Isaiah Chapter 43

Isaiah 43, Fear Not

Isaiah 43 continues the Lord’s comfort to His people. Isaiah 42 ended with Israel blind, deaf, robbed, spoiled, and disciplined because of sin. Isaiah 43 begins with grace, “But now.” The Lord speaks to the same sinful people as their Creator, Former, Redeemer, Savior, King, and Holy One. He commands them not to fear because they belong to Him, because He is with them through waters and fire, because He will gather them from the ends of the earth, because they were created for His glory, and because they are His witnesses. The chapter also declares the Lord’s uniqueness, there is no God before Him or after Him, and there is no Savior besides Him. The notes provided cover Isaiah 43:1-28, including God’s command to fear not, His presence in trials, Israel as witness, the judgment of Babylon, the promise of a new thing, Israel’s hard hearted weariness toward God, and the Lord’s mercy in blotting out transgressions for His own sake.

Isaiah 43:1

Isaiah 43:1, KJV, “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.”

The chapter begins with “But now.” This is a gracious turn. Isaiah 42 ended with Israel under discipline, burned by judgment, and yet not taking it to heart. The people were blind and deaf. They had sinned against the Lord. They would not walk in His ways or obey His law. Yet the Lord now speaks comfort. This does not erase the sin, but it shows that God’s covenant mercy is greater than Israel’s failure.

The Lord identifies Himself as the One “that created thee, O Jacob,” and the One “that formed thee, O Israel.” God has a special claim upon His people because He made them. He created the nation through His sovereign call of Abraham, His covenant promises, His redemption from Egypt, and His formation of Israel as His chosen people.

Creation gives God ownership. Man’s first obligation to God is rooted in the fact that God made him. When men reject God as Creator, they reject the foundation of worship, obedience, gratitude, and purpose.

Genesis 1:27, KJV, “So God created man in his own image, in image of God created he him; male and female created he them.”

Because God created man, man belongs to God. Because God formed Israel, Israel belongs to God in a covenant and national sense.

The Lord then gives the command, “Fear not.” This command is not detached from reality. Judah had real reasons to fear. Babylon would come. Exile would come. Discipline would come. Yet God points His people beyond circumstances to Himself. Fear must be answered by truth.

The first reason not to fear is, “for I have redeemed thee.” The Lord is not only Creator. He is Redeemer. A redeemer pays the price to rescue one who is enslaved, indebted, helpless, or in danger. Israel knew redemption historically through the Exodus, when God brought them out of bondage in Egypt. That redemption also points forward to the greater redemption accomplished by Christ.

Exodus 6:6, KJV, “Wherefore say unto children of Israel, I LORD, and I will bring you out from under burdens of Egyptians, and I will rid you out of their bondage, and I will redeem you with stretched out arm, and with great judgments.”

1 Peter 1:18-19, KJV, “Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from fathers; But with precious blood of Christ, as of lamb without blemish and without spot.”

The Lord redeemed Israel from Egypt by mighty power. Christ redeems sinners by His precious blood.

The Lord also says, “I have called thee by thy name.” God’s ownership is personal. He does not merely possess Israel as an anonymous mass. He knows His people by name. He calls them personally, specifically, and covenantally.

Jesus uses the same language of personal shepherd care.

John 10:3, KJV, “To him porter openeth; and sheep hear his voice: and he calleth his own sheep by name, and leadeth them out.”

The final phrase seals the comfort, “thou art mine.” This is the strongest answer to fear. The people belong to the Lord. He created them, formed them, redeemed them, called them, and claimed them. If they are His, then He will not abandon His work.

Philippians 1:6, KJV, “Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun good work in you will perform it until day of Jesus Christ.”

God finishes what He begins. His people can fear not because they are His.

Isaiah 43:2

Isaiah 43:2, KJV, “When thou passest through waters, I with thee; and through rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through fire, thou shalt not burned; neither shall flame kindle upon thee.”

The Lord does not say His people will avoid waters, rivers, and fire. He says, “When thou passest through.” Trials are certain. God’s people will face deep waters, dangerous rivers, and burning fire. The promise is not exemption from trouble. The promise is God’s presence in trouble.

