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Verse-by-Verse Bible Study

Isaiah 46

IsaiahOld TestamentEnglish
These are the original teaching notes from this passage.
  • Outline…
    • Isaiah 40-48 – Comfort: for a people CAPTIVE in Babylon…
    • Isaiah 49-55 – Redemption: for a people CAPTIVE to sin…
    • Isaiah 56-66 – Restoration: of Israel and the world
    • The Plan of God…
    • Having challenged Jacob to CHOSE – the LORD or the LIE…
    • Painting a powerful contrast between a block of WOOD – and the OMNISCIENT God…
    • Proven by the Lord calling out Cyrus – leader of the Medo-Persian empire – a century in advance…
    • God went on to give details of how His ANOINTED [chosen] would conquer Babylon…
    • God gave the DETAILS so that Cyrus would know the LORD is God…
    • Therefore – WOE to anyone who STIVES with their MAKES [potter and the clay]
    • Instead they should ASK the LORD – and He would give them His PLAN!
    • No Other Gods…
    • Although God is HIDDEN – we CANNOT see Him…
    • Yet anyone who look can SEE that it is God who is the one doing the WORK…
    • Because those who put their TRUST in IDOLS – are ashamed [nothing happens]
    • But those who put their TRUST in the LORD – will NEVER be put to SHAME…
    • For He [אֲנִי] is the LORD – and there is NO [אִין] other God…
    • And He did NOT speak in SECRET – He has declared what we should do…
    • That EVERY knee will BOW – and EVERY tongue confess He is LORD – Philippians 2:10-11
  • 1st – Comparing Gods… vs. 1-5
    • 1st – False Gods… vs. 1-2
      • No protection… vs. 1
      • Bel bows down!
      • Having given His PLAN to save Israel – through the hand of His ANOINTED [Cyrus]
      • And stating the LORD is God – and there are NO [אִין] others…
      • Wanted to emphasize the COMPARISON between the LORD and FALSE gods…
      • Isaiah gives us the TWO key gods in the pantheon [they had many] of Babylon:
      • BEL [בֵּל] – from the word Lord [בַּעַל] or MASTER…
      • Was another name for their CHIEF deity – MARDUK [𒀭𒀫𒌓]
      • He was the KING of their gods – creator of the universe – protector of Babylon!
      • There is some assumed connection between MARDUK and NIMROD…
      • When man first came together after the FLOOD [judgement of God]
      • They rebelled again the command to GO and fill the earth – Genesis 9:1
      • And instead built a city in BABYLON [Shinar] whose tower was to HEAVEN – Genesis 11:4
      • This was where NIMROD is thought to have originated IDOL worship!
      • The world has NOT changed much since the beginning [Genesis – to Isaiah – to today]
      • People still do NOT want to OBEY the command of God…
      • They continue to look for security – significance – and protection apart from the Lord…
      • They look to MONEY – thinking it has the POWER to protect…
      • But the TRUTH also does NOT change – and the things of this world can NEVER save!
      • No control… vs. 1
      • Nebo stoops!
      • NEBO [נְבוֹ] – whose name may be connected with the idea of announcing or proclaiming…
      • Was the SON of MARDUK – and was associated with WISDOM and PROPHECY…
      • The name is similar sounding to the Hebrew word for PROPHET [נָבִיא]
      • He was viewed as the god who recorded and determined the fate of humanity…
      • Yet NEBO could NOT predict and warn his people about their FALL!
      • The world looks to KNOWLEDGE – to worldly WISDOM…
      • People trust in so called SCIENCE [human wisdom] – to guide their LIVES…
      • But the problem is that human knowledge is limited…
      • It can study YESTERDAY – but does NOT know what will happen TOMORROW!
      • Burden… vs. 1
      • Their idols were on the beasts and on the cattle.
      • Your carriages were heavily loaded – a burden to the weary beast!
      • The IDOLS of Babylon – they CARRIED [perfect] of on OX carts…
      • They were HEAVY – and a BURDEN to the exhausted animals…
      • The gods they trusted to carry them to victory – became a burden they carried into captivity!
      • There is a moment in the church today to look to PSYCHOLOGY for answers…
      • When someone is depressed – has anxiety – or relational issues…
      • They are encouraged to go to COUNSELORS – trained PSYCHIATRISTS…
      • But they are putting their TRUST in SINNERS – to help them overcome their SIN…
      • And people with PROBLEMS – are NOT in a position to save others from their PROBLEMS!
