I. God who saves (Vs. 14-17)
Today’s message title is “I am doing a new thing” from verse 19. First let’s look at verses 14 and 15. “This is what the LORD says-
your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel:
‘For your sake I will send to Babylon
and bring down as fugitives all the Babylonians,
in the ships in which they took pride.
I am the LORD, your Holy One,
Israel’s Creator, your King.’”
This is a declaration that the Lord for Israel will overthrow Babylon. God says he will set free Israel who is captive to Babylon. God “will bring down as fugitives all the Babylonians” (14) and set Israel free. The Babylonians who were intoxicated by victory will be brought down “in the ships in which they took their pride” (15) and God will save Israel.
God will do this for you. Babylon too who was said to be impregnable will surely be “brought down”. (14) That is because the Lord is “your Holy One, Israel’s Creator, your King”. (15) Here “the Holy One of Israel” (14) appears over and over again. It means He is completely separated from us. The Lord who created the heavens and the earth is Almighty. This Lord will take the initiative and will bring Babylon down. God will do this for sure.
Please look at verses 16 and 17. “This is what the LORD says-
he who made a way through the sea,
a path through the mighty waters,
who drew out the chariots and horses,
the army and reinforcements together,
and they lay there, never to rise again,
extinguished, snuffed out like a wick:”
The exodus is the background for these things. When Israel was saved from Egypt, the Egyptian army followed and came up behind them and they fell into a desperate situation. In front of their eyes all they could see was the Red Sea and they couldn’t move forward. At that time the Lord separated the Red Sea into two and made a dry path “through the sea” (16) and saved them. He “made a way through the sea, a path through the mighty waters.” (16) Then he “drew out the chariots and horses, the army and reinforcements together.” (16) That was the exodus. He is going to do the

same type of thing again. That is setting Israel free from the captivity of Babylon. In other words, it is the second exodus. No matter how strong the enemy (Babylon) is, God will do a powerful act and save them.
This is the same in every age. Hebrew 13:5 says, “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow.” The Lord who saved Israel from captivity in Egypt will save Israel who is captive in Babylon. Then also now the Lord is living and will perform the same mighty acts. To save all mankind who is struggling in sin, God sent his son Jesus Christ to this world. God will save us who are struggling in sin. Salvation from sin has already been prepared for you.
A few years ago Pastor Hah Yongjo of the Korean Onnuri church who has already returned to heaven established the “Acts 29” vision. That is to write Acts 29. The book of Acts is not finished. The Onnuri Church has taken over the calling of the book of acts to spread the Gospel to every people. Then they began to have a “2000/10000” vision. That was by the year 2010 to send out 2,000 missionaries, and to raise up 10,000 workers. After he declared this vision an elder came to Pastor Hah and asked, “Pastor, did God really give you this vision?” It seemed like a very impossible thing to do. Later this elder had the job of sending out missionaries. Then he said this, “Pastor, it will really happen!”
If it is something that anyone can do, then God isn’t necessary. It can be done just by man putting out effort and working hard and doing the very best. However, impossible things by God’s vision are done by God himself. God is now and forever at work. “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow.” (Hebrews 13:5) God through Jesus Christ accomplished the work of salvation. Then even now He is alive and working. We must look to God and depend on this God.

II. God who does new things (Vs. 18-21)
Next I’d like to look at verses 18 to 21. Please look at verse 18 and the beginning of verse 19. “Forget the former things;
Do not dwell on the past.
See, I am doing a new thing!
Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?”
“The former things…the past” (18) are acts of salvation by God that Israel has experienced in its past history. Especially in verses 16 and17 the events of the exodus are recorded so it is thought that this is referring to the exodus too. It says not to remember “the former things…the past” (18) That is because God is “doing a new thing!” (19) That is a bigger thing and on such a larger scale that it can’t be compared with

anything they have already experienced. “Now it springs up.” (19) We are to “see” (19) it. “The former things…the past” (18) What this new thing is is written in the end of verse19 and in verse 20. “do you not perceive it?
I am making a way in the desert
and streams in the wasteland.
The wild animals honor me,
the jackals and the owls,
because I provide water in the desert
and streams in the wasteland,
to give drink to my people, my chosen.”
