When You Pass Through the Waters, I Will Be With You | Isaiah 43:1-28

Show Notes

Episode 800: 
In this episode, we dive enthusiastically into Isaiah chapter 43. We provide context for the chapter, explaining that it was written during a time when Israel had rebelled against God and faced the consequences of their actions. However, this chapter is part of what is known as the "Book of Comfort," where God reassures His people that despite their failures, He is still with them and will redeem them.

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You're listening to The Bible Guys, a podcast where a couple of friends talk about the Bible in fun in practical ways. Hey, everybody, welcome to the Bible guys. Man. It's good to be back back from where from not being with them and since yesterday's. Episode, Oh, good to be back with you. With you today? Got it? That's correct, because we were with you yesterday. Okay, because because not only that, I've never left this table. Not only that, Yes, this is our eight hundredth time to be with them. What this is our eight hundred, eight hundred episode eight hundred. Wow a lot? Wow works. It's big budget, big budget episode. Special effects? Can we add in special effects? I'm over so I'm of them right now. It's just like exploding. Yeah. Well, and for those who listened audio wise, we should add like. We just did. We just gave them all kinds of firecrackers. Sounds awesome, well awesome. Well, hey, super big deal. It's such a big deal. Nobody even told me. And I didn't even know it's on the thing there. I know, I didn't observe eight hundredth episode, Chris. Wow, that's pretty cool man. Hopefully spend time well spent well. I mean, I'm hoping that people do appreciate it. And I'll be honest with you, you know, because we both have very busy. Lives, very busy lives, right, and. It seems like you more than me, especially when it comes to travel. I'm thinking to myself, the only thing that keeps me going of spending the time and doing these are the people who come up to me and tell me how much they appreciate it. So me too, me too. I love it. And it's weird. I mean, we go places that walk into restaurants people, are you one of the Bible guys? Right? They don't even go to Heritage Church or whatever. Yeah, so that happens little kids. We've had little kids. That happened to me in another city. I'm not kidding when somebody actually said, hey, aren't you that guy on the Bible Guys? And actually it happened to me in my friend You're already even Oh but anyway, in the other city, they said, aren't you the guy on that podcast of the Bible Guys? And I said, oh, I said, how long are you going to Heritage Church? And they said, what are you talking about? I was like, Holy Christmas. I was in Raleigh in an office building. Yeah, and I met a new employee at that place and I said, hey, I'm Jeff. He goes, Oh, I know you are watched the Bible, guys. Oh that's so fun. Is that funny? Yeah's great, So it's neat. Let me tell you this. Eight hundred episodes and we average about twenty five minutes apiece. That's twenty thousand minutes that we have. Really, how many hours is that? Divided by sixty is three hundred and thirty three and one third. Hours, three hundred and thirty three hours. It's three hundred and thirty three hours of the Bible. Guys. It seems like it should be longer than that. Does it? Well, it was twenty thousand minutes divided by three hundred three and three right, twenty five times eight hundred twenty thousand divided by sixty minutes. Okay, three hundred and thirty three. Hours, thirty three hours. I guess that is a lot. So just imagine. So divide that by twenty four hours, it's thirteen point eight. If you could listen NonStop for fourteen days, two weeks of the Bible, guys, you never went to NonStop twenty four hours a day. Wow, it's all the Bible guys, all the time, not that anybody would ever want to. Anyways, Hey, this is great. So what better segment to have yes on the eight hundredth episode Yes, than have it land on a Friday and have everybody's favorite segment be what made Chris Mad this week? Well, I gotta be honest, Jeff, I appreciate that intro, but I'm going on a limb, out on a limb today. Now. I also went out on a limb with Wesley and I and I actually did a little bit slightly different angle where I was sort of mad at myself. Oh yeah, is mad at myself for judging people? Judging people? Oh yeah, you're being judgmental. Yes, yes, so I'm I'm actually going out on a limb today, and I've and I made this decision not lightly okay, okay, But as as is tradition when we record five episodes in a row, when it comes time for what make Chris mad? What do I normally. Do you step out yes, to the restroom, Yes, and then you come back mad about something. Yeah, and I'll say, oh I remembered, yes, I remember, right, and usually how long does it take me? Like two seconds? Okay, not even not even I'm not done saying. What make Chris mad is go, oh, I know that's what you do. Okay, So here's the thing. I went to the restroom and I washed my hands and I and I sat there and thought and thought and thought, and then here's my decision. I am mad that I don't have anything that I'm mad about. You're losing your identity. You're not mad about anything that. Well, it's part of my job description to be mad, but I know because I mean I never asked for it. Yeah, it has become a part of my job description. And so but I cannot think of anything that I'm mad at. You're just content. So I am mad. Maybe I'm not fulfilling my job description. Maybe I'm mad at myself. Is becoming a good Christian accident? Is that what's happening? No, it's