What I Noticed Today (Isaiah 44-48)
Isaiah 44
In verses 1-5, Isaiah relates once again that God has chosen Israel and Judah, and He will save them. He will pour out His spirit upon their children, and they will rise up like willows in a flowing stream. In that day, they will say they are the Lord’s.
In verses 6-20, the Lord refers to himself as King of Israel, Lord of Hosts, the First and the Last (eternal), and in this, there is no one like Him. The worship of idols does nothing except it will ultimately bring idol worshippers to shame. The craftsmen who make them are nothing but ordinary men. A blacksmith makes an idol from metal; a carpenter makes one out of wood. What wood is not used for the idol is used to build a fire to bake bread. The idols have no life or ability of their own.
In verses 21-23, Isaiah again calls on Judah and Israel to remember the Lord had formed them, blotted out their transgressions, and redeemed them. Because of this, they should shout praises to God.
In verses 24-28, the Lord again reminds Israel and Judah that he formed them and everything in the heavens by himself. He alone controls what happens to them.
God refers to Cyrus, the Persian king, as his shepherd who will fulfill His purpose (defeat the Babylonians).
Isaiah 45
Isaiah 45 continues the description of the Lord’s use of Cyrus on behalf of the people of Israel.
In verses 1-7, the Lord speaks to Cyrus, telling him He will give him victory in the battle for the sake of Jacob, his chosen people. Even though the Lord knows Cyrus, Cyrus does not know God. People will know that this is the work of the Lord.
In verses 8-13, the Lord describes His work of salvation and His sovereignty over the earth. A pot does not ask the potter what he is doing. One does not ask a father what he is fathering or a mother what she is mothering. The people will realize that God is who He says He is, the creator of the heavens and earth.
In verses 14-19, during the millennial reign, gentile nations (Egypt, Cush, Sabeans) will recognize that God is the only God and that He is the savior of Israel. The idol-worshippers will be put to shame when the Lord saves Israel. The basis of God’s claim is that he foretold these events from ancient times.
In verses 20-25, the Lord tells the Gentiles to turn from their idol worship and turn to Him to avoid the coming destruction. All who come against Him will be put to shame while all of the Israelites will be justified by God and rejoice.
Isaiah 46
Isaiah 46 reveals the Lord’s superiority over the idols and gods of Babylon.
In verses 1-2, Bel is a reference to Marduk, the Babylonian sun god. Nebo was Marduk’s son, and he was the god of wisdom, learning, writing, and astronomy. The images of these two Babylonian gods were heavy to carry around, and rather than being a help to the people were instead a burden.
In verse 3-4, the Lord implores the people of Judah and Israel to remember He had created them, sustained them, carried them, and would save them.
In verses 5-7, the Lord says gold and silver made into an idol cannot compare to Him. The idols can do nothing on their own; they have to be carried about, they cannot move on their own, and if one cries out to them, they can do nothing.
In verses 8-11, the Lord exhorts the people of Babylon (referring to them as transgressors) to remember all that God had done; there was no one like Him. Whatever He has said will come to pass, has come to pass. The stubborn, hard-hearted Babylonians will soon experience God’s righteousness as He brings salvation to Jerusalem, and Israel will once again reflect His glory.
Isaiah 47
In Isaiah 47, Isaiah describes the fall of Babylon over 150-years beforehand.
In verses 1-3, Babylon is told to go sit in the dust (a sign of humiliation). They would no longer be called tender and delicate because God will uncover their nakedness and take vengeance on them.
In verses 4-7, God is the redeemer of Israel, bringing defeat to Babylon. Even though the Lord had used Babylon to judge Judah, they had angered God because they had shown His people no mercy.
In verse 8-11, God warned the Babylonians who thought they were secure that they would be defeated suddenly. Even their sorcerers would not be able to foretell what would happen or be able to stop it.
In verses 12-15, the Lord mocked the Babylonians, telling them to keep trusting their sorcerers and take counsel from their astrologers. But they will not even be able to save themselves, let alone the rest of the Babylonians.
Isaiah 48
In verses 1-5, the Lord calls His people (Jacob called Israel and the people of Judah) hypocrites; they confess the name of the Lord but not in truth.
In verses 6-8, God announced He would give them a new prophecy, one they had never heard before.
In verses 9-11, the Lord said that he was deferring His anger lest He cut them off.
In verses 12-19, the Lord exhorts the people of Israel to listen to Him. He restates His eternity (the first and the last). He is the creator of the heavens and the earth. He has foretold the future fall of Babylon at the hands of Cyrus. The Lord, the redeemer of Israel, teaches them the way they should go, but they ignore Him. Had they obeyed Him, they would have prospered, enjoying peace and righteousness.
In verses 20-21, the Lord exhorts the people of Israel to flee Babylon quickly and joyfully, praising the Lord for having redeemed them. Comparing this Exodus to the first Exodus, the Lord implied He would provide water for their journey again. Those who obeyed the Lord would experience joy, but the wicked would have no peace.
Isaiah 40-48 focused mainly on God’s use of Cyrus, the king of Persia, to conquer Babylon and allow the Jews to return home.
What did you notice in your study today? Feel free to visit the website and leave a question or a comment.
