Isaiah 43:16-21

1.1 Happy New Year! The year 2026 has finally arrived. When I was young, I imagined that by the year 2000, we would be living in a 'future world' with flying cars and fully automated homes. However, we still see cars from the 1990s on the road, and flying cars aren't here yet—though we do see self-driving cars in some places. Back then, my New Year's wish was always to have my own bedroom. Today, I still share a room with my wife, but I truly love being at the church because I have my own office there. What about you? What are your wishes and dreams as we start this new year? Having a dream means our lives are still full of hope. Whether we achieve those dreams or not, they give us a reason to make plans and move forward.

1.2 Starting today, we will be studying the book of Isaiah together throughout this year. I chose Isaiah because it is filled with prophecies about the coming Messiah. By studying this book, we can understand why Jesus came and how to apply His message to our daily lives. I won't be teaching verse-by-verse. Instead, we will explore Isaiah through specific themes and contexts. There are many ways to study Scripture—by looking at individual verses, whole chapters, specific people, or stories. However, if we study a verse without knowing its background, we can easily misunderstand its original meaning. That is why I will focus on the context first. Once we understand the setting, we can find the right application for our lives today. We are starting with Isaiah 43:16-21. The theme for today is: 'God is doing a new thing for His people.' Let’s begin by reading the text together.

Isaiah 43:16–21 NKJV

Thus says the Lord, who makes a way in the sea And a path through the mighty waters, Who brings forth the chariot and horse, The army and the power (They shall lie down together, they shall not rise; They are extinguished, they are quenched like a wick): “Do not remember the former things, Nor consider the things of old. Behold, I will do a new thing, Now it shall spring forth; Shall you not know it? I will even make a road in the wilderness And rivers in the desert.

The beast of the field will honor Me, The jackals and the ostriches, Because I give waters in the wilderness And rivers in the desert, To give drink to My people, My chosen. This people I have formed for Myself; They shall declare My praise.

2.1 Before we dive into our text today, it’s helpful to understand the background of Isaiah. The book is actually a collection of writings divided into five main parts. According to the scholar John Goldingay, the sections look like this:

1.   Chapters 1–12: Faithfulness, Holiness, and Trust

2.   Chapters 13–27: God, the Nations, and the Universe

3.   Chapters 28–39: Politics, Human Foolishness, and God's Dilemma

4.   Chapters 40–55: Restoration, Servanthood, and a New David

5.   Chapters 56–66: True Religion in a Rebuilding Community

2.2 Today’s passage comes from the fourth section, which focuses on Restoration. At this point in history, the Israelites were living in exile in Babylon around 539 BC. They had been captives for decades and felt forgotten, hopeless, and weighed down by their past mistakes. The heart of Chapter 43 is about Redemption. It begins with the beautiful words: 'Do not fear, for I have redeemed you.' God is reminding His people that they still belong to Him. In verses 16–21, Isaiah uses the story of the first Exodus—when they crossed the Red Sea—to describe a 'New Exodus.' But there is a twist! While the first Exodus led them through water, this new one will lead them through the desert. God isn't just repeating the past; He is doing something even greater.

3.1 In this passage, we see three main themes:

1.   Do Not Dwell on Past Miracles (vv. 16–18)

2.   A Way in the Wilderness (vv. 19–20)

3.   Our Purpose: Created for His Praise (v. 21)

Let’s look at the first point: Do Not Dwell on Past Miracles. In verses 16 and 17, Isaiah reminds the people of the greatest miracle in their history—the Exodus. He describes God as the one who 'makes a way through the sea.' For the Israelites, this was their core identity; it was the moment they became a nation.

Isaiah 43:16–17 NLT

I am the Lord, who opened a way through the waters, making a dry path through the sea. I called forth the mighty army of Egypt with all its chariots and horses. I drew them beneath the waves, and they drowned, their lives snuffed out like a smoldering candlewick.

