Isaiah 44

In chapter 43 God said he would announce two things and then do them to prove that he was the only true God. He was going to:

1) Bring Israel back from captivity

2) Forgive their sins

Israel then would be called on to be witnesses of these events as proof of Yhwh’s deity.
These prophecies where written down and then later historically fulfilled.

Now in chapter 44 the focus switches from the emphasis of the Babylonian return to a distant future day when Israel’s sins would be removed and they would receive the Spirit.

These verses are speaking of a future day after the return from exile and into the church age and the millennium.

44:1-2

God’s continued love for Israel.

Jacob and Israel was left to be scorned since they rejected God’s grace at the end of chapter 43:28.

Now they are told that they are loved and God will help them.

Israel is told not to fear. The reason for their fear is because of the rejection they have experience from God for their sins. Due to captivity (and other hardships) and their sins they could get the feeling that they are totally rejected by God.

“Jeshurun” is a poetic name for Israel often translated “upright one”

• It indicates a personal relationship with Yhwh.
• The etymology is unclear but seems to come from the root “ysr” which speaks of “straightness or uprightness.”
• It is also used in
• Deuteronomy 32:15 – “Jeshurun grew fat and kicked; filled with food, he became heavy and sleek. He abandoned the God who made him and rejected the Rock his Savior.”
• Deuteronomy 33:5 – “He (Yhwh) was king over Jeshurun when the leaders of the people assembled, along with the tribes of Israel.”
• Deuteronomy 33:26 – “There is no one like the God of Jeshurun, who rides on the heavens to help you an don the clouds in his majesty.”

44:3

God will pour out his Spirit on future Israel

44:4

These descendents that have the Spirit will be abundant like grass and trees by the stream

Abraham was promised many descendents like the sand and the stars but the nation is handed over to destruction in verse 43:28. How will this work? Has the promise reached a dead end?

The answer is that God will have to intervene and send his Spirit to revive, empower and guide Abraham’s descendents. When that happens they will prosper and be number like the sand and stars.

The dry ground of verse 44:3 will be like the dry bones of Ezekiel 37.

Water in a dry land is a theme through out the book:

12:3; 30:25; 32:2, 15; 33:21; 35:6; 41:18; 43:20; 51:3; 55:1; 66:12

Often the water in a dry place speaks of the Babylonian return.

Here it speaks of a spiritual life being restored.

This spiritual awakening is also spoke of in Ezekiel 36:26-28 and Joel 2:12-14

This event began on the day of Pentecost in Acts 2.

This occurred to the Jews on that day to begin the church age.

Jesus spoke of this in

• John 7:37 where Jesus connects drinking water and receiving the Spirit.
• Luke 24:49 where Jesus says he will send them what the Father had promised
• Acts 1:4 and then, like he did in Isaiah, tells them they can now be his witnesses

There is a greater fulfillment of this coming, yet.

44:5

These future people will be proud to be named with Israel and will call themselves by Israeli names.

Soldier, slaves, priest would at times write the names of their commanders, masters or deity on their hands in the ancient world. At this time many will be so committed that they will write on themselves an identification with God.

44:6-8

Israel (those with the Spirit) will be witnesses)

God has formed Israel, foretold the future of world events through Israel, and even today we study history of these fulfilled events or we watch them take place.

Israel did not need to fear as they participated in the events that God said would take place.

We also do not need to fear circumstances of life because God is using them to demonstrate is glory through us.

2 Corinthians 2:14-17; 3:6-9; 3:12, 13, 18; 4:1-13

4:13 says, “I believe therefore I have spoken” and begins the claim to be a witness to God’s resurrection power.

Read Psalm 116:7-11

1 Corinthians 4:9 – “apostles on display at the end of the procession . . . made a spectacle to the whole universe, to angels as well as to men.”

Ephesians 3:10-11 – “now, through the church, the manifold wisdom of God should be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms, according to his eternal purpose. . .”

44:9-20

Idols have no witnesses

44:10-11

Idols with human origins

44:12

Idols originators are frail and so are their ideas.

44:13

The idols philosophy, wisdom and theology is of human origin.

44:14

There must be a greater force if the tree was produced.

This idea or philosophy can not be the source of wisdom.

There must be something more behind it.

Idol’s philosophies are shallow and incomplete

44:15-18

Idol’s philosophies are so incomplete that the worshippers do not even stop to realize that they themselves take some of the same material (the ideas and philosophies) and throw them away.

The idol worshipper rejects some of their philosophies ideas and keeps the ones they want.

44:19

Idols worshippers do not take time or have the reasoning abilities to ask themselves, “Half of the ideas I reject but the other half I worship? How can this make sense?”

44:20

Romans 1 - leaves him without the ability to reason and say: “this is a lie!”

44:21-23

Remember the promise of redemption

44:24-28

Begins a section that actually goes from 44:24 up to 47:15.

It details the