John Calvin Commentary Isaiah 43

And now thus saith Jehovah. It is hard to say whether this is a different discourse or the same as the previous one, for the Prophets, whose writings have reached us, did not separate their discourses into distinct chapters, so that we can know what they spoke each day. Personally, I think it is probable that this doctrine is connected with the preceding one; for, having previously spoken severely against the Jews and threatened them with destruction, he wished to moderate that severity. The Lord always cares for the godly, and wickedness never abounds to such an extent that he does not at the same time preserve his people and provide for their safety, so that they are not involved in similar destruction. I think, therefore, that the copulative ו (vau) should be viewed as disjunctive: "And yet the Lord will leave some consolation to the godly who will remain."

This passage should be carefully observed; for, although it may appear as if all had banded together for our destruction, although the anger of the Lord burns fiercely, and we think that we are very close to destruction, yet, if only two or three godly persons are left, we should not despair; for Jehovah addresses them in this manner: Fear not. The adverb Now, which is used here, has great weight, for it means a present or immediate calamity and, in short, a time when it seemed as if all was lost and ruined. Because at that very time God does not cease to comfort his people and gently to soothe their sorrows, so that amidst the utmost despair they may preserve their hope firm and unshaken.

Such is the meaning of the preface, thy Creator and Maker; for otherwise the door would have been closed to the fulfillment of these predictions. Besides, from other passages we may conclude that the Lord does not here speak of universal creation, such as we share with the rest of humanity and by which we are born mortal, but of regeneration to the hope of a heavenly life, because of which we are also called new creatures. This is the sense in which Paul calls us the workmanship of God (Ephesians 2:10), as we have fully explained on previous occasions. In this sense also he calls himself the Maker; as if he had said that God did not “make” his Church, in which the brightness of his glory shone conspicuously, in order to undo so excellent a work. Therefore, we should observe that the Church has nothing that is properly her own, but everything in which she excels should be ascribed to the gift of God.

For I have redeemed thee. This is added as the reason for the previous statement and can appropriately be viewed as referring both to the future and to the past, for the first deliverance from Egypt gave hope of another deliverance to come. Although he describes a future deliverance from the Babylonian captivity, yet the past tense is not inapplicable; for God has redeemed us to himself before the effect of redemption reaches us. Therefore, when he wishes to testify what he has decreed—namely, to redeem his Church, which seemed to have perished—he properly uses the past tense.

I have called thee by thy name. Here, to “call by one’s name” means to admit into a close relationship, as when we are adopted by God to be his children. The reason for this expression is that God rejects the reprobate in such a manner that he appears to have forgotten them.

Hence, also, the Scripture says that he knoweth them not (Matthew 7:23; Luke 13:27). From such a contrast, we learn more fully what is meant by being “called by God.” It is when he passes by others and is pleased to bestow on us a special honor, and, from being strangers, makes us members of his household, and then takes us under his care and guardianship, so as to direct us and all our affairs.

For the same reason he adds, Thou art mine, so that believers may know that a Church will always be left among the elect people, because God refuses to be deprived of his rightful possession. In short, he declares that they are his dear inheritance, of which he will never allow himself to be robbed.

When thou shalt pass through the waters. This is an anticipation by which he declares that those who rely on God’s immediate assistance have no reason for sinking under adversity. That is stated more fully than in the preceding verse, because while he shows that the Church will not be exempt from calamities and afflictions, but must maintain a constant warfare, he encourages patience and courage; as if he had said, “The Lord has not redeemed you that you might enjoy pleasures and luxuries, or that you might abandon yourself to ease and indolence, but rather that you should be prepared for enduring every kind of evil.”

By fire and water he means every kind of misery to which we are liable in this life, for we must contend not with calamities of one kind only, but with infinitely diversified calamities. At one time we must pass through waters and at another through fire (Psalms 66:12). In like manner, the Apostle James exhorts believers not to faint when they fall into various temptations (James 1:2).

