Isaiah 43:1-28 The Comfort of Validation
The need for validation is something that drives everyone. It is necessary for our well-being and feeling of acceptance. It reaffirms our sense of being valued. It is often offered as a reward for good behavior--at least, behavior that is social-sanctioned or behavior that an oppressor or abuser deems as acceptable. Thus, the need for validation can be leveraged by oppressors to keep the victim under their thumb, but it first requires a warping the victim’s view of themselves and their values. That is one of the "crooked places" that God has to straighten out. To do that, He has to provide a new source from which a victim finds validation, how they perceive their personal value, and what is deemed acceptable. The world’s values contrast sharply to God’s values in this, and half the battle in comforting a person is getting them to see themselves as being of value in God’s eyes, as we will see with Israel today.
In the last chapter (Isaiah 42) God brought a charge against His people for their blindness and deafness--their failure to respond to Him and to be obedient to their calling. It was a sharp tear-down that confronted Israel with her own condition. She has no reason to puff herself up as God's chosen, "enlightened" people when she has walked away from that relationship. Now, chapter 43 begins with "But . . ."
Isaiah 43:1-7
This section is bookended in the repeated phrase "I formed you," but we are going to see that phrase crop up repeatedly through the next chapter (Isaiah 44:2, 21, 24). The fact that God is Israel's Creator will be an important point in the case He is making in these chapters. There is also the imperative command to "fear not" which is repeated twice in this chapter and twice in the next chapter (Isaiah 44:2, 8). So, we have this pairing of themes: God is your Creator. Fear not."
Having declared His power to redeem Israel in previous chapters, God now comforts Israel's fear with the assurance of His love. He is able to redeem her because she is His. He has claimed her for Himself and He will protect her. He has ransomed her before when she was in Egypt. He has sacrificed men (speaking of the death of the firstborn sons of Egypt) to redeem her life. She is precious to him and He loves her. He will bring her descendants back when this done. He promises this.
The Comfort of Validation
People who are struggling and broken need validation that they are loved. The LORD has rebuked Israel for her unresponsiveness to Him, her disobedience, and her faithlessness in pursuing other idols, and yet He assures her that He still loves her.
The things that God proposes to do for Israel here are specific to Israel's experience in coming out of exile. There is a pattern to it that was first established when they came out of Egypt and was replayed as they came out of Babylon. It was replayed in more recent history after the Holocaust when Israel became a nation again, and it will replay at least one more time in the End Times, when He brings her out of future Babylon's grip once again.
What we take from this is not necessarily the literal promises God gave to Israel, but an understanding of God's glory as it is revealed in how He deals with Israel. When His deaf and blind servants fail to give Him glory of their own accord, He establishes His glory and Godhead in spite of them. His glory is revealed by what He has allowed to be done to them and what He will do to restore them. But the work is on His end, not theirs. Israel is presented in a very passive role throughout these passages.
Fear versus Power, Love, and a Sound Mind
Isaiah 43:5 returns to the subject of fear, and now we see another way in which God tackles that stumbling block. He has already reassured Israel of His power over her circumstances and ability to save her. He now reassures her of His love. This tracks with Paul's reasoning in Second Timothy:
We haven't talked yet about the aspect of having a sound mind, but it has been running in the background in these chapters.
In Isaiah 41, we talked about how fear drives decision-making. Fear can drive a person to make bad decisions to escape the abuse or keep them in an abusive relationship. It can keep victims from speaking up. When we let the world's fear rule us, we deny the power of our God and His sovereignty over us. To the unbelieving world, we are saying our God isn't big enough, strong enough, resourceful enough, or even faithful enough to deal with our circumstances. When we fear, we take God's power from Him, and we lose the opportunity to show the unbelieving world His power in action. We lose our witness.
God had a purpose for sending Israel into Babylon, and He has a purpose for sending us into persecutions and trials--to refine us but also to use us as His witnesses. When we are in the midst of that battle, we need a way to control the fear so that we accomplish God's objective in our circumstances. A sound mind, bolstered by the dual assurance of His power and love, empowers us to speak up as His witnesses, as Paul goes on to say in Second Timothy:
Enter, the witnesses . . .
Isaiah 43:8-13
"Bring out the witnesses!" God roars in His courtroom, then turns to Israel. "You are My witnesses.
God commands Israel to tell the world what He has done for her, how He saved her even before any of these other so-called gods existed. He proclaimed what would happen, when there was no foreign god among her, and it was done. That alone is proof that I am God, and I alone can save." (That is a paraphrase.) There is a strong emphasis on God’s role as Israel’s Savior.