not. It's not no impact because I'm already a good Christian, although I am becoming more like him. Everybody becoming more like Jesus. But the point is I am mad at the fact that I could not come up with something. You know what, It actually made me mad. I was like, I'm like, I'm angry, I can't think of anything. Yeah, okay, well, hey it's been a particularly good week. Yes, so maybe by the next one. You know, whenever you have a good week, you know the next week is going to be a bad week. So so maybe maybe maybe next week you'll have like lots of things, a lot lots of things that make you mad. Well, I hope not. It's not always just flat and better right up into the right. So life just kind of highs and lows and hides and lows. So if you're coming off a high week and there's nothing to be mad about, thank God for it, celebrating and then just sort of saying you're going to go through the waters tomorrow. Wait a minute, who's to say that seasons have to run in weeks? Get they run in months? Well, I think we need them to run in weeks because we got five episodes of shooting next week. Okay, all right there there you go, right, so we need the Lord to just work it out to make me mad. Yeah, make you mad a couple of times? Can you please make Chris mad this? Yeah? Yeah, I'm not gonna pray it, but you just did. You brought it on yourself. Now. So so today we are reading in I've just lost it here. It's Isaiah chapter forty. Isaiah forty three. Yes, yeah, so let me give you some context on Isaiah forty three. What's the transition, Jeff I just said. When you go through the waters next week? Is that why you said it? Yea, yeah, yeah, that's why you said it. Go through the waters. Yeah. Yeah, Hey, guess who else went through the water. Yes, Chris did. Actually Isaiah didn't do it. He's actually telling us. He's telling them when you go through it, when. You go through the water. Yeah, so there's a promise when you go through the water screen. Yes, that's correct. So let me give you some context on this. Israel has rebelled against God. Isaiah was written, what my shocked face was it seven hundred years before Jesus yep, seven hundred years and they had rebelled against God. God warned them and warned them and warned them, and then finally the Babylonians just come and wipe them out. So it's a problem, and they're frustrated and they're upset, they're they're i think frustrated with God, mad at God, and then they start coming to this realization, we did this to ourselves, right, We've we've ruined our lives. We've done so many bad things, and they begin to turn back to God and start pleading to God for help. And so in the first chunks, the Book of Isaiah's broken into multiple books. So the Bible historians, the Bible the theologians would say that from chapter forty to chapter fifty five is what's called the Book of Comfort. So God says, listen, yes, you rebelled against me. Yes, I had to send judgment, but that judgment is not going to last forever. The consequences aren't gonna last forever. And I will comfort you, and I'm going to come back to you. So verse four, chapter forty two is him reminding them again, Hey boy, you guys ran off the rails, and of course consequences came. You're free to make your choices, You're not free to choose the consequences. Consequences came. Hopefully correction is coming along with that, that you're redirecting your life. But then he picks up in chapter forty three, I think I want to read the whole chapter. Chris. At first, I was just gonna read a few days. But yeah, let me do it because there's so many good ones. Yeah, he says, but now, oh, Jacob, Jacob is Israel right, they're the children of Jacob. But now, oh Jacob, listen to the Lord who created you, Oh Israel, the one who formed you, says, do not be afraid. How many times we read that this week? Do not be afraid? Well, it's the number one promise in the Bible. Do not be afraid for us. I have ransomed you, I have called you by name. You are mine, boy, talking about personal right. When you go through the deep waters, I will be with you. When you go through rivers of difficulty, you will not drown. When you walk through the fire of oppression, you will not be burned up. The flames will not consume you. For I am the Lord, your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior. I gave Egypt as a ransom for your freedom. I gave Ethiopia and see, but in your place, others were given in exchange for you. I traded their lives for yours. Because you are precious to me. You are honored, and I love you. Do not be afraid, for I am with you. I will gather you and your children from east and west. I will say to the north and south, Bring my sons and daughters back to Israel from the distant corners of the earth. For all who claim ME as their God, for I have made them for my glory. It was I who created them. Bring out the people who have eyes but are blind, who have ears but are deaf. Gather the nations together, assemble the peoples of the world. Which of their idols has ever foretold such things? Which can predict what will happen tomorrow? Where are the witnesses of such predictions who can verify that they spoke the truth? But you are my witnesses, O Israel, says the Lord. You are my servant. You have been chosen to know me, believe in me, and understand that I alone am God. There is no other God. There never has been and there never will be. Ah. Yes, I am the Lord, and there is no other savior. First I predicted your rescue, and then I saved you and proclaimed it to the world. No foreign god has ever done this. You are the witnesses that I am the only God, says the Lord. From eternity