Isaiah 43:18 - Do not dwell on the past

Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past.

Remember ye not the former things, neither consider the things of old.

Do not call to mind the former things, Or ponder things of the past.

Isaiah 43:18

Commentary

The Lord commanded the people not to remember the past (46:9, 10). The kingdom of Israel inaugurated at the first Exodus and the conquest of the Promised Land would be insignificant compared to the new kingdom God would establish.

Radmacher, E. D., Allen, R. B., & House, H. W. (1999). Nelson's new illustrated Bible commentary (Is 43:18). Nashville: T. Nelson Publishers.

First Person Narrative

Isaiah, like the other major prophets, doesn't deliver God's messages in the third person, as a reporter would. Isaiah won't say, for example, "God is sick of your offerings." Instead, he speaks the very words of God: "I am sick of your offerings." Isaiah, however, will introduce most prophecies with the phrase, "The Lord has said." This alerts the people that the words they are about to hear come directly from God.

Miller, S. M., & Gross, P. (1998). How to get into the Bible. Includes index. (176). Nashville: T. Nelson Publishers.