I, even I, am he that blotteth out— In the 25th verse the prophet declares, in words truly evangelical, that the divine grace alone, freely forgiving transgressions and sins, is the cause of the blessings and benefits predicted and promised. He then urges, Isaiah 43:26 the conviction begun, Isaiah 43:22. He offers to the Jews in the name of God, the condition of publicly disputing before just judges, and at the same time of choosing that side of the argument which they should judge most favourable to them. Put me in remembrance of thy merits; let us plead together in judgment: do thou begin to plead, that thou mayest be justified: but when, unable to urge any thing, they were utterly silent, God himself brings his action against them, accuses them of revolt, and not them only, but their teachers, and the high-priest, the first of their teachers; for by thy first father in the 27th verse is meant the high-priest; particularly Urijah, who was high-priest in the time of Ahaz; (see 2 Kings 16:10-11.) the consequence of whose sins, he declares in the 28th verse, should be the severe sentence of the divine judgment, whereby they should be devoted as an accursed thing to destruction: Therefore I will profane the chiefs of the sanctuary, and give Jacob to Anathema, or the curse, &c. See Jeremiah 32:31-32 and Vitringa.
REFLECTIONS.—1st, The gracious prophesy contained in this chapter, in its primary sense probably respects the recovery of the Jews from their captivity in Babylon, but most eminently refers to the Gospel-days; when the church should, amidst all persecutions, rise great and glorious, and be increased with converts on every side.
1. God encourages them, from the most endearing views of his regard for them, and relation to them. But now, thus saith the Lord that created thee, O Jacob, created thee anew in Christ Jesus, and he that formed thee, O Israel, the spiritual and therefore peculiar work of his hands, fear not under any trials or discouragements; for I have redeemed thee by the blood and infinite merit of Jesus; I have called thee by thy name, called thee with power, and written my own name upon thy heart: thou art mine, in the most precious bonds of divine love.
2. He assures them of his constant support under every trial. However threatening, violent, or severe their sufferings, his presence and power shall both strengthen, comfort, and deliver them, so that they should receive not the least hurt or damage. Note; If God be for us, and with us, then in the midst of dangers we are safe; and even in the jaws of death can triumph.
3. He mentions the former instances of his care as the earnest of his present salvation of them. He calls himself their God, their Saviour from every foe. As of old he had destroyed Egypt for their sake, and done various other wondrous works, such should be still his regard towards them, that their enemies shall be all destroyed, because they were precious in his sight, through that Saviour in whom they were accepted, and honoured with the highest titles, the sons and daughters of the Lord Almighty, and as such beloved by him.
4. He promises a great increase of converts under the preaching of the Gospel. They need not fear, however diminished or brought low, for God is with them; and at his word, from the four quarters of the earth converts shall, as doves to their windows, flock into his church, being renewed by his Spirit, and fitted to shew forth his praise in all holy conversation and godliness. This may be applied particularly to the collecting of the Jews from their captivity, but seems more gloriously fulfilled in the conversion of the Gentiles by the preaching of the Gospel. Note; (1.) Every one called by Christ's name is bound to set forth his glory. (2.) The work of regeneration is God's own, wrought in the soul that believes in Christ; to GOD alone, therefore, must all the glory be given.
2nd, The worshippers of idols are called to appear and confront God's witnesses, if they dared maintain their wretched cause. God calls them the blind that have eyes, and the deaf that have ears, because, though they have the fashion of men, by such abominable idolatries they seem to have lost their reason and faculties. They cannot prove the divinity of their idols to justify their worship; they are the work of men's hands, and blinder and more impotent than their foolish votaries. But let God's witnesses appear, his Israel, and his servant, either the prophet Isaiah, or rather the Messiah, emphatically so called, chap. Isaiah 42:1 with all the preachers of the Gospel and all true believers, to prove his unrivalled godhead and glory; he alone was from eternity; the sole existent, self-existent God and Saviour; and besides him, there neither is nor can be any other. In proof of which, two arguments are urged, drawn from his prescience and his power. [1.] He hath declared things to come; his people's deliverance of old from Egypt, when as yet no strange God was among them, and now from Babylon, with numberless other things concerning the coming of the Messiah and his church; and surely none of the idols can pretend to such foreknowledge. [2.] He hath saved his people; from his hand, none can deliver; and when he works, none can let, whilst all the idols of the heathen are unprofitable and vain; unable in the least to assist or protect their worshippers. This they should observe to their conviction, and say, it is truth, acknowledging the folly of trusting to other gods, and giving the Lord alone the glory due unto his name.
