The first half of Isaiah chapters 1–39 emphasize Judah’s sin, the danger of trusting foreign powers, and the certainty of judgment. Jerusalem would eventually fall and many of its people would experience exile.
Beginning in chapter 40:1, the tone changes wonderfully: “Comfort, comfort My people, says your God”. Isaiah looks beyond judgment toward restoration. The LORD will redeem His people, reveal the futility of idols, gather Israel from exile, and reveal His glory to the nations.
Isaiah 40 comforts Israel with the promise that her time of discipline will end. God will come as Israel’s King and Shepherd, renewing those who wait for Him. Although Israel feared that her way was hidden from the LORD, God answers by revealing His eternal wisdom, power, and unfailing care.
Isaiah 41 declares that God rules history and will remain faithful to Israel. He summons the nations to His courtroom and foretells the coming of Cyrus from the east who will deliver Israel from Babylon. Israel is God’s servant, chosen through Abraham, and therefore need not fear. Unlike the powerless idols of the nations, the LORD alone declares the future and directs history.
Isaiah 42 describes Israel’s calling and spiritual blindness. God’s servant, the Messiah will bring justice to the nations without crushing the weak; Rashi the 11th century sage of Israel identifies this servant with Jacob and Israel. Yet Israel is also portrayed as blind and deaf, needing redemption before fulfilling its mission. The chapter ends with Israel under judgment because of sin but not rejected nor abandoned.
Isaiah 43 begins, with “But now”: judgment is not God’s final word. The chapter moves through five themes:
- Israel belongs to God and need not fear in v 1–7
- Israel is God’s witness in v 8–13
- God promises a new exodus in v 14–21
- Israel burdens God with her sin in v 22–24
- God forgives, though discipline is justified in v 25–28
V 1-2 begins the first them that Israel belongs to God and need not fear “Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name; you are Mine.”
God uses both covenant names: “Jacob” and “Israel.” “Jacob” recalls their father’s willfulness and striving. “Israel” recalls how Jacob was transformed after he wrestled with God. “Created” and “formed” convey that God brought Israel into being for His purposes.
These words are also found in Genesis 1 and 2: “Created” (bara) Genesis 1:1; 27 “Formed” (yatsar)Genesis 2:7, where God forms Adam from dust. Israel began the same way as Adam with God’s action, not Israel’s effort.
“I have redeemed you” “Redeemed” is from go’el pointing to a relative, who under God’s Law recovered what was lost, and restores the family’s inheritance. This points to the perfect kinsmen redeemer who would come to redeem Adam the father of all mankind and Israel God’s first born among the nations.
That it is written in the past tense points to the certainty of His fulfilling His promise. “I have called you by name, “You are Mine.” Israel is called to serve God because Israel she has been purchased and belongs to Him.
Through water and fire shows that Israel will not avoid suffering, “When (not if) you pass through the waters, I will be with you.” God’s presence will be with them in their trials. This recalls the Red Sea and Jordan River crossings into the land.
The enemies of God and His people will not be able to stand against Him or His people because of His covenant with them. We in Messiah have become partakers with Israel and are partakers of His covenant promises as well.
This is not a guarantee that believers will not suffer or die. Isaiah promises that our suffering and discipline will not nullify God’s covenant purposes and promises.
V 3-4 “Precious…honored…and I love you” God identifies Himself as The Holy One of Israel, their God and Savior. Her position flows from God’s covenant love, not because they’re better than other nations. The end of the chapter reveals again Israel’s sin. Their election, like ours is all by God’s grace.
Egypt, Cush (Ethiopia), and Seba (Yemen) speak of God’s rearrangements of nations as He brings down Babylon and raises up Persia to bring Israel back from captivity. This may also be looking back to the exodus, when judgment fell in Egypt when Israel was released from that bondage and captivity.
This is reminder that the LORD rules over empires and nations and will not permit them to destroy His covenant people.
V 5-7 “Gathering from the east, west and the south”. The context speaks of the return from Babylonian exile but also looks forward to the day when Israel will be gathered worldwide: “from the ends of the earth.” We see a foreshadowing of this in the return of the Jewish people to Israel today. In v 7 we are told that this regathering if for God’s glory.
