Isaiah 43 | The Wolfe Notes

Welcome, Family! We're spending 2024 with the prophet Isaiah. While we claim no expertise, we're excited to sit with you as we both learn at the feet of Jesus. Each month, we offer a calendar that outlines daily exercises (adapted from Jenn Wilkin's Women of the Word Bible study process) to progress through Isaiah. Download September's calendar to begin with us and witness what we uncovered in our weekly "Wolfe Note" postings.

Contents:

1. Different Versions Noting and clarifying differences between KJV & CEV.
2. Annotation My thoughts, connections, clarifications, and questions.
3. Research On God's willingness to sacrifice nation for nation.
4. Summary An approximately twenty word overview of the chapter.
5. Memorize Why I chose to memorize Isaiah 43:1-3.
6. Cross References Of Isaiah 43:1-3.
7. Respond Based on reflections on God's character and my own.

Different Versions

I read Chapter 43 in the King James Version (KJV) and the Contemporary English Version (CEV). The King James Version is a word-for-word translations and the Contemporary English Version is a thought-for-thought translation.

Major differences I noticed (*My thoughts alone are in italics and designated with an asterisk.):

• Isaiah 43:4
• Comparisons:
• KJV: Since thou wast precious in my sight, (1) thou hast been honourable, and I have loved thee: therefore will I give men for thee, and people for thy life.
• CEV: To me, you are very dear, (1 - omitted)  and I love you. That's why I gave up nations and people to rescue you.
• Discrepancies: Why doesn't the CEV include that the Israelites acted honorably?
• Conclusions: In the Hebrew, there are two words next to each other that have similar meanings: yaqarta and nikbadta. So likely, the CEV omitted the second for conciseness. It might be an overreach for the KJV to say "thou has been honourable" as the Israelites clearly had not been. Commentators Barnes, Jamieson-Fausset-Brown, and Poole agree that the honor does not refer to the Israelites character, but to receiving honor from God. Poole offers that they were honorable only because God sees them as precious. (*Similar to how God looks at me and sees only Jesus because I am covered in His blood. 2 Corinthians 5:21, Ephesians 2:13, and Hebrews 8:12.)
• Isaiah 43:9 
• Comparisons:
• KJV: Let all the nations be gathered together, and let the people be assembled: who among them can (1) declare this, and shew us former things? let them bring forth their witnesses, (2) that they may be justified: or let them hear, and say, It is truth.
• CEV: Tell everyone of every nation to gather around. None of them can honestly say, (1) "We told you so!" If someone heard them say this, then tell us about it now. (2 - omitted)
• Discrepancies: 
1. Asking the nations to take credit for notable acts of the past (KJV) is much different than saying "We told you so!" (CEV).
2. There is a lot in the KJV that is missing in the CEV. The KJV allows for the justification of those who are able to prove their case OR for them to be converted by hearing and accepting the truth.
• Conclusions: The KJV fits better when compared with the trial we see God proposing in Isaiah 41:21-24 CEV: "...Tell us about the past, and we will think on it....Do something good or evil so we can be amazed...Your idols are nothing...To worship you would be disgusting."
• Isaiah 43:26
• Comparisons:
• KJV: (1) Put me in remembrance: (2) let us plead together: declare thou, that thou mayest be justified.
• CEV: (1) Meet me in court! (2) State your case and prove that you are right.
• Discrepancies: 
1. These initial clauses "Put me in remembrance" (KJV) and "Meet me in court!" feel very different. The first sounds like the plea of a forgotten person, the second like a challenge.
2. The KJV presents God working with you: "Let us plead together", while the CEV puts you on trial "State your case".
• Conclusions: In both instances, I prefer the KJV. In the first example because it fits with the preceding text: God was illustrating how they'd forgotten Him. The second clause because it pairs well with Isaiah 1:18 KJV: "Come now, let us reason together...".

Annotation

Notes on my process. *Denotes my thoughts alone. ! Denotes a connection. Researched quick answers are in italics. *R Indicates a topic with more extensive notes under the research heading.

