Isaiah 43: Who You Are, And Who God Is

Isaiah 43 delves into some very deep theological waters.  Within this chapter are investigations into the relationship between God and His people, with the question of the identity of both hanging in the balance.

Verses 1 through 7 describe the value that God's people have in His eyes.  Their identity is rooted in their love relationship with the Lord: "Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine" (vs. 1).  Since He loves them and is with them, God promises to deliver them no matter what the circumstance, be it flood or fire (vs. 2).

The people are loved by God, so much so that He is willing to exchange lives for theirs.  "Because you are precious in my sight, and honored, and I love you, I give people in return for you, nations in exchange for your life" (vs. 4).   Ultimately, of course, God did this through the sacrifice of Jesus as a ransom for His people.  God promises to gather up His people from wherever they may be scattered.  "Everyone who is called by my name, whom I created for my glory, whom I formed and made" (vs. 7).

God then proceeds to describe who He is.  "I, I am the Lord, and besides me there is no savior" (vs. 11).  God points out that there were no gods before Him or after Him.  This is one of the clear calls to monotheism that we have in scripture.  The Lord calls upon the people and His servant to be His witnesses.  In case there were any doubts about who God is to them, He spells it out plainly: "I am the Lord, the Holy One, the Creator of Israel, your King" (vs. 15).  The Lord also reminds the people of His past acts of deliverance, such as the passage through the Red Sea (vs. 16-17) and His provision in the wilderness (vs. 20-21).

Finally, God reveals Himself as a Forgiver.  "I, I am He who blots out your transgressions for my own sake, and I will not remember your sins" (vs. 25).  The grace of God is evident even before the New Testament era, as the prophet sees in God the One who forgives sins - not for anything we have done, but because He wants to.  That's the kind of God we have.