Isaiah 43

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 43:8-13

The great controversy. The challenge of Isaiah 41:1-29 . is renewed, and Jehovah's claims are contrasted with those of the false gods. I. ASSEMBLING OF THE NATIONS . Israel is first brought forth by the ministers of justice. The people were once blind and deaf, but now are in possession of their faculties. And then, over against this small company of the faithful, the vast host of the heathen appears. And the challenge is issued—What god of the nations can produce predictions... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 43:9

All the nations ; rather, all ye nations. Israel is a witness on the one hand, a multitude of nations on the other, recalling the contention of Elijah with the four hundred priests of Baal ( 1 Kings 18:22 ). The people; rather, the peoples. Who among them can declare this? i.e. which of them can show any prediction made by their gods comparable to the one contained in Isaiah 43:1 -77 And show us former things. "Exhibit the past history of the world in well-attested documents"... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 43:10

Ye are my witnesses , saith the Lord ; i.e. "Ye, Israel, are the witnesses that I cite"—ye can prove the antiquity of the historical books of Scripture by the ordinary modes by which antiquity is proved, and also the exact dates of the prophetical sues. Ye can show what clear and unambiguous prophecies have been delivered centuries before the event, as the destruction of Jerusalem by a nation in whom none can fail to recognize the Romans ( Deuteronomy 28:49-57 ), prophesied by Moses;... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 43:10

The witness of God's servants. "Ye are my witnesses." God summoned his people Israel to bear witness to him; he challenged them to come forward and testify that I. THOSE WHO ARE TO BEAR IT . We know who they are to whom God says," Ye are," etc. They are those who have themselves returned unto him in true penitence and faith. All others are unsuited by their character and their spirit (see Psalms 50:16 ; Psalms 51:12 , Psalms 51:13 ; Romans 2:21 ; Isaiah 52:11 ).... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 43:11

Beside me there is no saviour . None but God can save men. Man cannot make atonement for his fellows; "for it cost more to redeem their souls, so that he must let that alone for ever" ( Psalms 49:8 , Prayer-book Version). The human "saviours" whom God raises up to deliver his people out of the hand of their enemies ( 3:9 ; 2 Kings 13:5 ; Nehemiah 9:27 , etc.), are "saviours" in quite a secondary and inferior sense. read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 43:12

I have declared , etc. Translate, I announced , and delivered , add proclaimed ( the deliverance ), when there was no strange god among you ; i . e I did what the idol-gods cannot do—announced deliverance, and effected it, and further proclaimed (or published) it, at the time when you Israelites had no idolatry among you. The allusion is to the deliverance of Jerusalem from Sennacherib, which God announced by the mouth of Isaiah ( Isaiah 37:33-35 ), effected by the hand of... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 43:13

Yea, before the day was I am he . So the LXX ; Jerome, and Stier; but most moderns translate, "Yea, from this time forth I am he" (setup. Ezekiel 48:35 ). Kay, however, thinks that the translation of the Authorized Version may stand. Who shall let it? literally, as in Isaiah 14:27 , who shall turn it back ? i.e. "reverse it, undo it." Surely no one . read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 43:14

For your sake I have sent to Babylon . For Israel's sake God has already, in his counsels, sent to Babylon the instruments of his vengeance—Cyrus and his soldiers—and by their instrumentality has brought down all their nobles; or rather, has brought them all down ( to be fugitives (comp. Isaiah 15:5 ); and the Chaldeans ; or, even the Chaldeans. The Chaldeans are not in Isaiah, as in Daniel ( Daniel 2:2 ; Daniel 4:7 ; Daniel 5:7 ), a special class of Babylonians, but, as... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 43:14

God the Redeemer. Proof of the existence of God is not the proper subject of a revelation made to man in a book. The being of God is assumed by making a revelation in a book. The proper subject of a book-revelation is not God creating. That we might learn from the things created. Not God providing. That we could sufficiently understand by due observation of life. Not God ruling. That would be impressed upon us with ever-increasing force by the history of the ages as they accumulated.... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 43:14-21

A DECLARATION AGAINST BABYLON , AND A PROMISE OF ISRAEL 'S RESTORATION . Having wound up the preceding "controversy" with a reference to his own power to work great results ( Isaiah 43:13 ), Jehovah now brings forward two examples—the discomfiture of Babylon ( Isaiah 43:14 , Isaiah 43:15 ), and the recovery and restoration of Israel ( Isaiah 43:16-21 ), both of which he is about to accomplish. read more

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 43:8-13

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 43:9

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 43:10

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 43:10

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 43:11

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 43:12

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 43:13

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 43:14

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 43:14

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 43:14-21

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