Isaiah 43:4, commentary and pictures

God counts His people as precious and honoured in His sight because He loves them, and He pledges Himself as their deliverer to redeem, preserve and rescue them, even giving other peoples in exchange for their life so that those who trust Him will not be overwhelmed in trial.
The speaker is Christ Himself, the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel and Saviour, the Creator and King, the eternal I AM before whom no other god was formed and beside whom there is no saviour.
He has redeemed them, called them by name and claimed them as His own, promising to be with them through waters, rivers and fire so they are not overflowed or burned, and to gather His sons and daughters from far whom He created for His glory.
These words are spoken directly and personally to each soul weary with suffering and sin, in affliction and even on the brink of the grave, as assurance of individual worth, divine love and redeeming care to give courage and comfort.
It is a prophecy for God's chosen people to be fulfilled in the last days when His law is made void, when He who loves with an everlasting love will draw them with loving-kindness and mercy though He hid His face for a moment because of sin.

Setting and Speaker

Isaiah 43:4 belongs to Isaiah 41-45, where God very fully reveals His purpose for His people. That portion is to be prayerfully studied as His instruction to seek wisdom from Him rather than to turn away from Him and from His wisdom to rely on finite people and finite man for wisdom.

The speaker is Christ as the Lord thy God, the Holy One of Israel, thy Saviour, the Creator of Israel and King. He declares Himself the I AM, the eternal presence to whom past, present and future are alike. He is the One Isaiah saw as Wonderful, Counselor, the mighty God, the everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace, before whom no God was formed and after whom none shall be, beside whom there is no saviour. He is God, and before the day was He is He, whom none can hinder and out of whose hand none can deliver.

The verse stands with His declaration that He has redeemed His people, called them by name and claimed them as His own, having created Jacob and formed Israel. He will be with them when they pass through waters and rivers so they do not overflow them, and through fire so it does not burn them. He will command north and south to give up His sons and daughters from far and from the ends of the earth, every one called by His name, whom He has created and formed and made for His glory.

The chapter is associated with God calling His people to earnest repentance and giving strength to His people. In that setting the verse upholds trusting the Lord alone rather than relying on people.

Love and Deliverance Promised

God regards His people as precious and honorable in His sight and loves them, and because they belong to Him He will give men for them and people for their life. This giving of others and of nations in exchange for their lives expresses His commitment as their deliverer to redeem, preserve and deliver them. Those who trust in Him amid trial and affliction therefore belong to Him and will not be utterly overwhelmed.

Israel was precious and honored in His sight because He loved them, and that love was shown in protection and deliverance by giving other nations in exchange for Israel's life. He who created Jacob and formed Israel redeemed them, called them by name and claimed them as His own, promising to be with them when passing through waters and rivers so they would not overflow and through fire so it would not burn. As the Lord their God, the Holy One of Israel, their Saviour, He gave Egypt, Ethiopia and Seba as their ransom and will give men and people in exchange for their life.

The redeemed sinner is precious and honorable in His sight and loved by Him. This belongs with His invitation to reason together and His promise that though sins are as scarlet they shall become white as snow for those who are willing and obedient, assuring full forgiveness, redemption and favor. It is a promise of redemption that belongs with His blotting out of transgressions as a thick cloud and His call to return to Him because He has redeemed.

God loves His people with an everlasting love and holds them precious and honorable in His sight, and though for a moment He hides His face because of sin, with everlasting kindness He draws them with loving-kindness and has mercy on them. This same love and giving of others for their lives applies to Christ's relation to His people as their near kinsman, who redeems them and the inheritance they lost through sin. The verse stands among promises of peace and comfort as assurance that God values and loves His people and will protect them.

Prophecy and Personal Comfort

Isaiah 43 is a prophecy concerning God's chosen people that will be fulfilled in the last days, when His law is made void and He manifests great grace to them. The words are Christ's own, for all Scripture is His, spoken directly and personally to each soul weary with suffering and sin, to one trembling with fear on the brink of the grave, and to a believer in affliction. They mean that person is precious and honourable in His sight and loved by Him, and that He will give men for that one and people for that one's life. They stand with His declaration that He has redeemed His people, called each by name and claimed them as His own, will be with them through waters, rivers and fire so they do not overflow or burn them, will command north and south to give up His sons and daughters from far and the ends of the earth, every one called by His name whom He has created, formed and made for His glory, and is their God and Saviour. They are to be repeated as opportunity offers, especially by the physician, as direct assurance of divine love, individual worth and personal redeeming care to give courage and comfort in sickness and facing death.

The promise is reflected in the assurance that Christ gave His life because He valued Martha's soul. The assurance that Corliss was precious in God's sight and loved by Him applies the promise personally, while also affirming his love for God and his faithful witness to the truth. A person is precious in God's sight regardless of family ties or human preference, so Arthur is just as precious to God as Samuel and should not be judged less worthy because he is not the favored son. Because Herbert Lacey is loved by the Lord, counted precious in His sight and a man of value, the enemy must not be allowed to take him away. Every effort must be made for him in the most critical period of sickness by standing by his side, sharing responsibility, counseling together, praying for guidance aright, and seeking the help of the great Physician to raise him to health.

Being counted precious calls for humility and thankfulness and for using opportunities to learn so that what is learned can help others, for the Holy Spirit uses those willing to serve. The verse describes the work produced when a person keeps the mind free from Satan's influence and open to God, in which the intellect is cultivated and the character disciplined.