1. God's Devotion (v1-7)
1. Israel, I have all rights to you. You are mine.
2. Hard times will happen, but I'll be with you.
3. I paid the ransom for you and I always will.
1. Egypt symbolizes "the world" in the Bible (Bible Hub). *So, ransoming the Egyptians for the Israelites was symbolically His way of getting rid of our sinful nature?
2. ! Our ransom = Jesus. I Timothy 2:5-6 KJV: For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time.
3. ? Why was God in the Old Testament willing to sacrifice nations for the Israelites, but in the New Testament, Jesus preaches unity? *R
4. I will gather my sons and daughters from the ends of the earth.
5. For you are mine.
1. ! We know who we are. Through Jesus we are called by His name. 
1. Acts 15:17 KJV: That the residue of men might seek after the Lord, and all the Gentiles, upon whom my name is called, saith the Lord, who doeth all these things.
2. Revelation 22:4 KJV And they shall see his face; and his name shall be in their foreheads.
2. ! Isaiah 4:1 KJV: And in that day seven women shall take hold of one man, saying, We will eat our own bread, and wear our own apparel: only let us be called  by thy name, to take away our reproach. (Wolfe Notes on Isaiah 4:1.)
3. *Even though God chooses us, we also have to choose Him. Exactly like a marriage proposal, except when God chooses, He's certain we'll accept.
2. God's Challenge (v8&9)
1. Come forth those who haven't seen or heard but are equipped to.
1. What is the reason for this court? *Is it because even though God knows, He still wants to hear our thoughts? Like prayer?
2. Gather everyone. Allow them to present their case to prove they are greater than I, or let them admit the truth.
1. ! Isaiah 41:21-24 CEV: I am the Lord, the King of Israel! Come argue your case with me. Present your evidence. Come near me, you idols. Tell us about the past, and we will think about it. Tell us about the future, so we will know what is going to happen. Prove that you are gods by making your predictions come true. Do something good or evil so we can be amazed and terrified. You idols are nothing, and you are powerless. To worship you would be disgusting.
3. God's Sovereignty (v10-13)
1. You are my witnesses. You stand up to testify on my behalf because you know me. You know there is none like me.
1. 🎵There is none like You / No one else can touch my heart like You do / I can search for all eternity long and find / There is none like You.🎶 ("There is None Like You" performed by Dan Moen and Lenny LeBlanc)
2. Was there a before and will there be an after? (Isaiah 43:10 KJV: ...before me there was no God formed, neither shall there be after me.)
1. 🎶My before and after / Here's the anthem let it ring / One love two arms, three scars / Draw us to where you are / No one is too far for you to save a heart.🎵 ("My Before and After" performed by Jimmy Needham)
2. I am the only one who will save You and you have witnessed it.
1. Demands our faithfulness - for He acts when there is no strange god. Am I seeking only Him? Or is there a strange god in my life?
3. You are safe with me.
1. ! And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my hand. (John 10:28-29 KJV)
2. 🎵Who's gonna stop the King? / No one, no one=- / Alleluia, our God reigns🎶 ("Who's Gonna Stop the King" performed by Crowder)
4. God's Works of Old (v14-17)
1. To protect you, I conquered Babylon & Chaldea
1. Were the Babylonians and Chaldean's Jerusalem's enemy?
2. Why is there a cry in the ships?
2. This is who I am: the Lord, your Holy One, your Creator, your King.
1. 🎶You're a good, good Father / It's who You are, it's who You are, it's who You are / And I'm loved by You / It's who I am, it's who I am, it's who I am🎵 ("Good Good Father" performed by Chris Tomlin)
3. I cleared the way for you through spiritual chaos and the power struggles of of this world (natural and manmade obstacles).
1. Sea = chaos in the ancient world. (See this Symbolic World article)
2. ! She layeth her hands to the spindle and her hands hold the distaff. - Proverbs 31:19 KJV (See the Wolfe Notes of this verse.)
3. ! Ephesians 6:12 KJV: For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.
4. ? What is tow, as in Isaiah 43:17 KJV: "...they are quenched as tow."
5. God's Works to Come (v18-21)
1. Don't fix your mind on the past.
2. Watch for the new things I'm doing: I'm still clearing the way and restoring you. 
1. ! Psalm 23:2-3 CEV: You let me rest in fields of green grass. You lead me to streams of peaceful water, and you refresh my life. You are true to your name, and you lead me along the right paths.
3. Even what is wild (evil) will respect the way that I care for you.
1. ! Isaiah 34:13 KJV: And thorns shall come up in her palaces, nettles and brambles in the fortresses thereof: and it shall be an habitation of dragons, and a court for owls. (See our research on these creatures.)
4. My people, who I have formed, sing my praise.
1. ? How do we know if we're one of these people, or are we all and some of us just resist it more stubbornly?
6. Israel's Folly (v22-24)
1. But you don't turn to me, Jacob. You are bored of me, Israel.
2. You offer me nothing and I've not forced anything from you.
1. ? Didn't God force them to perform sacrifices and burn incense? Did they stop and God didn't force them to after?
3. And you sin freely.
1. ? What does it "...thou has made me to serve with thy sins..." mean in Isaiah 43:24. Is He saying that the Israelites still expect God to work on their behalf even though they do nothing for God and sin openly?
7. God's Judgment (v25-28)
1. Still, I blot out and forget your sinfulness because I want to.
1. ! Hebrews 8:12 KJV: For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more.
2. Remember Me! Confess your sins. Receive pardon.
1. ! Isaiah 1:18 CEV: I, the Lord, invite you to come and talk it over. Your sins are scarlet red, but they will be whiter than snow or wool.
2. ! Proverbs 31:21 KJV: She is not afraid of the snow for her household, for all her household are clothed with scarlet. (See the Wolfe Notes of this verse,)
3. A sinful nature is born in you. Those who guide you leave my path.
1. ? First father = Adam?
2. ? Is there a difference between sin and transgression? Sin is your innate inclination toward evil and transgression is breaking a law you know about?
3. ! Acts 7:51 CEV: You stubborn and hardheaded people! You are always fighting against the Holy Spirit, just as your ancestors did.
4. So, I leave you to the punishment you choose.

