The Lord Redeems, Restores, and Calls His People to Witness

43:1 Now, this is what the Lord says, the one who created you, O Jacob, and formed you, O Israel: “Don’t be afraid, for I will protect you. I call you by name, you are mine. 43:2 When you pass through the waters, I am with you; when you pass through the streams, they will not overwhelm you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not harm you. 43:3 For I am the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, your deliverer. I have handed over Egypt as a ransom price, Ethiopia and Seba in place of you. 43:4 Since you are precious and special in my sight, and I love you, I will hand over people in place of you, nations in place of your life. 43:5 Don’t be afraid, for I am with you. From the east I will bring your descendants; from the west I will gather you. 43:6 I will say to the north, ‘Hand them over!’ and to the south, ‘Don’t hold any back!’ Bring my sons from distant lands, and my daughters from the remote regions of the earth, 43:7 everyone who belongs to me, whom I created for my glory, whom I formed – yes, whom I made! 43:8 Bring out the people who are blind, even though they have eyes, those who are deaf, even though they have ears! 43:9 All nations gather together, the peoples assemble. Who among them announced this? Who predicted earlier events for us? Let them produce their witnesses to testify they were right; let them listen and affirm, ‘It is true.’ 43:10 You are my witnesses,” says the Lord, “my servant whom I have chosen, so that you may consider and believe in me, and understand that I am he. No god was formed before me, and none will outlive me. 43:11 I, I am the Lord, and there is no deliverer besides me. 43:12 I decreed and delivered and proclaimed, and there was no other god among you. You are my witnesses,” says the Lord, “that I am God. 43:13 From this day forward I am he; no one can deliver from my power; I will act, and who can prevent it?” 43:14 This is what the Lord says, your protector, the Holy One of Israel: “For your sake I send to Babylon and make them all fugitives, turning the Babylonians’ joyful shouts into mourning songs. 43:15 I am the Lord, your Holy One, the one who created Israel, your king.” 43:16 This is what the Lord says, the one who made a road through the sea, a pathway through the surging waters, 43:17 the one who led chariots and horses to destruction, together with a mighty army. They fell down, never to rise again; they were extinguished, put out like a burning wick: 43:18 “Don’t remember these earlier events; don’t recall these former events. 43:19 “Look, I am about to do something new. Now it begins to happen! Do you not recognize it? Yes, I will make a road in the desert and paths in the wilderness. 43:20 The wild animals of the desert honor me, the jackals and ostriches, because I put water in the desert and streams in the wilderness, to quench the thirst of my chosen people, 43:21 the people whom I formed for myself, so they might praise me.” 43:22 “But you did not call for me, O Jacob; you did not long for me, O Israel. 43:23 You did not bring me lambs for your burnt offerings; you did not honor me with your sacrifices. I did not burden you with offerings; I did not make you weary by demanding incense. 43:24 You did not buy me aromatic reeds; you did not present to me the fat of your sacrifices. Yet you burdened me with your sins; you made me weary with your evil deeds. 43:25 I, I am the one who blots out your rebellious deeds for my sake; your sins I do not remember. 43:26 Remind me of what happened! Let’s debate! You, prove to me that you are right! 43:27 The father of your nation sinned; your spokesmen rebelled against me. 43:28 So I defiled your holy princes, and handed Jacob over to destruction, and subjected Israel to humiliating abuse.”

Scripture quoted by permission. Quotations designated (NET) are from the NET Bible®, copyright ©1996, 2019 by Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C. All rights reserved.

God tells Israel not to fear because he has named them, claimed them, and will be with them through trouble. He alone is God and Savior, he will bring his people back, and he calls them to testify that no idol can match him. Yet he also exposes Israel’s sin and shows that forgiveness comes only by his mercy.

This passage begins with comfort. The Lord speaks to Jacob, also called Israel, and reminds them that he made them and owns them. So they do not need to fear. Trouble may come like deep water or fire, but his presence will keep them from being destroyed.

The Lord also promises to gather his people back from far away places. He is not only protecting them. He is restoring them. He does this because they belong to him and were formed for his glory.

Then the passage turns into a courtroom scene. The nations are told to bring their witnesses. But none of their gods can prove they rule history. Israel, even though they have been spiritually blind and deaf, is called to be the Lord’s witness. They must say that he alone is God and that there is no other savior.

The Lord then reminds them of the exodus. He once made a road through the sea. Now he will do something new and make a way through the wilderness. This new rescue points to his power to save again, even when his people are trapped in exile.

The final section is a warning. Israel had not truly honored the Lord. Their sacrifices were not the main issue. Their sin was. Yet the Lord says that he himself blots out rebellious deeds for his own sake. Forgiveness comes from his mercy, not from Israel’s worthiness. The passage ends by saying that exile came because of rebellion and shame. So the people need both comfort and repentance.

• The Lord creates, names, and claims his people.
• God’s presence is the ground of courage in trouble.
• The Lord alone is God and there is no savior besides him.
• Israel is called to be a witness to the Lord’s truth.
• God will gather his people from exile.
• The Lord exposes sin and does not ignore covenant rebellion.
• Forgiveness comes because God blots out sins for his own sake.

• Do not fear, because I am with you.
• Do not limit God to his former acts; he is doing something new.
• Bring forward witnesses; test the truth.
• You are my witnesses.
• Israel’s sins burdened the Lord.
• He blots out rebellious deeds for his own sake.

The passage shows God’s covenant plan to redeem a people for his glory, restore them from exile, and display his unique power before the nations. In the wider Bible, its new-exodus language and witness theme point forward to God’s fuller saving work, while still speaking first about the Lord’s commitment to Israel.

Believers should learn to trust God’s presence, not an easy life. They should also remember that God does not overlook sin. His people are called to witness to who he is, to turn from rebellion, and to rely on his mercy rather than their own merit.

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