This is what it will be like when Israel is set free from Babylon. When the Persian King Cyrus allowed the Israelites to return to their home country, Jerusalem, a way was made in the desert, and streams were made in the wasteland. They were able to return in security. It is really difficult to move forward in the desert with no road. It is dangerous to go forward in the wasteland with no water. However, the Lord will make “a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland.” (19) That is so they will be able to return safely and securely.
However, this is not only that Israel will be set free from Babylon, but this is prophesizing about a much bigger work of God. That is in the course of time the Messiah, the Savior, will be sent to this world and will set all mankind free from the chains of sin. He will come to cut off the curse of sin that was brought upon all mankind by the first man, Adam. God sent his only son to this world and for our sin sent him in the same body as us so that by that body our sin would be punished by him dying on the cross.　This is a work that only God can do. That Israel was saved from Egypt and saved from Babylon were great miracles, but a more awesome thing, the greatest event, is that God gave his only son so that our sins would be forgiven. Rather, the events of Israel being saved from Egypt and being saved from Babylon were patterns of God’s work of saving the sin of all mankind. They were models. They point to Christ. They were a type, a pattern, of all of mankind being saved of their sin by Christ. This is the “new thing”. (19) God “who made a way through the sea, a path through the mighty waters” before (16) will send his son, Jesus Christ, to save us from our sin.
There is a Christian singer named Don Moen. He made a song from this passage called “God will make a way”.
“God will make a way”
God will make a way, where there seems to be no way.
He works in ways we cannot see, He will make a way for me,
He will be my guide, hold me closely to His side,
With love and strength for each new day,
He will make a way, He will make a way,
By the roadway in the wilderness He leads me
Rivers in the desert will I see;
Ｈeaven and earth will fade, but His word will still remain,
He will do something new today.
Actually Don Moen wrote this song when he received despairing news. One night Don Moen received a telephone call from his wife’s mother. His wife’s sister and husband had a terrible accident. The eldest son, 9 years old, had died. The other 3 children too were seriously injured. He was overwhelmed with feelings of powerlessness. He thought that no matter what Bible passages surfaced in his heart, that it wouldn’t bring encouragement. Then in the midst of praying for his sister’s family the Lord gave him a song. He wrote it down. That is this song. “God will make a way, where there seems to be no way. He works in ways we cannot see.”
This is really what he wanted to say to his sister’s family. God can produce hope in the midst of despair. You too may have a time when you think that God has forsaken you, but God has definitely not forgotten you. That is just like it says is 44:21, “You are my servant…I will not forget you.” God will save you. The Lord will not forsake you or abandon you. Even when there seems there is no way that is a perfect chance to see the grace of the Lord opening a road. Therefore, at such times truly we must look to the Lord.

III. God who forgives sin and doesn’t remember it (Vs. 22 to 28)
Even so how Israel was is recorded in verse 22. Please look at verse 22.
Vs. 22
Even though God will do “a new thing,” Israel didn’t seek the Lord or respond to Him. “You have not wearied yourselves for me.” (22) means as it says in the next verse they did not weary themselves for God because they did not bring “sheep for burnt offerings, nor” (23) honor God with sacrifices. Put another way, they didn’t bring offerings to worship. Of course, what the Lord desires is not offerings, but a contrite heart, and a repentant heart. Even so, they did not seek the Lord, but burdened the Lord with their sins.
However, he is a wonderful promise. Like this they didn’t look to God’s promises and didn’t seek and call out to God, but God will blot out these sins and will remember their “sins no more” (25) Please look at verse 25. “I, even I, am he who blots out your transgressions, for my own sake, and remembers your sins no more.”
“Blots out” is a synonym for forgive. God doesn’t just forgive. God “remembers your sins no more.” (25) That is the difference between human forgiveness and the forgiveness of God. Human forgiveness actually forgives, but forgetting is not included in it. Therefore, as time passes you remember again things from the past. Without realizing it unpleasant and disgusting thoughts repeatedly come up again. Even though you thought you had forgiven, still there is resentment left somewhere. Past memories flashback and irritations rise up.
However, God is different. If God says that he forgives, then all is forgotten. When you ask God to forgive you, he “blots out your transgressions…and remembers your sins no more.” (25)
This is an American joke. Alex was already 90 years old. He invited his friends to his house and like always his elderly wife, Rachel, served them a homemade meal. When the meal was over Rachel went back to the kitchen and Alex’s friend Mike admired Alex and said, “Alex, you are such a devoted husband! You always call your wife things like sweetie, honey, rose bud, or my rare treasure. There aren’t many people your age that love their wives that much. Thant’s amazing. I was really moved.”