The waters and rivers recall Israel’s history. God brought Israel through the Red Sea and later through the Jordan River. The waters could not destroy them because the Lord was with them.

Exodus 14:21-22, KJV, “And Moses stretched out his hand over sea; and LORD caused sea to go back by strong east wind all that night, and made sea dry land, and waters divided. And children of Israel went into midst of sea upon dry ground: and waters wall unto them on their right hand, and on their left.”

Joshua 3:16-17, KJV, “That waters which came down from above stood and rose up upon heap very far from city Adam, that beside Zaretan: and those that came down toward sea of plain, even salt sea, failed, and were cut off: and people passed over right against Jericho. And priests that bare ark of covenant of LORD stood firm on dry ground in midst of Jordan, and all Israelites passed over on dry ground, until all people were passed clean over Jordan.”

The Lord had already shown that waters obey Him. He can bring His people through what would otherwise overwhelm them.

The fire also recalls the future experience of the three Hebrew men in Babylon. They refused to bow to Nebuchadnezzar’s image and were cast into the fiery furnace, but the Lord was with them in the fire.

Daniel 3:24-25, KJV, “Then Nebuchadnezzar king was astonied, and rose up in haste, and spake, and said unto his counsellors, Did not we cast three men bound into midst of fire? They answered and said unto king, True, O king. He answered and said, Lo, I see four men loose, walking in midst of fire, and they have no hurt; and form of fourth like Son of God.”

The promise of Isaiah 43:2 is seen vividly there. The fire did not consume them because God was with them.

The verse says “walkest through the fire.” Walking implies calm trust. It is not panic. It is not frantic running. God can give His people grace to walk through fire because they know He is present.

Isaiah 28:16, KJV, “Therefore thus saith Lord GOD, Behold, I lay in Zion for foundation stone, tried stone, precious corner stone, sure foundation: he that believeth shall not make haste.”

Faith does not need to make haste in panic. It can walk because God is with His people.

Isaiah 43:3-7

Isaiah 43:3-7, KJV, “For I LORD thy God, Holy One of Israel, thy Saviour: I gave Egypt for thy ransom, Ethiopia and Seba for thee. Since thou wast precious in my sight, thou hast honourable, and I have loved thee: therefore will I give men for thee, and people for thy life. Fear not: for I with thee: I will bring thy seed from east, and gather thee from west; I will say to north, Give up; and to south, Keep not back: bring my sons from far, and my daughters from ends of earth; Even every one that called by my name: for I have created him for my glory, I have formed him; yea, I have made him.”

The Lord gives another reason not to fear, “For I am the LORD thy God, the Holy One of Israel, thy Saviour.” Each title matters. He is the LORD, Yahweh, the covenant God. He is thy God, personally bound to His people. He is the Holy One of Israel, utterly distinct, pure, and faithful to His covenant. He is thy Saviour, the One who delivers.

The Lord says, “I gave Egypt for thy ransom, Ethiopia and Seba for thee.” Historically, this likely points to God’s sovereign dealings among nations for Israel’s preservation and deliverance. The Lord can move nations for the sake of His people. Egypt, Ethiopia, and Seba were not outside His control. The Lord rules over nations as easily as men move pieces on a board.

God explains His motive, “Since thou wast precious in my sight, thou hast been honourable, and I have loved thee.” This is tender covenant language. Israel’s value rests in God’s love and election, not in Israel’s moral superiority.

Deuteronomy 7:7-8, KJV, “LORD did not set his love upon you, nor choose you, because ye were more in number than any people; for ye were fewest of all people: But because LORD loved you, and because he would keep oath which he had sworn unto your fathers, hath LORD brought you out with mighty hand, and redeemed you out of house of bondmen, from hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt.”

God loved Israel because He loved Israel and because He kept His covenant oath. His love is sovereign, gracious, and faithful.

Verse 5 repeats the command, “Fear not: for I am with thee.” The Lord’s presence is again the answer to fear. He promises to bring Israel’s seed from the east and gather them from the west. He commands the north to give them up and the south not to keep them back. Sons and daughters will be brought from the ends of the earth.