to eternity, I am God. No one can snatch anyone out of my hand. No one can undo what I have done. This is what the Lord says, you, Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel, for your sakes, I will send an army against Babylon, forcing the Babylonians to flee in those ships they are so proud of. I love that phrase. I am the Lord, your Holy One, Israel's creator and King. And I am the Lord who opened the way through the waters, making a dry path through the sea. I called forth the mighty army of Egypt, with all its charots and horses. I drew them beneath the waves, and they drowned, their lives, snuffed out like a smoldering candlewick. But forget all that. It is nothing compared to what I Am going to do. For I'm about to do something new. See I've already begun, Do you not see it. I will make a pathway through the wilderness, and I will create rivers in the dry wasteland. The wild animals and the fields will thank me. The jackals and the owls too, for giving them water in the desert. Yes, I will make rivers in the dry wasteland so my chosen people can be refreshed. I have made Israel for myself, and they will someday honor me before the whole Lord. But dear family of Jacob, you refuse to ask for my help. You've grown tired of me, Oh Israel. You've not brought me sheep or goats for burnt offerings. You've not honored me with sacrifices. Or I have not burdened and wearied you with requests for grain offerings and Frankinson's. You've not brought me fragrant calamus or pleased me with the fat from sacrifices. Indeed, you've burdened me with your sins and weired me with your faults. I yes, I alone will blot out your sins for my own sake and will never think of them again. Let us review the situation together, and you can present your case to prove your innocence. From the very beginning, your first ancestor sinned against me. All your leaders broke my laws, and that's why I've disgraced your priests, and I've decreed complete destruction for Jacob and shame for Israel. And then he goes on. But listen to me now, Jacob, my servant Israel, my chosen one. The Lord who made you and helps you says, do not be afraid. Right. Isn't that a great chapter? It's great. I love everything about that chapter. Dude. One, God's just kind of showing out just a little bit. Yeah, well, I mean, show me a single idol that ever's done what I've done? Yes, right, I love it. From eternity to eternity. Yeah. Well, that's the best phrase in the chapter by far right, From eternity to eternity. I am God, I am I mean that is incredible. Yeah, no one can undo what I have done. Show me any single. One he has haunting false gods. Yes, and then declaring listen, I'm gonna do this, and he says he's doing it for his own sake. By the way, too, it's not just theirs. It's the same thing. It reminds me of the same thing when he talked to job. Yeah, and he's like, who told who told the ocean where to stop against the shore? Right? Tell tell me tell me who made who made yea? Yea? Yeah? What did he say? Who made the stars in the sky? Who made the deaf and the dumb? Who made all those things? Right? I the Lord, that's what he says. And it's just it's just one of those uh, you know things where Paul Paul says, Hey, it's almost like a self brag. Remember Paul in the New Testament. He goes, Hey, guys, listen, if anybody has caused a brag, I do. I'm not going to, but let me list all my credentials. Let me tell you. Let me take twenty two verses to tell you all the amazing things I've done. It's like a brag. Hey, just let you know. It's I just saw Guardians of the Galaxy three, and and as I was watching it, dragts you know, the big diraction. He goes, I'm extraordinarily humble. That's what he said. Extraordinarily is what he said. It's hilarious. So so I love these passages because this whole chunk of Isaiah there's a lot of judgment. There's a lot. Even in here he's referencing the fact, Hey, you're going through it now, but I've already begun to rescue you. Right, So he is in from chapter forty to chapter fifty five, he's beginning to really recognize that they're suffering, and he's stepping in to provide comfort there. But it's interesting the comfort that he's offering them is the God you're serving is so great. He can do anything. You should have everything else. It doesn't matter what else is happening. Finances collapsing around you, your career is struggling, your kids are causing a little bit of trouble, you're struggling in your marriage. It doesn't matter what the calamity is. You have a god who is stronger and capable. Not only that, he's paying attention and he's intervening for your behalf and for his own right, and he can and he cares. He's watching, he knows what's happening, and he's actively working. And then he says, let me remind you, remember that day you're being chased by the Egyptians, and so you know, all I did was just split the seat. Remember that day. Well, I'm going to do even something greater for you. I wiped out your enemies on that day. But watch this, He almost literally says, you ain't seen nothing yet, right? Is that what he says? Well, behold, I'm about to do something new. See it's already begun. Do you not see it? Yeah? So yeah, he's definitely saying something's coming. Right, well, he says, it's forget all that, it's nothing compared to what I'm going to do especial, he says in verse eighteen, go right, he says, so watch this right. And so if you're in the middle of a calamity, if you feel like you're in the deep waters, if you feel like it's you're about to drown, like in verse two one, he says, I'm holding you up. You will not drown, right. He says, if you