Isaiah 43

 

1 But now the LORD that created you says, O Jacob, and he that formed you, O Israel, Do not fear: for I have redeemed you, I have called you by your name; you are mine. 2 When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they will not overflow you: when you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; neither will the flame kindle on you.

 

  • Like Noah during the flood, God preserves His people (Genesis 6-9).
  • And like Shadrach, Meshech, and Abednego in the fiery furnace, the Creator of all, is with us to protect from harm (Daniel 3; 13-30).
  • There is a future time when the heavens will be cleansed from all evil by fire.
  • 2Peter 3:10 But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with extreme heat, the earth also and the works that are in it will be burned up.

 

The Lord created us for His glory and we are precious in His sight

 

3 For I am the LORD your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior: I gave Egypt for your ransom, Ethiopia and Seba for you. 4 Since you were precious in my sight, you have been honorable, and I have loved you: therefore I will give men for you, and people for your life. 5 Do not fear: for I am with you: I will bring your seed from the east, and gather you from the west; 6 I will say to the north, Give up; and to the south, Do not keep back: bring my sons from far, and my daughters from the ends of the earth; 7 Every one that is called by my name: for I have created him for my glory, I have formed him; yes, I have made him. 8 Bring forth the blind people that have eyes, and the deaf that have ears. 9 Let all the nations be gathered together, and let the people be assembled: Who among them can declare this, and show us former things? Let them bring out their witnesses, that they may be justified: or let them hear, and say, It is truth. 10 You are my witnesses, says the LORD, and my servant whom I have chosen: that you may know and believe me, and understand that I am he: before me there was no God formed, neither will there be after me. 11 I, even I, am the LORD; and beside me there is no savior. 12 I have declared, and have saved, and I have showed, when there was no strange god among you: therefore you are my witnesses, says the LORD, that I am God.

 

  • The Lord brought the Israelites out of Egypt with mighty signs and wonders proving His control over nature, including parting the Red Sea.
  • Then, in the wilderness, they saw Him bring water out of rocks and rain food from heaven on them.
  • They saw Him stay with them and lead them in pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night.
  • They saw…they are His witnesses.
  • Psalm 96:5 For all the gods of the nations are idols: but the LORD made the heavens.

 

13 Yes, before the day was I am he; and there is none that can deliver out of my hand: I will work, and who can turn it back? 14 This is what the LORD says, 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.

 

  • God bought us back to Himself from sin at the greatest price ever paid for anything.
  • 1Peter 1:18you were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your empty life received by tradition from your fathers; 19 But with the precious blood of Christ, as a lamb without blemish and without spot.

 

He is our Holy One, Our Creator, our King

 

15 I am the LORD, your Holy One, the creator of Israel, your King. 16 This is what the LORD says, who makes a way in the sea, and a path in the mighty waters; 17 Who brings out the chariot and horse, the army and the power; they will lie down together, they will not rise: they are extinct, they are quenched as tow. 18 Do you not remember the former things, or consider the things of old? 19 Behold, I will do a new thing; now it will spring up; will you not know it? I will make a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert. 20 The beast of the field will honor me: the dragons and the owls/ostriches: because I give waters in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert, to give drink to my people, my chosen. 21 This people I have formed for myself; they will show forth my praise. 22 But you have not called on me, O Jacob; you have been weary of me, O Israel. 23 You have not brought me lambs of your burnt offerings; neither have you honored me with your sacrifices. I have not caused you to serve with an offering, nor wearied you with incense.

 

  • Like Esau, they had no thought for the One who gave them life and breath. They had no thought or thanks for the One who gave them all that they enjoyed.
  • Romans 11:36 For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory for ever. Amen.

 

24 You have bought me no sweet cane with money, neither have you filled me with the fat of your sacrifices: but you have made me serve with your sins, you have wearied me with your iniquities. 25 I, even I, am he that blots out your transgressions for my own sake, and will not remember your sins. 26 Remember me: let us plead together: declare, that you may be justified. 27 Your first father has sinned, and your interpreters have transgressed against me. 28 Therefore I have profaned the princes of the sanctuary, and have given Jacob to the curse, and Israel to reproaches.