V 8-13 The second theme of this chapter is found in v 10 “You are My witnesses”. This is Israel’s calling to the nations — Isaiah 43:8–13
In these verses the nations and their gods are challenged as if in a courtroom testifying if they understand history or can announce its outcome. Israel is called to testify
Verse 8 calls Israel a people who have eyes yet are blind and ears but are deaf. This continues from chapter 42. Even though they are blind they are called as God’s witness. Their testimony is based on what God has done in Israel’s history.
The gods of the nations are contrasted with the LORD. Their gods cannot explain “the former things” or predict the future. They are unable to provide credible witnesses or deliver their worshipers from anything.
Israel, on the other hand, can testify to the exodus, His covenant and commands given at Sinai, His discipline, preservation, and restoration. They can point to prophecies fulfilled in the past, present and future.
The servant here is Israel who were chosen to know, trust, and understand that the LORD alone is God. “Before Me no god was formed.”
Israel’s continuing existence is part of this witness. Empires rise and fall, yet the Jewish people’s preservation testifies to the covenant faithfulness of God. God’s witness to the nations is Israel. Christians are partakers now in bearing witness to Israel’s God, but the church should not erase the people whom God addresses.
Biblical witness is therefore a response to His revelation and redemption. “There is none who can deliver from My hand” (v 13). Babylon cannot prevent God’s deliverance of Israel through Persia. No power can overturn God’s plans.
The 3rd theme in this chapter is a new exodus in Isaiah 43:14–21
V 14–15 God identifies Himself as the Holy One of Israel, her creator, redeemer, and King. For Israel’s sake He will bring judgment on Babylon. The Babylonian ships which were symbols and sources of their wealth, power, and pride, will be destroyed.
V 16-18 Israel is called both to remember and to not remember. To remember the exodus from Egypt where God parted the sea and then crushed Egypt’s chariots and horses.
Then Israel is commanded to “Remember not the former things, nor consider the things of old.” This does not mean Israel should forget the exodus but not expect God to do the same things that He did in Egypt. In fact, Revelation describes even greater plagues and more powerful judgments then were ever seen in Egypt.
The Egyptian exodus remains a basis for trusting God, not a limitation on what He will do next. The Talmud interprets that verse as saying that the final redemption will be so great that it will overshadow earlier deliverances. The exodus will be secondary to God’s greater future work.
V 19-21 “Behold, I am doing a new thing” The first exodus was through parting the water. The new exodus will make a way through the wilderness. A road in the desert with abundant provision of water in the desert. All of creation will join praising God for this greater exodus.
The wilderness, normally a place of death, will be place of divine provision. This recalls both Moses and creation. God will never abandon His earlier promises but fulfilling them in a way Israel could never imagine.
Verse 21 returns to the purpose of Israel’s election. “The people whom I formed for Myself might declare My praise.” In this way Israel in their praise of God will make Him known.
The 4th theme in this chapter is Israel’s failure in their worship – Isaiah 43:22–24 “Yet you did not call upon Me, O Jacob; but you have been weary of Me, O Israel.” This refers to sacrifices, offerings, and incense.
They failed to gather at His appointed times and to acknowledge His provision of all that they received from His hand of blessing. It also points to the indictment in Chapter 1 where God says He was weary of them coming to the Temple with hollow worship. God does not merely want religious observance, He desires His children to call on Him in faith, love and obedience.
Notice how God frames this. He did not place on Israel impossible demands. But Israel burdened God with their sins. They did not satisfy God with offerings but wearied Him with their iniquities.
Being elect carries with it responsibility. He made provision for their sin but for that provision their heart and actions must respond appropriately. This applies to us as well. We too are called to assemble in worship, offerings and praise. And we also are prone to become weary of God.
The 5th theme of this chapter is the wonderful word of God’s grace during and after His discipline and judgment. “I blot out your transgressions for my namesake” v 25
Ezekiel echoes this in the discipline on Israel in Ezekiel 36:22 “Therefore say to the house of Israel, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD, “It is not for your sake, O house of Israel, that I am about to act, but for My holy name, which you have profaned among the nations where you went.
The repeated “I, I” emphasizes that forgiveness is all “for My own sake.” because of His character, covenant purpose, and His holy name. “I will not remember” does not mean God has forgotten but instead that He will no longer hold forgiven sin against His people.
