What Exactly Is This “New Thing” That God Says He Is Doing?

If there is one thing you can count on with God, it is that you can never predict when He will change the course of your life and lead you down a path of blessings you couldn’t imagine.

The Bible gives countless examples of the amazing changes God made in people’s lives centuries before, and what He continues to do in our lives today.

The prophet Isaiah proclaimed in Isaiah 43:19 that “God would do a new thing” in our lives, something we couldn’t do ourselves. This thing would be impossible for man, but possible to God.

What could this new thing be in our lives, individually and collectively, as His children? The book of Isaiah reminds us that you can believe that all God does is for our growth as believers of His will.

What Does This Verse Say Is the New Thing God Is Doing? 

Isaiah 43:19 shares what the prophet Isaiah received from the Lord, of what He would bring to His people. The verse says, “Behold, I will do a new thing, now it shall spring forth; Shall you not know it? I will even make a road in the wilderness and rivers in the desert.”

As the verse states, God was planning on doing something new for the people of Israel – something that would not be expected. He listed examples such as a road in the wilderness and rivers in the desert, both scenarios that would seem impossible to people at that time.

What God wanted Israel – and us – to realize is that He is the one responsible for bringing this new thing forward, springing it forth where you can’t miss it, unless you don’t understand it is His doing and no one else’s. The new thing God is doing is bringing blessings and a new path ahead for His people where the world said there is no way forward.

What Is the Context of Isaiah 43?

Encouragement about the future can be felt through every word of Isaiah 43, as God sought to remind Israel that He was the Redeemer of Israel and was with them through whatever obstacle or heartbreak they had. It was no secret that the people of Israel had a challenging relationship with God over the years, more so for Israel’s frequent disobedience to God’s Word and then heartfelt cry for His help when their way didn’t pan out.

The prophet Isaiah shares that in God’s own words, He reminds us that He hasn’t forgotten about us and is sovereign over everything. He says there was not another God before Him. This statement was probably to point out the Egyptians especially, as they worshipped several gods and did unimaginable things in worship to them. However, unlike God, the Egyptians experienced heartache and disaster for placing their faith in gods who couldn’t help, instead of the God who could.

God reminds us through Isaiah’s words that we are witnesses to His redemption of Israel from all its enemies, providing a path ahead when it was believed there was none.

Why Does Isaiah Say God Is Making a Way in the Wilderness?

The particular example of God saying He would make a road in the wilderness and rivers in the desert also connects to Isaiah 43:16-17. This passage is about making a way in the sea and a path through the mighty waters, bringing down army, power, chariot, and horse.

These examples are to remind Israel of when God brought them out of Egypt’s bondage, through the leadership of Moses and Joshua. He parted the Red Sea for them and walked them through the mighty waters, letting the waters then fall on Pharaoh and his armies (chariot and horse). He also brought up making a way in the wilderness to remind them that while they spent forty years in the wilderness, God was the one who brought them out when they stopped trying to do things their own way.

He cautioned them before this verse about not remembering the old things (Isa. 43:18), which reminded Israel of when they complained while on the journey and wanted Moses to take them back to Egypt, even though they were treated badly there. As they witnessed reaching the Promised Land, the “new thing” God was discussing in Isaiah 43:19 was exactly what they would experience next. So, He was making a way in the wilderness into the Promised Land for Israel and, later, for us.

What Does This Verse Mean for Us?

The truth still stands for us today that God is doing a new thing in our lives, creating a way in the wilderness of this world and springing forth a new thing, if we only recognize it.

Especially today, finding hope and encouragement for the future can come in short supply in a world that continues to be riddled by corruption, disaster, and division. Funnily enough, that isn’t too far off how the people of Israel were during this time of Isaiah’s prophesy.

God is sharing through Isaiah’s words that even today, as it was true centuries ago, God is doing a new thing in our lives, making paths through our problems and being the light in a dark world. He sent His son to be our Savior and to open the door to this new thing through salvation in Him.

Most of all, wilderness seasons can sometimes make us forget that God has individual purposes for all of us in His eternal plan. Just as He did for the Israelites, He has a path through the wilderness you are experiencing to reach the blessings and understanding you so desperately want.

But it is up to us to make the choice to follow His lead, to believe in His Word, and to praise Him through it all. Because just as some of the Israelites following Moses didn’t make it to the Promised Land due to their choices, we can miss out on this new thing God has in store if we don’t recognize it (“shall you not know it?”).

So, we shouldn’t give up hope that nothing will change in our lives, for God always has something up His sleeve. And what He brings usually grows us into stronger people of faith and hope.

God Has a Plan

In the struggles in our world today, it can be hard to think of new things happening that will bring blessings and valuable life lessons into our lives. Our world seems to be comfortable in the doom and gloom, with the belief that we should trust ourselves more than a God we can’t see or touch.

However, Isaiah 43:19 demonstrates that we should never count God out in bringing beauty out of brokenness or miraculous paths through wildernesses seasons and deserts in life. God knows the path ahead and knows when the right time is to bring forth that needed blessing, that new thing, to change the entire trajectory of our lives as it brings glory to Him.

The new thing is on the horizon, the path in the wilderness and the river in the desert. Trust God has it in store for you, blessings for this temporary world before we reach the eternal blessing of heaven with Him.

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Blair Parke is a freelance writer for BibleStudyTools.com and freelance book editor who wrote her first book, "Empty Hands Made Full," in 2021 about her journey through infertility with her husband. She previously worked for eight years with Xulon Press as an editor. A graduate of Stetson University with a bachelor's in communications, Blair previously worked as a writer/editor for several local magazines in the Central Florida area, including Celebration Independent and Lake Magazine and currently writes for the Southwest Orlando Bulletin. She's usually found with a book in her hand or enjoying quality time with her husband Jeremy and dog Molly. You can order her book at Christian Author Bookstore - Xulon Press Publishing and visit her website at Parkeplaceediting.