Isaiah 43:22-28 – The call to total surrender

These verses demonstrate the magnanimity of God. The people of Israel had never been worthy of what He had done for them. God had not only been faithful but also merciful toward them and had delivered them though they did not deserve it. The graciousness of  God toward them was not in response to their prayer, for He could tell that they had long been tired of Him.

How did God conclude that way? Verses 23-24 described the way the people of Israel had treated Him. From their conduct, God concluded that they were weary of Him. They did not bring the sacrifices the way that He had required of them. Neither did they show any honor due to Him. Though God could have, yet He did not slavishly burden or impose on them in the sacrifices and offering of incense they presented to Him. They did not bring God any sweet offering on their own accord nor a satisfying sacrifice, but instead brought to Him their sin and wrongdoings to burden and weary Him.  

 

Even though they had not been deserving, yet God assured them that He would blot out their transgression. The graciousness of God is shown in how emphatic He made His assurance in verse 25. God did it not because they deserved it but for His own sake. He demonstrated His magnanimity in allowing His mercy and forgiveness to flow so generously. He assured His people that He would remember their sin no more. God did all these to truly reveal Himself.

 

How God dealt with them was needful. He did not unjustly allow them to undergo their destruction and shame. In verse 26, He offered them the opportunity to vindicate themselves. On His side, God pointed to the sin of their forefathers. Their history had shown how their spokesmen, either priests, prophets, or kings, had all rebelled against Him. Hence, what they had gone through and would go through, whether destruction or shame in captivity, had a justifiable cause.   

From a passage like this, the magnanimity of God cannot be missed. Though the people He so sacrificially loved had spurned His love, yet He relentlessly pursues them with His love. He continuously stretches out His arm of forgiveness to make them return to Him. Only the magnanimous God has the capability to be so generous. Aren’t we glad that He has made us His people? Now on our part, we must not take His goodness for granted. We must love Him with all our heart, our mind, our soul, and our strength. So with all that we are, we offer ourselves to God 100 percent. Anything short of a 100 percent surrender would be an inappropriate response. Let us not grow weary of God but instead give our all to Him.