Isaiah 43:22-28

d. TO BE PERFECTED

TEXT: Isaiah 43:22-28

22

Yet thou hast not called upon me, O Jacob; but thou hast been weary of me, O Israel.

23

Thou hast not brought me of thy sheep for burnt-offerings; neither hast thou honored me with thy sacrifices. I have not burdened thee with offerings, nor wearied thee with frankincense.

24

Thou hast bought me no sweet cane with money, neither hast thou filled me with the fat of thy sacrifices; but thou hast burdened me with thy sins, thou hast wearied me with thine iniquities.

25

I, even I, am he that blotteth out thy transgressions for mine own sake; and I will not remember thy sins.

26

Put me in remembrance; let us plead together: set thou forth thy cause, that thou mayest be justified.

27

Thy first father sinned, and thy teachers have transgressed against me.

28

Therefore I will profane the princes of the sanctuary; and I will make Jacob a curse, and Israel a reviling.

QUERIES

a.

Did the people of Israel consider God's offerings a burden?

b.

What is the sweet cane they should have bought?

c.

How are they to put God in remembrance?

PARAPHRASE

In spite of all My graciousness in calling you to the honored place of servant of the living God, you have not honored that call by seeking after Me, O Jacob. As a matter of record, you have said, We-'re tired of Jehovah, and of doing things His way! All the offerings of sheep and all the other sacrifices you have brought are not really because you love Me, but are dedicated to your own self-righteousness. The offerings and sacrifices I commanded in My law were intended to give you a way to express your joy for My grace and goodness to you, never did I think they would be considered insufferable by you. You never did anything special for Me like buying expensive sweet cane to make the sacred incense and anointing oil. You did not drench My altar with the choicest fat of your sacrifices. But you have gone out of your way to load Me down with your insults and rebellions. I am sick and tired of your disobedience. When I blot out your transgressions and forget your sins, it will be for My own sake and out of gracenot from any perfect goodness on your part. Remember who I am. I am God and you receive forgiveness on My termsnot yours. If you think you can justify yourself without My grace, then plead your case! The father of your nation was a sinner, and all those who have been sent to teach you not to sin have sinned. Because of this continual increase in rebellion and sin I will take Israel and her spiritual leaders and profane them in a pagan land. There they will be like outlaws and mocked as fugitives.

COMMENTS

Isaiah 43:22-24 To PRAISE: Israel was called to praise and exalt the name of Jehovah by worshipping Him and keeping His commandments. By worship and obedience to Jehovah's Law, Israel would thus call upon Him in faith and show her dependence on His grace. However, Israel did not call upon Him. Israel did not obey Jehovah's Law. Israel considered the Law of Jehovah insufferable, restrictive, boring, and she tired of its discipline, (cf. Isaiah 7:13; Jeremiah 9:5; Micah 6:3; Habakkuk 3:2; Malachi 2:17, etc.). Israel tired of God as lustful men tire of their wives (Jeremiah 3:19-20; Hosea 1:2; Ezekiel 16:1 f). The word of the Lord became to Israel an object of scorn (Jeremiah 6:10; Jeremiah 6:16). To be sure, Israel had trampled God's courts with multitudes of sacrifices and offerings (Isaiah 1:10-17). But, the prophet speaks with sarcasm. Israel was not really bringing all those sacrifices to honor Jehovah. They were doing it to honor themselves. They were more than willing to bring ten thousand offerings as a substitute for putting to practice the Law of God in personal godliness (Micah 6:6-8). They were willing to earn religious merit from sacrifices as long as the Holy One of Israel did not demand moral holiness from them. It was not the number of offerings that burdened the Israelites, it was the moral strings attached to a humble relationship of faith and obedience to a Holy God that wearied Israel. The astonishing thing is Jehovah's law was always a refreshing, regenerating, pleasurable experience every time Israel obeyed itindividually and nationally (cf. Psalms 119, etc.). Jehovah intended only blessing in His Law (Deuteronomy 28:1 f). History proved it!

