Year 2, Week 7, Day 3 Bible Reading Observations

Year 2, Week 7, Day 3

I have a brief observation for today’s reading of Isaiah 42-43.

Today’s reading continues Isaiah’s prophecy to Judah. Isaiah 42 continue the language of “servant” begun in the previous chapter by greatly expanding the emphasis: “Behold my servant, whom I uphold, my chosen, in whom my soul delights; I have put my Spirit upon him; he will bring forth justice to the nations” (Isaiah 42:1). Whereas in Isaiah 41:8, Israel was directly associated as the servant, Isaiah 42 indicates that the servant is someone within Israel such as one from the Davidic line: “He will not cry aloud or lift up his voice, or make it heard in the street; a bruised reed he will not break, and a faintly burning wick he will not quench; he will faithfully bring forth justice. He will not grow faint or be discouraged till he has established justice in the earth; and the coastlands wait for his law” (Isaiah 42:3-5). Isaiah fails as the servant: “Hear, you deaf, and look, you blind, that you may see! Who is blind but my servant, or deaf as my messenger whom I send? Who is blind as my dedicated one, or blind as the servant of the LORD?…So he poured on him the heat of his anger and the might of battle; it set him on fire all around, but he did not understand; it burned him up, but he did not take it to heart” (Isaiah 42:18-19,25). But this Davidic servant will exhibit the right mixture of tenderness and strength as he leads, not just Israel, but the nations in righteousness and justice. And while Isaiah 42 ends with the language of judgment upon Israel, Isaiah 43 opens with the language of redemption: "But now thus says the LORD, he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel: “Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine” (Isaiah 43:1).

One of the things that struck me from today’s reading is the promise of redemption that the LORD makes to His people: “For I am the LORD your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior. I give Egypt as your ransom, Cush and Seba in exchange for you” (Isaiah 43:3). The LORD is described as the Savior, who works a ransom in exchange for His people. The notion of ransom, which was introduced in the stipulations of the Law, speaks of a payment made in exchange for a person: “If a ransom is imposed on him, then he shall give for the redemption of his life whatever is imposed on him” (Exodus 21:30). Isaiah roots the LORD’s ransoming work for the exchange of His people, in the LORD’s love: “Because you are precious in my eyes, and honored, and I love you, I give men in return for you, peoples in exchange for your life” (Isaiah 43:4). Reinforcing the notion of the LORD’s love for His people, He likens them as His children: “Fear not, for I am with you; I will bring your offspring from the east, and from the west I will gather you. I will say to the north, Give up, and to the south, Do not withhold; bring my sons from afar and my daughters from the end of the earth, everyone who is called by my name, whom I created for my glory, whom I formed and made” (Isaiah 43:5-7). The LORD will lovingly gather His ransomed people together. Thus, Israel need not live in fear as to the outcome of their ransom, for the LORD intends to display His glory in their rescue. The LORD’s sure commitment to glory Himself is reason enough to not fear.

The LORD reinforces the certainty of His saving work: “I, I am the LORD, and besides me there is no savior. I declared and saved and proclaimed, when there was no strange god among you; and you are my witnesses,” declares the LORD, “and I am God” (Isaiah 43:11-12). Israel will testify of the LORD’s work as the LORD’s resolve will not be turned back: “Also henceforth I am he; there is none who can deliver from my hand; I work, and who can turn it back?” (Isaiah 43:13). Specifically, Israel’s rescue would coincide with Babylon’s defeat: “Thus says the LORD, your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel: “For your sake I send to Babylon and bring them all down as fugitives, even the Chaldeans, in the ships in which they rejoice. I am the LORD, your Holy One, the Creator of Israel, your King” (Isaiah 43:14-15). The ransom and rescue that awaits Israel is reminiscent of what the LORD did in the Exodus from Egypt: "Thus says the LORD, who makes a way in the sea, a path in the mighty waters, who brings forth chariot and horse, army and warrior; they lie down, they cannot rise, they are extinguished, quenched like a wick” (Isaiah 43:16-17). But the look back to the days of the Exodus is not meant to simply be a nostalgic look of what the LORD did in the past, but assurance that the LORD was planning a new work: “Remember not the former things, nor consider the things of old. Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert. to give drink to my chosen people, the people whom I formed for myself that they might declare my praise” (Isaiah 43:18-21). And the new work that the LORD would perform would be a ransoming, rescuing work, that would also entail a pardoning work: “I, I am he who blots out your transgressions for my own sake, and I will not remember your sins” (Isaiah 43:35).

What struck you in today’s reading? What questions were prompted from today’s reading?

Pastor Joe