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The reading today begins with “But now…” Remember that yesterday the LORD had reminded Israel of His sovereignty, His selection of them, their rejection of Him, and finally His release of them to be plundered. “But now…” says the LORD, “Fear not, for I have redeemed you. I have called you by name, and you are mine.” This is comfort, but there is much more.

For the past few chapters, the LORD has been building His case on two complementary fronts. First, that He, the LORD, is the only God worth paying attention to, and, second, that idols have not proven their effectiveness. This sermon – and a thousand years of religious history – achieves a crescendo where these two points intersect in chapter 44, verse 6: Thus says the LORD, the King of Israel, and his Redeemer, the LORD of Hosts: “I am the first and the last; beside me there is no god.”

To Abram the LORD said, “Go where I tell you.” In the Sinai covenant He commanded: “Put no other gods before Me.” Now through Isaiah, at least ten centuries after Abram was promised a great nation…at least six centuries after Israel was set aside for the LORD as “… kingdom of priests and a holy nation…” Israel is definitively told: there is no other,“…and you are my witnesses!”

This pronouncement cannot be overstated. The LORD had allowed Israel – and the nations – to witness both His own strength and idols’ impotence. Not only has the prophet delivered a sermon, but history has delivered a sermon. The LORD reminds Israel of their experience: “Who is like me? Let him proclaim it. Let him declare and set it before me, since I appointed an ancient people. Let them declare what is to come, and what will happen.” Therefore, He insists that they: “Fear not, nor be afraid…” This is as bold and unequivocal a statement as you’ll find in the Bible. The LORD, calling on anyone to prove Him otherwise: “Is there a God beside me?” He asks. “There is no rock; I know not any.”

Our verse for this week is 1 John 1:9: If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Isaiah 43 and 44. Now let’s read it!

