The idea of the Holy Spirit should not be a new idea for those that have been Christians for a while. But there is probably enough confusion on this subject regarding how the Spirit works etc. As we come to look at God’s Spirit, realise that the Spirit is mentioned in Isaiah 44, and not just the New Testament. So much is said about the Spirit in the Old Testament too. The Old Testament also shows clearly a promise of God’s Spirit. Therefore, we should expect God’s Spirit to do and be something, and we should expect to see the work of God’s Spirit. We know Him rightly by beginning in the Old and then making our way to the New.
How would you introduce God the Holy Spirit to your non-Christian friend? What will you say we are expected to know of Him and to interact with Him?
We may have come to understand God’s Spirit as part of a formula and may not realise how God has introduced Himself. In this text, we see that God has poured out His Spirit on His people.
(A) Why? Promises for our good (Isa 44:1-2)
As we begin this passage, we see how God is the speaker and He is speaking to Israel (Isa 44:1-2). This conversation is being reported by the prophet, and he is the third party. Notice that Israel is also referred to as “Jacob my servant” in both Isaiah 44:1a and Isaiah 44:2b. Hebrew parallelism is used here too, with “Jacob my servant” paralleling “Jeshurun whom I have chosen” (Isa 44:2b).
As we have read earlier, Israel is special not because of anything they had done, but because of God’s choice (c.f. Isa 43:18-24). In God’s sovereignty, He chose Israel. Why does God refer to them this way? Why does He seem to be emphasising that His choice is of them? Remember their context. Their life and reality in exile may look like God has abandoned them. But God really wants them to believe that they are chosen by Him.
This is what the God of the Bible is like. He seeks to affirm His promises toward us. God’s relationship to us is based on His word and promise, and not based on what we perceive of through our circumstances. Yes, God can use circumstances to reinforce, but He often reminds us to trust what He says over our experiences. Our God delights in us giving attention to His word and promises, more than how we interpret our circumstances.
In Isaiah 44:1-2, we also see how God urges His hearers towards two verbs. God calls them to “hear” (Isa 44:1a) and “fear not” (Isa 44:2a). When God calls us to hear, He is calling us to do more than listen. He is calling us to give attention to and direct our entire focus towards being ready to receive His word. It has the function of believe, embrace, take in.
The command to “fear not” might also be strange to us, but it’s actually one of the most common in Scripture. We’ve seen similar language earlier in Isaiah 41.:8-10. Why do you think God says this about His hearers? Their circumstances are extremely challenging and indeed give them plenty of reason to fear. In Isaiah 43:18-24, we see that they’re in the wilderness and have wearied God with their sin. They are suffering the consequences in exile. Everything in their circumstances should cause them to fear, and yet, this is God’s command to Him. He offers them words of comfort and peace.
This might not be unfamiliar to us if we’ve been a Christian for a while. When we’ve heard enough of God’s grace, we might develop a certain level of resistance or cynicism towards it. It might seem predictable to hear this good news, and wonder if it really is true. After all, look at the world that we live in that’s full of struggles. It is hard to hear God in these circumstances, but this is what God is calling His people to do in such a situation. Hear and fear not, though life may seem to be full of fearful circumstances. God’s promises are more real than the reality we see. This is what God wants us to hear and believe.
What’s your relationship with this God? Do you believe that you are chosen in Christ and belong to Him? Is this how you see yourself and other believers? Are you confident about who your Father is and despite what happens today, you are secure in your identity in Christ? This is a great way to begin your day?
(B) What? Spiritual life from the inside out (Isa 44:3-4)
Two images are used to describe what God will do for His hearers in Isaiah 44:3-4. God will “pour water on the thirsty land, and streams on the dry ground” (Isa 44:4a). God acts here to pour the water. As a result, “they shall spring up among the grass, like willows by flowing streams” (Isa 44:4).
Notice the structure. The point is clearly the middle with the two images sandwiching the middle sentence, which encourages the people to fear not and hear because He will pour His Spirit. This is a God who intentionally wrote it this way. He knows the details of creation and also knows our minds, choosing to express it in this accessible way.
The imagery here is one that is not entirely unfamiliar to the people. In Psalm 137, we have a picture of life in exile. God’s people ceased singing because of their state in exile. Yet, the same image of the willow tree in Psalm 137 is also used in Isaiah 44, this time, as a picture not of lament, but of God’s grace when He pours out HIs Spirit. God takes this setting of exile, misery and defeat and shows how He will act.