This promise includes the return from Babylonian exile, but it stretches beyond that to the final regathering of Israel. God has not forgotten His covenant people. He will gather them from the nations.

Ezekiel 36:24, KJV, “For I will take you from among heathen, and gather you out of all countries, and will bring you into your own land.”

Ezekiel 37:21-22, KJV, “And say unto them, Thus saith Lord GOD; Behold, I will take children of Israel from among heathen, whither they gone, and will gather them on every side, and bring them into their own land: And I will make them one nation in land upon mountains of Israel; and one king shall king to them all: and they shall be no more two nations, neither shall they divided into two kingdoms any more at all.”

The Lord will gather Israel and restore them according to His covenant promises.

Verse 7 gives the purpose, “Even every one that is called by my name: for I have created him for my glory.” God’s people exist for His glory. This is not only true of Israel nationally. It is true of all God’s redeemed people. We are not created and saved merely for personal comfort. We are created and redeemed to glorify God.

1 Corinthians 10:31, KJV, “Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to glory of God.”

A man is most fulfilled when he lives for the purpose for which he was created, the glory of God. When God’s people declare His praise, obey His Word, trust His promises, and display His character, they fulfill their created purpose.

Isaiah 43:8-9

Isaiah 43:8-9, KJV, “Bring forth blind people that have eyes, and deaf that have ears. Let all nations gathered together, and let people assembled: who among them can declare this, and shew us former things? let them bring forth their witnesses, that they may justified: or let them hear, and say, It truth.”

The courtroom scene returns. God calls forth the blind people who have eyes and the deaf who have ears. This refers to His own people, who had physical faculties and covenant revelation, yet often failed to see and hear spiritually. They had eyes, but were blind. They had ears, but were deaf.

The nations are gathered as well. God summons all peoples to trial. The issue is truth. Who can declare what God declares? Who can show former things and explain their meaning? Who can bring witnesses and prove their case?

The idols and their worshippers cannot do it. The blind and deaf people of God are not impressive witnesses in themselves, yet they have seen God’s works. The irony is sharp. Even Israel in her weakness has more true testimony than the nations and their idols, because Israel has witnessed the acts of the living God.

The Lord says, “let them hear, and say, It is truth.” The proper response to God’s testimony is submission to truth. Men must stop defending idols and admit the Lord is God.

Romans 3:4, KJV, “God forbid: yea, let God true, but every man liar; as it written, That thou mightest justified in thy sayings, and mightest overcome when thou judged.”

God is true, even when every man is a liar. His case stands.

Isaiah 43:10-13

Isaiah 43:10-13, KJV, “Ye my witnesses, saith LORD, and my servant whom I have chosen: that ye may know and believe me, and understand that I he: before me there no God formed, neither shall there after me. I, even I, LORD; and beside me there no saviour. I have declared, and have saved, and I have shewed, when there no strange god among you: therefore ye my witnesses, saith LORD, that I God. Yea, before day was I he; and there none that can deliver out of my hand: I will work, and who shall let it?”

The Lord commissions Israel, “Ye are my witnesses.” Israel had seen God’s mighty works, His judgments, His deliverance, His covenant faithfulness, His patience, and His discipline. They were called to testify that the Lord alone is God.

They are also called “my servant whom I have chosen.” Election is not given so Israel can boast, but so Israel can know, believe, understand, and serve. The purpose is stated, “that ye may know and believe me, and understand that I am he.” God wants His people to know Him truly, trust Him deeply, and understand His uniqueness.

Then comes one of the clearest declarations of monotheism in Scripture, “before me there was no God formed, neither shall there be after me.” There are no true gods before the Lord, beside the Lord, or after the Lord. There are no junior gods, lesser true gods, or created gods who share deity. There is one God.

Deuteronomy 6:4, KJV, “Hear, O Israel: LORD our God one LORD.”

Isaiah 44:6, KJV, “Thus saith LORD King of Israel, and his redeemer LORD of hosts; I first, and I last; and beside me there no God.”