Isaiah 43:14-21
Remember, back in Isaiah 40:2, God laid out His goals for saving Israel—for ending her fight. Salvation or redemption for Israel is a two-fold picture. He saves her in the physical sense by bringing her out of Babylon and returning her to her Land. He also has a plan to save her spiritually by removing the sin issue and bringing the spiritual warfare to an end.
Having made a case with what He has done to save Israel in the past, the LORD then turns to a declaration of what He will do in the future. He describes His takedown of Babylon much like His takedown of Egypt, then says, "Now, quit dwelling on the past and cast your vision toward the future. I am doing a new thing"--new, because it hasn't happened yet, but she will know it when it happens because it will follow the pattern of the former thing. It will be a sign to her when He builds a road through the wilderness to bring her back to Him.
These promises are very specific to captive Israel in her Babylonian exile. These are not for us. But we can grasp the principle of God’s strategy. By commanding Israel to remember what He has done for her in the past and what He has promised to do in the future, He is appealing to her rational thought, that she might know, believe, and understand—that she will be sound of mind and, thus, bring her fear under control. We are called to do the same thing and for the same reason, to help us mentally through difficult times.
God's Highway Project: Being a Witness
Being a witness is an act of validation. It is the act of confirming something is true or correct. It can also be an affirmation that a person--their ideas, feelings, actions--are acceptable and worthy. God has validated Israel as His own chosen people. Now He asks for validation in return in their willingness to bear witness of His mighty works and Godship, and that He has spoken truthfully of past and future things. We, like Israel, are called to be God's witness in upholding the truth of His Word, and also Christ's witness when we tell the story of what He has done for us on the cross as our Savior and will do when He returns. When we bear witness of Him, we are validating Him. Did you ever stop to think that God needs our validation as much as we need His?
In the last chapter (Isaiah 42) God brought a charge against His people for their blindness and deafness--their failure to respond to Him and to be obedient to their calling. It was a sharp tear-down that confronted Israel with her own condition. She has no reason to puff herself up as God's chosen, "enlightened" people when she has walked away from that relationship. Now, chapter 43 begins with "But . . ."
Q: What does the "but" suggest?
Isaiah 43:1-7
This section is bookended in the repeated phrase "I formed you," but we are going to see that phrase crop up repeatedly through the next chapter (Isaiah 44:2, 21, 24). The fact that God is Israel's Creator will be an important point in the case He is making in these chapters. There is also the imperative command to "fear not" which is repeated twice in this chapter and twice in the next chapter (Isaiah 44:2, 8). So, we have this pairing of themes: God is your Creator. Fear not."
Q: Why is it important to remind Israel that they are formed by Him (and not just Israel, but everyone called by God's name, as it says in verse 7)?
Q: For what are they formed?
Q: After the rebuke of the previous chapter, God now switches the tone of His words in this passage. How does God comfort Israel's fear?
Having declared His power to redeem Israel in previous chapters, God now comforts Israel's fear with the assurance of His love. He is able to redeem her because she is His. He has claimed her for Himself and He will protect her. He has ransomed her before when she was in Egypt. He has sacrificed men (speaking of the death of the firstborn sons of Egypt) to redeem her life. She is precious to him and He loves her. He will bring her descendants back when this done. He promises this.
The Comfort of Validation
People who are struggling and broken need validation that they are loved. The LORD has rebuked Israel for her unresponsiveness to Him, her disobedience, and her faithlessness in pursuing other idols, and yet He assures her that He still loves her.
Q: On what is God's validation of Israel based--on the merit of what she has done or because He has chosen to value her?
Q: How is that a comfort, not just to Israel, but to us in regard to our own redemption?
Q: Do you think God sees you the same way He sees Israel?
What we take from this is not necessarily the literal promises God gave to Israel, but an understanding of God's glory as it is revealed in how He deals with Israel. When His deaf and blind servants fail to give Him glory of their own accord, He establishes His glory and Godhead in spite of them. His glory is revealed by what He has allowed to be done to them and what He will do to restore them. But the work is on His end, not theirs. Israel is presented in a very passive role throughout these passages.
Fear versus Power, Love, and a Sound Mind
Isaiah 43:5 returns to the subject of fear, and now we see another way in which God tackles that stumbling block. He has already reassured Israel of His power over her circumstances and ability to save her. He now reassures her of His love. This tracks with Paul's reasoning in Second Timothy:
"For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind." (2 Timothy 1:7 NKJV)
We haven't talked yet about the aspect of having a sound mind, but it has been running in the background in these chapters.
Q: What does it mean to have a sound mind?
