A New Thing – Isaiah 43:16-21

Can you see the covid-19 pandemic as a positive.  Apparently Israel does.  Hamas, the militant Islamic Palestinian nationalist movement in the West Bank and Gaza Strip that is dedicated to the establishment of an independent Islamic state in historical Palestine, has come to Israel asking for help dealing with the virus in exchange for Israeli prisoner releases.  Who would have guessed?  God is telling Israel through Isaiah that He is going to do something no one would have guessed.

Thus says the LORD, who makes a way in the sea, a path in the mighty waters, who brings forth chariot and horse, army and warrior; they lie down, they cannot rise, they are extinguished, quenched like a wick:  “Remember not the former things, nor consider the things of old.  Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it?  I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert.  The wild beasts will honor me, the jackals and the ostriches, for I give water in the wilderness, rivers in the desert, to give drink to my chosen people, the people whom I formed for myself that they might declare my praise.  (Isaiah 43:16-21 ESV)

God is the God of the impossible, impossible to us, that is.  He made a way through the sea for Israel to walk on dry land and escape the pursuing Egyptians.  He gave victory over impossible odds to His people in battle, like with Joshua, Gideon, Jehoshaphat and Hezekiah.

These amazing deliverances in Israel’s history were celebrated and rehearsed.  But they were in the past.  Now God says, through His prophet, that He is going to do a new thing, that is, bring a new deliverance.  This time He will make a way in the wilderness and produce water for them in a dry place.  He was going to bring them back from Babylon, where they would be exiled.  Once again God is calling out the future and the future includes deliverance.

When God does the improbable for us, when He delivers us in ways we could not have expected, He does so because He formed us for Himself.  He chose us, He set His affection upon us and we acknowledge that with praise.  We give Him the credit because it is obvious that we could not have rescued ourselves.  He does new things in our lives.  Look for Him to act.

Discussion Questions

1. What is the most miraculous thing God has done for you?
2. Have you wondered if God could or would ever do something like that again?
3. Why do you think we limit our expectations of God’s deliverances in our lives?
4. Is it possible God could bring a deliverance that we would not “perceive”?
5. Where do you need a deliverance right now?
6. Pray with each other for the deliverances you each need.