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Overview

YHWH is exalted in Isaiah 43 as the Savior. Judah, the southern kingdom, lives in fear. Whether it is Assyria or some other enemy, God reminds Judah who He is. He is sovereign. He is wise. He is the Creator. 

Isaiah 43:1, 3a

But now thus says the Lord, he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel: “Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine. For I am the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior.”

Notice how personal, how intimate YHWH’s language is toward Judah and Israel. He created them. He redeemed them. He called them by name. How is it that the God of the Universe cares about me? God is so much greater than I am. And yet—He knows the number of my days, the number of hairs on my head, even the number of times I would ask for forgiveness for the exact same sin. He was Judah’s Savior. He is my Savior. 

Isaiah 43:10-13

“You are my witnesses,” declares the Lord, “and my servant whom I have chosen, that you may know and believe me and understand that I am he. Before me no god was formed, nor shall there be any after me. I, I am the Lord, and besides me there is no savior. I declared and saved and proclaimed, when there was no strange god among you; and you are my witnesses,” declares the Lord, “and I am God. Also henceforth I am he; there is none who can deliver from my hand; I work, and who can turn it back?”

Back in the days of Isaiah, gods were attached to nations. There were usually chief gods and secondary gods, but their function was to help the people make sense of the world. There were gods of nature, gods of war, gods of fertility—a god to explain every catastrophic event. But YHWH is reminding Judah that all other gods are fake. There is only one God. And even if there were other gods, they can’t overpower the God of Israel. 

The Western world doesn’t really believe in gods. They barely subscribe to a Creator, even though science denies the eternality of the universe and there are no aliens to implant humanity on the earth. Therefore, we arrived here by chance. We are a cosmic anomaly. We are an accident and at some point, according to humanistic logic, we will vanish from existence. Thankfully, YHWH, the God of the Bible gives us purpose, rescuing and reminding us of who we are. The Creator chose to create us and give us value and purpose. He has also revealed that He has a plan. And we as His image-bearers are the central piece of this fascinating divine drama. 

Isaiah 43:18-19

“Remember not the former things, nor consider the things of old. Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert.”

God promises to do NEW things. The Savior of the world doesn’t just promise to save us humans, but promises to save the entire universe. A new earth is coming. A new universe will break through. 

Notice verse 19. It says—”I am doing a new thing; do you not perceive it?” How often we do not perceive what God is doing. We are too consumed with our lives, our pursuits, our dreams. I wonder how many blessings every day I miss—because I don’t perceive it? God promises new mercies for us each day. Let’s focus on hearing His voice today. Ask God to remove any blind spots. What an amazing God we serve!