Old Testament - Isaiah 42-43 - September 20, 2022

 9/20/2022 – Isaiah 42-43

Chapter 42

The Lord speaks of Isaiah in the first line of the first verse of chapter 42: “Behold my servant, whom I uphold; mine elect, in whom my soul delighteth; I have put my spirit upon him….” That sentence reminds me that when we help the Lord, the Lord is able to helps us more!

The Lord KNOWS Isaiah…just as He knows each of us. In v 4 the Lord assures us that Isaiah “shall not fail nor be discouraged” until he (Isaiah) finishes the work the Lord has called him to do. That’s the kind of attitude we should have as we work within the callings we have been given.

The Lord knows that He has asked Isaiah to do very difficult things, and v 6 is the wondrous promise that the He makes to Isaiah: “I the Lord have called the in righteousness, and will hold thine hand, and will keep thee…” This is the Lord’s concern and caring for Isaiah, and Christ has that same love for each of us. Most likely, we will not be asked to bring an entire nation back to believing in, and worshiping Heavenly Father. But whatever we have been asked to do, we can rest assured that the Lord will always help us to move forward, and all we have to do is to do our best, and to ask for the Lord’s guiding hand. In v 9 the Lord promises Isaiah to do just that: Behold, the former things are come to pass [the Israelites are in bondage in Babylon], and new things do I declare: before they spring forth I tell you of them.”  As we ask for the Lord’s help, He will keep us stable, and as we do our best, He will be near us to prepare us as we go forward.

We can depend on the Lord; He will lead us—and often in ways that have we’ve not expected. V 16: “And I will bring the blind by a way that they knew not; I will lead them in paths that they have not known: I will make darkness light before them, and crooked things straight. These things will I do unto them, and not forsake them.”

The Israelites have for years been surrounded by those who worship idols and false gods. V 24   reflects on how they have gone astray: “…for they would not walk in his ways, neither were they obedient unto his law.” When we are involved in sin, it is much more difficult for us to recognize the Lord and His work. 

In v 25 the Lord explains how He tried to get their attention, and come back to Him:  “Therefore he hath poured upon him the fury of his anger, and the strength of battle: and it hath set him on fire round about, yet he knew not; and it burned him, yet he laid it not to heart.” Isaiah has been given the calling of bring them back to Heavenly Father. 

With God, nothing is impossible; but we must have the faith to go forward toward Him.

Chapter 43

I love the synopsis of this chapter: “To Israel the Lord says: I am thy God; I will gather thy seed; beside me there is no Savior, ye are my witnesses”

In v 2 the Lord tells us how He will work with them: “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.” 

In the next verses the Lord reminds them of just who He is (v3), and he reminds them that they are ‘precious in my sight’ and that He loves them (v 4).  In v 5 He comforts them: “Fear not; for I am with thee”, and then he tells them how He will be with them.  He goes on, reminding them that He was the one who watched over them and made a pathway for them in the sea (v 16).

In v 22 He points out where they have gone wrong: “But thou hast not called upon me, O Jacob; but thou hast been weary of me, O Israel.”  And then in v 25 He reminds them: I, even I am he that blotteth out thy transgressions for mine own sake, and will not remember thy sins.”

He goes on to tell them to remember Him; assuring them that He will help them in that remembrance: “let us plead together; declare thou, that thou mayest be justified.” He recognizes that “thy first father hath sinned, and thy teachers have transgressed against me.” (v 27) But He he continued to assure them that if they will turn to Him, He will stay by their side, where they will find comfort and guidance and power to go forward in righteousness. 


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