In verses 26–27 God invites Israel to present its case. Inviting Israel to “Put Me in remembrance; let us argue together.” This is even more gracious than “Come let us reason together from Isaiah 1:18. This demonstrates that He invites us to argue with Him. I can’t imagine arguing with Him yet here it is. We can see this portrayed in Tevye arguing with God in Fiddler on the Roof.
Rashi identifies Abraham as “your first father” when he doubted God’s promise when He cut His covenant and promised the land to His children in Genesis 15:8. Biblical scholars debate over who this “first father“is. Suggestions include Adam, Abraham, Jacob. My vote would be for Jacob who really is the father of the 12 tribes and wrestled with God and was transformed.
The point made here is that Israel deserved her judgment, but it was not the final word from God. Verse 28 explains that even though God will forgive the nation in the future kingdom of Messiah, she still must suffer until that day.
The exile was not about Babylon’s superiority. It was about God’s covenant judgment as outlined in Deut. 28 and Lev. 26 that the Lord permitted for Israel’s own sake, for whom the Lord loves He disciplines. But Isaiah 44 wonderfully begins with these words of comfort: “But now hear, O Jacob My servant… Fear not.” Judgment is always tempered with mercy, and promise of restoration.
Isaiah 43 meant to Israel that her impending exile and even in her captivity that Babylon would not have the last word. Israel’s exile did not end God’s covenant claim that “You are Mine.”
Israel’s suffering did not mean that the LORD had been defeated, no more than it means today. The God of the first exodus will provide a new work of deliverance. Israel will one day be gathered, restored, and preserved as a people.
Israel’s purpose was to testify that the LORD alone is God. That her judgment and exile was deserved because of her sin. And that her restoration depends on God’s grace, not Israel’s innocence.
This chapter reveals three key truths that should never be separated. Israel is chosen, they are accountable and that God is faithful. This should remind Israel and the church as well as all mankind that God has not forgotten the Jewish people
This chapter addresses Jacob and Israel by name. Christians should stand against anything that confuses the church with Israel. Gentile believers are warned in the New Covenant not to become arrogant toward the natural branches and says that God’s gifts and calling are irrevocable (Romans 11:17–29).
Jewish survival is a testimony to us and to all of the truthfulness of God’s Word. Israel and the Jewish people have experienced exile, persecution, forced conversion, pogroms, and the Holocaust, and yet through it all they have kept their identity.
Isaiah 43 does not promise freedom from fire and water, but it promises that these trials will not erase God’s covenant promises and His people.
Many Jews and Christians see the modern return of millions of Jewish people to the land of Israel as fulfilling prophecy. We need to also bear in mind that the modern State of Israel is not identical to the redeemed Israel seen by the prophets.
The prophetic vision includes spiritual renewal, justice, peace, knowledge of God, and blessing to the nations. Today they are a witness but a broken one. They remain under God’s hand of discipline until they turn in repentance and faith to Yeshua.
Jewish religious life consisting of, prayer, Torah study, and a call to an ethical life, and the hope for redemption are important, but they are incomplete and inadequate without Yeshua. They remain lost and under His judgment until they come to Him in repentance and faith in His provision for their sin. That is why we are called to pray for them.
When we speak of these truths we should do so with humility and as Paul writes in Rom 11:20: Do not be conceited, but fear; for if God did not spare the natural branches, He will not spare you, either. Behold then the kindness and severity of God; to those who fell, severity, but to you, God’s kindness, if you continue in His kindness; otherwise you also will be cut off.
The church worships Israel’s God, through Israel’s Messiah. They have been brought near to the God who calls Himself “the Holy One of Israel.”
Like Israel the church does not earn redemption through worship or mission. Worship and mission are the response in thanksgiving. Isaiah 43 warns against religious activity without love for God.
Our programs, giving, music, preaching, and service for Him must be accompanied by what God desires most faith, obedience, justice, mercy and humility.
Isaiah 43 reminds us that God’s covenant faithfulness is greater than Israel’s failure and stronger than the empires that oppose His purposes. Israel passed through water and fire, but was never forsaken.
Israel may be blind and sinful, yet they are still called and claimed by God. Israel deserves judgment, yet God promises forgiveness and a new exodus. Everything rests finally on God’s own identity: “I, I am the LORD, and besides Me there is no savior.”
