Three Transformations
“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 there was no God formed, and there will be none after Me.” Isaiah 43:10
Know, Believe, Understand – Consider this part of the verse very carefully. Did you notice that God’s choosing comes before you know, believe and understand? In other words, the call to be in intimate relationship with God as His witnesses is prior to the revelation of Who He is. Furthermore, your knowing, believing and understanding is not going to happen because you go out and search the universe for the “divine essence.” Until and unless God decides to choose you, you just don’t have a clue.
If you let the truth of this declaration sink in, you will find enormous relief for your soul. The delivery of the vital information and the essential relationship between God and men is not up to us! Election precedes information. Relax a bit. God is working to accomplish His purposes in and through those He has chosen. The weight of the universe does not rest on your shoulders – and, by the way, neither does the conversion of that lost soul over there.
The three verbs here really cover all we need to be fruitful witnesses. Yada (to know) includes the relational and experiential aspects of knowing another person. Aman (to believe) is really about providing stability, confidence and support. It is the basis of faithfulness and trustworthiness (“believe” is not about creeds or confessions, is it?). And biyn (to understand) is a verb about discernment, perception and due diligence. God has empowered all He has chosen so that they can be intimately acquainted in real-time ways with Him, have confidence in Him and discern His handiwork. What more would you need to be a witness?
God chooses you in order that He might provide for you all three aspects of being a witness. You should expect, and look for, yada, aman and biyn in your walk with Him. You should find a deeper and deeper personal relationship, a growing confidence and an improving discernment. That’s been the strategy for a long time. God has decided that all He chooses will experience a transformation that shows up in these three verbs. And all of that was determined long before you came on the scene.
Isn’t it reassuring to know that God is working all this out in our lives? So many times we start to think that somehow God has forgotten us. The bills pile up. The job doesn’t go too well. Someone is sick. The weather doesn’t cooperate. Our focus is so easily diverted to what is happening now. That’s when we need to think about Isaiah’s verse. God has already called you as a witness. Now He is merely equipping you for something that has eternal consequences. Shift your vision to the horizon. Can you see Him over there, beckoning you to keep moving? Knowing, believing and understanding are guaranteed to all who follow.
