The Redeemer of God’s People

Isaiah 43:1-13 

1 But now, thus says the LORD, who created you, O Jacob,
And He who formed you, O Israel:
"Fear not, 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 shall not overflow you.
When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned,
Nor shall the flame scorch you.

3 For I am the LORD your God,
The Holy One of Israel, your Savior;
I gave Egypt for your ransom,
Ethiopia and Seba in your place.

4 Since you were precious in My sight,
You have been honored,
And I have loved you;
Therefore I will give men for you,
And people for your life.

5 Fear not, for I am with you;
I will bring your descendants from the east,
And gather you from the west;
6 I will say to the north, 'Give them up!'
And to the south, 'Do not keep them back!'
Bring My sons from afar,
And My daughters from the ends of the earth—

7 Everyone who is called by My name,
Whom I have created for My glory;
I have formed him, yes, I have made him."

8 Bring out the blind people who have eyes,
And the deaf who 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,
Nor shall there be after Me.

11 I, even I, am the LORD,
And besides Me there is no savior.

12 I have declared and saved,
I have proclaimed,
And there was no foreign god among you;
Therefore you are My witnesses,"
Says the LORD, "that I am God.

13 Indeed before the day was, I am He;
And there is no one who can deliver out of My hand;
I work, and who will reverse it?"

This reminds us that the LORD alone is the redeemer of His people.  All who are called our by His name need never fear again because they are His.  The calling of God and His redemption are irrevocable (Romans 11:29).  They cannot be undone.  Some may argue that these promises were made to Israel alone, but that misses the fact that Israel through Abraham’s seed (the Messiah) was to bring people from all nations to the same redemption, the same deliverance of salvation through the Messiah.  He therefore also is with us through the flame and floods as well because He is our Savior who is the Christ of God.  Verses 10 and 11 amplify this truth that His chosen and anointed Servant is the LORD Himself as our Savior, the one who self-exists as the I Am.  Those who understand and accept this truth by faith in God’s word of truth know and believe He alone is God and Savior.  There is no other (Isaiah 45:21-23, Philippians 2:10-11).  We then are also witnesses along with the readers in Isaiah’s time that He alone is Lord and Savior, Almighty God who delivers those He has chosen and called to Himself and that the calling cannot be delivered out of His hand afterwards; His saving work is impossible to be reversed and undone.  It is eternal in the heavens by His decree accordingly to His word.  The previous verses from 4-9 bear witness to this work in His people Israel and for us.  He delivers His chosen because we are precious to Him and He loves and honors His children, giving others for us in our place and as fruit of our witness of His word and work.  We are not to fear, but trust that He works all for good in bringing others from all nations whom He chooses to Himself, just as those of dispersed Israel who are called by His name.  We also in Christ are called by that same name, created and formed for His glory and predetermined purpose.  Like the blind who have eyes and deaf who have ears, we have seen and heard as He gives us sight and hearing to understand and trust His word and working according to His word of promise.  Our justification is not in our understanding of history of our own working, but in God’s working as testified in His truth given to us through the Law and prophets such as Isaiah (Romans 3:21, Luke 24:27).  These verses then bring us back to the last four of the chapter which reveal the word and working of God through the Messiah who is God who has walked among us (John 1:14).  There is no other Savior (Acts 4:12, 10:43) who is the Redeemer of all God’s chosen people through one nation and from out of all nations who hear His word and trust His work!  We hear and trust Him for deliverance.  That work cannot be undone.  Fear not.