Devotional Commentary on Isaiah 43
Isaiah takes us here into the John 3:16 of the Old Testament
since in this chapter God says to the remnant: “I love you” (v. 4b).
Ellen White said about this: “Jesus knows us individually,
and is touched with the feeling of our infirmities. He knows us all by name. He
knows the very house in which we live, the name of each occupant. He has at
times given directions to His servants to go to a certain street in a certain
city, to such a house, to find one of His sheep. Every soul is as fully known
to Jesus as if he were the only one for whom the Saviour died.”—Ellen White, The
Desire of Ages, p. 479 cited by M. L. Andreasen in his Sabbath School Quarterly
on Isaiah 1928 page 11.
Isaiah brought together many panels in this chapter and the
theme is God and His identity as remnant loving-caring God and the deaf and
blind remnant with a Laodicea condition.
We learn that the sole purpose of the formation of the
remnant by God is so that they can be His witnesses and that means they will
declare His praise (v. 21b) and praise means “give glory to the Lord” (42:12a).
Glory means to “make the law great and glorious” and that means to be pleased
for Christ’s Righteousness sake (42:21).
But the sleeping virgins of the deaf and blind church of
Laodicea has to be woken up with the Latter Rain event to bring the faithful in
and so Isaiah described the promise of the gathering of the harvest from all
over the globe (vv. 5-9).
They will come out of Babylon (v. 14).
The Hell event after the millennium will be the time when
Christ the King will be the warrior (vv. 15-17) and create all things new (v.
18). The remnant at that time will declare God’s praise (v. 21).
However, right now [in Isaiah’s view in distant future] God
has an Investigative Judgment for His remnant with a Laodicea condition and the
court case deals with their problems (vv. 23-24) and again a second round in
vv. 25-28 with the proceedings for defense in vv. 25-26 and the accusation in
v. 27 and the verdict in v. 28.
All this Isaiah is doing with his technique of using a Synonym Dictionary so popular even at
Niniveh where Jewish scribes copied and worked in the Library of Assyria during
the Exile contemporary with Isaiah’s time.
Jacob means Israel
(v. 1a-b);
redeemed means to be
called [by God] by one’s name (v. 1c-d);
waters is also
rivers (v. 2a-b);
to have God
with you
is for waters not to overflow you (v. 2a-b);
fire is also flame
and scorched is also burn (v. 2c-d);
Lord is also Holy
One and your God is also your Savior
(v. 3a-b);
ransom means in your
place and Egypt is grouped with Cush
and Seba (v. 3c-d);
precious means honored
and in My sight means I love you (v.
4a-b);
in your place means in
exchange (v. 4c-d);
bring means to
gather (v. 5a-b); give up means do
not hold back (v. 6a-b);
to be called
by the name of God is to be created for His glory (v. 7a-b);
formed is to be made
(v. 7c-d);
nations means peoples
(v. 9a-b);
gathered
together
means to assemble (v. 9a-b);
declare is proclaim
(v. 9c-d);
their witness means let
them hear and say (v. 9e-f);
My witnesses means My
servant (v. 10a-b);
know is to understand
(v. 10c-d);
Lord is Creator
and Holy One is King (v. 15a-b);
way is also path
and sea is also mighty waters (v.
16a-b);
chariot is connected
to army and [strong] horse to mighty
man (v. 17a-b);
call to mind means to
ponder (v. 18a-b);
new means spring
forth (v. 19a-b);
wilderness means desert
(v. 19d-e);
beasts of the
field
is meant to be jackals and ostriches (v. 20a-b);
you have not called on Me means to become weary (v. 21c-d) [this
is a lack of a prayer-life];
not to bring
offerings [tithes] means not to honor God (v. 23a-b);
not to burden means not to
weary (v. 23c-d);
sins means
iniquities (v. 24c-d);
wipes out means not to
remember (v. 25a-b);
put [God] into
remembrance means to state your [case/condition] (v. 26a-b);
argue your
case
means that you may be proved right (v. 26a-b);
sinned means
transgressed (v. 27a-b);
pollute means to
consign to the ban (v. 28a-b);
princes of the
Sanctuary means Jacob [the remnant or spiritual Israel] (v. 28a-b).
Once we see the depth of Isaiah phraseology and his
determination as quality Hebrew poet not to repeat one word twice we appreciate
him more as a great poet. What separates this great poet from others in modern
times, is his deep relationship, unshaken, with God.
Isaiah started out the chapter by indicating how God Created
the remnant, formed them, [they fell] and He redeemed them (v. 1). Blessings of
protection are given in a long list (v. 2) and the reason for God’s involvement
is His love “I love you” (v. 4b).
