In this passage, God promises his exiled people that they would experience an exodus even greater than the exodus from Egypt. To find a fulfilment for this passage we should look beyond the humble return of the exiles in 536 BC. This was an important event but there is always a greater captivity in view in the oracles of Isaiah and Jesus later picked up this theme. Jesus understood that the captivity that inhibited his people from realising their calling was not a political captivity but a spiritual one. Yet again Isaiah speaks of the future outpouring of the Spirit upon God’s people (44:3). It would be the Holy Spirit who would lift the hearts of the people out of slavery to sin. Do you ever feel that you are trapped in certain attitudes and patterns of behaviour? The way out of this captivity is not to try and escape yourself. For you cannot escape from yourself. God pours his Spirit into our hearts to plant his desires within us in seed form. Our part is to respond to whatever God is doing and cooperate with him. The seed of his desire within us is grown when we think and act in accordance with his Spirit. Call out to God and ask him to save you. Ask him to lift you up by his Spirit and give you a different way of seeing, thinking and feeling. Let him refresh your heart with his desires. You can become a new person. It is never too late.
Do what I have suggested.
Read Isaiah 43:14-44:5
