Isa. 44
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Chosen and blessed
Chosen and blessed
God had chosen them - how do you know by what God did for them.
v. 2 God made and formed them so he will help them. Unlike them he would not turn his back on them.
Jeshurun - Deut. 32:15; 33:5, 26 - upright
God cares for them
waters, streams, my spirit, blessings
God spirit brings forth spiritual life
“It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing; the words that I have spoken to you are spirit and are life.
Pour My Spirit on your descendants—a clear reference to the Messianic age
(Isa. 32:15; 59:21; Joel 2:28ff; Zech 12:10; Jn 7:39; Acts 2:17,33; 10:45; 21:9).
v. 5 How do we confess that we belong to God?
This will be a time when many will confess that they belong to God (1 Cor 6:20; 2 Cor 5:14,15; 7:5).
God’s Self Description (v. 6-8)
THE ONLY TRUE GOD - Lord, king of Israel, Redeemer, Lord of hosts, First & last (eternal), no God besides me (who else could do such great things
“Present your case,” the Lord says. “Bring forward your strong arguments,” The King of Jacob says.
Let them bring forth and declare to us what is going to take place; As for the former events, declare what they were, That we may consider them and know their outcome. Or announce to us what is coming;
Declare the things that are going to come afterward, That we may know that you are gods; Indeed, do good or evil, that we may anxiously look about us and fear together.
“Behold, the former things have come to pass, Now I declare new things; Before they spring forth I proclaim them to you.”
“Like a scarecrow in a cucumber field are they, And they cannot speak; They must be carried, Because they cannot walk! Do not fear them, For they can do no harm, Nor can they do any good.”
“From now on I am telling you before it comes to pass, so that when it does occur, you may believe that I am He.
He’s preparing the way for the contrast between him and idols
a. Can proclaim—command to happen whatever He desires for He is omnipotent (Isa. 46:2; 48:15).
b. Declare it—predict a future event with certainty before it happens for He is omniscient.
c. Set it in order for Me—arrange events in the proper sequence, as an army marshaled and arrayed for battle. God is in control!
d. Since I appointed—God is, and has been, in control from the very beginning. For these reasons, His people should not be afraid. They were witnesses of those great predictions and fulfillments therefore, they must know there is no other God! (Isa. 43:10,12). God is the only one to trust in for salvation and deliverance.
I am the first and I am the last—
“This title, claimed by God three times in Isaiah, here, in Isa. 41:4 and Isa. 48:12, and by Christ three times, in Revelation 1:17; 2:8; 22:13, indicates Their oneness in the Godhead, Their eternal preexistence and Their absolute supremacy. It predicates that all creatures animate and inanimate owe their existence to Them, and that the beginning, course and issue of all circumstances are under Their supreme control. Israel may therefore rest assured that all the divine promises and pledges will be fulfilled by Him who is their ‛King,’ their ‛Redeemer, Jehovah of Hosts’” (Vine).
v. 9-20 THE FOLLY OF IDOLATRY
futile - confusion, unreality, or emptiness
The foolishness of idolatry is stressed in several ways:
a. The makers of idols are useless (empty, vain, powerless).
b. The idols are not profitable. They are powerless to deliver or save.
c. They are their own witnesses—one can see just by looking at them that they are powerless.
d. They neither see nor know—how could they predict future events?
e. Those who trust in them shall be ashamed.
f. They are made by men and profitable for nothing!
“God created the dust and from it made man. Can that dust now take created material and form a God? The very thought is preposterous” (Hailey).
g. All associated with idols will be afraid and ashamed.
sarcasm of making and idol 12-17
Isaiah sarcastically declares the process of making an idol, in the reverse order.
a. A hungry, thirsty, weak blacksmith (metal worker) straining to make something to worship!
b. The craftsman (carpenter) works diligently to form an idol in the figure of a man!
1) For what purpose?
2) So that it can remain stationary in a house.
c. He chops down a tree which he has labored hard to plant and which has to depend upon God’s gift of rain for its growth.
d. He uses part of the tree for fire for warmth and to cook his food and uses the rest (the residue or “left overs”) to make a god.
e. He then bows down to it, worships it, and prays to it, asking it to deliver him!
f. In all of this process the idol is passive, not a participant, and has no control over its appearance, where it will dwell or even its destiny. And yet, it is supposed to have the power of a god to deliver the ones who made it.
g. How silly, worshiping the creature rather than the creator (Rom 1:20-25)!
ARE WE STILL TRYING TO MAKE GOD IN OUR IMAGE?
Idol worshipper is deceived 18-20
As for the silly notion that an “image” can remind men of any reality whatever: 1) How can a man made object which cannot think remind and intelligent person of God who is the Infinite Mind? 2) how can an object which can stand only in its place remind an intelligent person of Him who is ubiquitous (present everywhere)? 3) Ho can an object which is totally without any strength or power whatever remind one of the all powerful, omnipotent God? 4) How can an object, which itself had to be manufactured, improved, painted, and decorated remind any thoughtful person of God the Creator of all things. (Coffman)
REDEMPTION AND DELIVERANCE
v. 21 remember these things - reflection on the might acts of God on behalf of its people. (we are not good at this, we don’t share and talk about all the mighty deeds God has done in our lives)
REPENT AND TURN TO HIM from idols
Redemption is a cause to sing (Ps. 96:11, 12; 148)
CYRUS THE DELIVERER IS NAMED...........................................................44:24-28
The great redeemer, Lord, creator and sustainer of the universe has a message, protector and Redeemer.
a. He is powerful enough to, and does, frustrate plans of those who oppose Him.
b. He confirms and carries out the messages of His prophets, particularly the message concerning the restoration of Judah and Jerusalem.
c. God has power to dry up bodies of water. Several meanings are given to this:
1) The parting of the Red Sea in defeating Pharaoh and Egypt (Isa. 43:16,17; Ex 14:4ff),
2) Cyrus’ diverting the Euphrates in the capture of Babylon or
3) Figuratively as God’s great power to remove any obstacle. That God would use Cyrus to release God’s people and send them to rebuild Jerusalem and the temple.
d. Remarkable prophecy!
a) anonymous Isa. 41:2-3, 25
1) By name—150 years before he was born and reigned! (45:1).
2) Fulfilled precisely (Ezra 1:1ff).
3) According to Josephus, Cyrus read of this account before he released Israel!
4) This naming of Cyrus one-hundred years in advance is a big stumbling block to modern theologians.
In verse 24 the word Redeemer is plural in the Hebrew! Another proof of the plurality of the Godhead!