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The contents of this chapter are much the same with those of the foregoing chapter, looking at the release of the Jews out of their captivity, but looking through that, and beyond that, to the great work of man's redemption by Jesus Christ, and the grace of the gospel, which through him believers partake of. Here are, I. Precious promises made to God's people in their affliction, of his presence with them, for their support under it, and their deliverance out of it, Isa 43:1-7. II. A challenge to idols to vie with the omniscience and omnipotence of God, Isa 43:8-13. III. Encouragement given to the people of God to hope for their deliverance out of Babylon, from the consideration of what God did for their fathers when he brought them out of Egypt, Isa 43:14-21. IV. A method taken to prepare the people for their deliverance, by putting them in mind of their sins, by which they had provoked God to send them into captivity and continue them there, that they might repent and seek to God for pardoning mercy, Isa 43:22-28.

This chapter is evidently a continuation of the subject discussed in the previous chapters, and refers mainly to the promised deliverance from Babylon. The people of God are still contemplated by the prophet as suffering the evils of their long and painful captivity, and his object is to comfort them with the assurances of deliverance. The chapter may be regard as composed of a succession of arguments, all tending to show them that God would be their protector, and that their deliverance would be certain. These arguments are not distinguished by any very clear marks of transition, and all divisions of the chapter must he in a measure arbitrary. But perhaps the following arrangement will comprise the considerations which the prophet designed to suggest.

I. In the previous chapter he had severely rebuked the Jews, as being deaf, and blind, and had showed them that it was on account of their sins that these calamities had come upon them. Yet he now turns and says, that they are the people whom he had redeemed, and whom it was his purpose to deliver, and repeats the solemn assurance that they would be rescued Isaiah 43:1-7. This assurance consists of many items, or considerations, showing that they would be recovered, however far they were driven from their own land.

1. God had formed and redeemed them Isaiah 43:1. It followed from this that a God of covenant faithfulness would be with them in their trials Isaiah 43:2.

2. They had been so precious to him and valuable, that he had given entire nations for their ransom Isaiah 43:3. It followed from this, that he would continue to give more, if necessary, for their ransom Isaiah 43:4.

3. It was rite fixed purpose of God to gather them again, wherever they might be scattered, and they had, therefore, nothing to fear Isaiah 43:5-7.

II. God asserts his superiority to all idol-gods. He makes a solemn appeal, as he had done in Isaiah 41, to show that the idols had no power; and refers to all that he had predicted and to its fulfillment in proof that he was the only true God, and had been faithful to his people Isaiah 43:8-13. In doing this, he says:

1. That none of the idols had been able to predict future events Isaiah 43:8-9.

2. That the Jewish people were his witnesses that he was the true God, and the only Saviour Isaiah 43:10-12.

3. That he had existed forever, and that none could thwart his designs Isaiah 43:13.

III. God asserts his purpose to destroy the I power of Babylon Isaiah 43:14, Isaiah 43:17. He says:

1. That he had sent to Babylon (by Cyrus) to bring down their power, and prostrate their nobles Isaiah 43:14-15; and,

2. Appeals to what he had formerly done; refers to the deliverance from Egypt, and asserts it to be his characteristic that he made a way in the sea, and led forth the chariot, the horse, the army, and the power Isaiah 43:16-17.

IV. Yet he tells them Isaiah 43:18-21, that all his former wonderful interpositions would be surpassed; that he would do a new thing - so strange, so wonderful, and marvelous, that all that he had formerly done should be forgotten.

1. They are commanded not to remember the former things Isaiah 43:18.

2. He would do anew thing - a thing which in all his former interpositions had not been done Isaiah 43:19.

3. The characteristics of the future wonder would be, that he would make a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert Isaiah 43:19; and that even the wild beasts of the desert should be made to honor him Isaiah 43:20.

4. He had formed that people for himself, and they should show forth his praise Isaiah 43:21.

V. From these promises of protection and assistance, and these assurances of favor, God turns to remind them of their sins, and assures them that it was by no merit of theirs that he would thus interpose to deliver them.

1. He reminds them of their having neglected, as a people, to honor him, and having witcheld what was his due Isaiah 43:22-24; yet,

2. He would blot out their sins, but it was by no merit of theirs, but by his mere mercy Isaiah 43:25-26.

3. They had been a sinful people, and he had, therefore, humbled their power, and given the nation to reproach, and a curse Isaiah 43:27-28. The same subject is resumed and prosecuted in the next chapter, and they should be read together without any interuption.