This matters greatly for Christology. If there is no God before or after the Lord, then Jesus cannot be a lesser created god. Yet Scripture calls Jesus God, Savior, Lord, Creator, and the First and the Last. Therefore Jesus is not a creature. He is fully divine, the eternal Son, one with the Father and the Spirit in the one Godhead.

John 1:1-3, KJV, “In beginning was Word, and Word was with God, and Word was God. Same was in beginning with God. All things made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.”

Titus 2:13, KJV, “Looking for blessed hope, and glorious appearing of great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ.”

The Lord also says, “beside me there is no saviour.” This is just as important. Only the Lord saves. Yet the New Testament repeatedly calls Jesus Savior.

2 Timothy 1:10, KJV, “But is now made manifest by appearing of our Saviour Jesus Christ, who hath abolished death, and hath brought life and immortality to light through gospel.”

If there is no Savior besides the Lord, and Jesus is Savior, then Jesus is the Lord. The doctrine of the Trinity is not an optional theological ornament. It is required by Scripture’s testimony that there is one God, and yet the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are fully divine.

The Lord says, “I have declared, and have saved, and I have shewed.” He has spoken, acted, and revealed. No foreign god did this. Therefore Israel is witness that He is God.

Verse 13 declares God’s eternal sovereignty, “Yea, before the day was I am he.” Before time and days existed, God was. He is eternal.

Psalm 90:2, KJV, “Before mountains brought forth, or ever thou hadst formed earth and world, even from everlasting to everlasting, thou God.”

No one can deliver out of His hand. When He works, no one can reverse it. The Lord asks, “I will work, and who shall let it?” The meaning is, who can hinder it? The answer is no one. God’s saving and judging work cannot be stopped.

Isaiah 43:14-17

Isaiah 43:14-17, KJV, “Thus saith LORD, your redeemer, Holy One of Israel; For your sake I have sent to Babylon, and have brought down all their nobles, and Chaldeans, whose cry in ships. I LORD, your Holy One, creator of Israel, your King. Thus saith LORD, which maketh way in sea, and path in mighty waters; Which bringeth forth chariot and horse, army and power; they shall lie down together, they shall not rise: they extinct, they quenched as tow.”

The Lord now speaks as “your redeemer, the Holy One of Israel.” He promises judgment upon Babylon before Babylon has even completed its rise and conquest of Judah. Isaiah prophesies not only the coming exile, but also Babylon’s downfall. God’s people are being told that the empire that will carry them away will not have the final word.

The Lord says, “For your sake I have sent to Babylon.” God acts for the sake of His people. Babylon may appear invincible, but it is under God’s rule. He will bring down the Chaldeans.

The Lord again names Himself, “I am the LORD, your Holy One, the creator of Israel, your King.” These titles comfort Israel. Their Redeemer is holy. Their Creator formed them. Their King rules over every empire.

To strengthen their faith, God reminds them of the Exodus, “which maketh a way in the sea, and a path in the mighty waters.” The Lord had already proved His power over impossible barriers. He made a way through the Red Sea. He brought Israel out while Egypt’s chariots, horses, army, and power were extinguished.

Exodus 14:26-28, KJV, “And LORD said unto Moses, Stretch out thine hand over sea, that waters may come again upon Egyptians, upon their chariots, and upon their horsemen. And Moses stretched forth his hand over sea, and sea returned to his strength when morning appeared; and Egyptians fled against it; and LORD overthrew Egyptians in midst of sea. And waters returned, and covered chariots, and horsemen, and all host of Pharaoh that came into sea after them; there remained not so much as one of them.”

If God destroyed Egypt’s army, He could judge Babylon. Remembering God’s past deliverance strengthens present faith.

The lesson is clear. God’s people can trust Him now by remembering what He has already done. His past faithfulness is not dead history. It is present encouragement.

Isaiah 43:18-21

Isaiah 43:18-21, KJV, “Remember ye not former things, neither consider things of old. Behold, I will do new thing; now it shall spring forth; shall ye not know it? I will even make way in wilderness, and rivers in desert. Beast of field shall honour me, dragons and owls: because I give waters in wilderness, and rivers in desert, to give drink to my people, my chosen. This people have I formed for myself; they shall shew forth my praise.”