 

  • Jeremiah 2:19 Your own wickedness will correct you, and your backslidings will reprove you: know therefore and see that it is an evil thing and bitter, that you have forsaken the LORD your God, and that my fear is not in you, says the Lord GOD of hosts.

 

 

                                             Isaiah 44

 

The LORD who has chosen us will bless our offspring

 

1 Now listen, O Jacob my servant; and Israel, whom I have chosen: 2 This is what the LORD says that made you, and formed you from the womb, who will help you; Do not fear, O Jacob, my servant; and you, Jesurun, whom I have chosen. 3 For I will pour water on him that is thirsty, and floods on the dry ground: I will pour my spirit on your seed, and my blessing on your offspring: 4 And they will spring up as among the grass, as willows by the water courses. 5 One will say, I am the LORD’s; and another will call himself by the name of Jacob; and another will subscribe with his hand to the LORD, and surname himself by the name of Israel.

 

  • Jesurun means upright. After God finished dealing with Jacob’s unbelief Jacob was upright.

 

He is the only God

 

6 This is what the LORD the King of Israel says, and his redeemer the LORD of hosts; I am the first, and I am the last; and beside me there is no God. 7 And who, as I, will call, and will declare it, and set it in order for me, since I appointed the ancient people? And the things that are coming, and will come, let them show them. 8 Do not fear or be afraid: have not I told you from that time, and have declared it? You are my witnesses. Is there a God beside me? There is no Rock; I do not know any. 9 They that make a carved image are all vanity; and their delectable things will not profit; they are their own witnesses; they do not see or know; that they may be ashamed. 10 Who has formed a god, or molten a graven image that is profitable for nothing?

 

  • Psalm 96:5 For all the gods of the nations are idols: but the LORD made the heavens.

 

11 Behold, all his companions will be ashamed: and the craftsmen, they are of men: let them all be gathered together, let them stand up; yet they will dread, and will be ashamed together. 12 The smith with the tongs works in the coals, and fashions it with hammers, and works it with the strength of his arms: yes, he is hungry, and his strength fails: he drinks no water, and is faint.

 

  • Revelation 22:17 And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that hears say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whoever will, let him take the water of life freely.

 

13 The carpenter stretches out his ruler; he marks it out with a line; he fits it with planes, and he marks it out with the compass, and makes it after the figure of a man, according to the beauty of a man; that it may remain in the house. 14 He cuts down cedars, and takes the cypress and the oak, which he strengthens for himself among the trees of the forest: he plants an ash, and the rain nourishes it. 15 It will be for a man to burn: for he will take it and warm himself; he kindles it, and bakes bread; he makes a god, and worships it; he makes it a carved image, and falls down to it. 16 He burns part of it in the fire; with part of it he eats flesh; he roasts roast, and is satisfied: yes, he warms himself, and says, Aha, I am warm, I have seen the fire: 17 And with the rest of it he makes a god, his carved image: he falls down to it, and worships it, and prays to it, and says, Deliver me; for you are my god. 18 They have not known or understood: for he has shut their eyes, that they cannot see; and their hearts, that they cannot understand. 19 And none considers in his heart, nor is there knowledge or understanding to say, I have burned part of it in the fire; I have baked bread on its coals; I have roasted flesh, and eaten it: and will I make an abomination the rest of it? Will I fall down and worship what comes from a tree? 20 He feeds on ashes: a deceived heart has turned him aside, that he cannot deliver his soul or say, Is this not a lie in my right hand?

 

  • Ashes are the end result of fire.
  • Fire is judgment.
  • Verse 18 says, ‘he has shut their eyes.’
  • 2 Corinthians 4:4 explains that Satan blinds the minds of those that do not believe.
  • All of our waking moments we are thinking about something.
  • Whatever we think about, that is what we are feeding our hearts.
  • John 6:35 And Jesus said to them, I am the bread of life: he that comes to me will never hunger; and he that believes on me will never thirst.