3rdly, Great was the deliverance from Egypt, great the recovery from Babylon, but greater far the recovery of lost souls by Jesus Christ, whose redemption is here spoken of.
1. For the encouragement of his believing people, God calls himself their Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel, their Creator, their King. For though they seemed now cast off, their state dissolved, and their kingdom destroyed, yet God calleth the things that are not, as though they were, because he only speaks, and it is done.
2. He tells them what he intended to do for their sakes, which he speaks of as already accomplished; even to destroy the Babylonians, who fly in vain to their ships to escape; or, bound captives by the Medes and Persians, with bitter cries were transported far away.
3. He reminds them of what he had done for them, when, at the Red Sea, the chariots and horses of Pharaoh were utterly overthrown, and such would be the case of their present enemies; and as then he opened a path in the Red Sea for their passage, so would he, amidst all difficulties, bring them safe once more to their own land. Note; In our deepest affliction we should remember God's wonders of old time, and wait in faith for his salvation.
4. Yet greater things than these would he do for them: such miracles of grace as would obliterate, as it were, the remembrance of all that was past. Behold, I will do a new thing, which would astonish and surprise them, even the incarnation of Jesus Christ; now it shall spring forth as a branch in a short time; shall ye not know it, and thankfully receive this great Redeemer? In consequence of whose appearing, a wondrous change will be wrought in the world; the Gentile nations, before like a wilderness, impassable, uncultivated, and barren, shall be laid open for the Gospel, and become fruitful like a well-watered land. Men, whose tempers before were savage as the beasts, fierce as the dragons, and stupid as the owls, shall be renewed and turned to the worship and service of the true God; and, in this once desolate world of heathenism, there shall be a plentiful effusion of Gospel-grace, like the waters of a river, and God will own the Gentile converts as his people, formed by his Spirit for his glory, and called to shew forth his praise. Note; (1.) Man does not naturally differ more from the beasts, than man does from man, when divine grace hath changed his heart. (2.) Wherever the Gospel comes, powerful and blessed are its effects: the wilderness then becomes a fruitful field. (3.) All that is good in the hearts of men, is God's own work in believing souls, and designed for his own glory. (4.) It must be our labour, study, and prayer, to correspond with the divine intentions, and to shew forth his praise who hath called us out of darkness into his marvellous light.
4thly, The unworthiness of the sinner the more exalts and magnifies the glory and grace of the Saviour. We have,
1. A heavy charge brought against Israel. They had neglected prayer and the worship of God; yea, had counted his service wearisome, and wanted to be rid of it. Though dwelling in a land of plenty, they grudged the expence of God's temple, withheld their burnt-offerings and sacrifices, and prepared no sweet cane for the holy anointing oil and the sweet incense. Yet God had not caused them to serve with an offering, nor wearied them with incense, and did not exact from them difficult or burdensome services: the idolaters paid much greater honours and offered more expensive sacrifices to their false gods, than they were required to offer to the living Jehovah: whereas they not only neglected his worship, but openly violated his laws; till, weary with their iniquities, nothing seemed to await them but just and condign punishment.
2. A wondrous promise comes in. When we might have expected to hear, I, even I, am he that blotteth out their name from under heaven, God, in mercy transcendently glorious, declares, I, even I, am he that blotteth out thy transgressions for mine own sake, and will not remember thy sins. Note; (1.) Forgiveness of sin is the great glory of the Gospel; of all sin; and the vilest need not despair. (2.) It is an act of free and unmerited grace in God to forgive sin; the least sin is in its nature deadly, and nothing we can do could ever save us from eternal ruin, unless his rich mercy interposed to pardon us.
3. God commands his people to put him in remembrance, and plead his promises with him, that they may be justified. But others understand this as a reproof to the self-righteous, challenging them to produce the good works on which they depend for justification; the vanity of which would be manifested, and they reduced to seek the free pardon offered, or perish in their pride.
4. He reminds them that all their sufferings proceeded from their sins; to repent of which, his gracious promises were the greatest encouragement. Thy first father hath sinned, Adam, or their more immediate ancestors, or rather their high-priest, and thy teachers have transgressed against me; they who should have directed others, erred themselves, and led their brethren astray. In consequence of which, God had afflicted them, or would; for it seems spoken of their captivity in Babylon, or their last visitation by the Romans. Therefore I have profaned the princes of the sanctuary, the priests and Levites, and have given Jacob to the curse, and Israel to reproaches, under which they still lie, monuments of God's righteous judgments, till the Spirit shall be poured on them from on high; and at last they will return to him, from whom they have so greatly departed, and find that pardon and grace in Jesus which they have despised.