Q: Some translations render the Greek phrase as self-discipline, or sound judgment. The Amplified Bible adds that it speaks to abilities that result in a calm, well-balanced mind and self-control. Given these definitions, how does power, love, and a sound mind work together to counteract fear?
Q: Why is it vital to get past the stumbling block of fear? What things does fear affect?
In Isaiah 41, we talked about how fear drives decision-making. Fear can drive a person to make bad decisions to escape the abuse or keep them in an abusive relationship. It can keep victims from speaking up. When we let the world's fear rule us, we deny the power of our God and His sovereignty over us. To the unbelieving world, we are saying our God isn't big enough, strong enough, resourceful enough, or even faithful enough to deal with our circumstances. When we fear, we take God's power from Him, and we lose the opportunity to show the unbelieving world His power in action. We lose our witness.
God had a purpose for sending Israel into Babylon, and He has a purpose for sending us into persecutions and trials--to refine us but also to use us as His witnesses. When we are in the midst of that battle, we need a way to control the fear so that we accomplish God's objective in our circumstances. A sound mind, bolstered by the dual assurance of His power and love, empowers us to speak up as His witnesses, as Paul goes on to say in Second Timothy:
"For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind. Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me His prisoner, but share with me in the sufferings for the gospel according to the power of God, who has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was given to us in Christ Jesus before time began, but has now been revealed by the appearing of our Savior Jesus Christ, who has abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel," (2 Timothy 1:7-10 NKJV)
Enter, the witnesses . . .
Isaiah 43:8-13
"Bring out the witnesses!" God roars in His courtroom, then turns to Israel. "You are My witnesses.
Q: Why are witnesses important in building a case?
Q: Verses 10-12 are bookended with the phrase, “You are My witnesses,” speaking to Israel. Of what is she bearing witness?
God commands Israel to tell the world what He has done for her, how He saved her even before any of these other so-called gods existed. He proclaimed what would happen, when there was no foreign god among her, and it was done. That alone is proof that I am God, and I alone can save." (That is a paraphrase.) There is a strong emphasis on God’s role as Israel’s Savior.
Isaiah 43:14-21
Q: What steps does God take to save Israel? What is His plan?
Remember, back in Isaiah 40:2, God laid out His goals for saving Israel—for ending her fight. Salvation or redemption for Israel is a two-fold picture. He saves her in the physical sense by bringing her out of Babylon and returning her to her Land. He also has a plan to save her spiritually by removing the sin issue and bringing the spiritual warfare to an end.
Q: Here He is speaking of bringing down Babylon, which will be accomplished by Cyrus of Persia. Which kind of salvation is He going to accomplish as His first step?
Q: In the previous chapter, God introduced the second, unnamed Servant who would bring forth justice to the Gentiles (42:1). Why the need for the tasking of a second servant? What salvation is He going to accomplish that is different than Cyrus?
Q: When comforting or counseling a victim, why start with simply removing them from their circumstances before tackling the sin issue?
Having made a case with what He has done to save Israel in the past, the LORD then turns to a declaration of what He will do in the future. He describes His takedown of Babylon much like His takedown of Egypt, then says, "Now, quit dwelling on the past and cast your vision toward the future. I am doing a new thing"--new, because it hasn't happened yet, but she will know it when it happens because it will follow the pattern of the former thing. It will be a sign to her when He builds a road through the wilderness to bring her back to Him.
These promises are very specific to captive Israel in her Babylonian exile. These are not for us. But we can grasp the principle of God’s strategy. By commanding Israel to remember what He has done for her in the past and what He has promised to do in the future, He is appealing to her rational thought, that she might know, believe, and understand—that she will be sound of mind and, thus, bring her fear under control. We are called to do the same thing and for the same reason, to help us mentally through difficult times.
Q: What some former things that you remember about God's work in your life that have given you comfort in a time of difficulty or uncertainty?
Q: What promises do you rely on for comfort now?
God's Highway Project: Being a Witness
Being a witness is an act of validation. It is the act of confirming something is true or correct. It can also be an affirmation that a person--their ideas, feelings, actions--are acceptable and worthy. God has validated Israel as His own chosen people. Now He asks for validation in return in their willingness to bear witness of His mighty works and Godship, and that He has spoken truthfully of past and future things. We, like Israel, are called to be God's witness in upholding the truth of His Word, and also Christ's witness when we tell the story of what He has done for us on the cross as our Savior and will do when He returns. When we bear witness of Him, we are validating Him. Did you ever stop to think that God needs our validation as much as we need His?
Q: How do you get your validation in life?
Q: How can a pursuit of validation be a stumbling block for a person coming out of an oppressive or abusive situation?
Q: Have you been able to use your witness of the "former things" God has done in your life to comfort another hurting person?
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