Israel's Redeemer Isaiah 43

Isaiah 43:1 "But now thus saith the LORD that created thee, O Jacob, and he that formed thee, O Israel, Fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou art mine."

I call this the gentle chapter. The passage looks beyond the captivity and the punishment for disobedience to a time when a redeemer is come. Like when Moses went back to Egypt to bring out the children of Israel.

The chapter is filled with 'fear not'.

v2 "When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee."

I think most of us remember the three Hebrew children who were thrown into the fiery furnace because they would not bow to a false god. The came out untouched by the flames (See Daniel) even though those who tossed them in were killed. "When thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned."

v5-6 "Fear not: for I am with thee: I will bring thy seed from the east, and gather thee from the west; I will say to the north, Give up, and to the south, Keep not back; bring my sons from far, and my daughters from the ends of the earth;"

We see this passage fulfilled in our lifetime. Israel is going home. They were also brought back to Israel for a time and were there under Roman rule when Jesus was born.

v14 "Thus saith the LORD, 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. v15 "I am the LORD, your Holy One, the creator of Israel, your King."

Then, he tells Israel that it is time to forget the old things, to lay aside their past trouble, even their rebellion for it is a new day. If people would only accept forgiveness and leave the past behind.

v16-17 "Remember ye not the former things, neither consider the things of old. Behold I will do a new thing; now it shall spring forth; shall ye not know it? I will even make a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert."

Here is a wonderful verse to think about. Imagine a clean slate to start over.

v25 "I, even I, am he that blotteth out thy transgressions for mine own sake, and will not remember thy sins."

Notice he says for 'mine own sake' not because of anything Israel did. They have been truly a stiff necked people (we all seem to be) and worshipped idols BUT he still loves them and will blot out their sins.

So, we end this chapter of promise that a redeemer is coming for Israel and forgiveness is to be freely given.