There’s a lot of artistry and sophistication in the way it’s expressed. This is in line with the idea of Divine Accommodation, where it states that God makes Himself knowable in terms that we can understand.
Another reason why God uses metaphor and imagery: It is not easy to talk about spiritual work. We know this. In the Bible, water is commonly a symbol for God’s spirit — Psalm 46, the river that runs through the city in Ezekiel.
Earlier in Isaiah 32:14-18, we’ve seem the description of dire conditions until the Spirit is poured out. However, specific details were not given and we don’t know how God is going to go about His work. This is picked up and fleshed out in Ezekiel 36:24-28. Here, God promises to bring them back. He promises to clean them from their uncleannesses. He will give then a new heart and will give His Spirit too. God is going to do more than bring them back from exile. He will also transform them, such that their hearts will align with God’s desires. God will work out a new spiritual reality among His people
As a result, we read that God’s people will spring up among the grass like willows by flowing streams (Isa 44:3-4). Note that this growth is not scattered. They will spring forth and are located next to a mighty, non-stagnant river. This is a picture of life and flourishing. Passages in Joel 2:23-29 and Zech 12:10 passages also elaborate on this idea.
Thus, God says to a people whose circumstances are miserable that He has chosen them and He will help them. He will pour out His Spirit so they can come back to spiritual life.
How does that make you feel if the circumstances are that dire, and God’s promises are this good? Friends, God’s people then, like us, had to also live by faith and believe God’s word, though their circumstances look different from ours today. How can we apply this in 2023? See the next question.
(C) So what? New Covenant identity (Isa 44:5)
What will be the impact of what God will do? (v5 c.f., Ps 87, Lk 22:20, Heb 8:6-13, 9:15)
In Isaiah 44:5, one thing is said 4 times. It is written:
“This one will say, ‘I am the LORD’s,’” — Emphasizing God’s ownership
“another will call on the name of Jacob,” — Emphasizing the people’s access to God
and another will write on his hand, ‘The LORD’s,’” — Emphasizing how they are marked
and name himself by the name of Israel.” —Revealing how they are called by this name
God’s people will have a new identity and be clear that they belong to the Lord even in exile. The impact of God’s Spirit is not just what they will do, but also who they will be!
In Israel’s history, we know that these promises do not come true when the people return in waves. We know that the people’s hearts are not renewed though they physically returned to the land with Zerubbabel, Ezra and Nehemiah.
The Old Testament also points to something greater than just returning to the land. Psalm 87 speaks of when all the nations of the world — even the traditional enemies like Babylon, Rahab, Tyre, Cush — will all say that they are born in Zion (Jerusalem). God will register the peoples and say that they were born there. Notice how they don’t cease being from these nations, but yet say that they are born elewhere. In Christ, we, though geographically far away, can say that this is true.
Years later, Jesus speaks about being born again (c.f. John 3). This is different from the natural birth that all humans undergo to enter this world. Jesus picks up this theme that runs through the Old Testament and says that He is the one that will pour out the Spirit. The Spirit will not be poured out just on the exiles. It also includes us by faith. Isaiah 44:5 is true for us too, in Christ. We are the Lord’s. We can call on the name of the Lord. He has written His name on our hand. We have a new name.
Is this true of you? Have you changed? Have you converted?
Friends, who were you before you heard this news? When you heard this news, something changes in you, such that now, you are one in conflict. Before you came to Christ, you only wanted your way with your heart of stone. But now, because He put HIs Spirit in you, you now desire something that you didn’t before, and there’s a struggle of two selves and desires in you.
The struggle of the Christian life is that you were once dead and now alive. Remember that dead people don’t struggle — they just lie there. God’s Spirit has given you a new desire. The struggle is entirely normal.
Yes, God’s Spirit can do signs and wonders. But, those should not be normative. This is not the substance of the new covenant. The wonderful work that the Spirit does is to make us desire Jesus when we do not usually or naturally want. This is what we need to ask His Spirit to do for us daily — that He fills us with streams of living water and that we never thirst.
Have you turned to God in repentance and faith? This is something we need to do daily. We need to daily rise to say that we need Him. We did not choose God, but His Spirit has cleansed us and given us a new heart with new desires.
What is God’s word saying to you today?