3.2 However, verse 18 gives a surprising command: 'Do not remember the former things, nor consider the things of old.' Why would God tell them to forget their greatest victory? It is because if we focus too much on how God worked in the past, we might miss how He wants to work today.

3.3 I remember a special revival meeting in Korea. Many people there had experienced God’s power in a powerful way, and they wanted to feel that again and again. While seeking God is good, a problem arose when they returned to their home churches. They began to judge their own pastors and services. They only wanted 'extraordinary' miracles. If things felt ordinary, they didn't believe God was working.

3.4 I see this happen in Canada, too. People often travel to large conferences or huge gatherings and feel overwhelmed by the scale of it, thinking, 'This is where God is.' But when they return to their small, daily church services, they feel like God is absent. In verse 18, God tells us not to stay stuck in the past. God does new things every day and in every moment. If we only look for the 'spectacular,' we will miss God's beautiful, ordinary work in our lives.

Deuteronomy 6:6–7 MSG

Write these commandments that I’ve given you today on your hearts. Get them inside of you and then get them inside your children. Talk about them wherever you are, sitting at home or walking in the street; talk about them from the time you get up in the morning to when you fall into bed at night.

Romans 12:1–2 ESV

I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

3.5 The Bible shows us clearly how we can move forward from our past experiences and past miracles. The key is renewing our hearts through God’s Word. Because God is working in us every single day and at every moment, we must renew our hearts with His Word every morning. If we don't, we will get stuck living in 'the glory days' of the past. We will find ourselves always saying, 'When I was younger...' or 'When I went to that place...' while missing what God is doing right now. To see the 'new thing' God is doing, we need fresh eyes and a renewed heart today.

4.1 Next, let’s look at verses 19 and 20. When Isaiah wrote this, God’s people were in exile in Babylon. To return home to Jerusalem, they had to cross a vast, brutal desert. To the human eye, this was an impossible journey—a place of death, not life.

Isaiah 43:19–20 NASB 2020

Behold, I am going to do something new, Now it will spring up; Will you not be aware of it? I will even make a roadway in the wilderness, Rivers in the desert. “The animals of the field will glorify Me, The jackals and the ostriches, Because I have given waters in the wilderness And rivers in the desert, To give drink to My chosen people.

4.2 But look at the spiritual insight here: God doesn’t always remove the wilderness immediately. Instead, He provides within it. He says, 'I will even make a road in the wilderness and rivers in the desert.' He builds a 'Road' through your confusion and flows a 'River' through your dryness.

4.3 I experienced this personally when God led me from Korea to Saskatchewan. I had never lived in a small, rural area; I was a 'city boy.' When a church here first contacted me, I hesitated. In my eyes, Saskatchewan looked like a wilderness—literally the middle of nowhere! But now, I know this is God’s place. I have seen His great work through the churches here and in my own life. If I had not started that journey into the wilderness, I would never have experienced God’s power in me and my family. The wilderness is not always a bad thing. It is the place where God fulfills His promises because it is the place where we are made humble. When we are proud, we cannot see the work of Jesus. But when the wilderness humbles us, we are finally able to accept Him truly as our Lord.

5.1 We conclude today with verse 21, which reveals the ultimate purpose—the "Why"—behind everything God does: "This people I have formed for Myself; They shall declare My praise."

5.2 Think about this: God isn't making a road in our wilderness just so we can have a comfortable life. He isn't providing water in the desert simply to satisfy our physical thirst. He does these things so that our lives become a Living Testimony.

5.3 From Comfort to TestimonyTrue praise is our response to His work. When we praise Him for what He has done, we become a beacon for others. People will see the impossible roads and the unexpected rivers in our lives and realize: “That wasn’t them; that was God.” The Ultimate "New Thing"As we study the book of Isaiah together this year, we must keep our eyes on one truth: Every "New Thing" God promises points to one person—Jesus Christ our Lord. * This prophecy first spoke of the return from Babylon, but its ultimate fulfillment is our Great Exodus from Sin.