He will not forget us

 

21 Remember these, O Jacob and Israel; for you are my servant: I have formed you; you are my servant: O Israel, you will not be forgotten by me. 22 I have blotted out, as a thick cloud, your transgressions, and, as a cloud, your sins: return to me; for I have redeemed you. 23 Sing, O heavens; for the LORD has done it: shout, you lower parts of the earth: break forth into singing, you mountains, O forest, and every tree in it: for the LORD has redeemed Jacob, and glorified himself in Israel. 24 Thus says the LORD, your redeemer, and he that formed you from the womb, I am the LORD that makes all things; that stretches out the heavens alone; that spreads abroad the earth by myself; 25 That frustrates the signs of the liars, and makes diviners mad; that turns sages backward, and makes their knowledge foolish; 26 That confirms the word of his servant, and performs the counsel of his messengers; that says to Jerusalem, You will be inhabited; and to the cities of Judah, You will be built, and I will raise up its decayed places: 27 That says to the deep, Be dry, and I will dry up your rivers: 28 That says of Cyrus, He is my shepherd, and will perform all my pleasure: even saying to Jerusalem, You will be built; and to the temple, Your foundation will be laid.

 

  • The Lord shows the falseness of liars.
  • Liars are the supporters of false gods.
  • Cyrus ordered that the temple of Jerusalem be rebuilt.
  • This occurred at the predicted time—70 years after the Jews had been taken captive.
  • Ezra 1:1 Now in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, that the word of the LORD by the mouth of Jeremiah might be fulfilled, the LORD stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom, and put it in writing, saying, 2 Thus says Cyrus king of Persia, The LORD God of heaven has given me all the kingdoms of the earth; and he has charged me to build him an house at Jerusalem, which is in Judah.

 


                                              Isaiah 45

 

1 This is what the Lord says to Cyrus, his anointed, whose right hand I have held, to subdue nations before him; and I will loose the loins of kings, to open before him the two leaved gates; and the gates will not be shut; 2 I will go before you, and make the crooked places straight: I will break in pieces the gates of brass, and cut apart the bars of iron: 3 And I will give you the treasures of darkness, and hidden riches of secret places, that you may know that I, the LORD, who call you by my name, am the God of Israel. 4 For Jacob my servant’s sake, and Israel my elect, I have called you by your name: I have surnamed you, though you have not known me.

 

  • The Lord anointed Cyrus and held his hand to subdue nations so that Cyrus would know that He was God.
  • Cyrus ruled for a short time.
  • When Christ returns to earth (Revelation 19) as the Lord’s anointed, He will rule forever.

 

I am the LORD, and there is no other, there is no God beside me: I girded you, though you have not known me:

6 That they may know from the rising of the sun, and from the west, that there is none beside me. I am the LORD, and there is none else.

 

  • ‘To gird’ in this verse means to prepare (for conflict), to surround (with a garment or belt), to provide rank and honor.
  • God states His purpose clearly—that all may know Him.
  • He is life.
  • If they don’t come to know Him, they are doomed to a horrible eternity by their own choosing.
  • He makes Himself known to all (John 1:9).
  • Psalm 96:5 For all the gods of the nations are idols: but the LORD made the heavens.

 

The Lord forms the light and creates darkness; He makes peace and creates evil

 

7 I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil: I the LORD do all these things. 8 Drop down, you heavens, from above, and let the skies pour down righteousness: let the earth open, and let them bring forth salvation, and let righteousness spring up together; I the LORD have created it. 9 Cries of grief to him that strives with his Maker! Let the potsherd strive with the potsherds of the earth. Will the clay say to him that fashioned it, What are you making? Or your work, He has no hands? 10 Cries of grief to him that says to his father, What have you begotten? Or to the woman, What have you brought forth? 11 This is what the LORD, the Holy One of Israel, and his Maker says, Ask me about things to come concerning my sons, and command me concerning the work of my hands. 12 I have made the earth, and created man upon it: I, even my hands, have stretched out the heavens, and I have commanded all their host.

 

  • God’s title ‘LORD of hosts’ means ‘LORD of the armies.’
  • He commands all the countless angels of heaven as well as the celestial bodies.

 

13 I have raised him up in righteousness, and I will direct all his ways: he will build my city, and he will release my captives, not for price or reward, says the LORD of hosts. 14 This is what the Lord says, The labor of Egypt, and merchandise of Ethiopia and of the Sabeans, men of stature, will come over to you, and they will be yours: they will come after you, in chains they will come over, and they will fall down to you, they will make supplication to you, saying, Surely God is in you; and there is none else, there is no other God. 15 Truly you are a God that hides yourself, O God of Israel, the Savior. 16 They will be ashamed and confounded, all of them: they will go to confusion together that are makers of idols. 17 But Israel will be saved in the LORD with an everlasting salvation: you will not be ashamed or confounded world without end.

