AP

Isaiah 46:3-4   Listen to me, you descendants of Jacob, all the remnant of the people of Israel, you whom I have upheld since your birth, and have carried since you were born.  Even to your old age and grey hairs I am he, I am he who will sustain you.  I have made you and I will carry you; I will sustain you and I will rescue you.

What the LORD God is saying here to his Covenant People through the Prophet Isaiah is reminiscent of his revelation to Moses at the burning bush in Exodus 3:14.  Although Hebrew verb forms (unlike English) do not need personal pronouns to identify them, the personal pronoun ‘I’ is consistently repeated here for special emphasis.  When Moses asked God in Midian who he was, God said “I AM whom I AM.  This is what you are to say to the Israelites: ‘I AM has sent me to you.’”.  Not surprisingly, Jesus’ use of the term “I AM” throughout the Gospels (often translated into English as “I am he” or “It is I”), is what brought the charge of blasphemy against him by the Jewish authorities (eg John 8:58-59)!  

Through Isaiah, the LORD God wants his obstinate, spiritually deaf people to understand that he is the only true God, the Creator of the Universe, and that he alone has a special Covenant-keeping relationship with his Chosen People.  

How comforting it is for those of us who have entered the ‘grey-haired’ demographic to be reminded that the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ has ‘upheld us since our birth’ and has ‘carried us since we were born’, and that even through our present stage of life he ‘will sustain’ us – that the faithful God who ‘made’ us will ‘carry’ us and continue to ‘rescue’ us in spite of our disobedience and selfish wilfulness.

Although I was in my late teens before this wonderful truth became a life-changing reality to me, I am now aware of its truth, and am so thankful for the amazing grace that makes it possible!  “Sovereign grace o’er sin abounding, ransomed souls the tidings swell; ’tis a deep that knows no sounding, who its breadth or length can tell?  On its glories, on its glories may my soul forever dwell. What from Christ that soul can sever, bound by everlasting bands?  Once in him, in him forever, thus the eternal covenant stands.  None shall take thee, none shall take thee from the Strength of Israel’s hands.  Heirs of God, joint-heirs with Jesus – long ere time its race begun; to his name eternal praises – O what wonders love has done.  One with Jesus, one with Jesus, by eternal union one.  On such love, my soul still ponder, love so great, so rich, so free.  Say, while lost in holy wonder, ‘Why, O Lord, such love to me?’ Hallelujah, hallelujah, grace shall reign eternally” (John Kent).

– Bruce Christian