There is an important balance between verses 16 and 18. God has just reminded Israel of the Exodus, but now He says, “Remember ye not the former things.” This does not mean they should forget God’s past faithfulness. It means they must not be trapped in the past in a way that blinds them to God’s future work.

There is a right way to remember and a wrong way to remember. We must remember God’s mighty works so faith is strengthened. But we must not live stuck in past failure, past discouragement, past defeat, or even past blessings in a way that prevents us from trusting God for what He will do next.

The Lord says, “Behold, I will do a new thing.” In context, this refers to the coming deliverance from Babylon and return through the wilderness. God will make a way where there is no way and provide water where there is no water. The exiles would face hundreds of miles of wilderness between Babylon and the land, but God would make a road in the wilderness and rivers in the desert.

This new thing also looks beyond the return from Babylon to the greater redemption accomplished by Christ. The deliverance from Babylon was real, but it was not the final redemption. The Messiah brings the ultimate deliverance from sin, death, and bondage.

Luke 4:18-19, KJV, “Spirit of Lord upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach gospel to poor; he hath sent me to heal brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to captives, and recovering of sight to blind, to set at liberty them that bruised, To preach acceptable year of Lord.”

Christ brings the greater release from captivity.

The Lord says even the beasts of the field will honor Him because He gives waters in the wilderness. Creation itself responds to God’s restoring work. Desolate places become watered places. Dry places become places of life.

The purpose is stated in verse 21, “This people have I formed for myself; they shall shew forth my praise.” God formed His people for Himself. They are not their own. They exist to praise Him.

1 Peter 2:9, KJV, “But ye chosen generation, royal priesthood, holy nation, peculiar people; that ye should shew forth praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light.”

The church shares this calling in Christ. God’s redeemed people are to show forth His praises because He has called them out of darkness into marvelous light.

Isaiah 43:22-24

Isaiah 43:22-24, KJV, “But thou hast not called upon me, O Jacob; but thou hast weary of me, O Israel. Thou hast not brought me small cattle of thy burnt offerings; neither hast thou honoured me with thy sacrifices. I have not caused thee to serve with offering, nor wearied thee with incense. Thou hast bought me no sweet cane with money, neither hast thou filled me with fat of thy sacrifices: but thou hast made me to serve with thy sins, thou hast wearied me with thine iniquities.”

After announcing mercy and future restoration, the Lord exposes Israel’s hard heart. “But thou hast not called upon me, O Jacob.” The people had neglected prayer. They had not sought the Lord as they should. This is serious because prayerlessness reveals self reliance, spiritual coldness, and unbelief.

The Lord says, “thou hast been weary of me, O Israel.” This is a tragic statement. The people treated the Lord as a burden. Worship felt tiresome. Obedience felt oppressive. Calling on God seemed wearisome.

This shows how distorted the sinful heart becomes. The Lord is the source of life, rest, joy, and salvation, yet sinners can become weary of Him.

Jesus says the opposite of what Israel felt.

Matthew 11:28-30, KJV, “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn me; for I meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke easy, and my burden light.”

If following the Lord always feels like crushing weariness, something is wrong in the heart’s posture. Christ gives rest. His yoke is easy and His burden light. The flesh feels burdened by God because it does not want God.

The Lord then says they have not honored Him with sacrifices, offerings, incense, sweet cane, or the fat of sacrifices. This may refer to neglect of worship or to worship so empty and insincere that God does not count it as true worship. Outward forms without heart faith are not acceptable.

Isaiah 1:11-13, KJV, “To what purpose multitude of your sacrifices unto me? saith LORD: I full of burnt offerings of rams, and fat of fed beasts; and I delight not in blood of bullocks, or of lambs, or of he goats. When ye come to appear before me, who hath required this at your hand, to tread my courts? Bring no more vain oblations; incense abomination unto me; new moons and sabbaths, calling of assemblies, I cannot away with; it iniquity, even solemn meeting.”

God rejects empty religious performance when the heart remains rebellious.

