Restoration
Do not fear, for I have redeemed you . . .
Isaiah 43:1
Isaiah 43 is a great promise of God’s rescue and redemption of Israel, but it must be seen in the context of what precedes it. Notice Isaiah 42:25: “So [God] poured out on them His burning anger, the violence of war. It enveloped them in flames, yet they did not understand; it consumed them, but they did not take it to heart.” Though God had disciplined His people for their spiritual waywardness, His promised rescue is a reminder of His surpassing love for them, even though they had turned from Him.
The prophet Isaiah rebuked the people of Israel for their spiritual blindness and deafness (Isaiah 42:18–19), but then He proclaimed the hope of God’s deliverance and redemption: “Do not fear, for I have redeemed you” (43:1). He can do the same for us. Even after we have sinned, if we confess our sins and turn to God, He forgives and restores us (v 5–7; see1 John 1:9). We cannot bring beauty out of the mess, but the Lord Jesus can. The Good-News of the Gospel is that He has redeemed us by His blood. The book of Revelation assures us that in the end, Christ will dry our tears, redeem our past, and make all things new (Revelation 21:4–5).
We have a limited vision of our story. But God, who knows us “by name” (Isaiah 43:1), will make our lives more beautiful than we could ever imagine. If you have been redeemed by faith in Jesus Christ, your story, has a glorious ending.
Bible Reading
Isaiah 43:1-7.
Prayer
Dear Father, thank You for never giving up on me. I surrender to You and ask that You please redeem what I have ruined. In Christ's name. Amen.