What Israel needed above all was forgiveness and cleansing from her sins (cf. Isaiah 43:25). The Lord had taken the initiative to provide this for His people. He would blow their sin away as quickly and as easily as a wind blows a cloud or mist away. [source][source][source]
"The clouds intervene between heaven and earth as sin and transgressions intervene between God and His people." [1][source]
"Jehovah has blotted out Israel"s sin, inasmuch as He does not impute it any more, and thus has redeemed Israel." [2][source]
Yet God"s people must respond to His initiative by returning to Him. He had provided redemption in the Exodus , but it was only the first of several redemptions that He would provide. He would redeem them from captivity by using His servant Cyrus ( Isaiah 44:28), and He would redeem them from sin by using His Servant Messiah at His first advent. He would also redeem them from captivity in the Tribulation by using His Servant Messiah at His second advent. [source][source][source]
The summary reference to redemption in Isaiah 44:22 (cf. Isaiah 42:10 to Isaiah 44:22) prepares the reader for the next section of Isaiah"s prophecy. [source][source][source]
Context Summary
Isaiah 44:21-28 - The Promise Of Redemption
What divine comfort there is in these gracious words! Notwithstanding all their wanderings and sins, the Chosen People were Jehovah's elect race. Nothing could make Him forget them; He had redeemed them with the saving strength of His right hand. He could never forget them, but He would forget their sins. Their transgressions had melted into the blue azure of His love. If sought for, they could not be found. Nature was asked to be one great orchestra of praise. And notice that our redemption brings more glory to Jehovah than our undoing would.
In Isaiah 45:1-25 the people are assured that they would return from captivity, to rebuild Jerusalem and reinhabit the cities of Judah. They probably expected that their return would be marked by miracles as marvelous as those through which their fathers emerged from Egyptian bondage. But God never repeats Himself; and His purposes would work out through a heathen monarch, Cyrus, whom God was preparing as the executor of His purpose, Isaiah 44:28. "Deep in unfathomable mines of never-failing skill, He treasures up His bright designs, and works His sovereign will." [source]
Chapter Summary: Isaiah 44
1God comforts the church with his promises 7The vanity of idols 9And folly of idol makers 21He exhorts to praise God for his redemption and omnipotence
What do the individual words in Isaiah 44:22 mean?
I have blotted outlike a [thick] cloudyour transgressionsand like a cloudyour sinsReturnto MeforI have redeemed you
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, first person common singular, second person masculine singular
Root: גְּאוּלִים
Sense: to redeem, act as kinsman-redeemer, avenge, revenge, ransom, do the part of a kinsman.
What are the major concepts related to Isaiah 44:22?