Isaiah 44:21-23 – God always remembers us

Having shown the folly of idolatry, God turned to console His people in Isaiah 44:21-23. He reminded Israel, His people, of who they were to Him and told them what He would do for them. God’s purpose was to cause them to turn and trust Him instead of pandering to their fear.

He began by reminding Israel that they as a nation was His servant, and He would not forget them. And neither should they forget who their God was. God would not forget Israel, and neither will He forget us, whom He has adopted as His sons and daughters in Christ. What a comforting thought! This was how David felt when He thought of the numerous times He was on God’s mind. So in Psalm 139 verse 17 and the first part of verse 18, he said, “How precious also are Your thoughts for me, God! How vast is the sum of them! Were I to count them, they would outnumber the sand….” What a blessing it is to know that God thinks about His people all the time. He never forgets us. We are ever before His watching eyes.

In Isaiah 44:22, God then went on to promise that He would wipe out their sins and wrongdoings and remove them like a thick cloud. The usage of the cloud illustration serves to demonstrate how magnanimous and forgiving God would be to them. Their sins might be as thick and dark as the cloud in the sky on a stormy day, yet instantly when the wind begins to blow, they will dissipate and vanish. Like what the wind would do to the thick, dark clouds, God promised to do the same for them. No matter how much they had wronged and sinned against Him, He would wipe them out and restore them. How magnanimous and forgiving is the LORD! In the last part of verse 22, God then urged His unfaithful people to return to Him. He was so ready to blot out their transgressions and to forgive them. They should seize the opportunity and return to serve Him.    

With so great a redemption, it calls for a celebration. Heaven, earth, and all created things were summoned and enjoined to rejoice and celebrate. With such gracious and glorious acts of God, how could one sit still and not celebrate? Such a gracious act of God to an undeserving people certainly should elicit a glorious commemoration. What a wonderful thought to know that God will not forget us! He will not forget who we are to Him in Christ and neither will He forget our prayers nor our works. Wouldn’t that be enough reason for us to want to trust and pray more fervently, and then serve Him more diligently? We surely must!