Bible Studies

The Activities of God In Behalf of His People

by Henry Jaegers
08/05/25
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Isaiah :Chapter 41

The Activities of God In Behalf of His People

https://drive.google.com/file/d/121jHVRPvsdtO1xQV2dA3z-wyU4t2rB0e/view?usp=sharing

The Call to Deliverance (Verse 1)

Keep silence before me, O islands; and let the people renew their strength: let them come near; then let them speak: let us come near together to judgment.

The call of God has come and none can withstand it. The people of God have paid the price for their disobedience. They have received double for their iniquity, and now God's call comes for their release. The words, Let us come near for judgment, is not a negative one. They have already experienced the judgment of their enemies. The call is to let them go so that they can find true justice from their God.

They are about to experience "God's New thing,” as they enter the next phase of God's plan for them.

God's Reminder of Past Deliverance’s (Verses 2 through 7)

Who raised up the righteous man from the east, called him to his foot, gave the nations before him, and made him rule over kings? he gave them as the dust to his sword and as driven stubble to his bow. He pursued them, and passed safely; even by the way that he had not gone with his feet. Who hath wrought and done it, calling the generations from the beginning? I the Lord, the first, and with the last; I am he. The isles saw it, and feared; the ends of the earth were afraid, drew near, and came. They helped every one his neighbor; and every one said to his brother, Be of good courage. So the carpenter encouraged the goldsmith, and he that smootheth with the hammer him that smote the anvil, saying, It is ready for the sodering: and he fastened it with nails, that it should not be moved.

As we consider the verses before us, it is important to understand them in the context of chapters 40 through 49. It is a promise of future deliverance.

In the verses under consideration, God has graciously placed before the people a history of past deliverances that occurred. He tells them from the past, the victories and blessings that will occur in times ahead. For a time, they must pass through the fires of affliction that is necessary for God to prepare them for a "New thing " that he has in mind.

They are reminded of the times past after facing trials, how it resulted in their coming together in harmony, assisting one another to arrive at a positive end.

But it is not history that God has in mind. It is a promise of future blessings that will come. In these verses, they are encouraged to remember, that God is planning for their deliverance. In expectation of that they are encouraged to maintain a sustaining Faith in anticipation of this promise. They are to be involved in helping and encouraging one another until that day arrives.

A Reminder of Their Privilege (Verses 8 through 10)

But thou, Israel, art my servant, Jacob whom I have chosen, the seed of Abraham my friend. Thou whom I have taken from the ends of the earth, and called thee from the chief men thereof, and said unto thee, Thou art my servant; I have chosen thee, and not cast thee away. Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.

Though for a moment, because of present affliction, they may feel like outcasts and forgotten by God, but God reminds them of how He sees them. That is one way that God has of pulling us out of our doledrums. He declares, that they are His servants. In this case means that they are His chosen possession. They are the promise given to Abraham and part of the covenant that He made with Him.

Now let us consider these words of hope and encouragement.

Fear thou not.

Not knowing the future, they may have fears of what lies ahead. That is not a new thing for them. But God tells them to fear not. It is because He gives reason for them to not fear. Anything that they need, will be provided for them. What they must provide is "Trust." That means to rest confidently in His promise because it cannot fail.

I am with thee.

He may be invisible but that does not mean that he is absent from us. We experience the reality of His presence when we experience his word coming true for us. Like answered prayer, or unusual victory over some temptation. And as we spend time in His word we experience his promise when our eyes are opened to new discoveries that were once hidden from our eyes.

I am thy God.

He is in control. He is God in control. And we can venture safely forward on the path that we are to take. Sometimes they may be open doors, and maybe more often, they may be closed doors. But He is the one who decides when, where, and how they are to be opened.

I will strengthen Thee

Remember the words in our previous chapter. "They that wait upon the Lord, shall renew their strength. It will be there when we need it. Sometimes it is born out of weakness. Sometimes it comes in a time of desperation, but it will be there in the manner and time when we need it the most.

I will help thee.

He is a friend that sticks closer than a brother. It will come sometimes while we are alone. But more often it comes from the encouragement and help of another. But it will be sent and come from Him.

I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.

I am reminded of that great verse in John 10: 28, and 29. "And I give unto them Eternal life, and they shall not perish. Neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. My father, who gave them to me, is greater than all, and no man is able to pluck them out of His hand. Along with placing a firm foundation for our faith to rest upon, He also sustains us. He keeps us on a straight path and keeps us focused on the journey ahead.

He not only upholds us by his righteousness, but he also implants His righteousness in us in order to bring forth fruit that glorifies God. What a wonderful God is He!

The destruction of their Enemies (Verses 11 through 14)

Behold, all they that were incensed against thee shall be ashamed and confounded: they shall be as nothing, and they that strive with thee shall perish. Thou shalt seek them, and shalt not find them, even them that contended with thee: they that war against thee shall be as nothing, and as a thing of naught. For I the Lord thy God will hold thy right hand, saying unto thee, Fear not; I will help thee. Fear not, thou worm Jacob, and ye men of Israel; I will help thee, saith the Lord, and thy redeemer, the Holy One of Israel.

Imagine the great armies arranged in the weapons of warfare, waxing proudly in their numbers and seeming strength as they form themselves against God. But do they not know, that their warfare is against God and His anointed?

Remember those words in Psalm 2 that tells us, "Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing? The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the Lord, and against his anointed, saying, let us break their bands asunder, and cast away their cords from us. He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh: the Lord shall have them in derision.

