Isaiah 46
Notes
Transcript
Idols and the One True God
Idols and the One True God
So lets remember what has been happening...
God has told them they would be heading into captivity but he has promised to show them mercy in the days to come after the captivity,
And most uniquely, God has spoken how he would use Cyrus as a shepherd for His people.
God would bring them back again to their land and would fund all they need through the nations to begin again.
But at the end of all these messages, there were still some who played around with idols, those idols are worthless.
Baal, Asherah, and so many more idols, or false gods are crafted from the imagination of man and given great honor even though they are dead and offer no help to man.
God has humiliated them already, but people still follow after them… How very sad.
And so today we will look at God’s message concerning Babylon’s demise and the failures of those who bowed down to the idols of Babylon expecting help but were humiliated because they are dead.
God is sovereign and reigns over all!
So we come to chapter 46 today.... lets go ahead and look at verses 1 and 2..
1 Bel bows down; Nebo stoops;
their idols are on beasts and livestock;
these things you carry are borne
as burdens on weary beasts.
2 They stoop; they bow down together;
they cannot save the burden,
but themselves go into captivity.
So Isaiah starts with the mention of two Babylon gods, Bel and Nebo. These are two main gods in that culture.
The so called God, named Bel, its name means “lord.” It is similar to the Canaanite god Baal. Now Bel was a title attributed to Enlil in early cultural texts and it became a title describing Marduk, the chief god of the city of babylon
Marduk supposedly saved all the younger gods of Mesopotamia by defeating Tiamut, in the Babylonian creation myth.
Because of this, marduk is named their chief god. Nebo or (Nabu) in some areas was the son of Marduk and the chief god of Borsippa, a city 7 miles southwest of Babylon. Nebo was said ot hold all wisdom, and writing and was in charge of the ‘Tablet of Destiny?
But YHWH, humiliated these so called gods… they will bow and stoop as they are carried into captivity as the Medo-Persian Kingdom invades the land.
These false gods would be loaded onto the backs of animals , and these things you carry will simply be a burden on the animals in the heat of the day.
The people of Babylon will bow down with these idols as they are coming in to exile with the idols.
There is nothing these idols can do since they are already worthless.
Verses 3-4 Isa 46:3-4
3 “Listen to me, O house of Jacob,
all the remnant of the house of Israel,
who have been borne by me from before your birth,
carried from the womb;
4 even to your old age I am he,
and to gray hairs I will carry you.
I have made, and I will bear;
I will carry and will save.
Here we see a divine exhortation and it meant to encourage every person who considers themselves the sons and daughters of Abraham. Listen and hear what God would say to them...
In contrast to those worthless, powerless idols, God has listed up his people from the days past when he carried them out of Egypt.
4 ‘You yourselves have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles’ wings and brought you to myself.
God called them and carried them and will continue to do so...
It didn’t matter if they were babes or even in old age, marked by grey hair.. God makes it know or all to be certain, He will bless and sustain His people. He will save them!
Now the fact that God says he will save them, should remind the people, wwhile they cannot do anything, God can do all things.
Q. Stop for a second and ask yourself, for all the days you have walked with God, tell me when did He let you down? He hasn’t! He has carried us and will safely bring us home...
Now lets look at verses 5-7
5 “To whom will you liken me and make me equal,
and compare me, that we may be alike?
6 Those who lavish gold from the purse,
and weigh out silver in the scales,
hire a goldsmith, and he makes it into a god;
then they fall down and worship!
7 They lift it to their shoulders, they carry it,
they set it in its place, and it stands there;
it cannot move from its place.
If one cries to it, it does not answer
or save him from his trouble.
Having shown them the contrast of the worthless idols and Himself, listen to what God says to his people now.
Who will you compare me too....
Is there any other divine gods? Are they like Him?? Is there anyone like God? Well we know the answer, it is no.
Can anyone else carry a people and save them… the answer is no, it is only the Father...
How silly, a person pours out gold to make idol and they may make it look impressive, and finally they worship that idol. And once it exists it must be carried to its shrine, and once there, nothing else happens...
It cannot move, it cannot answer the cries of another and it cannot save anyone from trouble… they are dead and worthless… but mind you, they look pretty sitting there..
These factors stand in great contrast to YHWH, the God of Isreal. He has no form that limits him to one place, he is separate from this earth but yet like fine gold, He is the most valuable assest a person can proclaim as theirs. To know God is wonderful..
We do not carry God, no he carries us. He moves and works and is completely aware about all that is happening in our area.
Now lets look at verses 8-9 Isa 46:8-9
8 “Remember this and stand firm,
recall it to mind, you transgressors,
9 remember the former things of old;
for I am God, and there is no other;
I am God, and there is none like me,
God calls for us to remember, and respond based on the statements He is made… God calls for them to remember the things of the past, or recount history..
What history? we are not told specifically but we could think of how he sent Moses to them. How God lead them up out of the land… saved the from Pharoah…
Brought them to a land they did not own and made it their own. He pushed back those who stood against his people and delivered them.
They are to keep all which he has done upon their minds for He is the only God and there is no one like Him
There is no one my friends like our God.
Verses 10-11 Isa 46:10-11
10 declaring the end from the beginning
and from ancient times things not yet done,
saying, ‘My counsel shall stand,
and I will accomplish all my purpose,’
11 calling a bird of prey from the east,
the man of my counsel from a far country.
I have spoken, and I will bring it to pass;
I have purposed, and I will do it.
In contrast to the worthless idols that cannot speak, Hod declares what has not yet happened and well as what he will accomplish in the end.
People and nations are not the ones dictate the future, and save man on the last day. God is....
What God has spoken, he will bring it to pass, what He has purposed that is what he will do...
In the end, God will establish his people into his holy nation and they will have a kingdom where why they will remain with Him.
You can count of God in all things..
Verses 12-13 Isa 46:12-13
12 “Listen to me, you stubborn of heart,
you who are far from righteousness:
13 I bring near my righteousness; it is not far off,
and my salvation will not delay;
I will put salvation in Zion,
for Israel my glory.”
Lastly here, God calls for the people to listen to Him, He calls them the stubborn of heart and far from righteousness...
Not a good title for the people of God, but its honest.
The people of Judea and Jerusalem has been rebellious, and it would appear not all believe that God is the strongest and best to save people since they have been guilty of worshipping idols
How could they question??? If you are afar from God, well you wont walk with him or really know him, right.. Some don’t truly know the Lord.
And in contrast, I will near my righteousness… His righteous acts of salvation are sure, they are near and they will not be delayed.
One can be confident it will happen because God is not one who is far away from his people. In fact he is near to them, so near that He can act on their behalf...
Wow… aren’t you glad our Father took the initiative and brought salvation near to us.
He will establish His reign of Justice, He will save his people, the children of Israel. At the right time His Son will enter the world and give his life as a ransom for many.
Why? That man might have life and have Him… this brings him glory my friend.
Is God worthy of our praise? YES
What can you praise Him for today?
Pray