Isaiah 43 - 44

But now Jehovah who created you, Jacob, and he who formed you, Israel, says: "Don't be afraid, for I have redeemed you. I have called you by your name. You are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you, and through the rivers, they will not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned, and flame will not scorch you. For I am Jehovah your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior. I have given Egypt as your ransom, Ethiopia and Seba in your place. Since you have been precious and honored in my sight, and I have loved you, therefore I will give people in your place, and nations instead of your life. Don't be afraid, for I am with you. I will bring your offspring from the east, and gather you from the west. I will tell the north, 'Give them up!' and tell the south, 'Don't hold them back! Bring my sons from far away, and my daughters from the ends of the earth-- everyone who is called by my name, and whom I have created for my glory, whom I have formed, yes, whom I have made.'" Bring out the blind people who have eyes, and the deaf who have ears. Let all the nations be gathered together, and let the peoples be assembled. Who among them can declare this, and show us former things? Let them bring their witnesses, that they may be justified, or let them hear, and say, "That is true." "You are my witnesses," says Jehovah, "With 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, neither will there be after me. I myself am Jehovah. Besides me, there is no savior. I have declared, I have saved, and I have shown, and there was no strange god among you. Therefore you are my witnesses", says Jehovah, "and I am God. Yes, since the day was, I am he. There is no one who can deliver out of my hand. I will work, and who can hinder it?" Jehovah, your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel says: "For your sake, I have sent to Babylon, and I will bring all of them down as fugitives, even the Chaldeans, in the ships of their rejoicing. I am Jehovah, your Holy One, the Creator of Israel, your King." Jehovah, who makes a way in the sea, and a path in the mighty waters, who brings out the chariot and horse, the army and the mighty man (they lie down together, they shall not rise; they are extinct, they are quenched like a wick) says: "Don't remember the former things, and don't consider the things of old. Behold, I will do a new thing. It springs out now. Don't you know it? I will even make a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert. The animals of the field, the jackals and the ostriches, shall honor me, because I give water in the wilderness and rivers in the desert, to give drink to my people, my chosen, the people which I formed for myself, that they might declare my praise. Yet you have not called on me, Jacob; but you have been weary of me, Israel. You have not brought me any of your sheep for burnt offerings, neither have you honored me with your sacrifices. I have not burdened you with offerings, nor wearied you with frankincense. You have bought me no sweet cane with money, nor have you filled me with the fat of your sacrifices, but you have burdened me with your sins. You have wearied me with your iniquities. I, even I, am he who blots out your transgressions for my own sake; and I will not remember your sins. Put me in remembrance. Let us plead together. Declare your case, that you may be justified. Your first father sinned, and your teachers have transgressed against me. Therefore I will profane the princes of the sanctuary; and I will make Jacob a curse, and Israel an insult." Yet listen now, Jacob my servant, and Israel, whom I have chosen. This is what Jehovah who made you, and formed you from the womb, who will help you says: "Don't be afraid, Jacob my servant; and you, Jeshurun, whom I have chosen. For I will pour water on him who is thirsty, and streams on the dry ground. I will pour my Spirit on your descendants, and my blessing on your offspring; and they will spring up among the grass, as willows by the watercourses. One will say, 'I am Jehovah's.' Another will be called by the name of Jacob; and another will write with his hand 'to Jehovah,' and honor the name of Israel." This is what Jehovah, the King of Israel, and his Redeemer, Jehovah of Armies, says: "I am the first, and I am the last; and besides me there is no God. Who is like me? Who will call, and will declare it, and set it in order for me, since I established the ancient people? Let them declare the things that are coming, and that will happen. Don't fear, neither be afraid. Haven't I declared it to you long ago, and shown it? You are my witnesses. Is there a God besides me? Indeed, there is not. I don't know any other Rock." Everyone who makes a carved image is vain. The things that they delight in will not profit. Their own witnesses don't see, nor know, that they may be disappointed. Who has fashioned a god, or molds an image that is profitable for nothing? Behold, all his fellows will be disappointed; and the workmen are mere men. Let them all be gathered together. Let them stand up. They will fear. They will be put to shame together. The blacksmith takes an ax, works in the coals, fashions it with hammers, and works it with his strong arm. He is hungry, and his strength fails; he drinks no water, and is faint. The carpenter stretches out a line. He marks it out with a pencil. He shapes it with planes. He marks it out with compasses, and shapes it like the figure of a man, with the beauty of a man, to reside in a house. He cuts down cedars for himself, and takes the cypress and the oak, and strengthens for himself one among the trees of the forest. He plants a cypress tree, and the rain nourishes it. Then it will be for a man to burn; and he takes some of it and warms himself. Yes, he burns it and bakes bread. Yes, he makes a god and worships it; he makes it a carved image, and falls down to it. He burns part of it in the fire. With part of it, he eats meat. He roasts a roast and is satisfied. Yes, he warms himself and says, "Aha! I am warm. I have seen the fire." The rest of it he makes into a god, even his engraved image. He bows down to it and worships, and prays to it, and says, "Deliver me, for you are my god!" They don't know, neither do they consider, for he has shut their eyes, that they can't see, and their hearts, that they can't understand. No one thinks, neither is there knowledge nor understanding to say, "I have burned part of it in the fire. Yes, I have also baked bread on its coals. I have roasted meat and eaten it. Shall I make the rest of it into an abomination? Shall I bow down to a tree trunk?" He feeds on ashes. A deceived heart has turned him aside; and he can't deliver his soul, nor say, "Isn't there a lie in my right hand?" Remember these things, Jacob and Israel, for you are my servant. I have formed you. You are my servant. Israel, you will not be forgotten by me. I have blotted out, as a thick cloud, your transgressions, and, as a cloud, your sins. Return to me, for I have redeemed you. Sing, you heavens, for Jehovah has done it! Shout, you lower parts of the earth! Break out into singing, you mountains, O forest, all of your trees, for Jehovah has redeemed Jacob, and will glorify himself in Israel. Jehovah, your Redeemer, and he who formed you from the womb says: "I am Jehovah, who makes all things; who alone stretches out the heavens; who spreads out the earth by myself; who frustrates the signs of the liars, and makes diviners mad; who turns wise men backward, and makes their knowledge foolish; who confirms the word of his servant, and performs the counsel of his messengers; who says of Jerusalem, 'She will be inhabited;' and of the cities of Judah, 'They will be built,' and 'I will raise up its waste places;' who says to the deep, 'Be dry,' and 'I will dry up your rivers,' who says of Cyrus, 'He is my shepherd, and shall perform all my pleasure,' even saying of Jerusalem, 'She will be built;' and of the temple, 'Your foundation will be laid.'"

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