The sweet cane (Heb. kaneh) of Isaiah 43:24 was probably the scented calamus (reed) or some kind of aromatic bark. It was an ingredient of the holy oil (Exodus 30:23); imported from a distance (Jeremiah 6:20; Ezekiel 27:19) and was thus rare and costly. Its sweetness refers to the scent, not the taste. Another Hebrew word in this verse is significant (kaniytha) because it is from the same root as the word translated sweet cane but means bought or purchased. There appears to be a definite play upon words here emphasizing the preciousness of the offering of cane. Reviythaniy is translated filled in the same verse but literally means moisten, satiate, or drench. The point of this verse is simply this: the people of Israel had not really extended themselves in giving offerings of quality or quantity. They probably skimped on their offerings much the same as their descendants did after the return from the captivity (cf. Malachi 1:6-14; Malachi 3:6-12, etc.). On the contrary, Israel had gone out of its way to load Jehovah down with its insulting rebellion. The word burdened in this verse is from the Hebrew root -'avad meaning servile labor. The guiltiness of Israel pressed upon The Holy One of Israel, as a burden does upon a servant. The other word, wearied, is from the Hebrew root vaga-' which means literally, fatigued or exhausted. Instead of Israel fulfilling its calling to praise Jehovah, it was a pain to Him. But the Lord is going to create for Himself an Israel (a new Israel, ruled by His new David) that will fulfill its calling of praise. And He is beginning the work with the prophets and the captivity (cf. Isaiah 43:19).

Isaiah 43:25-28 To PARDON: Jehovah is going to perfect (bring to fruition or completion) from the Israel of Isaiah's day, a pardoned Israel. There is a very interesting three-fold repetition of the personal pronoun I, I, I am, in the Hebrew construction of Isaiah 43:25, translated I, even I, am he. It means emphatically that Jehovah alone is responsible for any blotting (makhah, taking away even down to the very core or marrow) out of transgressions. Jehovah does it exclusively from His own graciousness, for His own name's sake. He does it because of Who He Isnot from any merit of man's person. The rest of the context indicates this is the emphasis. Jehovah wills to pardon man and Jehovah accomplishes man's pardon by His work and Jehovah decrees the terms of acceptance. Man is left free to accept or reject the divinely procured pardon according to man's willingness to obey the divinely decreed terms. One thing is certain; standing before the tribunal of God, no man can claim self-justification. Jehovah warns Israel to remember Who He Is! He knows their sins (cf. Amos 5:12; Amos 5:8; Ezekiel 8:12; Ezekiel 9:9, etc.). The first father of Israel, Abraham, called father of the faithful and friend of God, sinned. All the teachers (prophets, priests and kings) of Israel sinned (Isaiah 53:6; Psalms 14:2-3; Psalms 53:3)all have sinned. Therefore, Jehovah would have to take away Israel's priests (because they were leading Israel to sin) into captivity. Israel's access to God through its priesthood and its sanctuary would be suspended until she repented. Jacob (Israel) was to be made a curse (kherem in Hebrew, literally, devoted or banned, or outlawed). Israel was to suffer the ban of God and become an outlaw (read Deut. ch. Isaiah 28:15 f), and instead of being respected by vile pagan nations, Israel would be reviled. God called her from the beginning to show forth His wonderful grace and forgiveness through covenant relationship, but she rejected His covenant and His grace. Now she must be allured back to pardon in a new covenant relationship, but through trouble (see our comments, Minor Prophets, Hosea 2:14-15, College Press). Israel's pardon will be perfected when she brings forth her Messiah, but she must be prepared for that by chastening.

QUIZ

1.

How did Israel express its weariness of Jehovah?

2.

Why did God say He had not wearied them with offerings?

3.

How did Israel burden God?

4.

Why call Israel to remember Jehovah?

5.

What perfection is Jehovah calling Israel to in this section?

6.

What curse was placed upon Israel?