Isaiah 44:21

This chiastic verse reiterates a theme from Deuteronomy, namely, remembering what God has revealed (cf. Deuteronomy 8:2; Deuteronomy 8:11; Deuteronomy 8:18; Deuteronomy 9:7). God called His people to remember the truths about Himself that this section of the book emphasizes: He is the only God who foretells and then creates history, and the idols of the nations are nothing. Bearing these truths in mind would enable Israel to fulfill her purpose in the world, namely, to be the Lord’s servant. The nation had not yet fulfilled that purpose, and the Lord would not forget her but would enable her to fulfill it. He would not cast her off.

"Within the immediate context the call to ’remember’ (21) forges a link with what has preceded: (i) the idolater has been busy ’fashioning’ (9-10, 12) his idol, but Israel has been ’fashioned’ (21; NIV made) by the Lord; (ii) the idolater is bound to his idol (18-20), but Israel is the Lord’s bondman (servant; 21); (iii) the idolater prayed pathetically Save me (17), but to Israel the Lord says I have redeemed you (22-23); (iv) the idolater bowed to a block of wood/’tree stump’ (bul ’es; 19), but now every tree (kol ’es) is summoned to rejoice in the Lord (23)." [Note: Motyer, p. 349.]