      • This is the DILEMMA with looking for answers from this world…
      • We are ASKING for HELP from those who CANNOT even help themselves!
      • Captivity – vs. 2
      • They stoop – they bow down together.
      • They could not deliver the burden – but have themselves gone into captivity!
      • These IDOLS bowed [perfect] and stooped [perfect] together…
      • They were NOT able to deliver their BURDEN [Babylon]
      • The IDOLS went along with the people into CAPTIVITY!
      • Those who misplace their FAITH – will find they have NO power…
      • Because if we TRUST in something that does NOT have the ability to DELIVER us…
      • Then it should come as NO surprise that we are still CAPTIVE to SIN – Romans 6:16
      • MONEY – SCIENCE – human WISDOM [psychology]
      • Are NEVER going to give us VICTORY in this life – more importantly – give us ETERNAL life!
    • 2nd – True God… vs. 3-5
      • Listen… vs. 3
      • Listen to Me O house of Jacob – and all the remnant of the house of Israel.
      • Therefor JACOB – [rebellious] is again begin contrasted to ISRAEL…
      • Because those who are ISRAEL [governed by God] – are just a REMNANT [not many left]
      • But they were ALL [כֹּל] – commanded [imperative] LISTEN to the LORD…
      • Why LISTEN to the LORD – because unlike IDOLS – He speaks…
      • God is NOT silent – He is trying to DIRECT us – SAVE us!
      • It has been said that MONEY talks – but that is just a euphemism…
      • The things people put their TRUST in from this world – are SILENT…
      • But in CONTRAST the LORD has been speaking for SIX thousand years – Psalm 19:2-3
      • He NEVER stops trying to get our attention – if we will LISTEN!
      • Whole life… vs. 3-4
      • Who have been upheld by Me from birth. Who have been carried from the womb.
      • Even to your old age I am He – and even to gray hairs I will carry you.
      • I have made and I will bear. Even I will carry and will deliver you!
      • The LORD is the one who CARRIED Israel from the WOMB…
      • And will [imperfect] CARRY them until they are OLD [grey haired]
      • The Lord goes on to use the word I [אֲנִי] – four times to emphasize what He does…
      • The use of the pronoun I [אֲנִי] is emphatic in Hebrew as it is NOT needed [built into the verbs]
      • FIRST – I [אֲנִי] will [imperfect] CARRY you [סָבַל] – to pick up a BURDEN…
      • SECOND – because I [אֲנִי] have [perfect] created you – Genesis 1
      • THIRD – I [אֲנִי] will [imperfect] BEAR you [נָשָׂא] – to LIFT up or SUPPORT…
      • FOURTH – I [אֲנִי] will [imperfect] CARRY and DELIVER [piel] you!
      • There is a famous pome called FOOTPRINTS in the sand…
      • Where a man was walking with the LORD – and looked back to see their FOOTPRINTS…
      • But he noted there were places where there was only ONE set [during the hardest days]
      • Upset – he asked the LORD why He left when the man needed Him the most…
      • But God answered – He had NOT left – that is when He had carried the man!
      • The Lord desires to help us – NOT only in the HARD times – EVERY day…
      • He is there from the moment we are BORN – to our last BREATH…
      • And if we are willing to LISTEN to Him – put our FAITH in the TRUE God…
      • He will CARRY us – because He is our creator who LOVES us…
      • He will LIFT us up – because He alone is the one who can SAVE [piel] us!
      • No Equal… vs. 5
      • To whom will you liken Me and make Me equal – and compare Me that we should be alike?
      • Seeing the DIFFERENCE between FALSE gods [Bel – Nebo] – and the LORD…
      • God wanted to KNOW – WHOM would Israel declare [piel] was like Him…
      • Who could they MAKE [hiphil] His EQUAL – who could COMPARE to Him!
      • We think MONEY can help – because it can buy THINGS…
      • Yet God is the one who CREATED everything…
      • We assume that KNOWLEDGE [education] can give a better life…
      • Yet God is the one who KNOWS what will happen to our life!
      • If we would STOP and think about the answer to this…
      • It would make us MUCH more careful where we put our TRUST…
      • Because there is NO one and NOTHING that compares to the LORD…
      • Therefore putting our TRUST in anything else is just FOOLISH!
