Behold, I will do a new thing
Good morning, brethren, I would like to draw our attention to the scriptural verse in Isaiah 43:19a: “Behold, I will do a new thing.” These were God’s words to the Israelites while they were in exile, it was a season marked by loss, judgment, and waiting. Just before declaring the “new thing,” God says in verse 18, “Remember ye not the former things, neither consider the things of old.” This instruction is significant. God had done many great and mighty works for Israel, yet He warned His people not to limit Him to what He had done before. The “new thing” is introduced at a time when God’s people are tempted to live off old victories, old methods, and old expectations. Why is it called a new thing? Because although God is unchanging in nature, He is dynamic in action. Scripture reminds us in Malachi 3:6, “I am the LORD, I change not,” and in Lamentations 3:22–23, “They are new every morning.” If God only repeated the past, His people might eventually trust history instead of Him. The new thing ensures that every generation learns to depend on God afresh rather than inherit yesterday’s faith. It is new because old seasons cannot contain new purpose. Israel’s earlier season involved slavery in Egypt; the season that followed required dependence in the wilderness and eventually conquest in the Promised Land.
In Exodus 14, God parted the Red Sea—this was deliverance. In Joshua 3, God parted the Jordan River—this was transition into promise. Same God, different season, different method. It is also a new thing because God does not only restore but also He creates. Restoration repairs what was broken, but creation brings forth what never existed. Genesis 1:1 declares, “In the beginning God created…” Creation is God’s signature. God’s new work is new in expression, not in essence. His promises remain consistent, but the form they take may change. We see this throughout Scripture: Abraham received a promise, Moses received the law, David received a kingdom, and Jesus brought fulfillment. God’s message is eternal, but His methods are timely. Please note that God’s “new” is often connected to timing. Many times, God’s new thing is already in motion before we recognise it. New does not always mean sudden, it can also mean ripe. Ecclesiastes 3:1 reminds us, “To everything there is a season.” One purpose of the new thing is to reveal God’s glory in fresh ways. It reminds us that God is not exhausted, predictable, or limited. Another purpose is to break dependency on the past. In Exodus 16:3, Israel longed for the familiarity of Egypt—even though it was bondage. New things force trust. As 2 Corinthians 5:17 declares, “If any man be in Christ, he is a new creature.” A new identity requires new thinking. We praise God that His greatest new thing was salvation through Christ. Jeremiah 31:31 says, “I will make a new covenant.” This new work points us to redemption, restoration, and relationship.
In conclusion, let us focus on the word “behold.” It is a commanding, attention-seeking word. The problem is not that God is not doing something new; rather, the problem may be that we are looking backward instead of watching for it. God does new things not because the old things failed, but because His purpose is still unfolding. Old miracles build faith, but new works require surrender. Service begins at 10:30am, special worker’s training begins at 10:10am, God blessings - Mike