feel like you're going through the fire, you will not be burned up. I'll be with you again. Yeah, I'm carrying you. I will walk through you with you. But it's not just I'm going to help you get through this. It's also watch what I do next? Right, This is the promise in chapter forty three is watch what I do next? Now. I know this chapter for all the theologians out there, you're going to say, oh, he wrote this to Israel. He did. He wrote this to the people of God. And so the principles apply to all the people of God. Because God, that's right, and he never changes. He's the same, yesterday, today, and forever. As we read he never changes, and so the principle applies to all the people of God, even though the events apply to the Israel. That's right. And so the principles are, when you're going through the fire, God will go with you. Actually, like what we said in Deuteronomy, right, bro, we said, well, you take a promise that was given to the children of Israel because it's about God. Multiple times in the New Testament says the old things were written for our example. Right, So we can take the principles. And what I can know is this, the fire I'm going through now is only going to make me stronger. It's only going to make me better. And He's going to go through the fire with me, just like he did with Shadder. At me, shack and have beendigo. The water makes me feel it makes me feel like I'm going to drown today. It's just gonna make me cleaner. I'm going to be better on the other side of this. And then God says, now watch what I'm gonna do. You've never seen nothing like I'm about to do in your life. So all the things that we're going through today, it's making us stronger, it's making us cleaner, it's making us holier. It's making us more like Jesus. And then he says, man, if you'll let me carry you through these things, you've never seen what I'm about to do. And I think that's that's one of the most exciting promises for God that I think is in the whole Bible. Yeah. Yeah, And so again this is a different context, same promise, different contexts. So you know, I'll be with you, you know, in your money don't don't don't love money and be content. That was Monday. I'll be with you and on your evangelism journey as you as you make disciples and put yourself at risk and you feel like it's you know, and it's a it's a big task. Just know I'm with you every step of the way. Authority has been given to me. What was the other ones, I'll be with you and. Do it around me. When you're getting ready to go into battle. Yeah, when you're getting ready to go to battle, do not be afraid. And then and this one's slightly. Different, when you're being drowned by life. Yes, he's saying, in the worst of times, right, and you know, by the way, I don't. Want to get the at the doctor's office, when your kids are struggling, when you feel like your schedule is unbearable. It's those moments when you feel like you're drowning. That's what this passage is talking about. I'm with you. So I don't often do this. In fact, we don't often do this, but I'm going to cross reference and I'm going to read the first eleven verses of this chapter because this Psalm seventy seven is one of my favorite chapters in all of the scriptures because it talks about it. Which you don't say very often. I'd say it every time. This is one of my favorites. Yeah, yeah, yeah, I don't say it very much. Is very significant, well, because I say what I mean. Jeff, yeah, and so and so the yeah, so the thing is all It stands out to me because, first of all, the Psalmist is isn't afraid to say things about God. Sometimes we're like we're afraid to yell at God or say say God, I'm angry with you. But God is not afraid of any of those things. Right, and so the Psalmist literally expresses grief. And then there's a turn right and and the turn is so wonderful that it means so much to me. So the first verses say this, I cry out to God, Yes, I shout, oh, that God would listen to me. When I was in deep trouble, I searched for the Lord all night long. I prayed with hands lifted toward heaven, and my soul was not comforted. Man he ever been there? Right? I mean? Are? These are some pretty desperate times. I think of God and I moan, and I'm overwhelmed with longing for his help. And then he talks to God directly, you don't let me sleep. I'm too distressed even to pray. I think of the good old days, longs since ended, when my nights were filled with joyful songs. That's how long it's been since this guy's been happy. I searched my soul and pondered the difference now, and then he asked pretty deep questions. Has the Lord rejected me forever? Will he never again be kind to me? These are huge questions. Is his unfailing love gone forever? And they're ready for this one? Who? This is the biggest one? Has have his promises permanently failed? Has God forgotten to be gracious? He has slammed the door on his compassion. And then he says in verse ten, and I said, this is his conclusion, This is my fate. The most High has turned his hand against me. Now that is come on, that is some of the most raw right. It is directly to God. But I love the turn. It's so significant. And he says in verse number eleven, But then I recall all you have done, Oh Lord, I remember your wonderful deeds of long ago. They are constantly in my thoughts. I cannot stop thinking about your mighty works. And then he goes on about who God is, not just what he's done. Oh God, your ways are holy, and then he asks another great question, is there any God as mighty as you? And by the way, that verse made me think of this chapter, is there any God as mighty as you? You were, the