Prediction of that blessed period when God should gather the posterity of Abraham, with tender care, from their several dispersions in every quarter under heaven, and bring them safely to their own land, Isaiah 43:1-7. Struck with astonishment at so clear a display of an event so very remote, the prophet again challenges all the blended nations and their idols to produce an instance of such foreknowledge, Isaiah 43:8, Isaiah 43:9; and intimates that the Jews should remains (as at this day), a singular monument to witness the truth of the prediction, till it should at length be fulfilled by the irresistible power of God, Isaiah 43:10-13. He then returns to the nearer deliverance - that from the captivity of Babylon, Isaiah 43:14, Isaiah 43:15; with which, however, he immediately connects another deliverance described by allusions to that from Egypt, but represented as much more wonderful than that; a character which will not at all apply lo the deliverance from Babylon, and must therefore be understood of the restoration from the mystical Babylon, Isaiah 43:16-18. On this occasion the prophet, with peculiar elegance, and by a very strong poetic figure, represents the tender care of God in comforting and refreshing his people on their way through the desert, to be so great as to make even the wild beasts haunting those parched places so sensible of the blessing of those copious streams then provided by him, as to join their hissing and howling notes with one consent to praise God, Isaiah 43:19-21. This leads to a beautiful contrast of the ingratitude of the Jews, and a vindication of God's dealings with regard to them, Isaiah 43:22-28.

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, Isaiah 43:1, 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, Isaiah 43:3 and promises the conversion of their seed and offspring in the several parts of the world, Isaiah 43:5 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, Isaiah 43:8, 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, Isaiah 43:14, 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, Isaiah 43:18, the sins of omission and commission the people of God had been guilty of are mentioned, which are freely pardoned for Christ's sake, Isaiah 43:22 when the body and bulk of the Jewish nation were given up to destruction, because of their sins, Isaiah 43:26.

Ch. Isaiah 43:1 to Isaiah 44:5. Israel, in spite of its sin and blindness, is comforted with gracious promises of Redemption

(i) Isaiah 43:1-7. This section is very closely connected in thought with Isaiah 43:18-25 of the previous chapter. The contrast, however, is no longer between the ideal Israel and the actual, but between Israel in the misery of exile and Israel in the glory of its coming salvation. The prophet has just reminded the captives that the author of their calamities is Jehovah, against whom they have sinned; now he assures them that in spite of these sins God has not finally cast them off, and directs their thoughts to the bright future about to dawn on them. Jehovah is about to redeem Israel, which He has formed and chosen for His own (Isaiah 43:1-2); He will ransom it at the cost of powerful and wealthy nations which must take its place as servants of the world-power, because it is precious in His sight (Isaiah 43:3-4); He will gather together its scattered members from the remotest quarters of the world (Isaiah 43:5-7).

(ii) Isaiah 43:8-13. The argument from prophecy is here repeated, and again in the dramatic form of a judicial process between Jehovah and the assembled nations. These are challenged to bring forward their witnesses to prove that their gods have foretold this wonderful event, or that any past prediction of theirs has been verified (Isaiah 43:9). Jehovah on His part brings forward His servant Israel, a people blind and deaf, but able at least to bear witness to the fact that He has given incontestable proof of Divinity by predicting this great deliverance (Isaiah 43:8; Isaiah 43:10 ff.).

(iii) Isaiah 43:14-21. The fall of Babylon is here for the first time explicitly announced (Isaiah 43:14-15), as the preliminary to Israel’s restoration. The glory of this “new thing” shall eclipse all “former things,” even the wonders of the exodus from Egypt and the marching through the wilderness (Isaiah 43:16 ff.). The prophet’s imagination again fixes on the concrete image of the miraculous way through the desert as the emblem of Jehovah’s saving power (Isaiah 43:19 ff.).

(iv) Isaiah 43:22-28. A renewed remonstrance with Israel, similar in tone to ch. Isaiah 42:18-25. The general idea of the section seems to be that while Israel has been utterly careless of Jehovah (Isaiah 43:22), burdening Him not with lavish offerings but merely with its sins and iniquities (Isaiah 43:23-24), He, for His own sake, forgives its trespasses (Isaiah 43:25), although the people have forfeited all claim on His mercy (Isaiah 43:26-28). (But see the Notes below, pp. 42 f.)

(v) Ch. Isaiah 44:1-5. By the outpouring of His Spirit, Jehovah shall so bless and prosper His people, that proselytes from among the heathen shall voluntarily attach themselves to the restored nation. This promise stands in contrast to the severity of the preceding verses, exactly as Isaiah 43:1-7 follow upon the last strophe of ch. 42.

Isa 43:1-28.

