‘Then he remembered the days of old; Moses, his people.'
But each time, after He had acted as their enemy, Yahweh had reminded Himself of Moses, and of His people. And each time He had then acted in mercy. So now, Isaiah pleads, let Him do the same again.
“Where is he who brought them up out of the sea,
With the shepherds of his flock?
Where is he who put in the midst of them,
His holy spirit?
Who caused his glorious arm to go,
At the right hand of Moses?
Who divided the water before them,
To make himself an everlasting name?
Who led them through the depths?
As a horse in the wilderness,
They did not stumble.
As the cattle that go down into the valley,
The spirit of Yahweh caused them to rest,
So did you lead your people,
To make yourself a glorious name.
Isaiah seeks by a number of questions to remind God of all the times when He had previously remembered Moses and His people, and of all that He had done for them, and how, having regularly been grieved and turned to be their enemy, He had remembered and had again acted on their behalf. His plea is that God might continue to so act, that He will not desert the people for whom He has done so much.
He asks where is the One Who, by means of Moses and Aaron, the shepherds of His flock (Psalms 77:19-20; Micah 6:4), had brought them up out of the depths of the Reed Sea before it overflowed and destroyed the Egyptians.
He asks, where is the One Who had put His holy Spirit in the midst of them. ‘Put His holy Spirit in the midst of them' may refer to the Spirit Who fell on the elders of the people (Numbers 11:17; Numbers 11:25), who would gather at the tent of Meeting in the midst of the people. Or it may have in mind the glory of Yahweh revealed in the Tabernacle and delivering His verdicts actively through the Urim and Thummim.
He asks Who was it Who had ‘caused his glorious arm to go at the right hand of Moses.' As Moses went forward, both in Egypt and then in the wilderness, he was ever conscious of Yahweh's ‘glorious arm' at his right hand, ever there to assist and uphold him. Who was it then Who had been so faithful to Moses?
He asks Who was it Who ‘divided the water before them to make himself an everlasting name, and to lead them through the depths.' The order of events suggests that this refers to the dividing of the Jordan, although others refer it to the Reed Sea. The incident of the dividing of the Reed Sea, and the deliverance of Israel from its depths while Egypt was destroyed, was never forgotten. It was an event seen as having everlasting importance and that would be remembered for ever. But equally so was the dividing of the Jordan, for by it entry was obtained into the land of their inheritance.
He then points out how God had led them, ‘like a horse in the wilderness (open spaces)', so that they did not stumble. Not only did He divide the waters, but He led Israel safely, fleet and surefooted as a horse in the open country.
He stresses how ‘as the cattle that go down into the valley, the spirit of Yahweh caused them to rest'. When they arrived in Canaan, it was He Who had caused them to be able to rest and graze like cattle loosed into a fertile valley, quiet and content, granted such rest because of the Spirit of Yahweh at work as their protecting herdsman. Canaan is seen as being like a lush valley where the Spirit's activity gave them rest (see especially Exodus 33:14; Deuteronomy 3:20; Deuteronomy 12:9-10; Deuteronomy 25:19; Joshua 1:13; Joshua 21:44; Joshua 23:1).
The reference has in mind how after the harvest the herders would bring their animals down from the grazing on the hills to the stubble in the lush valleys.
He asks the questions so that he can answer them. ‘So did you lead your people, to make yourself a glorious name.' This sums up what he has described. Did not Yahweh remember how in it all He had graciously led His people all the way from Egypt to settlement in Canaan making a glorious name for Himself? Israel was to be His glory (Isaiah 46:13). Will He now risk losing that Name? So now let Him consider and act similarly again.