• We were all once in exile, captive to our own mistakes and spiritual brokenness.

• But Jesus came to be the "Way" (the road) and the "Living Water" (the river).

John 14:6 ESV

Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

5.4 A New Perspective for 2026As we step into 2026, I invite you to shift your perspective. Let our prayer not be, "God, fulfill my wishes," but rather, "God, make my life a song of praise." When people see you not just surviving, but thriving in the desert, they won’t just see your individual strength—they will see God’s glory. Let’s resolve today to live this year not for our own success, but for His praise.

Closing Prayer: Heavenly Father, we thank You that You are the God of the 'New Thing.' Thank You for the road You are building in our wilderness and the rivers You are flowing through our dry seasons. Help us to look past our own comfort and see the greater purpose: that our lives would declare Your praise. May Yorkton Alliance Church be a community where people see the Living Water of Jesus Christ in everything we do. We commit 2026 into Your hands. In Jesus' name, Amen.

Short-Answer Quiz

Instructions: Answer the following questions in 2-3 complete sentences, drawing your information directly from the source material.

1. What is the central theme of the sermon based on Isaiah 43:16-21?

2. Why was the book of Isaiah chosen for the year-long study in 2026?

3. According to the sermon, why does God command the Israelites in Isaiah 43:18 to "not remember the former things"?

4. How does the sermon redefine the concept of the "wilderness" as described in Isaiah 43:19-20?

5. What is the ultimate purpose for which God has formed His people, as stated in Isaiah 43:21?

6. How does the speaker use the story of the revival meeting in Korea as a cautionary example?

7. The book of Isaiah is divided into five parts. In which section is the sermon's passage located, and what is that section's primary focus?

8. What was the historical situation of the Israelites at the time Isaiah 43 was written?

9. How does the sermon connect the "new thing" promised in Isaiah to the person of Jesus Christ?

10. What specific shift in perspective does the speaker challenge the congregation to adopt for the year 2026?

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Answer Key

1. The central theme is that "God is doing a new thing for His people." This involves a "New Exodus" that is even greater than past miracles, God's provision of a "road" and "rivers" within the wilderness, and the ultimate purpose of forming a people who declare His praise.

2. The book of Isaiah was chosen because it is filled with prophecies about the coming Messiah. By studying it, the congregation can better understand the reasons for Jesus's arrival and learn how to apply His message to their daily lives.

3. God tells them to not dwell on past events because focusing too much on how God worked in the past can cause them to miss how He is working today. If people only look for "spectacular" miracles, they risk overlooking God's beautiful and consistent work in ordinary moments.

4. The sermon redefines the wilderness not as a place God removes, but as a place where He provides. It is the setting where God builds a "road" through confusion and flows a "river" through dryness, and it serves as the place where humility is fostered, allowing one to truly accept Jesus.

5. According to verse 21, the ultimate purpose is that God's people "shall declare My praise." God performs His works so that their lives become a living testimony, causing others to see His glory.

6. The speaker uses the Korea revival story to illustrate the danger of getting stuck on "extraordinary" spiritual experiences. Attendees began to judge their home churches and pastors because they were only seeking spectacular miracles, thereby missing God's work in their ordinary services.

7. The passage is located in the fourth section of Isaiah (chapters 40–55). According to the scholar John Goldingay, this section's primary focus is on Restoration, Servanthood, and a New David.

8. The Israelites were living in exile in Babylon around 539 BC. They had been captives for decades and were feeling forgotten, hopeless, and burdened by their past mistakes.

9. The sermon explains that every "new thing" God promises ultimately points to Jesus Christ. While the prophecy first referred to the return from Babylon, its ultimate fulfillment is the "Great Exodus from Sin," with Jesus Himself being the "Way" (the road) and the "Living Water" (the river).

10. The speaker challenges the congregation to shift their prayers from "God, fulfill my wishes" to "God, make my life a song of praise." The goal is to live not for personal success or comfort, but so that their lives display God's glory to others.