Isaiah 46 - ESV - Bible Reading / Study Notes

Isaiah 46

The Idols of Babylon and the One True God

46:1   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.
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.
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.
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,
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.
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.”

Commentary

v1-2: Idolatry - a burden and a snare. The impotent idols have no power to deliver, and cannot even move themselves. In particular, here the idols of Babylon will be seen to be impotent.

Idolatry took and takes, many forms. Idolatry may be defined as 'serving, worshipping, or following any image, spirit, god, or idol apart from the true and living God.' (African Bible Commentary) Idolatry corrupts value systems, thought processes and regard for human life, and results in a corrupt society. Indeed, any false religion will have these consequences.

v3-4: In contrast to idols conceived and carried by men, God has carried and will carry His people; He is committed to His own. There is no time that He will fail to do this.

The choice is again set forth; to worship a God of man's making, or to worship the true God who made all things.

v5-7: The contrast is continued; men make idols from precious metals. But the idol cannot move, cannot answer prayer, it cannot save anyone. Yet men compared God with idols; the NT says that "an idol is nothing," 1 Cor 8.4.

v8: God calls to His people to "listen" (v3, 12) and to remember. See also 1.18 - God calls His people to Himself - that they might pay attention to Him, and learn to walk in obedience.

The call to repentance; to rebels, transgressors, that they consider the true God, and turn afresh to Him.

v9: 'Look back,' for all Jews were taught history, from creation onwards; was not this evidence of God's greatness?

v10: God is omniscient; time does not limit His knowledge, as it does ours. His memory does not fade or fail; He can see the future. God is omnipotent, bringing His own word to fulfilment.

v11: Fulfilled prophecy is a demonstration of divine omnipotence; prophecy is not so much, 'This is what will happen,' but rather, 'This is what I am going to do.' Prophecy is God declaring His plans ahead of time. In context, God is speaking of Babylon, the bird of prey, called at the command of God.

v12-13: Israel the stubborn-hearted will be changed in righteousness and salvation (45.8). Ultimately this is fulfilled in Christ.