Isaiah 43:14-28 “The Lord Promises A New Deliverance”
Sometimes a new thing comes along which makes us completely forget the things that came before. Consider how many people today remember the emergence of VHS tapes, CDs and DVDs. Does the latest generation, which can stream videos on their devices, give these previous new inventions any thought? God promises he is going to do something even greater than the greatest rescue they have had.
43:14-17 Of what great events in Israel’s past does God remind the people?
- He mentions the time he rescued them from Egypt. That was a great deliverance they should never forget.
43:18-21 What does the Lord say will completely dwarf this achievement in importance?
- He promises to provide water in the desert for his people. Note he already literally did this, but now it would be provided with the water of life. Compared to Isaiah 55, his life-giving Word will bring life to the spiritually thirsting and dead.
- Jackals: Every other occurrence that uses the imagery of Jackels in Isaiah and Jeremiah seems to use it to indicate hostility, or a place that is abandoned,
- Owls: Used twice before by Isaiah (coupled with Jackals) to refer to desolate places. Is 13:21; 34:13
- “To give to drink to my people, my chosen” à Now we see the picture language explained. He isn’t saying it is so great that he will feed jackals and owls. The Jackals and owls would be his people, his chosen, living in desolation!
- His next rescue will far surpass that first, it will make the first not even worth comparing.
Explain what makes this promise greater than the exodus from Egypt.
- How is this greater than the exodus event?
- Firstly, it is centered on grace for sinful people who thirst for God’s mercy.
- Isaiah 43:26 speaks of “forgiveness” for the sinner. Isaiah 44:3-4 speaks of the outpouring as a giving of his Spirit to us so that we can say we “belong to the Lord.” Both are in the context of springs and streams in the desert watering the people of God so that they are blessed by God and called his own.
- Is 44:3-4 I will pour out my Spirit on your offspring, and my blessing on your descendants. 4 They will spring up like grass in a meadow, like poplar trees by flowing streams. One will say, ‘I belong to the Lord’;
43:22-24 How might we sometimes act like bringing an offering for the Lord is a burden instead of a joy? What did the people in Isaiah’s time bring God instead of offerings? Explain how we often present the same thing to God.
- They wearied him with their offenses instead of honoring him as Lord.
43:25-28 Share the pictures of forgiveness in this section. How is this fulfilled in Christ Jesus? When you consider the times when you have continually struggled with sin, what comfort do these pictures give you?
- No matter how great the sin, no matter how many times you fail to honor God, no matter the number of sins you burden him with, Jesus bore it all and blotted our sin out.
Review 43:14-28
God poetically describes his past deliverance for the people from the hand of Egypt. It emphasizes how complete his rescue was. Use poetic imagery and language to describe the “new” deliverance which was fulfilled for you and all believers. See if you can do it by borrowing imagery from this chapter.
- He is the water of life who quenches our thirst forever.
- One example from Hortious Bonar, a Scottish pastor born in 1808. I heard the voice of Jesus say, “Behold, I freely give the living water, thirsty one; stoop down, and drink, and live.” I came to Jesus, and I drank of that life-giving stream; my thirst was quenched, my soul revived, and now I live in Him.
“Do not remember the former things. Do not ponder those former things.” Explain how this statement could be misapplied today. Give some examples of ways in which we still remain “forward looking” as Christians.
- It would be a misapplication to say his past rescue didn’t matter. His past acts of rescue are springboards to lead us to see the greatness of what is promised ahead.
- Christians are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth. Their citizenship is in heaven an they eagerly await the return of Christ. We groan as we wait for the redemption of our bodies at the resurrection. His new creation is a kingdom that will be perfect everlasting peace.
Review 43
What things did Israel have that made them the perfect witness of the Lord? What was it that made them awful at being a witness? Explain why all believers have to claim to have the same things.
- They had his revelation, no other nation had truth like they did from God himself.
What is one of God’s purposes in bringing us his salvation (confer 43:21)?
What comfort do we have as God sends us as his witnesses to the world?
- Many answers! His plan to bless, his presence, protection, promises, and his grace for sinners.
Find at least three things in this chapter which point us to the grace of God.
- “I have redeemed you.” God paid the price, not Israel 43:1
- “Whom I have chosen” it was by grace he chose Israel 43:10
- “this people I formed for myself” we were chosen before we were even born 43:21
- -He calls Israel his own even though “you have not called on me” 43:22
- “you did not glorify me” 43:23 God acts to save despite their failure to give him anything in praise
- “I blot out your rebellious deeds for my own sake.” 43:25
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