But now thus says the Lord,
he who created you, O Jacob,
he who formed you, O Israel:
“Fear not, for I have redeemed you;
I have called you by name, you are mine.
² When you pass through the waters, I will be with you;
and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you;
when you walk through fire you shall not be burned,
and the flame shall not consume you.
³ For I am the LORD your God,
the Holy One of Israel, your Savior.
I give Egypt as your ransom,
Cush and Seba in exchange for you.

1) What does it mean that God has redeemed us?
The word “redeemed” means “to buy out,” and was used when referring to buying a slave’s freedom. Isaiah was writing to Israelites, who would have known the story of how God delivered their forefathers out of slavery in Egypt. So there is a past-tense sense that these verses speak to, although there is also a future sense in which God would ultimately redeem his people from sin. He purchased our salvation through Christ on the cross, and we are now known by him (called by name) and his possession.

2) What do the waters, river, and fire represent?
Since this is a prophetic book, we know that figurative language is used, and we are not promised to literally be delivered from physical burns when we walk through fire. But this figurative language is meant to represent all kinds of trials that God’s people will face in this life, and the fact that because we belong to God, we will be able to endure whatever calamities come.

3) What is the significance of Egypt, Cush, and Seba?
To the Israelites of Isaiah’s day, references to these nations would have made perfect sense, although we have to dig a little for the answers. Cush and Seba were nations near Egypt, and Israel had been delivered from all of these nations in the past. God is simply calling them to remember how great a deliverance He had already accomplished for them, redeeming them. He wants them to remember this redemption as they face their current trials.

1) What does it mean that God has redeemed us?
We have been purchased by Christ’s blood on the cross, our debt was paid, we are now right with God. He has bought us back from the slavery of our sin and rebellion against Him. Sink your heart deeply into this truth, Christian!

2) What do the waters, river, and fire represent?
As Christians, we are promised that we will have trouble in this world. Sometimes, it is the result of our sin or someone else’s, sometimes it is the result of living in a fallen world, and sometimes it is a result of being on Christ’s side in a world that hates Him. But God has already purchased our redemption from sin, and that is the biggest problem we ever had in this world! What can harm us now? We will not be ultimately destroyed by any trial, and we have the peace with God to help us endure whatever we are facing.

3) What is the significance of Egypt, Cush, and Seba?
Do not forget how God has delivered you from sin! Often, our unhappiness or despair in the face of trials comes from forgetting how great our God is and how much He has already accomplished for us. Remember, and be grateful for, your redemption!

Don’t miss today’s other Journey Study,Elisabeth Elliot
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We love getting help while we study and www.studylight.org is one of many excellent resources.  Just type in the verse you’re looking at and Boom! It’s right in front of you in English and Hebrew (Old Testament) or Greek (New Testament), which are the original languages the Bible was written in.

Want to know more about a specific word in a verse? Click on “Strong’s Interlinear Bible” then click the word you’d like to study. Find super awesome stuff like “origin”, “definition”, and even all the different ways that single word has been translated into English! If you want to be geeky, you can even click the word and hear its original pronunciation – That Is Awesome!

Want to get more background on a word or phrasing or passage? Click “Study Tools”, then pick a few commentaries to read their scholarly approach, keeping in mind that just because a commentary says it, doesn’t mean it’s true. (just like the internet :-))

Finding the original meaning is a huge deal when we study Scripture and can make all the difference in our understanding as we apply God’s truths to our everyday lives.

In our modern-day relationships, we want people to understand our original intention as we communicate; how much more so between God and humanity?!

Here’s a little bit more on why we take Digging Deeper so seriously.

Embracing God’s fullness in our lives is rooted in scripture and memorizing His word is vital to our continued growth and depth with Jesus.
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