 

  • Cyrus did just as God said seventy years after Israel was taken into captivity.
  • We need a Savior to deliver us from death, hell, and all the troubles of this life.
  • Jeremiah 29:10 The LORD says this, After seventy years are accomplished at Babylon I will visit you, and perform my good word toward you, in causing you to return to this place.
  • Leviticus 26:34 Then the land will enjoy her sabbaths, as long as it lies desolate, and you are in your enemies’ land; then the land will rest, and enjoy her sabbaths.

 

He formed earth to be inhabited; He declares things that are right

 

18 This is what the LORD that created the heavens says; God himself that formed the earth and made it; he has established it, he did not create it in vain, he formed it to be inhabited: I am the LORD; and there is no other. 19 I have not spoken in secret, in a dark place of the earth: I did not say to the seed of Jacob, Seek you me for nothing: I the LORD speak righteousness, I declare things that are right. 20 Assemble yourselves and come; draw near together, you that have escaped from the nations: they have no knowledge that set up the wood of their carved image, and pray to a god that cannot save. 21 Tell and bring them near; yes, let them take counsel together: who has declared this from ancient time? Who has told it from that time? Have not I, the LORD? And there is no God besides me; a just God and a Savior; there is none beside me.

 

He is the only way to be saved

 

22 Look to me, and be saved, all the ends of the earth: for I am God, and there is no other. 23 I have sworn by myself, the word has gone out of my mouth in righteousness, and will not return, That to me every knee will bow, every tongue will swear. 24 Surely one will say, in the LORD I have righteousness and strength: to him men will come; and all that are angry at him will be ashamed. 25 In the LORD will all the seed of Israel be justified, and will glory.

 

  • Philippians 2:10 That at the name of Jesus every knee will bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; 11 And that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
  • John 14:6 Jesus said to him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man comes to the Father, except by me.

 

 

                                              Isaiah 46

 

The Lord carries us from the womb to the grave

 

1 Bel bows down, Nebo stoops, their idols were on the beasts, and on the cattle: your carriages were heavily loaded; they are a burden to the weary beast. 2 They stoop, they bow down together; they could not deliver the burden, but they themselves have gone into captivity. 3 Listen to me, O house of Jacob, and all the rest of the house of Israel, who are carried by me from the belly, who are carried from the womb: 4 Even to your old age I am he; and to gray hairs I will carry you: I have made, and I will bear; I will carry, and will deliver you. 5 To whom will you liken me, and make me equal, and compare me that we may be alike? 6 They lavish gold out of the bag, and weigh silver in the balance, and hire a goldsmith; and he makes it a god: they fall down, yes, they worship. 7 They carry him on their shoulder, they carry him, and set him in his place, and he stands; from his place he will not move: yes, one will cry to him, yet he cannot answer or save him out of his trouble.

 

  • How smart is it to worship something that can’t even move by itself, something that YOU have to carry around.
  • False gods have to be carried around while the true God carries us all the days of our lives.
  • Do we make the air that we breathe? Do we make our own heart to beat?
  • The false gods lead to misery and eternal destruction. They cannot hear or answer.
  • Matthew 11:28 Come to me, all you that labor and are weighed down, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and you will find rest unto your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.

 

He declares the end from the beginning; His counsel stands; He does all His pleasure

 

8 Remember this, and show yourselves men: bring it again to mind, O transgressors. 9 Remember the former things of old: for I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like me, 10 declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel will stand, and I will do all my pleasure: 11 Calling a ravenous bird from the east, the man that executes my counsel from a far country: yes, I have spoken it, I will bring it to pass; I have purposed it, I will also do it. 12 Listen to me, you stubborn minded that are far from righteousness: 13 I bring near my righteousness; it will not be far off, and my salvation will not tarry: and I will place salvation in Zion for Israel my glory.

