A New Thing

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A New Thing

Isaiah 43:16-21

“This is what the LORD says--

he who made a way through the sea, a path through the mighty waters, 17 who drew out the chariots and horses, the army and reinforcements together, and they lay there, never to rise again, extinguished, snuffed out like a wick: 18 "Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. 19 See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland. 20 The wild animals honor me, the jackals and the owls, because I provide water in the desert and streams in the wasteland, to give drink to my people, my chosen, 21 the people I formed for myself that they may proclaim my praise.”

At the time this prophecy was given Isaiah and the other Jews were captives in Babylon. They were living under a set of circumstances that were difficult for them. They longed to be back in Jerusalem—their homeland. At that time such a dream seemed like an absolute impossibility.

Through Isaiah God is speaking a word of assurance and encouragement to His people.


First, look with me at

I. God’s Reference to the PAST.

          A.  He begins by reminding them of His past faithfulness.
                   1.  verses 16 & 17 “This is what the LORD says-- he who made a way                    through the sea, a path through the mighty waters, 17 who drew                           out the chariots and horses, the army and reinforcements together,                           and they lay there, never to rise again, extinguished, snuffed out                              like a wick:”
                   2. EXODUS 3:7 “The LORD said, "I have indeed seen the misery of                                my people in Egypt. I have heard them crying out because of their                              slave drivers, and I am concerned about their suffering.”

3. When God’s people are hurting God sees it and God feels it.                              Hebrews 4:15 tells us that Jesus is a High Priest who is touched                   with the feelings of our infirmities.

B.  But ironically, our text also tells us to forget about the past.

1. Isa 43:18 "Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past.”

2. It is a good thing to draw lessons from our past. We can learn from                   past experience.

3. It is a good thing to encourage ourselves in the faithfulness of God                    by remembering what He’s done for us.

4. But life is to be lived in the NOW! No matter how bad or how good         things were in the past that is not where we are now.

II. God’s Statement about the PRESENT.

          A.  Isa 43:19 “See, I am doing a new thing...”

1.     If we’re too focused on the past we have a hard time embracing the future.

2.     What new thing is God doing in the NOW? God is not limited to His past performance.

3.     He has all kinds of fresh, creative ways to bless His people.

4.     He is about to move upon a pagan king named Cyrus and bring His people back into the promise land.

          B.  In the second part of verse 19 God asks, “Now it springs up; do you not                    perceive it?”

                   1. Don’t miss that first word—now—not tomorrow—not someday—                             but right now it is beginning to bud forth.

2. You may not be able to see the full realization of it right now. But                      can you see that it is beginning to happen? “Do you not perceive                 it?”

3. May God make each and every one of us sensitive to what He is                        doing in the now. It is a sad thing when God is doing a new thing                 and people can’t perceive it. We can’t rejoice in it when we can’t                perceive it.

C.  What is God doing? Isa 43:19b-20 “I am making a way in the desert and                                  streams in the wasteland. 20 The wild animals honor me, the jackals                  and the owls, because I provide water in the desert and streams in the                 wasteland, to give drink to my people, my chosen”
                    1. He is making a way where there seems to be no way. He is doing                                     the impossible.

          2. Wastelands are wastelands because they have no streams. If you try        to cross the dessert you can die of thirst. There was no way these                     Babylonian captives could make their way to Jerusalem on their                   own.

          3. They felt like they were in an impossible situation. God says I can                     change your wasteland and make it a Garden of Eden. I can put                   rivers of water where there used to be only dust.

          4. Will you acknowledge that I can do that for you?

D.  Why would God put streams in the desert?

          1. To give drink to His people! It is always about His people.

          2. Yes the wild animals and jackals and owls benefit from what God is        doing. But they are not His primary objective.

          3. He has set His love on His people. And no good thing will He                   withhold from those who walk uprightly before Him.


E. There is an important result that comes out of all this. Verse 21 “the               people I formed for myself that they may proclaim my praise.”

          1. We don’t have to put the streams in the wasteland. We don’t have                     to make a way when there seems to be no way.

          2. God does all that for us. His heart rejoices in doing that for us.

          3. But when He does a new thing—when He steps in and works in our        behalf—there is something that we ought to do.

          4. We ought to give thanks to the Lord “for He is good and His mercy                   endures forever.”

          5. Ps 92:1-5 “It is a good thing to give thanks unto the LORD, and to                    sing praises unto thy name, O most High: 2 To shew forth thy                      lovingkindness in the morning, and thy faithfulness every night, 3               Upon an instrument of ten strings, and upon the psaltery; upon the                   harp with a solemn sound. 4 For thou, LORD, hast made me glad                   through thy work: I will triumph in the works of thy hands. 5 O                   LORD, how great are thy works! and thy thoughts are very deep.”

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