God of great wonders. You demonstrate your awesome power among the nations. By your strong arm. You redeemed your people, the descendants of Jacob and Joseph. And I love this. When the Red sea saw you, Oh God, it's waters looked and trembled. The sea quaked to its very depths. The clouds poured down rain, and the thunder rambled in the sky, your arrows of lightning flash, your thunder roared from the whirlwind in the lightning lit up the world. The earth trembled and shook, and you you roared. Your road led through the sea, your pathway through the mighty waters, a pathway that no one even knew was there, and you led your people along that road like the flock of sheep with Moses and Aaron as a shepherd's So he's just he's going back and saying, I know what God has done, and I know who God is, and that's going to take away the depths of every deep thing that I'm feeling right now. I'm going to lean always showed up for me in the past, Just show up for me in this one. I'm trusting God's future uncertainties based on God's faithfulness in the past. Yeah. Well, then it comes down to, you know, and he's struggling there over sin, over feeling rejected. I'm not am I not worthy? It's God forgetting me right all these things. And I think that's a real struggle for people that yes, I know God makes those promises, but you don't know what I done. You don't know how bad I've been This entire book of Isaiah is about that. That's what it's about. The first verse. The first chapters were Judgment's coming people, right, Then judgment comes, and then you get to this point where God's comforting, going, listen, it's over, it's coming to an end. I haven't forgotten you. And then he spends fifteen chapters comforting them. But even in this passage, he goes, you know, instead, you've burned me with your sins and wearied me with your faults. So God acknowledges sin. God's honest. God's not just forgetting our mistakes. He's not just all pooh, pooh pooh, you know, oh it's just a little How often do we just want to say it was a mistake, as opposed to just admitting God, what I do is a horrific sin against both you and your words, right, acknowledging that. And that's what David does here in Psalms is he's acknowledged God, what I did was against you. Another passage he says it's against you and you alone. Because David knows God doesn't wink at our sins, right, right. And so God's not doing it. Instead, You've burned me with your sins and weirded me with your faults. So God's admitting that, But the very next verse says, I, yes, I alone will blot out your sins. Blot out. That's an eraser. A blotter is an eraser. Right, I will completely erase your sins. And he says, for my own sake, right, and I will never think of them again. Right. So God's not just saying, listen, it was just a little mistake. God says, it was an offense. It's why this judgment came. But listen, for my own sake, I'm not going to keep focusing. My love for you overrides all the rest of this justice has been served. I am going to forgive you. Not only am I going to forgive you, I'm going to erase it, and I will never think of it again. So if, by the. Way, there's a promise that we I know don't often think about. He says, for my own sake, I'm going to do it, and I'm never gonna think about it again. Right, I'm never gonna gonna bring it back. I will never think of them again. And so he promis us there's a great note here. He says, how tempted it is to remind someone of a past offense. But when God forgives our sins, he totally forgets them. We never have to fear that he will remind us of them later. Because God forgives us, we need to forgive others, and so we never have to be afraid that God's going to bring up something He's already forgiven. If you have a conscious issue and it keeps coming back after you've confessed to God, after you've truly repented, after you've walked away from that, if it keeps coming back to you, it's not from God. God's not piling. That's a devil thing, right, And now you need God to show up in a powerful way rebuke the devil. The Bible says, resist the devil and he will flee from you. Well, how do you resist the devil the way Jesus did using God's words. This is why we spend time in God's promises, is then we can use God's words against the devil. If you're constant feeling guilty about the past, that's the devil bringing that up, right, Because God says, I forgave you, and I'm never even think it again. And it's not just for you. It's not so you feel better, but that's a benefits. I'm sick of being mad at you. I will never think of this again. And here's what I know about that promise. I know when I'm mad at my wife and then I say I'll never think of it again. Maybe I think of it again, Maybe I do. But what I know here is the Bible says God always keeps all of his promises. We've already read that this week multiple times. He never breaks his promise. So if he says I'll never think of it again, he never does. It never comes to mind again. If you confess it. You remember that old song what sin are you talking about? Remember that you go keep coming confessing your sin, and God's like, what sin are you talking about? I already forgave that. I don't know what you're talking about. So we obsess about it, but he doesn't. And so if we can let it go, we wind up walking in freedom. There. So yeah, and there's a and there's a little uh tidbit that can be attached to it. If God's already forgiven you, you need to forgive yourself, right, So hey, And that's a that's a big mouthful but hey, that is our time for sure, so thanks for joining us and uh hopefully we'll see you next time on the Bible. Guys,