About the provision in time of trouble, M. L. Andreasen said
about verses 2-3 in his Sabbath School Quarterly of 1928 page 11: “When the
trials of the last days shall come, these promises will become very precious
indeed.”
A global gathering of the remnant is predicted, not just of
Israel from Assyria or Babylon but “everyone who is called by My name” (v.7a).
Says M. L. Andreasen about this calling: “’Called by My
name.’ Of a certain company it is written that they will have the Father's name
written in their foreheads. Rev. 14: 1. God's name is what He is. Ex. 3: 14.
Hence, to be called by the name of God means to have His character.”
This gathering is reserved for the time of the Latter Rain
since it coincides with the time of the condition of the Laodicea remnant,
blind and deaf and the gathering is also during that time “all the nations have
gathered together in order that the peoples may be assembled” (v. 9). It is a
future prediction (v. 9c-d).
M. L. Andreasen considered verses 5-6 to be applicable in
time of the Third Angels’ Message of Revelation 14:6-12 in 1928 page 12: “This
scripture is now being fulfilled. The message is sounding in all parts of the
earth, and God is calling men from every nation, kindred, tongue, and people.”
The setting of the chapter is an Investigative Judgment
since v. 9e-f indicates that.
Also M. L. Andreasen considered also a Judgment scene as
applicable here in 1928 page 12: “God is calling all nations together as to a
judgment scene.” Delitzsch indicated in Vol. II of his Isaiah commentary in
1890 page 181 of the English edition that “to bring out” [hoṣia`] used in
verse 8 does not mean to bring the exiles out out but judgment: “...signifies
here, not to bring out of the exile, as in Ezek. xx. 34, 41, xxxiv. 13 (Hitzig
et al.),—the names by which Israel is here called do not suggest bringing out
in this sense,—but to bring to the place of judicial trial (Gesenius, Meyer,
and Knobel).” We are all on the same page despite that Delitzsch et al are
preterists and Andreasen and myself are historicists. J. Mortyer in his 1993
commentary on Isaiah said on page 333 about verses 8-13: “Isaiah uses again a
favourite literary form, the courtroom drama.” He divided it in the following
sections: the court assembled (8-9b); the issue announced (9c-f); the Lord’s
witnesses (10a-d); the Lord’s claim (10e-11b); the issue settled (12); the
verdict (13).
God has chosen His servant or remnant (v. 10b). The Targum
changed the text here to make the Messiah the Chosen One here and read “The
Messiah in Whom I am well pleased”. One almost hear Matthew 3:17 in the ink of
the Targumist? Remnant or servant is
singular but they are His witnesses
(plural).
Ellen White said about verse 10: “We are to acknowledge His
grace as made known through the holy men of old; but that which will be most
effectual is the testimony of our own experience. We are witnesses for God as
we reveal in ourselves the working of a power that is divine. Every individual
has a life distinct from all others, and an experience differing essentially
from theirs. God desires that our praise shall ascend to Him, marked with our
own individuality. These precious acknowledgments to the praise of the glory of
His grace, when supported by a Christlike life, have an irresistible power,
that works for the salvation of souls.”—Ellen White, Ministry of Healing, p.
100, cited by M. L. Andreasen in his Isaiah Sabbath School Quarterly of 1928
page 12.
Similar to Ellen White statement above is the preterist
Delitzsch in his commentary in Vol. II in 1890 of the English edition page 182
on verses 8-10: “You, says Jehovah, are my witnesses and are my servant whom I
chose; I can appeal to you as to what I have enabled you to see and hear, and
to the relation in which I have graciously placed you to myself, that () you
may come to reflect how great the difference between what you have in your God
and what the heathen have in their idols.”
J. Mortyer in 1993 page 335 thinks on verse 10a-d about the
witnesses that they are blind and deaf so for that matter in the Judgment “the
Lord must become solely responsible”. And the Highpriestly Advocate Christ in the
Heavenly Sanctuary since 1844 is just doing that without human help but on
behalf of the saints (Daniel 7:22) “judgment was passed in favor of the saints”
and 1 Peter 4:17 “For time of judgment to begin with the house of God…”. The ID
of God is around His witnesses in the Investigative Judgment.
The ID of God is spelled out in vv. 10c-13). In Isaiah 45
the ID of God is repeated ten times in vv. 3c; 5a; 6c; 7c; 8e; 12a; 14g; 18e;
21e-f; 22b.
Especially Isaiah 43:11-13 is cast into a pattern that put
the phrase “so you are My witnesses” in the center (v. 12c). All the other
verses before (vv. 10c-12b) and after (vv. 12d-13) form a frame for this
portrait.