Research

*Thoughts that are mine alone are marked with an asterisk and italicized.

Why was God willing to sacrifice nations for the Israelites (Isaiah 43:3), but in the New Testament, Jesus preached unity (Galatians 3:28-29)? 

• In the Old Testament, God chose Israel, a nation, to be His bride (Jeremiah 31:32; Ezekiel 16:8-21). *Because Israel was a nation, He had to defend her from other nations and think politically. But, the Old Testament's laws, written on stone tablets, could not change a person's nature (A Clay Jar).
• In the New Testament, God gave Jesus to atone for the sins (Isaiah 53:5-6 & I Peter 2:24) of anyone who believes in Him (John 3:16 and Romans 10:9). So, today, He defends each individual; Jesus is our intercessor (I John 2:1). The laws, now written on our hearts, transform us to be like Jesus (A Clay Jar).  And in Jesus we are one. (Ephesians 2:11-22 & John 17:21)

*Conclusions: Then, God acted on behalf of His people, Israel. This meant that to save them He would have to act against other countries. But now, through Jesus' death on the cross, everyone has the opportunity to be called by His name through belief in Him. Because of the transformation of the "bride", the way God moves to defend also changes. 

Summary

Israel is God's. Though many challenge it, God's chosen declare the truth from what they witness: His faithfulness and mercy.

Memorize

I chose to memorize Isaiah 43:1-3.

But now thus saith the Lord that created thee, O Jacob, and he that formed thee, O Israel, Fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I have called they by thy name; thou art mine. When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee; when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee. For I am the Lord thy God, the Holy One of Israel, thy Savior: I gave Egypt for thy ransom, Ethiopia and Seba for thee.

If you've watched the series The Chosen, it's likely you've had a moment that deeply connected with you. My first was this verse. In the series, when Mary Magdalene first meets Jesus, she's in a bad place - spiritually, emotionally, and physically. Jesus comes up to her, looks in her eyes, places His hand on hers and says, "You are mine." Imagine Jesus saying the same to you, because He does. The following verse, Isaiah 43:2, is also used in the series. Mary repeats it to herself whenever temptation arises. The third verse, I added because I want to remember that the intimacy and protection we experience are because of His holiness.

