Isaiah 43

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Isaiah 43:1-28 (KJV) 

1 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.

Israel backslid and the Lord is speaking to them while they are serving time.

 2 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. 

Whatever hard times you have, I will be with you.

3 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. 

I destroyed Egypt, Ethiopia, and Seba to get to you.  In other words, I paid a high price to get back who was mind.

4 Since thou wast precious in my sight, thou hast been honourable, and I have loved thee: therefore will I give men for thee, and people for thy life. 

Others stood up for you and even lost their lives all because I love you.

5 Fear not: for I [am] with thee: I will bring thy seed from the east, and gather thee from the west;

You are scattered, but I the Lord will bring you back to the land I promised.

6 I will say to the north, Give up; and to the south, Keep not back: bring my sons from far, and my daughters from the ends of the earth;

I will say and they will let you go.

 7 [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. 

I created you just for Me.

8 Bring forth the blind people that have eyes, and the deaf that have ears. 

Bring my people back to me.

9 Let all the nations be gathered together, and let the people be assembled: who among them can declare this, and shew us former things? let them bring forth their witnesses, that they may be justified: or let them hear, and say, [It is] truth. 

Who can recall the past?

10 Ye [are] my witnesses, saith the LORD, and my servant whom I have chosen: that ye may know and believe me, and understand that I [am] he: before me there was no God formed, neither shall there be after me. 

You know I did what I said I did.  You were there.  You know when we walked together you did not need a man-made God.

11 I, [even] I, [am] the LORD; and beside me [there is] no saviour. 

I am God!   God is pleading with us!  There is no one who loves me this much!

12 I have declared, and have saved, and I have shewed, when [there was] no strange [god] among you: therefore ye [are] my witnesses, saith the LORD, that I [am] God. 

I spoke and demonstrated in the midst of you:  You saw me do it.  I am God.  God pleads now, God will not continue to knock at our hearts.  Choose God now!

13 Yea, before the day [was] I [am] he; and [there is] none that can deliver out of my hand: I will work, and who shall let it? 

You are mine and no one can take you from me.  If you leave, it will be because you walk away.

14 Thus saith the LORD, your redeemer, the Holy One of Israel; For your sake I have sent to Babylon, and have brought down all their nobles, and the Chaldeans, whose cry [is] in the ships. 

I removed people just to get to you.  Like a man who sees the woman he wants, he will move all others out of the way, just to get the woman he wants.

15 I [am] the LORD, your Holy One, the creator of Israel, your King.

God tells us again; I am Lord, I am The Holy One and I am King! 

16 Thus saith the LORD, which maketh a way in the sea, and a path in the mighty waters; 

The same God that allowed the children of Israel to cross the Red Sea is the same God who is speaking today.

17 Which bringeth forth the chariot and horse, the army and the power; they shall lie down together, they shall not rise: they are extinct, they are quenched as tow. 

I drowned your enemy.

18 Remember ye not the former things, neither consider the things of old. 

Don't forget the things I did.

19 Behold, I will do a new thing; now it shall spring forth; shall ye not know it? I will even make a way in the wilderness, [and] rivers in the desert. 

I will do a new thing.  A thing that man has never seen before.

20 The beast of the field shall honour me, the dragons and the owls: because I give waters in the wilderness, [and] rivers in the desert, to give drink to my people, my chosen. 

Just like your pet loves you because you look after it, so will the beast of the field love me because of how I love them.

21 This people have I formed for myself; they shall shew forth my praise. 

The people who will obey Me will Praise Me.

22 But thou hast not called upon me, O Jacob; but thou hast been weary of me, O Israel. 

Out of all I do for you and did for you and will do for you, you ignore Me.

23 Thou hast not brought me the small cattle of thy burnt offerings; neither hast thou honoured me with thy sacrifices. I have not caused thee to serve with an offering, nor wearied thee with incense. 

You do not give me anything and I give you all things.  The only thing you bring Me is sin.

24 Thou hast bought me no sweet cane with money, neither hast thou filled me with the fat of thy sacrifices: but thou hast made me to serve with thy sins, thou hast wearied me with thine iniquities. 

All you bring me is dirty laundry and ask me to wash your clothes. (sin)

25 I, [even] I, [am] he that blotteth out thy transgressions for mine own sake, and will not remember thy sins. 

I throw away your dirt.  Only I can do that.

26 Put me in remembrance: let us plead together: declare thou, that thou mayest be justified. 

Let us talk.  Show me why you do not want or need Me.  Justify your case.

27 Thy first father hath sinned, and thy teachers have transgressed against me. 

Your parents sinned, the leaders won't let you hear Me and you break My covenant.

28 Therefore I have profaned the princes of the sanctuary, and have given Jacob to the curse, and Israel to reproaches.

Since you will not follow my directions, I will reject everything you bring to me from your sanctuary.  I will make your offering stink in the nostrils of those who you come in contact with.