Ellen White said in Education about witnesses: “As to being
a witness, ‘This also we shall be in eternity.’— ‘The redeemed only, of all
created beings, have in their own experience known the actual conflict with
sin; they have wrought with Christ, and, as even the angels could not do, have
entered into the fellowship of His sufferings; will they have no testimony as
to the science of redemption,—nothing that will be of worth to unfallen beings’”—
Ellen White, Education, p. 308 cited by M. L. Andreasen in 1928 on page 13.
In verse 13 there is a phrase in the beginning that can be
literally translated as: “Also, from day I am He…” a phrase that has more in it
than what translators saw. C. W. E. Nägelsbach in his commentary in 1878 page
466 in the English indicated that the Hebrew word [gam miyyôm] cannot mean
“since days are…” because different Hebrew consonants do exist for this expression.
The force of the preposition mem = “from” is important. It means, says he: “from
day [onwards]” and he wants to see it as a terminus a quo, a beginning point in
future. This is very interesting since 457 BCE is a terminus a quo; 538 A.D. is
a terminus a quo; 1798 is a terminus a quo; 1844 is a terminus a quo. The close
of probation is a terminus a quo; the Second Coming is a terminus a quo. It is
from the Second Coming on that the faithful will be the witnesses of God into
eternity as Ellen White indicated. That C. W. E. Nägelsbach 1878 page 467 had
also the Eschaton in mind, just like Ellen White, is clear when he said on
verse 13: “…refers to the future following the promised deliverance.” Just to
make double sure that is what he meant here is a phrase later in the same
paragraph: “But finally, as the end of all history, it will appear that all
thoughts and counsels of God must inevitably find their accomplishment” (ibid).
J. Mortyer thinks there are three meanings for the gam miyyôm in the
beginning of verse 13: (1) “Indeed since time began”; (2) “Today also”; and (3)
“Henceforth too” (Mortyer 1993: 335). Nägelsbach is closer to the reality of
the meaning than Mortyer.
The End-time scenario is a prediction of the collapse of
Babylon. It appears to be after the Second Coming since Christ has here His
kingship (v. 15b) and is a Warrior (v. 17). The Hell event is in mind in verse
17c-d “the army and the mighty man they will lie down together not rise again”.
The absolute extermination here seems eternity started.
Because of a new Creation God asks the remnant not to ponder
the past (v. 18) since all will be new (v. 19). With the New Heavens described
here in vv. 19-21 the panel of the glory stops.
M. L. Andreasen did not fully understand these verses and
suggested a spiritual application in 1928 page 13.
The last two panels is the court-case of the Investigative
Judgment of the remnant (vv. 22-24, the first one) and the second one in vv.
25-28.
The problem in the first one is that the remnant do not pay
tithes and offerings. God made it easier for the Laodicea period remnant (v.
23c-d) that they do not have to bring sacrifices just use money to get
something sweet but they do not (v. 24a) “you have bought me no sweet cane with
money”. Even if the Lord made it easier for them, instead of sheep just fat
they did not bring anything, just sins (v. 24c-d).
God is willing to wipe out their transgressions in the
Investigative Judgment, He said in the second panel vv. 25.
Delitzsch Vol. II in 1890 page 187 understands it in the
light of the sola gratia and sola fide acts of God: “Jehovah Himself here
proclaims the sola gratia and sola fide. We have translated ‘I alone,’ for the
triple repetition of the subject: ‘I, I am He that blots out thy offences,’
means that this forgiveness, so far from being deserved by Israel, is a
sovereign act of His absolute freedom, and ‘for my own sake,’ that it has its
ground in God only, namely, in His absolutely free grace, that movement of His
love which is a counterpoise to His wrath.”
But, due to Adam (‘your first forefather sinned’ v. 27a) and
due to the leaders of the remnant (‘your spokesmen have transgressed against Me’)
for that reason the Sanctuary will remain “polluted” for the “princes of the
Sanctuary”, namely “Jacob” or the weeds in the remnant. Only the fruits will benefit.
M. L. Andreasen said about verse 26 in 1928 page 13: “Put Me
in remembrance of My promises; plead them before Me; declare them, that I may
justify thee.”
Daniel 8:14 mentioned that the Sanctuary was to be cleansed or vindicated, justified (more
literal), and that means it is polluted.
Now we know why.
Dear
God
Grant
that Your love will include us. That we may pay our tithes and offerings
simplified for our generation by You. That we may praise Your name for we are
part of the remnant of God who is chosen by You as Your witnesses. Amen.