Then Alex said, “You’re wrong Mike, Actually these 10 years I have become very forgetful. I can’t remember my wife’s name.”
The Lord is not joking. He will not remember your sins. “I, even I, am he who blots out your transgressions, for my own sake, and remembers your sins no more.” (25)
I’ve talked about this before, but there is a Korean movie entitled, “The eraser in my head”. This is a story of a wife who had early-onset Alzheimer and her husband. As you get older it is common for you to forget things, but to become senile in your youth is a very hard thing. In Japan too, ten thousands of people have this sickness.
In this movie, a young couple, a handsome guy and a beautiful lady get married and are having a wonderful married life, but this beautiful wife gets early-onset Alzheimer. In their smooth, happy life, the beautiful young wife’s memory starts failing. There is a line in the movie, “I will be your memory for you.” It is a movie that you can’t look at without crying.
In the movie the wife says, “There is an eraser in my head.” A movie critic said that this movie’s keynote is “forgiveness”. To the husband who can’t forgive his mother who abandoned him, the wife speaks a message of forgiveness. She said that just as in my head all memories are erased, may the bitterness toward your mother be erased from your heart.
If you look closely, on the wall of this couple’s house there is a picture hanging of Jesus knocking on the door of our hearts. This is a message that the memories of bitterness that are difficult to erase from our hearts can only be erased by welcoming Jesus into our hearts and believing in Jesus and receiving forgiveness of sin. Only Jesus can forgive our sins. Then he remembers our “sins no more.” (25) This is the forgiveness of God. This is the one-sided forgiveness by God’s grace and it has nothing to do with how much the Jews or Israel has done.
The reason that God does such things is given here. Here it says, “I, even I…for my own sake”. (25) God does these things for his own sake. By the one-sided mercy of God He blotted out your sins “and remembers your sins no more.” (25) That is because God chose you. God became your God. Since you believe in his son, Jesus, and believe that Jesus died in exchange for your sin, you have become a child of God. Therefore, no matter what He will not forsake or abandon you. If you repent and return to God, God will always forgive you, forget the sin “and remembers your sins no more.” (25) That is because God is your God.
That is definitely not because of your character or what you have done. It is by the one-sided grace of God. Therefore, in verse 26 the Lord says this, “Review the past for me, let us argue the matter together; state the case for your innocence.”
God is saying that if within you there is a basis for your sin to be forgiven, “state the case”. (26) There isn’t. We don’t have within us power to follow God’s commands. We are weak and can’t follow God’s law hardly at all. Man is a being that can’t follow God’s law. Therefore, Jesus came. He opened a way to salvation that is different. Moreover the law and the prophets testified to God’s righteousness. That is by faith.
Romans 3:23,24
Ephesians 2:8
God only by his one-sided mercy saved you. From the time that you confessed Jesus as your Savior, God became your God, and not only forgave all your sin, but He “remembers your sins no more.” (25)
Hebrews 9:27
Regardless of whether we believe or whether we don’t believe, it has been ordained that every man will die and after death will judged. Regardless of whether on this earth we did good or whether we did bad, there will come a time when all will be judged. We all will someday stand before God but when we stand at the court of judgment, Jesus will stand up and say, “This person has no sin.” God “remembers your sins no more.” (25) There is no record of them in heaven. Jesus may say something like, “I already took upon myself all of this person’s punishment for his sins when I died on the cross for him. He has already been forgiven. I have already forgotten what evil things he did. I have promised heaven to this person. Don’t worry, please come enter heaven.” Then while praising the Lord you will be able to gratefully and joyously enter heaven. That is by the one-sided mercy of Jesus. God has done this awesome thing for his “own sake”. (25)
This is your God. Before God set Israel free from Babylon and in the same way that he “made a way through the sea, a path through the mighty waters,” (16) He will do “a new thing” (19) in your life. Jesus has prepared forgiveness of sin for us. He will forgive our sin, and will let us enter heaven. Please believe in Jesus, and become a child of God. Please receive forgiveness of sin and new life. God will do “a new thing” (19) in you too. A life that looks forward in excitement to what God is going to do anew in their life is a blessed life. You are invited to this life. “See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?” (19) Let’s look at the work of salvation that is through Jesus. Then let’s wait with expectation for the new things that God is going to do. God will do “a new thing” (19) in your life.