 

  • He spoke and will bring it to pass—the coming judgment and infinite blessing.
  • Psalm 96:5 For all the gods of the nations are idols: but the LORD made the heavens.
  • Revelation 1:7 Behold, he comes with clouds; and every eye will see him, and they also who pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth will wail because of him. Even so, Amen.

 

                                             Isaiah 47

 

God is holy and judges evil

 

1 Come down, and sit in the dust, O virgin daughter of Babylon, sit on the ground: there is no throne, O daughter of the Chaldeans: for you will be called tender and delicate no more. 2 Take the millstones, and grind meal: uncover your locks, make bare the leg, uncover the thigh, pass over the rivers. 3 Your nakedness will be uncovered, yes, your shame will be seen: I will take vengeance, and I will not meet you as a man. 4 As for our redeemer, the LORD of hosts is his name, the Holy One of Israel. 5 Sit silent, and go into darkness, O daughter of the Chaldeans: for you will be called ‘The Lady of Kingdoms’ no longer.

 

  • 1Peter 1:18 you were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your empty life received by tradition from your fathers; 19 But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:

 

He was angry with His people; He polluted His inheritance

 

I was furious with my people, I have polluted my inheritance, and given them into your hand: you showed them no mercy; on the ancient you laid your yoke very heavily. 7 And you said, I will be a lady forever: so that you did not lay these things to your heart, neither did you remember the latter end of it. 8 So now hear this, you that are given to pleasures, that dwell carelessly, that say in your heart, I am, and none else beside me; I will not sit as a widow, neither will I know the loss of children: 9 But these two things will come to you in a moment, in one day, the loss of children, and widowhood: they will come on you in their perfection for the multitude of your sorceries, and for the great abundance of your enchantments. 10 For you have trusted in your wickedness: you have said, No one sees me. Your have perverted Your wisdom and your knowledge; and you have said in your heart, I am, and there are no others beside me.

 

  • The wisdom of this world makes people proud.
  • Pride caused man’s the fall. It clouds our view of God.
  • Soon all will stand before God and at that moment nothing will matter but knowing Him.
  • It is always idolatry that makes God angry.
  • He created us. Shouldn't we worship only God who is the source of everything?
  • Acts 17:25 …since he gives to all life, and breath, and all things.

 

11 Therefore evil will come upon you; you will not know where it comes from: and disaster will fall on you; you will not be able to put it off: desolation will come on you suddenly, which you will not know. 12 Stand now with your enchantments, and with the multitude of your sorceries, in which you have labored from your youth; see if you will be able to profit, see if you prevail. 13 You are wearied in the multitude of your counsels. Let the astrologers, the stargazers, the monthly prognosticators, stand up, and save you from these things that will come upon you.

 

  • 1Samuel 15:23 For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the LORD, he has also rejected you from being king.
  • Deuteronomy 18:10 There is not to be found among you any one that makes his son or his daughter to pass through the fire, or that uses divination, or an observer of times, or an enchanter, or a witch, 11 Or a charmer, or a consulter with familiar spirits, or a wizard, or a necromancer. 12 For all that do these things are an abomination to the LORD: and because of these abominations the LORD your God drives them out from before you. 13 You will be perfect with the LORD your God.
  • Galatians 6:7 Do not be deceived; God is not mocked: for whatever a man sows, that is what he will reap.

 

14 Behold, they will be as stubble; the fire will burn them; they will not deliver themselves from the power of the flame: there will not be a coal to warm at, nor fire to sit before. 15 So they are to you with whom you have labored, your merchants, from your youth: they will wander every one to his quarter; none will save you.

 

  • Isaiah 55:7 Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return to the LORD, and he will have mercy on him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.

 

 

*********************************************************


 

SUMMARY: Isaiah 43-47

 

  • The Lord created us for His glory and we are precious in His sight
  • He is our Holy One, Our Creator, our King
  • The LORD who has chosen us will bless our offspring
  • He is the only God
  • He will not forget us
  • The Lord forms the light and creates darkness; He makes peace and creates evil
  • He formed earth to be inhabited; He declares things that are right
  • He is the only way to be saved
  • The Lord carries us from the womb to the grave
  • He declares the end from the beginning; His counsel stands; He does all His pleasure
  • God is holy and judges evil
  • He was angry with His people; He polluted His inheritance