Cross References

*Thoughts that are mine alone are marked with an asterisk and italicized.

Of Isaiah 43:1-3

But now thus saith the LORD that created thee, O Jacob, and he that formed thee, O Israel, Fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou art mine.

• Isaiah 43:7 KJV: Even every one that is called by my name: for I have created him for my glory, I have formed him; yea, I have made him.
• Psalm 100:3 KJV: Know ye that the LORD he is God: it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.
• Ezekiel 16:8 KJV: Now when I passed by thee, and looked upon thee, behold, thy time was the time of love; and I spread my skirt over thee, and covered thy nakedness: yea, I sware unto thee, and entered into a covenant wit hthee, saith the Lord GOD, and thou becamest mine.

When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee.

• Zechariah 13:9 CEV: Then I will purify them and put them to the test, just as gold and silver are purified and tested. They will pray in my name, and I will answer them. I will say, "You are my people," and they will reply, "You, Lord, are our God!"
• Psalm 23:4 CEV: I may walk through valleys as dark as death, but I won't be afraid. You are with me, and your shepherd's rod makes me feel safe.
• Malachi 3:2-3 CEV: On the day the Lord comes, he will be like a furnace that purifies silver or like strong soap in a washbasin. No one will be able to stand up to him. The LORD will purify the descendants of Levi, as though they were gold or silver. Then they will bring the proper offerings to the Lord,

For I am the LORD thy God, the Holy One of Israel, thy Saviour: I gave Egypt for thy ransom, Ethiopia and Seba for thee.

• Proverbs 21:18 KJV: The wicked shall be a ransom for the righteous, and the transgressor for the upright. 
• Hosea 13:4 CEV: I, the LORD, have been your God since the time you were in Egypt. I am the only God you know, the only one who can save.
• Titus 3:4-6 KJV: But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared, Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved , by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior.

*Conclusion: From before we were, He is. And He created us for Himself. He protects us, in countless ways, because of who He is: ours. "You will be my people, and I will be your God." - Echoed throughout the Old Testament.

Respond

1. God claims us and takes His commitment seriously. I often don't live into my role as God's daughter or take time to embrace exactly what that means in my life. When I question who I am, my worth, I must remember my identity is in Him. I am His and He loves me so much that He is always with me and has laid down His life for me. There is no way to measure His love because He is love.
2. God counts on us to witness His faithfulness to others. I am not always openly vocal about my faith in God, nor do I think I make the best witness. I am timid and want to keep peace with others, so often keep quiet when I don't think that what I have to say will be well received. The reality is that I must be faithful in my testimony. I must not shy away from sharing the reason for the hope within me. I must practice sharing the good news, and I must know that God can still use me as a light to shine His glory even through my imperfections.
3. God wants us to choose Him, just as He chose us. He doesn't want to force our sacrifice, but wants a willing one. When I get lost in my own busyness, I shove relationship-seeking with God to the side. I sacrifice time with God for vain pursuits: perfecting slideshows, over-planning, and online shopping. If I choose to love God with all my heart, soul, body, mind, and strength, then my choices need to reflect where my heart is. As our pastor recently said, "I can tell what matters to you by how you spend your time."

Father God, You chose me, created me, are forming me, and will complete me so that I can shine in the light of Your glory. This process is intimate: You are always with me and Your desire is that I notice and share You with others. How could I not sing Your praise? You are glorious! My prayer is that everyone who breathes Your breath comes to return it in praise to You. Thank you for Your faithfulness, Your protection, and Your truth. With You, I am safe; I am loved; I am known.

Learning with You,

Are you ready for Isaiah 44 and 45?

Sample these related posts:

To locate the Isaiah study guide for September.

To review notes on Isaiah 42.

To learn about the Bride of Christ.

To tell your story alongside Johnny Appleseed.

To practice commitment.

Interested in more faith-related blogs? Then you're looking for Faith Food. At Faith Food, you'll find links to all our faith-related blogs and a short description of each.

*Image Credit: Bird flying over the sea by Martina Bulkova at Pixabay