He Knows My Name

 In Isaiah 43, we see how the identity of God’s people is totally dependent upon the identity of God Himself. We might expect an Old Testament prophecy to be filled with dire warnings of cataclysmic judgment, and Isaiah certainly contains that. However, the book also provides immense comfort throughout its sixty-six chapters. In chapter 43, God promises to bring His exiled people back home (vv. 5–6). Typically, a conquered nation would be absorbed into the culture of their victorious enemies. But God’s people are different—even when being judged. Despite their long history of rebellion against God, the exiles remained His chosen people. God can’t deny His own character, and He tells His people, “I, even I, am he who blots out your transgressions, for my own sake, and remembers your sins no more” (v. 25). The identity of God’s people is wrapped up in His character.

Tim Gustafson