Charles Spurgeon Commentary Isaiah 43:2

"When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned, neither shall the flame kindle upon thee." — Isaiah 43:2 (ASV)

When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee;

His presence is all that we need even in the deepest floods of tribulation; this he has promised to us. He does not say what he will do for us, but he does tell us that he will be with us, and that is more than enough to meet all our necessities.

And through the rivers, they shall not overflow you: when you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon you.

That is a wonderful picture of a man walking through the fire and yet not being burned; but there was a greater wonder, seen by Moses, which may well comfort us. He saw a bush that burned with fire and yet was not consumed.

Now, a bush in the desert is usually so dry that, at the first application of fire, it flames, glows, and is quickly gone; yet you and I, who are, spiritually, just as dry and combustible as that bush was naturally, may burn, and burn, and burn, yet we shall not be consumed, because the God, who was in the bush, is also with us and in us.

When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee.

The Lord does not promise us immunity from trial and trouble; we will have to go through waters and rivers, and will have to pass through fires and flames. It is through much tribulation that we must enter the kingdom of God. But he does promise that no harm will come to us from it all. We know that all things work together for good to them that love God; — that waters, rivers, fires, and flames bring us benefits and blessings, and that none of them will bring a curse upon us.

When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee;

The godly have the best company in the worst places in which their lot is cast.

And through the rivers, they shall not overflow you:

The godly have special help in their times of deepest trouble.

When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned;

The godly are the subjects of miracles of mercy in seasons of greatest distress.

neither shall the flame kindle upon you.

You shall come out of the furnace as the three holy children did, with not so much as the smell of fire on you; for, where God is, all is safe: you shall not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon you.

When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee.

"When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee." The godly have the best company in the worst places in which their lot is cast. God's presence is all that we need, even in the deepest floods of tribulation; this he has promised to us.

He does not say what he will do for us, but he does tell us that he will be with us, and that is more than enough to meet all our necessities. "When thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee." That is a wonderful picture of a man walking through the fire, and yet not being burned; but there was a greater wonder, that was seen by Moses, which may well comfort us.

He saw a bush that burned with fire, and yet was not consumed. Now a bush, in the desert, is usually so dry that, at the first application of fire, it flames, and glows, and is speedily gone. Yet you and I, who are, spiritually, just as dry and combustible as that bush was naturally, may burn, and burn, and burn, and yet we shall not be consumed, because the God, who was in the bush, is also with us, and in us.

"Neither shall the flame kindle upon thee." You shall come out of the furnace as the three holy children did, with not so much as the smell of fire upon you; for, where God is, all is safe.