Isaiah 41:1-29

God is a jealous God who will not share His glory with any man or any idol fashioned by the hands of man.  He calls men and nations into account and accomplishes His will in this world.  Sinful and rebellious nations may thrive for a time but there will be a just judgment ahead.  God’s chosen people may suffer the consequences of their sin and be enslaved by godless nations for a time but God will restore them in response to their repentance.  All men are responsible to God and all nations are under His sovereign control.  There may be times throughout history where this truth is not clearly evident; but a time is coming where there will be no doubt in anyone’s mind as to who is King of kings and Lord of lords.

GOD CONFRONTS THOSE WHO TRUST IN IDOLS: The nations of the world have exalted themselves.  Isaiah calls them the coastlands.  They have prospered and become arrogant in their own power.  These idolatrous nations wrongly believe themselves to be invisible.  God will call them to account and they will face His wrath and His judgment.  All of their idols will be powerless to defend them against the wrath of God.  The craftsmen who built those idols will begin to encourage one another and assure one another thinking themselves strong but they are sorely mistaken.  All who trust in idols will be destroyed before the mighty had of God.

GOD COMFORTS THOSE WHO LOOK TO HIM: The nation of Israel has repeatedly come under the influence of idolatry and has been severely judged for this sin.  There may be times where it looks as if God has turned His back on the nation and abandoned them.  The consequences of sin are great but they serve a purpose in the plan of God to call His children to repentance.  God assures His chosen people that they do not need to fear because He will deliver them when they look to Him and repent of their idolatrous ways.  God will help them and He will not forsake them for the sake of His own name and glory.


GOD CONFOUNDS THOSE WHO KNOW NOTHING: It is ridiculous for men to fashion an idol with their own hands and then bow down to that same idol as if the idol had power over them.  In reality, all idolatry is just self-worship in a very poor disguise.  God issues a challenge to these idols.  He asks them to tell Him of the past creation of the earth and to tell of the future consummation of the earth.  An idol is incapable of even telling one thing of the present much less revealing the past or the future.  God alone is able to tell us of the foundations of the earth and He alone is able to reveal His future plans for the earth.  That is why He alone is worthy of our worship and why all idols who pretend to have power will be exposed and confounded because, in reality, they know nothing. 

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Isaiah 54:1-17

Hope is a wonderful blessing from God, without which we would be vulnerable to all kinds of destructive tendencies in our lives.  Today’s society is marked by depression, anger, fear, anxiety and self-righteousness, in large part, because of the sense of hopelessness that prevails in our culture.  Isaiah writes to a people who are about to be taken into captivity because of their sin.  God knows that they will feel rejected, threatened and hopeless so He reveals His future plans for the nation in order to give them hope in the midst of the coming trial.  Hope is the expectation of good based upon the promises of God.  Many times when our lives are marked by the sins mentioned above it is because we have forgotten or failed to focus upon the promises of God’s Word. THE PROMISE OF GOD: From the very first day that God revealed His plan for the nation of Israel, He promised numerous descendants.  God chose Abraham, not because he was more righteous than a...
Read more

2 Timothy 1:3-7

I thank God   whom I serve, as did my ancestors,   with a clear conscience, as I remember you   constantly in my prayers night and day.    As I remember your tears,   I long to see you, that I may be filled with joy.    I am reminded of   your sincere faith, a faith that dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and   your mother Eunice and now, I am sure, dwells in you as well.    For this reason I remind you   to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands, for God gave us   a spirit not of fear but   of power and love and self-control. It is easy for us to forget many important things especially in the face of difficulty or danger.  Paul is in prison and Timothy is facing difficult times in ministry so there are important reminders that Paul wants to make sure that Timothy understands.  God has given us everything we need to face the difficulties He allows i...
Read more

2 Timothy 1:8-14

Therefore   do not be ashamed of   the testimony about our Lord, nor of   me his prisoner, but   share in suffering for the gospel by the power of God,   who saved us and   called us to a holy calling,   not because of our works but because of   his own purpose and grace, which he gave us in Christ Jesus   before the ages began, and which now has   been manifested through   the appearing of our Savior Christ Jesus,   who abolished death and   brought life and   immortality to light through the gospel, for which I was appointed a preacher and apostle and teacher, which is why I suffer as I do. But   I am not ashamed, for   I know whom I have believed, and I am convinced that he is able to guard until   that day   what has been entrusted to me.  Follow   the pattern of   the sound words   that you have heard from me, in   the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. ...
Read more