It has been this way before, as David himself tells us. It is a losing battle when it comes to war against God, but Satan never gives up trying, though he always comes out as the loser.

And before us, we find a repetition of failed pursuits. And God confirms the promise of his presence and power at work on behalf of His chosen ones.

It is God in charge of the battle and Satan's pawns are the losers.

The Promise of Victory (Verses 15 and 18)

Behold, I will make thee a new sharp threshing instrument having teeth: thou shalt thresh the mountains, and beat them small, and shalt make the hills as chaff. Thou shalt fan them, and the wind shall carry them away, and the whirlwind shall scatter them: and thou shalt rejoice in the Lord, and shalt glory in the Holy One of Israel.

We have a picture before us. God's people will be compared to a threshing instrument. Perhaps we might compare it to a modern-day combine that does many things. It cuts the grain and gathers it in. Then it sifts the gathered wheat and separates the grain from the chaff. Then it blows out the chaff so the wind is able to carry it away. And that is what God is promising what his people will be like, and what they can expect to happen to their enemies.

But for the people of God, this is what they can expect will be their lot: "and thou shalt rejoice in the Lord, and shalt glory in the Holy One of Israel."

Provision for their Survival. (Verses 17 through 20)

When the poor and needy seek water, and there is none, and their tongue faileth for thirst, I the Lord will hear them, I the God of Israel will not forsake them. I will open rivers in high places, and fountains in the midst of the valleys: I will make the wilderness a pool of water, and the dry land springs of water. I will plant in the wilderness the cedar, the shittah tree, and the myrtle, and the oil tree; I will set in the desert the fir tree, and the pine, and the box tree together: That they may see, and know, and consider, and understand together, that the hand of the Lord hath done this, and the Holy One of Israel hath created it.

The fear, after leaving captivity is real. Imagine being thrust out into miles of barren wilderness where only sand and dryness are apparent. It is a land that seems to have no future, but God promises water in places where none is evident. But His promise even exceeds that. There will be provision for trees and forests will provide for future growth.

But there is a definite spiritual application in these verses. To the soul bogged down with the dry places that this world causes, there is given to all a life-giving stream, that flows out of the presence of God. It is the living water promised to the Samaritan woman by Jesus. He promised her, "living water which she found when she embraced his presence and promises, leaving her empty waterpots. And she found instead, the water of life that brought true happiness into her life. As we drink that water each day, the desire for the pollution that the world provides will be replaced by something better.

The Call for a Prophet (Verses 21 through 23)

Produce your cause, saith the Lord; bring forth your strong reasons, saith the King of Jacob. Let them bring them forth, and shew us what shall happen: let them shew the former things, what they are, that we may consider them, and know the latter end of them; or declare us things for to come. Shew the things that are to come hereafter, that we may know that ye are gods: yea, do good, or do evil, that we may be dismayed, and behold it together.

The verses before us describe a need in the land for someone to declare a message of hope. Is there, not a prophet to declare to us what we are about to face and how to prepare ourselves?

The cry expresses the need in the heart of man to fill up that empty space. Then, we are reminded of a word from God that addresses that need. A word from the book of Proverbs gives further light on,what happens when there is no prophetical voice from God'. "Where there is no vision, the people perish: but he that keepeth the law, happy is he. (Proverbs 29: 18) The meaning behind that verse is, where there is no prophetical vision, the people cast off restraint, but whoever keeps the law, happy is he.

In the book of Judges, we have an example of a people who had no leadership. summarized in the words, "In those days, there was no king in Israel, and every man did that which was right in their own eyes. No king means no authority, and so word from God means having no foundation standards to live by

And before us a cry for a word from God. Everything is confusing and the need for God's spokesman is needed.

As God said to Isaiah, "Who will go for us, and whom shall I send? Is there someone who will say, "Here am I Lord, send me? And here we have before us the word from one who answered that call.

Finally, we find the New Testament counterpart, asking the probing question. " How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher? 15. And how shall they preach, except they be sent? Here is the question. What do they need, and what is necessary? Then God gives the answer of where true faith can be found. "So, then, Faith comes through hearing and hearing through the word of God."

The need is expressed and the means to meet that need is God. Is anyone listening?

The search for a deliverer. (Verses 24 through 29)

Behold, ye are of nothing, and your work of naught: an abomination is he that chooseth you. I have raised up one from the north, and he shall come: from the rising of the sun shall he call upon my name: and he shall come upon princes as upon mortar and as the potter treadeth clay. Who hath declared from the beginning, that we may know? and before time, that we may say, He is righteous? yea, there is none that showeth, yea, there is none that declareth, yea, there is none that heareth your words. The first shall say to Zion, Behold, behold them: and I will give to Jerusalem one that bringeth good tidings. For I beheld, and there was no man; even among them, and there was no counsellor, that, when I asked of them, could answer a word. Behold, they are all vanity; their works are nothing: their molten images are wind and confusion.

These are the concluding words in the chapter. The thought continues and the search is made for a righteous man to plead on their behalf. The land is full of idolatry and wickedness and can produce no righteous servant. That is the condition that brings forth the King of Babylon. He is declared by God as a servant appointed to accomplish God's purpose of Chastisement.

The closing words describe a confused people. There is a recollection from the past, of one coming from Zion, that will be a bearer of Good News. But that time has not come and what prevails is confusion.

Meanwhile, we await for a better time when the confusion will disappear and New light shall be given.