  • 2nd – Contrasting Gods… vs. 6-13
    • 1st – False Gods… vs. 6-7
      • Not thinking… vs. 6
      • They lavish gold out of the bag and weigh silver on the scales.
      • They hire a goldsmith and he makes it a god. They prostrate themselves – yes they worship!
      • The people POUR out GOLD and SILVER [spare no expense]
      • And hire [imperfect] someone to MAKE [עָשָׂה] it into a god [אֵל]
      • Then – FALL down [4x in OT] – the other THREE times are all in – Isaiah 44:15-19
      • Yes they cause themselves [Hishtaphel] to WORSHIP [imperfect] the thing they had MADE!
      • Isaiah intentionally uses language he used to MOCK before…
      • They have SHUT their eyes so they CANNOT see – they do NOT think…
      • Shall I fall down [סָגַד] before a BLOCK of WOOD – Isaiah 44:19
      • People will spend LARGE sums to give their children an EDUCATION…
      • They will spend HUGE sums to buy a nice CAR – or HOME…
      • It seems we have few limits on how throwing MONEY at things we think can SAVE…
      • Rather than realizing the ONLY thing that can help – costs us NOTHING!
      • Not moving… vs. 7
      • They bear it on the shoulder – they carry it – and set it in its place and it stands.
      • From its place it shall not move!
      • People BEAR [נָשָׂא] these IDOLS on their shoulders…
      • They CARRY it [סָבַל] them – using the same words God used about us – Isaiah 46:4
      • Yet when they set them DOWN – they do NOT [לֹא] move…
      • A direct COMPARISON – between the God who moves us – to the IDOLS that cannot move!
      • One of the greatest inventions has to be AIR tags…
      • I am always misplacing the things I need – I put them down and then FORGET where…
      • It would be GREAT if they could COME when I called them…
      • But they CANNOT move – but at least now they can BEEP!
      • No Answers… vs. 7
      • Though one cries out to it – yet it cannot answer nor save him out of his trouble!
      • Even though people continue [imperfect] to CRY out for HELP…
      • Their idols CANNOT answer – and they CANNOT save them from their TROUBLE!
      • PRAYER is like a CELL phone – it can CONNECT us to the answer…
      • But we have to make sure we are dialing the RIGHT number…
      • If we just make RANDOM calls – we will NOT find HELP…
      • But if we DIAL the EMERGENCY number [911] – we know HELP is not far away!
      • When the HARD times come – the question is what NUMBER are we DIALING…
      • Are we trying RANDOM numbers [not the Lord] – hoping someone will answer…
      • Even if we KNOW to call the LORD – knowing is NOT enough…
      • In our hour of NEED – we need to be sure we make the CALL [pray]!
    • 2nd – True God… vs. 8-11
      • Remember… vs. 8-9
      • Remember this and show yourselves men. Recall to mind O you transgressors.
      • Remember the former things of old!
      • They MUST [imperative] REMEMBER…
      • Stop acting FOOLISHLY – and remember what they were – just MEN [אִישׁ]
      • They were NOT the solution – therefore nothing they made [idols] could HELP them…
      • Recall [imperative] to mind – in their HEART [לֵב] – that they were SINNERS [participle]
      • Therefore they could NOT trust their thoughts – or their emotions…
      • Then REMEMBER [imperative] who God has always been – from before the BEGINNING!
      • If we give an HONEST evaluation of our lives – the truth is obvious…
      • Because any time we have looked to ourselves for the answer – it did NOT end well…
      • When we fall back on our UNDERSTANDING [mind] – our EMOTION [heart]
      • Things tend to spiral out of control – because we are SINFUL men…
      • We only make things worse – more often than not catastrophically…
      • In contrast anytime we have SURRENDERED to the LORD – things have always worked…
      • Because He has ALL the power – ALL the knowledge – and NEVER fails…
      • If we would only REMEMBER that – we would NEVER trust in ourselves again!
      • The Only God… vs. 9-10
      • For I am God and there is no other. I am God and there is none like Me.
      • Declaring the end from the beginning – and from ancient times things that are not yet done.
      • Saying: My counsel shall stand – and I will do all My pleasure!
