Isaiah 43:4-7

The reason for the *Lord’s action is because he has a special love for his special people.

Israel is the *Lord’s witness in the world

v8 God says: ‘Bring here the people who are blind. They are blind although their eyes are able to see. Bring here the people who are deaf. They are deaf although their ears are able to hear. v9 All the nations are here. Their people have gathered together. None of their gods were able to tell about events in the future. And their gods were unable to explain the meaning of those events. Otherwise, they could produce witnesses to prove that they did this. v10 People from Israel, you are my witnesses. You have seen what I have done,’ says the *Lord. ‘I have chosen you people to be my servant. This is so that you can learn to know me and to trust me. Because, apart from me, there has never been another real god. Nor will there ever be any other real god in the future. v11 I alone am the *Lord. I alone can rescue you in your present situation. And in the future. v12 I, the *Lord, announced what was going to happen. And it was I, the *Lord, who rescued you. It was not the work of some foreign god. And you are my witnesses,’ says the *Lord. v13 ‘I am God and I always shall be. Nobody can force me to give up my plan. None can change what I intend to do.’