Isaiah 43:8-21

The Court-Case of Isaiah 41

Who shapes history:

God or the Nations?

Isaiah 43:8 Bring out the people who are blind, even though they have eyes,
         And the deaf, even though they have ears.
               9      All the nations have gathered together
         So that the peoples may be assembled.
         Who among them can declare this
         And proclaim to us the former things?
         Let them present their witnesses that they may be justified,
         Or let them hear and say, “It is true.”
               10      “You are My witnesses,” declares the LORD,
         “And My servant whom I have chosen,
         So that you may know and believe Me
         And understand that I am He.
         Before Me there was no God formed,
         And there will be none after Me.

               11      “I, even I, am the LORD,
         And there is no savior besides Me.
               12      “It is I who have declared and saved and proclaimed,
         And there was no strange god among you;
         So you are My witnesses,” declares the LORD,
         “And I am God.
               13      “Even from eternity I am He,
         And there is none who can deliver out of My hand;
         I act and who can reverse it?” 

8 Lead out those who have eyes but are blind, who have ears but are deaf. 9 All the nations gather together and the peoples assemble. Which of their gods foretold this and proclaimed to us the former things? Let them bring in their witnesses to prove they were right, so that others may hear and say, “It is true.”

Courtroom Scene

(vv. 8-13)

10a) “You are my witnesses,” declares the LORD,
         “and my servant whom I have chosen...."

10ab) "You are my witnesses,” declares the LORD, “and my servant whom I have chosen, (WHY??)
     so that you may know and believe me and understand that I am He.

"...you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

After he said this, he was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight (Acts 1:8b-9).

      10 “You are my witnesses,” declares the LORD,
         “and my servant whom I have chosen,
         so that you may know and believe me
         and understand that I am he.
         Before me no god was formed,
         nor will there be one after me.
      11 I, even I, am the LORD,
         and apart from me there is no savior.
      12 I have revealed and saved and proclaimed—
         I, and not some foreign god among you.
         You are my witnesses,” declares the LORD, “that I am God.
         13      Yes, and from ancient days I am he.
         No one can deliver out of my hand.
           When I act, who can reverse it?”

Isaiah 43:14 Thus says the LORD your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel,
         “For your sake I have sent to Babylon,
         And will bring them all down as fugitives,
         Even the Chaldeans, into the ships in which they rejoice.
               15      “I am the LORD, your Holy One,
         The Creator of Israel, your King.”
          16      Thus says the LORD,
         Who makes a way through the sea
         And a path through the mighty waters,
               17      Who brings forth the chariot and the horse,
         The army and the mighty man
         (They will lie down together and not rise again;
         They have been quenched and extinguished like a wick):

Isaiah 43:18      “Do not call to mind the former things,
         Or ponder things of the past.
               19      “Behold, I will do something new,
         Now it will spring forth;
         Will you not be aware of it?
         I will even make a roadway in the wilderness,
         Rivers in the desert.
               20      “The beasts of the field will glorify Me,
         The jackals and the ostriches,
         Because I have given waters in the wilderness
         And rivers in the desert,
         To give drink to My chosen people.
               21      “The people whom I formed for Myself
             Will declare My praise.

to His Blind Witnesses

14 This is what the LORD says—
your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel:
         ....
15 I am the LORD, your Holy One,
Israel’s Creator, your King.”

Isaiah 43:14 Thus says the LORD your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel,
         “For your sake I have sent to Babylon,
         And will bring them all down as fugitives,
         Even the Chaldeans, into the ships in which they rejoice.
               15      “I am the LORD, your Holy One,
         The Creator of Israel, your King.”

The Destroyers will be Destroyed (vv. 14-15)

16 This is what the LORD says—he who made a way through the sea, a path through the mighty waters, 17 who drew out the chariots and horses, the army and reinforcements together, and they lay there, never to rise again, extinguished, snuffed out like a wick:

Remember the Exodus (vv. 16-17)

      18 “Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past.
19 See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.

Forget the Past

(vv. 18-19)

      20 The wild animals honor me,
         the jackals and the owls,
         because I provide water in the wilderness
         and streams in the wasteland,
         to give drink to my people, my chosen,
         21      the people I formed for myself
         that they may proclaim my praise. 

God wants you to be a witness

and a servant of Him.

You are unqualified,

which makes you perfect for the job.

What have you witnessed God do?

• How has He saved you?

• What has He walked you through?

• Who were you? How did you meet Him? How has He changed you and how you see things?

How can you serve someone else in a way where He is seen as your Master?