      • Because [כִּי] – He is GOD [אֵל] – using the singular – and there is NO [אִין] other…
      • Emphasizing that there is NO other GOD – only DEAD and USELESS idols…
      • He is GODS [אֱלֹהִים] – using the plural [trinity] – and there are NONE like Him…
      • Emphasizing His NATURE – the unique character of the TRINITY – I John 5:7
      • This is the declaration the LORD made NINE times – Isaiah 45
      • But here He adds the CONTRAST to show WHY there is NONE like him…
      • Unlike BEL who had NO power – and NEBO who could NOT see the future…
      • He is the God who tells [hiphil] us the END [Revelation] from the BEGINNING [Genesis]
      • From ANCIENT times that which has NOT yet happened [niphal]
      • Saying [participle] His PLAN will [imperfect] stands…
      • And He has the power so that ALL [כֹּל] He WANTS – He will [imperfect] DO!
      • It is interesting that this is one of TWO verses [46:10] that are commonly quoted…
      • Here we see WHO God is – the One who is ALL knowing and ALL powerful…
      • But in the Psalms – we see our RESPONSE to this ALL knowing ALL powerful God!
      • Psalm 46:10 – “Be still and know that I am God [אֱלֹהִים].”
      • When we stop and REMEMBER who we are [weak and limited]
      • And REMEMBER who God is – ALL knowing and ALL powerful…
      • The God who can tell us what will happen in the END – from before we even start…
      • The God who can do ANYTHING He wants – NO limitations…
      • We see that our RESPONSE – is to simply be STILL and KNOW Him [imperative]
      • His Plan… vs. 11
      • Calling a bird of prey from the east. The man who executes My counsel from a far country.
      • Indeed I have spoken it – I will also bring it to pass. I have purposed it – I will also do it!
      • To those in Babylon – to the Jews in captivity…
      • The God who tells the END from the BEGINNING said [over a century before it happened]
      • He was CALLING a bird of prey from the EAST – from a FAR country [Medo-Persia]
      • A man who would DO execute His PLAN [Cyrus]
      • INDEED [אַף] – He had [perfect] spoken [piel]
      • INDEED [אַף] – He had the POWER to make it [hiphil] happen [בּוֹא]
      • INDEED [אַף] – He would [imperfect] DO exactly what He said!
      • Numbers 23:19 – “God is not a man so he does not lie. He is not human so he does not change his mind. Has he ever spoken and failed to act? Has he ever promised and not carried it through?” [NLT]
      • If we rely on the words and promises of men – we will be disappointed…
      • Not that people are liars or do not mean well – they just do not know what the future holds…
      • If we want to know for certain what to do – what the future holds – go to God…
      • God cannot lie – and He never changes His mind…
      • If God promises to take care of all our needs – He will…
      • If God promises us salvation through faith in Jesus – heaven in our destination!
      • II Corinthians 1:20 – “For all the promises of God in Him are Yes and in Him Amen.”
    • 3rd – Listen… vs. 12-13
      • Stubborn… vs. 12
      • Listen to Me you stubborn-hearted – who are far from righteousness!
      • In light of the COMPARISON and CONTRAST of the TRUE God to FALSE gods…
      • You MUST [imperative] LISTEN – you who have a STUBBORN [strong] heart [לֵב]
      • Because you are FAR from [מִ] being RIGHTEOUS [צְדָקָה]
      • STOP stubbornly going back to the same FAILED answers [false gods]
      • Because it was keeping them FAR from the RIGHT one!
      • His Salvation…vs. 13
      • I bring My righteousness near – it shall not be far off. My salvation shall not linger.
      • And I will place salvation in Zion. For Israel My glory!
      • The LORD [perfect] brought [piel] righteousness near…
      • Righteousness would NO longer be FAR away from them…
      • His SALVATION would NOT wait [piel] any longer – He would SAVE them now…
      • He would put His SALVATION in Zion [Jersualem]
      • To SHOW His GLORY to Israel [those governed by God]!
      • Every day we have to make a choice WHO we are looking to…
      • Are we TRUSTING in ourselves – are we looking to FALSE gods…
      • Know that STUBBORNNESS is what keeps us far from the ONLY answer…
      • The God who has ALL knowledge – and ALL power…
      • The God who makes us RIGHTEOUS – the God who SAVES…
      • And if we are simply willing to humble ourselves and LISTEN to Him…
      • He will show us His GLORY – He will SAVE us from our troubles!