Charles Spurgeon Commentary Isaiah 43

But now thus saith the LORD that created thee, O Jacob, and he that formed thee, O Israel, Fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou art mine.

Observe the tender ties that bind our God to his people: creation, the formation of them for his praise; redemption, the purchase of them for himself; and the calling of them by their name. The Lord remembers the bonds which unite us to himself even when we forget them; he recollects his eternal love, and all the deeds of mercy that have flowed from it.

Though our memory is treacherous, and our faith is feeble, yet he abideth faithful: he cannot deny himself; blessed be his holy name!

But now thus says the Lord that created you, O Jacob, and he that formed you, O Israel, fear not: for I have redeemed you, I have called you by your name; you are mine.

"Fear not," is a command of God; and is a command which brings its own power of performance with it. God, who created and formed us, says to us, "Fear not," and a secret whisper is heard in the heart by which that heart is so comforted that fear is driven away.

"Fear not: for I have redeemed you." That is a good reason why we should never fear again; redemption is a well of consolation, and the redeemed of the Lord have nothing whatever to fear.

But now thus saith the LORD that created thee, O Jacob, and he that formed thee, O Israel, Fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou art mine.

Fear not, is a command of God, and is a command which brings its own power of performance with it. God, who created and formed us, says to us, Fear not, and a secret whisper is heard in the heart by which that heart is so comforted that fear is driven away. Observe the tender ties that bind our God to his people: creation, the formation of them for his praise, redemption, the purchase of them for himself, and the calling of them by their name.

The Lord remembers the bonds which unite us to himself even when we forget them; he recollects his eternal love, and all the deeds of mercy that have flowed from it. Though our memory is treacherous, and our faith is feeble, yet he abideth faithful: he cannot deny himself; blessed be his holy name!

But now thus saith the LORD that created thee, O Jacob, and he that formed thee, O Israel,

The Lord reminds us that he first created us, and that he afterwards molded us; we are like Jacob by nature, but he has made us Israel by grace.

Fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou art mine.

Redemption is a deep well of comfort. If the Lord has indeed bought us with his blood, he will not think lightly of us; and if he has called us by name, and declared that we belong to him, we may rest assured that he will not lose his own property, but that he will preserve it to the end.

But now thus saith the LORD that created thee, O Jacob, and he that formed thee, O Israel, Fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou art mine.

I cannot pause to comment upon each of the precious sentences here, but every word is full of marrow and fatness. Ask the Lord to enable you to feed upon each sentence as it passes before your mind.