Indeed, faith needs to be put to the trial in many ways, for it often happens that he who has been victorious in one combat is baffled by another kind of temptation. We are therefore tried by afflictions, but are eventually delivered; we are baffled by the billows, but are not swallowed up; we are even scorched by the flames, but are not consumed. We have, indeed, the same feeling of pain as other people, but we are supported by the grace of God, and fortified by the spirit of patience, that we may not faint; and eventually he will stretch out his hand and lift us up on high.

For I am Jehovah your God. He confirms the preceding statement by the experience of the past, for the Lord had previously assisted his people in such a way that it was reasonable and proper that believers should safely rely on his grace. We must always remember what we had in the previous verse: Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I am your Lord. These ought to be read together and in immediate connection, because they have the same object; for if the Lord is our God, it follows that he is on our side, and therefore we shall find that he is our Savior.

But if we wish to know by experience that he is our Savior, we must be a part of Israel, not in name only, but giving true evidence of godliness throughout our lives. This, therefore, is the foundation of our confidence: that Jehovah is our God. And thus it follows that those who do not acknowledge God to be their Father, and who do not rely on his kindness, are wretched and tremble continually.

Wicked men, indeed, indulge in merriment and even act disdainfully towards God; but their indifference is intoxication and madness of mind, by which they are more rapidly carried headlong to their destruction. To believers alone this brings the assurance that he who has chosen them wishes to be continually their God and to preserve them, and therefore has separated them to be his inheritance.

In this sense he calls himself The Holy One of Israel, because while the whole human race is by nature estranged from him, he has chosen his people to set them apart to be his own.

Now, although external separation is of little importance unless God sanctifies the elect by the power of his Spirit, yet because Israel had openly polluted himself, God declares that his covenant will still not be made void, because he is always like himself.

Besides, it is well known that the word holy is used in an active sense for him who sanctifies. Therefore, if we wish to be certain of God’s love towards us, let us always remember the testimony of our adoption, through which we are confirmed in our hearts as by a sure pledge, and let us earnestly ask it from God.

I have given the price of your redemption. I make no remarks on those repetitions which are frequently used by the Prophet and are customary in the Hebrew language; for the two phrases in this verse, I have given the price, and I have given instead of you, are used by him in the same sense.

We have said that the Prophet confirms believers by presenting earlier proofs of the grace of God, as if he had said: You have already known by experience that God cares for your salvation. For how else could Sennacherib have turned his forces against Egypt, Ethiopia, and other nations, unless the Lord spared you and directed the attack of your enemy elsewhere?

Since, therefore, he has until now shown such great concern for you, you do not need to be anxious about the future.

Thus, if at any time doubts arise in our minds about the providence of God or about his promises, we should recall the benefits which he has already bestowed upon us. For we will be guilty of extreme ingratitude if, after having received so many benefits from God, we doubt his kindness for the future.

But a question arises: In what sense does he call Egypt and Ethiopia the price of the redemption of the Church? For pagans do not have such high value as to redeem the children of God.

But the Prophet borrowed this way of speaking from the ordinary language of men, as if he had said: The Egyptians, the Ethiopians, and the Sabeans came in your place and, as if an exchange had been made, were compelled to suffer the destruction to which you were exposed. For, in order to preserve you, I destroyed them and delivered them instead of you into the hand of the enemy.

But we must attend to the history. While Sennacherib was advancing with all his might against Judea, the Lord, by placing a bridle on him, suddenly checked him and entangled him by other wars, so that he was forced to withdraw his army. Thus the Egyptians and Ethiopians were decisively defeated, while the people of God were allowed to breathe (2 Kings 19:28; Isaiah 37:8).

We too may readily acknowledge, if we are not worse than stupid, that the same providence and infinite mercy of God have been shown to us. This happens when tyrants who wished to destroy us, and who joined in opening their mouths with eagerness to devour us, are caused by him to engage in wars against each other, and when the rage with which they burned against us is directed by him elsewhere. For by doing so he preserves us, giving them as the price of our redemption.