Then the Lord reverses their complaint. They were weary of Him, but He says, “thou hast made me to serve with thy sins, thou hast wearied me with thine iniquities.” The people thought God was burdensome. God says their sin is the real burden. Their iniquities are what weary.

This is a sobering picture. Sin is not light. It burdens, grieves, and provokes the Holy God. The wonder is that God still speaks mercy to such people.

Isaiah 43:25

Isaiah 43:25, KJV, “I, even I, he that blotteth out thy transgressions for mine own sake, and will not remember thy sins.”

This is one of the great mercy verses of Isaiah. After exposing Israel’s prayerlessness, weariness of God, empty worship, sins, and iniquities, the Lord says, “I, even I, am he that blotteth out thy transgressions.”

The emphasis is on God Himself. “I, even I.” Israel cannot blot out her own sins. Priests cannot finally remove them. Sacrifices pointed forward, but could not in themselves take away sin. The Lord alone blots out transgressions.

The phrase “blotteth out” pictures the removal of a written record. Sin stands as a charge against the sinner, but God removes it from the record.

Colossians 2:13-14, KJV, “And you, being dead in your sins and uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses; Blotting out handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of way, nailing it to his cross.”

In Christ, the record against the believer is blotted out and nailed to the cross.

The Lord says He does this “for mine own sake.” This is essential. God’s forgiveness is grounded in His own glory, mercy, covenant faithfulness, and redemptive purpose, not in Israel’s worthiness. He forgives for His name’s sake.

Psalm 25:11, KJV, “For thy name's sake, O LORD, pardon mine iniquity; for it great.”

The Lord also says, “and will not remember thy sins.” This does not mean God loses knowledge. It means He chooses not to hold forgiven sin against His people. He does not remember it judicially for condemnation because it has been dealt with.

Jeremiah 31:34, KJV, “And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know LORD: for they shall all know me, from least of them unto greatest of them, saith LORD: for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.”

This promise is fulfilled in the New Covenant through Christ. God forgives and remembers sin no more because Christ has paid for it.

Isaiah 43:26-28

Isaiah 43:26-28, KJV, “Put me in remembrance: let us plead together: declare thou, that thou mayest justified. Thy first father hath sinned, and thy teachers have transgressed against me. Therefore I have profaned princes of sanctuary, and have given Jacob to curse, and Israel to reproaches.”

The Lord now invites Israel to present her case, “Put me in remembrance: let us plead together.” If Israel thinks she can justify herself, God gives her room to speak. “Declare thou, that thou mayest be justified.” But no case can stand before God apart from mercy.

The Lord gives the evidence, “Thy first father hath sinned.” This likely points ultimately to Adam, the first father of mankind, though it may also include Israel’s patriarchal and covenant history. In Adam, the human race is fallen. Sin is not merely a collection of isolated actions. It is rooted in man’s fallen nature.

Romans 5:12, KJV, “Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned.”

All men are sinners in Adam and by their own acts. Israel cannot justify herself because her first father sinned, and she herself has sinned.

The Lord also says, “thy teachers have transgressed against me.” Those who should have mediated instruction, led worship, taught truth, and guided the people had themselves sinned. Israel could not save herself by leaning on sinful mediators.

This points to the need for the one perfect Mediator, Jesus Christ.

1 Timothy 2:5-6, KJV, “For one God, and one mediator between God and men, man Christ Jesus; Who gave himself ransom for all, to testified in due time.”

Only Christ is the sinless Mediator who can bring sinners to God.

Because of sin, God says, “Therefore I have profaned the princes of the sanctuary, and have given Jacob to the curse, and Israel to reproaches.” The discipline of Israel was not random. It came because of sin. The sanctuary leadership was profaned, Jacob was given to the curse, and Israel became a reproach.

This is the covenant consequence of rebellion. Yet even here, Isaiah 43 has already declared mercy. The Lord exposes sin so that His people will stop justifying themselves and receive His forgiveness. The chapter’s deepest logic is this, Israel has sinned and cannot justify herself, but the Lord Himself blots out transgressions for His own sake.

The answer to fear is not Israel’s worthiness. The answer to fear is God’s ownership, presence, redemption, covenant love, sovereign power, and mercy.