Isaiah 43:9–11

All the nations are warned to pay attention to God's declaration about the future of Israel. They may gather and meet in conferences, trying to govern the world. But they cannot show the former things, still less the things to come. Let them hear and confess that this is the truth.

Nothing proves divine intelligence more clearly than telling the future. This is the main challenge the Old Testament makes to the false gods. No wonder it left them speechless, even though they had once claimed so loudly to speak messages from the gods. While it was only a matter of puzzling those who asked, they could deceive with answers that could be taken two ways. But Isaiah, in the sharpest and severest style, shows that they are utterly powerless to reveal the future.

Among the nations who followed idols such things were unknown, and God raises the challenge: Who among the nations "declare this, and show us the former things? Let them bring THEIR WITNESSES to prove them right, and let them hear and say, It is true" (Isa. 43:9). But to Israel He says, "You are MY WITNESSES, declares the Lord, and My servant whom I have chosen … Before ME no god was formed, nor shall there be any after ME. I, I AM THE LORD, AND BESIDES ME THERE IS NO SAVIOUR" (vv. 10-11).

God has foretold His sovereign intervention on behalf of Israel. Now He appeals to the nations, so that His ways with Israel may bring them to acknowledge the true God. Israel had seen the glory of Jehovah with their own eyes and had heard His law. Yet they turned blindly to idols and were deaf to the warnings of the prophets. Still, when God restores them they will become a witness to the one true God.

Because they loved idols, the Jews were the blind people who had eyes and the deaf who had ears. Yet of all the nations they alone were Jehovah's witness and His servant. They will yet know, believe, and understand.

Ever since God called Abraham, he and his descendants, the nation that came from him, have been God's chosen witnesses that there is only one God, and that Jehovah is He. Israel, as we saw, failed completely in this testimony. So the Gentile nations conquered them, and their long captivity and scattering followed. The Church's testimony, as we have also seen, is of another kind. It is a testimony to the perfect grace in which she stands, and to the finished redemption in which that grace has been shown to her.

It was God Who once, because of their sins, "profaned the princes" and people of Israel. It is He Who, for His own sake, will blot out their transgressions and justify them. Before that day dawns we already know what is still a secret to them: the great salvation by His grace. By that grace alone can He deal with the guilty and remain righteous. Christ, the cross, is the only key.

Among the nations who followed idols such things were unknown, and God raises the challenge: Who among the nations "can declare this, and show us former things? let them bring forward THEIR WITNESSES, so that they may be justified; or let them hear, and say, It is truth" (Isa. 43:9). But to Israel He says, "You are MY WITNESSES, declares the LORD, and My servant whom I have chosen … before ME no god was formed, nor shall there be any after ME. I, EVEN I, AM THE LORD; AND BESIDE ME THERE IS NO SAVIOUR" (vv. 10-11).

The Jews, by their love of idols, were the blind people who had eyes and the deaf who had ears. Yet they alone of all the nations were Jehovah's witness and His servant. They will yet know, believe, and understand.

Israel had seen the glory of Jehovah with their own eyes and had heard His law. Yet they turned to idols and shut their ears to the warnings of the prophets. Still, when God restores them, they will become a witness to the one true God.

The unity of God is the foundation truth of the Old Testament. It was the central testimony the Jewish people were responsible for, in a world that everywhere else had given itself to idols.

God had to choose some nation, and in this He was both sovereign and wise. He chose the Jews. He formed them for Himself, so that they would be His witnesses and would declare His praise (Isaiah 43:10, 21).

Israel is the standing witness to the world that God is the one God. Men "may know and believe" that God is the eternal One – none before Him, and no one after – the "I AM," and the only Saviour.

He is first named this way in Deuteronomy 32:39. "See now," He says, "that I, even I am the Same, and there is no god with Me … I lift up My hand to heaven, and say, I live for ever!" Jesus says, I am "the living One" … "I am He" should read "I am the Same," meaning the self-existing One.

God selected Israel as a nation to hold the truth of Jehovah's Godhead and of Jehovah's law, and to testify to these great truths among other nations who worshipped idols. In this trust they proved themselves false witnesses. They copied their neighbours and worshipped idols, and they dishonoured the law. Where Israel failed as a witness for the truth, because of their evil heart of unbelief, their Messiah was perfect throughout … one of His titles that shows He is fit for it is the Faithful and True Witness (Rev. 1:5; Rev. 3:14).

Whoever else may have let the light of the testimony go out, it has never gone out for God, and it never will. "You are my witnesses, declares the LORD, and my servant whom I have chosen."

It was because of Him whom they rebelled against that they were so plundered. Because of Him they will also be delivered, pardoned, and blessed. For as He, Jehovah, is the only God, so is He just as much the sole Saviour... Before that day dawns, we already know the great salvation by His grace, which is still a secret to them. By that grace alone He can righteously deal with the guilty. Christ, the cross, is the only key.

Only He could speak as He did through Isaiah: "I am He," or "I am the same; before Me there was no God formed, neither shall there be after Me" (43:10)... None but the Eternal One could speak like this. When it pleased Him to do so, He could and would reveal Himself.

Idols are contrasted with Jehovah, but cannot for one moment be compared with the true God. Jehovah is the Maker; an idol has to be made. Once made, it does not carry others — it has to be carried. Set in its place, it cannot move, cannot answer the cry of need, and cannot save from trouble.

The unity of God is the foundation truth of the Old Testament. It was the central testimony for which the Jewish people were responsible, in a world everywhere else given over to idolatry. We must add that Jehovah, the God of Israel, was that one Jehovah — His proper name in relationship with His people on earth.

Israel was therefore left with Him alone for salvation. But then came a world-wide invitation: "Turn to Me and be saved, all the ends of the earth! For I am God, and there is no other" (Isa. 45:22). The world too is left with Him alone.

Many Old Testament passages addressed to Israel tie their salvation to God's own action on their behalf. They prove beyond doubt that He alone could save them... "I, I am the LORD, and besides Me there is no Saviour" (verse 11)... The name Jesus carries divine glory with it; it means Jehovah the Saviour. These great texts make it clear that none but God could be the Saviour... but of Jesus the angel said, "He will save His people from their sins." Then who else could He be but God?