Make Your Case
Isaiah 43 is titled “Israel’s Only Savior”, fitting to paint the picture of the situation: Israel refused to worship God, instead they burdened Him with unreasonable sin. If Israel was to be delivered it would be because of God’s grace and not because of Israel’s response to God’s promises. Rather than responding in humility, His people had grown weary of Him - treating Him as a servant instead of their Master.
In verse 22, God speaks straight to His people: “Yet you did not call upon me, O Jacob; but you have been weary of me, O Israel!” In spite of the goodness of God toward them, Israel or Jacob, had not properly responded to Him, so God reproves His people for ignoring Him. To call upon His name encompasses all of our worship to God, the central part of which is seeking the Lord. The people of Israel had forgotten God even in their worship – they had quit seeking His face – those who neglect to call upon God, are weary of Him.
The list of problems continues in verse 23 “You have not brought me your sheep for burnt offerings, or honored me with your sacrifices. I have not burdened you with offerings, or wearied you with frankincense.” Burnt sacrifices required offering up a valuable animal because one recognized his shortcomings and sin against God. It involved God’s forgiveness through the blood on the altar, and Israel had not brought God these sacrifices.
According to verse 24, Israel was also unwilling to go the extra mile and use their hard-earned money for special offerings: “You have not bought me sweet cane with money, or satisfied me with the fat of your sacrifices. But you have burdened me with your sins; you have wearied me with your iniquities.” Our giving to the Lord should include more than handing Him a tip on Sunday from money that is left over when the bills are paid. It should include acts of devotion that cost us some extra effort.
Verse 25 is a gamechanger: “I, I am he who blots out your transgressions for my own sake, and I will not remember your sins.” Even though their worship was so lacking and their sin was so excessive, the God of grace and mercy covered it all. Israel needed a reminder of who God really was and what He alone could do. Why? For my own sake! Nothing Israel had done or could do could qualify them for this kind of forgiveness, and nothing they had done could disqualify them for it either. God forgives for who He is, and when He forgives our sin, He totally forgets them. We never need to fear He will bring it them up again later.
In verse 26, Israel has been challenged, “Put me in remembrance; let us argue together; set forth your case, that you may be proved right.” For if Israel does not want to confess their sin and receive His grace then they must think themselves right. God challenges Israel to come to court and argue the matter with Him. The leaders of Israel thought they had done everything God had commanded. They thought God was being unfair. What was unfair was His grace.
The case of Israel may look a lot like us, but fortunately, we have the same God! Our salvation and deliverance come from a God of grace and mercy. It was so then, and it is so now.