Isaiah 43:19, commentary and pictures

God promises to do a new thing now, opening a way through trackless waste and bringing rivers into dry land to give drink to His chosen people, with blessing so full that even the wild creatures share in it and honor Him. This abundance follows turning away from idols back to loyalty, when those who thirst for living water receive it freely. These words give assurance to believers in the latter days when His law is made void and His people are robbed and oppressed with no human deliverer, that what He has promised will surely be fulfilled and they should place themselves where they can receive it. The fulfillment comes as the message of mercy and salvation is carried to the waste places of the earth, making spiritual fountains spring up where all was barren. Therefore openings for His work are to be entered even where little help has been given, with willing obedient effort moving forward together with God rather than by human planning.

Context and Meaning

The promise stands within Isaiah 41-45, where God's purpose for His people is revealed very fully. That whole portion is to be studied prayerfully. Its direction is to look to God alone for wisdom, not to turn from His wisdom to look to finite men for wisdom.

God commands His people not to remember the former things, for He will do a new thing that shall now spring forth. He will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert to give drink to His people, His chosen. The water He provides reaches even the beasts of the field, the dragons and the owls, so that they honor Him for it. This opening of springs in the desert brings abundant blessing after the abandonment of idolatry and return to loyalty to God, giving living water to refresh those who thirst for the water of life.

Despite such free provision, Jacob has not called upon Him but has grown weary of Him. Offerings and honor have been withheld from Him, while He has been wearied with sins and iniquities. Yet He blots out transgressions for His own sake and will not remember sins.

Fulfillment in the Last Days

Isaiah 43:19 belongs to prophecies concerning God's people that are to be fulfilled in the last days. That time is when His law is made void and He manifests His grace to them. Then they are robbed and snared in holes, hidden in prison houses and made a prey, with no one to deliver and no one to say restore.

The chapter in which the promise stands is a chapter of promises giving assurance and encouragement to believers in the latter days. What the Lord has promised will certainly be fulfilled, so believers should take courage and place themselves where they can receive what God has promised. The doing of the new thing and the making of a way in the wilderness with rivers in the desert is fulfilled as the message of divine mercy and salvation reaches the waste places of the earth. There Christ offers the water of life freely to all, and as that invitation spreads, spiritual fountains and rivers are opened in barren places.

Application to God's Work

The Lord opens ways for His work to advance, even in places that have received little help, creating openings where people may hear the truth and accept it. That opening calls for means and labor to be divided among needy fields instead of being concentrated in a few favored places. In the same way He will make a way for the work in Oakland to go forward, and His messengers are to follow His leading rather than shaping their course by human planning.

Streams breaking out in the desert picture obedient love showing itself in willing effort in active service. Daily work done in that spirit proves that men and women are laborers together with God. Courage increases as they move forward in the task He places before them. The chapter also sets forth the life of one who keeps the mind open to God and faithfully cultivates the abilities and trusts committed to him, so that like a well-kept vineyard carried out into new ground, his work moves forward and bears fruit.