done. The redemption of Israel was accomplished hand in hand with the redemption of the rest of mankind who would turn to God in faith.
Is. 44:23 Sing, O ye heavens; for the LORD hath done it: shout, ye lower parts of the earth: break forth into singing, ye mountains, O forest, and every tree therein: for the LORD hath redeemed Jacob, and glorified himself in Israel.
In Isaiah’s poetic style, he repeats the truth of the previous verse. With the pronouncement of that truth, the rest of creation rejoices. The redemption of Israel is the fulfillment of that first promise to Abraham. It is also the act that will result in the lifting of the curse that was inflicted upon creation when man chose to sin. Through the redeeming work of the Father through His Son, God was glorified. Again, this brings to mind some verses from my study in Romans.
Romans 8:19-22 For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God. For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope, Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now.
Is. 44:24 Thus saith the LORD, thy redeemer, and he that formed thee from the womb, I am the LORD that maketh all things; that stretcheth forth the heavens alone; that spreadeth abroad the earth by myself;
Is. 44:25 That frustrateth the tokens of the liars, and maketh diviners mad; that turneth wise men backward, and maketh their knowledge foolish;
Is. 44:26 That confirmeth the word of his servant, and performeth the counsel of his messengers; that saith to Jerusalem, Thou shalt be inhabited; and to the cities of Judah, Ye shall be built, and I will raise up the decayed places thereof:
Is. 44:27 That saith to the deep, Be dry, and I will dry up thy rivers:
Is. 44:28 That saith of Cyrus, He is my shepherd, and shall perform all my pleasure: even saying to Jerusalem, Thou shalt be built; and to the temple, Thy foundation shall be laid.
Again, although the prophet Isaiah is the messenger, the message is from YHWH. What follows is a list of truths or identifying factors of YHWH. They are meant to underscore just Who is speaking to them.
He is their Redeemer, the One who will deliver them, ransom them through the death of His Son; and the One who will exact revenge upon those who have mistreated His chosen people. (All from the Hebrew)
He is their Creator. He was intimately involved in their creation, beginning with the forming of Isaac in the womb of Sarah.
He is the Creator of everything that is known to them (as well as of the things that are not yet known to them).
He alone stretched out the heavens and formed the earth to exact specifications.
He exposes false prophets and those who claim to be able to forecast the future. They claim to be so wise, but they are proven to be foolish when their predictions are proven wrong.
He confirms the message of His prophets by fulfilling the prophecies they make in every detail.
He is the One that guarantees a blessed future for Jerusalem and Judah/Israel.
He is the One in authority over creation. He pointedly identifies Cyrus as the shepherd who will encourage and enable to the Jews to rebuild the city of Jerusalem and the temple. This is about 150 years or more before the fact—before either was every destroyed.