A SUCCESSION OF ARGUMENTS WHEREIN ISRAEL MAY BE ASSURED THAT, NOTWITHSTANDING THEIR PERVERSITY TOWARDS GOD

(Isa 42:25),

HE WILL DELIVER AND RESTORE THEM.

1. But now--notwithstanding God's past just judgments for Israel's sins.

created--not only in the general sense, but specially created as a peculiar people unto Himself

(Isa 43:7, 15, 21; Isa 44:2, 21, 24).

So believers, "created in Christ Jesus"

(Eph 2:10),

"a peculiar people"

(1Pe 2:9).

redeemed--a second argument why they should trust Him besides creation. The Hebrew means to ransom by a price paid in lieu of the captives (compare

Isa 43:3).

Babylon was to be the ransom in this case, that is, was to be destroyed, in order that they might be delivered; so Christ became a curse, doomed to death, that we might be redeemed.

called . . . by . . . name--not merely "called" in general, as in

Isa 42:6; 48:12; 51:2,

but designated as His own peculiar people (compare

Isa 45:3, 4; Ex 32:1; 33:12; Joh 10:3).

But now - This expression shows that this chapter is connected with the preceding. The sense is, "Though God has punished the nation, and showed them his displeasure Isaiah 42:24-25, yet now he will have mercy, and will deliver them.'

That created thee - The word 'thee' is used here evidently in a collective sense as denoting the Jewish people. It is used because the names 'Jacob' and 'Israel' in the singular number are applied to the people. The word 'created' is used here to denote the idea that, as the special people of God, they owed their origin to him, as the universe owed its origin to his creative power. It means that, as a people, their institutions, laws, customs, and privileges, and whatever they had that was valuable, were all to be traced to him. The same word occurs in Isaiah 43:7, and again in Isaiah 43:15, 'I am Yahweh - the Creator of Israel, your king' (see also Isaiah 44:1; compare Psalm 100:3).

Fear not - This is to be understood as addressed to them when suffering the evils of the captivity of Babylon. Though they were captives, and had suffered long, yet they had nothing to fear in regard to their final extinction as a people. They should be redeemed from captivity, and restored again to the land of their fathers. The argument here is, that they were the chosen people of God; that he had organized them as his people for great and important purposes, and that those purposes must be accomplished. It would follow from that, that they must be redeemed from their captivity, and be restored again to their land.

For I have redeemed thee - The word גאל gā'al means properly "to redeem," to ransom by means of a price, or a valuable consideration, as of captives taken in war; or to redeem a farm that was sold, by paying back the price. It is sometimes used, however, to denote deliverance from danger or bondage without specifying any price that was paid as a ransom. Thus the deliverance of the Jews from Egyptian bondage is sometimes spoken of as a redemption (Exodus 6:6; Exodus 15:13; compare Genesis 18:16; Isaiah 29:22; Isaiah 44:23; Jeremiah 31:11; see the note at Isaiah 1:27). It is not improbable, however, that wherever redemption is spoken of in the Scriptures, even in the most general manner, and as denoting deliverance from danger, oppression, or captivity, there is still retained the idea of a ransom in some form; a price paid; a valuable consideration; or something that was given in the place of that which was redeemed, and which answered the purpose of a valuable consideration, or a public reason of the deliverance. Thus, in regard to the deliverance from Egypt - Egypt, Ethiopia, and Seba are mentioned as the ransom (see the note at Isaiah 43:3); and so in the deliverance from the captivity, Babylon was given in the place of the ransomed captives, or was destroyed in order that they might be redeemed. So in all notions of redemption; as, e. g., God destroyed the life of the great Redeemer, or caused him to be put to death, in order that his chosen people might be saved.

I have called thee by thy name - 'To call by name' denotes intimacy of friendship. Here it means that God had particularly designated them to be his people. His call had not been general, addressed to the nations at large, but had been addressed to them in particular. Compare Exodus 31:2, where God says that he had designated 'by name' Bezaleel to the work of constructing the tabernacle.

Thou art mine - They were his, because he had formed them as a people, and had originated their institutions; because he had redeemed them, and because he had particularly designated them as his. The same thing may be said of his church now; and in a still more important sense, that church is his. He has organized it; he has appointed its special institutions; he has redeemed it with precious blood; and he has called his people by name, and designated them as his own.

I have called thee by thy name - "קראתי בשמך karathi beshimcha. So all the versions. But it seems from the seventh verse, and from the thing itself, that we should read קראתיך בשמי karathicha bishmi, 'I have called thee by my name;' for this form of speech often occurs - the other never. For Isaiah 45:24, concerning Cyrus, is another matter; but when God calls Jacob Israel, he calls him by the name of God. See Exodus 31:2." - Secker.