When we see irreligious men, amidst the uproar and confusion of mutual wars, pause in their efforts to destroy us, while it is evident that they do not pause on their own, let us lift up our eyes to heaven and learn that God, in order to spare us, miraculously substitutes others in our place. For we were like sheep appointed for slaughter (Psalms 44:22); swords were drawn on every side, if he had not snatched them from the hands of wicked men or given them a different direction.

Therefore, we should draw a general doctrine: that the Lord takes such care of all believers (1 Peter 5:7) that he values them more highly than the whole world.

Although, therefore, we are of no value, yet let us rejoice in this: that the Lord values us so highly, prefers us to the whole world, rescues us from dangers, and thus preserves us in the midst of death.

If everything were at peace with us, and if we had no troubles, we should not see this grace of God. For when a thousand deaths seem to hang over us, when there seems to be no way of escape, and when he suddenly drives back the tyrants or turns them in another direction, we then know by experience what the Prophet says and perceive his immeasurable kindness toward us.

Because you were precious. Others interpret it, “You were honorable, because I raised you to honor;” but I think that God assigns the reason why he gave up Egypt and Ethiopia to the enemies in their place. It was because he loved them, and because they were dear to him.

It should be explained this way: “Because I loved you, therefore I gave a man for you.” By these words he excludes all personal worth on the part of the people, so that they may not boast of having obtained anything by their own merit. Indeed, the cause of salvation, and of all the blessings which we receive, is the undeserved love of God; it is also the cause of all our excellence, for if he judges us according to our own qualifications, he will not value us a straw.

We must therefore set aside every idea of merit, or of personal worth, of which we have none, and must ascribe everything to the grace of God alone. He means that this love is not of an ordinary kind when he says that we are “precious;” and for the same reason he calls us his first-born (Exodus 4:22) and his friends (John 15:15).

I will give a man. Here he adds nothing new, but rather explains the preceding statement, and employs the word “man” collectively for “men;” as if he had said, “There will be no man whom God will not take away and destroy, in order to preserve his people; for he sets a higher value on a single believer than on the whole world.” At the same time he reminds believers that they are redeemed at the expense of those who do not at all differ from them in origin or in nature.

Fear not. When Isaiah frequently repeats this exhortation, we should not consider it superfluous, for we know and feel how prone we are by nature to distrust. Scarcely any words can express the greatness of the alarm that shook the Church at that time.

As soon as we begin to doubt the promises of God, our minds are distracted by various thoughts. We are alarmed and continually tormented by the greatness and diversity of dangers, until finally we are stupefied and have no perception of the grace of God.

Accordingly, before despair seizes our hearts, he so frequently repeats with good reason, I am with thee, so that he may either destroy altogether or partially mitigate the fear seated in our hearts; for when it has taken root, there is no method of curing it.

This should also lead us to remark that we should not place our safety in anything other than the presence of God; for if he is absent, we will either shudder with fear, become stupid, or run headlong like drunkards. And yet it is not God’s will that we should be so devoid of fear as to give ourselves up to laziness and indifference; but when we are informed that he is near and will assist us, cheerful confidence should be victorious in the midst of fears.

I will bring thy seed from the east. This passage is evidently taken from the writings of Moses, as we said at the beginning of this commentary: the prophets are his interpreters and draw their doctrine from his books. Therefore, the Prophet applies this passage to the particular event he had in view in the present discourse. Moses had foretold as follows:

The Lord thy God will turn thy captivity, and will have compassion on thee, and will turn and gather thee out of all the nations into which thy God hath scattered thee. Even if thou shalt be driven to the utmost parts of heaven, thence will thy God gather thee, and thence will he take thee (Deuteronomy 30:3–4).

What Moses spoke in general terms, the Prophet here confirms in a particular instance, and again declares with a slight change of words.

The meaning is that it is as difficult to gather a people who are not only scattered but driven to the most distant countries of the world, as it is to gather ashes that have been scattered here and there; but God, by his wonderful power, will cause those dislocated members to unite again into one body.