Isaiah 43:11
I, even I, am the Lord,
and apart from me there is no savior. (NIV)
Today’s Reading: Isaiah 43:1-13
In Isaiah 43, God is making his case, as if He is on trial, that He alone is Israel’s God. There are prophecies scattered throughout the first thirteen verses as well as many declarations. The one that stands out to me that points to Jesus is God’s declaration that He alone is savior. He says it twice:
- “For I am the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior” (vs. 3);
- “I, even I, am the Lord, and apart from me there is no savior” (vs. 11).
This is both simultaneously a declaration and a prophecy. God is the Lord your God because He will save Israel. It’s kind of an interesting thought. God is proving that He is worthy to be Israel’s only God because of what he will do. But since God is outside time, He has already done it. And because God’s word is faithful and true, the fact that He says it will happen then it has essentially already happened. We just haven’t seen it yet. Clear as mud right?
What is it that God is going to do? He is going to bring all of his people together from the four corners of the earth:
“Bring my sons from afar
and my daughters from the ends of the earth—
everyone who is called by my name,
whom I created for my glory,
whom I formed and made” (vs. 6-7).
When all God’s people are together, the nations will assemble to see this great event. These nations will ask, “Which of our gods predicted this event?” And God’s people who are His witnesses will testify that only the Almighty God foretold of this event.
There are a few events that could fit here. Specifically, God seems to reference the Exodus in this passage. He speaks of passing “through the waters” and giving Cush and Seba to Egypt for Israel’s ransom. God saved Israel from Egypt and is thus worthy to be the LORD your God.
This could also be a prophecy of the end times. We are told in other Scriptures that all God’s people will be gathered together and there will be an accounting for each one of us for what we have done. We will all be found guilty of sin, but those who have placed their faith in Jesus will be saved.
But we also know that the Exodus was a metaphor for the coming Messiah who would ransom us from the bondage of sin. I see the crucifixion in this passage. I see Jesus in much of this section and the events recorded in the gospels. The crucifixion was predicted many many times and when it happened only God could claim that He alone foretold of that event.
Jesus fits the description found in verses 10-11:
“‘You are my witnesses,’ declares the Lord,
“and my servant whom I have chosen,
so that you may know and believe me
and understand that I am he.
Before me no god was formed,
nor will there be one after me.
I, even I, am the Lord,
and apart from me there is no savior.”
If we go through this one line at a time:
- “Just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many” (Matt 20:28). Jesus came to earth as a servant.
- “Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe” (John 20:27). Jesus came so that we could know him and believe in him.
- “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning” (John 1:1-2). Before Jesus, no god was formed. And neither will there be one after him. He alone is God.
- “Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:12). Apart from Jesus, there is no savior.
God make a covenant with us. We could not honor our part of the agreement. We sinned and fell short of God’s requirement. So we can’t save ourselves. And no one else can save us. Only God is our savior. Jesus provided the way to salvation and there is no other name under heaven by which we must be saved. Only Jesus.
Christ in the Old Testament 
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