Our title for today’s study is, The power of the LORD and the weakness of idols. Isaiah 46 and verse 1 reads.
Isa.46:1] Bel boweth down, Nebo stoopeth, their idols were upon the beasts, and upon the cattle: your carriages were heavy loaden; they are a burden to the weary beast.
He is saying here that your sins are a burden to your beasts, they are tired from carrying the load. Now, look at this for the end times. Even Satan will bow at the coming of the true Christ, all knees will bow. Nebo is the god of learning, the idol of Babylon, he also bows (Isa.45:23, Rom.14;11-12, Phi.2:9-11). The idols being on the beasts, plural, are the two beasts of the end times. The first is a political system or one world order, the second being Satan the antichrist.
Isa.46:2] They stoop, they bow down together; they could not deliver the burden, but themselves are gone into captivity.
They are breaking their own backs carrying so much sin as they go into captivity. They have worshipped the antichrist.
Isa.46:3] Hearken unto me, O house of Jacob, and all the remnant of the house of Israel, which are borne by me from the belly, which are carried from the womb:
He is telling both houses, the house of Judah and the house of Israel, listen to me. I have carried you from the womb in which I have placed you to be my children. Let’s go to Psalms 71 and verse 4 reads.
Psa.71:4] Deliver me, O my God, out of the hand of the wicked, out of the hand of the unrighteous and cruel man.
[5] For thou art my hope, O Lord GOD: thou art my trust from my youth.
[6] By thee have I been holden up from the womb: thou art he that took me out of my mother’s bowels: my praise shall be continually of thee.
Back to Isa.46 and hear the compassion of the LORD for you and me, and verse 4 reads.
Isa.46:4] And even to your old age I am he; and even to hoar hairs will I carry you: I have made, and I will bear; even I will carry, and will deliver you.
Even when we are old and grey headed, he will carry us. Reminds me of that poem “Footprints”. He will send his elect to be delivered up to Satan to give their testimonies, and then shall most hear and repent and be saved. Our God is a God of love. His compassion for his children cannot be overstated.
Isa.46:5] To whom will ye liken me, and make me equal, and compare me, that we may be like?
Who can you compare God to in the flesh or in the spirit, that we are equal to him? Nobody!
Isa.46:6] They lavish gold out of the bag, and weigh silver in the balance, and hire a goldsmith; and he maketh it a god: they fall down, yea, they worship.
They fashion an idol out of God’s creation, and call it a god. They bow down to it and worship it. They are foolish.
Isa.46:7] They bear him upon the shoulder, they carry him, and set him in his place, and he standeth; from his place shall he not remove: yea, one shall cry unto him, yet can he not answer, nor save him out of his trouble.
The stupidity of man. They fashion it out of precious metal, and then have to carry their god and nail it to the floor so that it doesn’t fall over. They cry to it, but it doesn’t answer. It cannot save them from their troubles, yet they still worship it. These idols that man has worshiped will be no different from them worshipping the antichrist in the end times.
Isa.46:8] Remember this, and shew yourselves men: bring it again to mind, O ye transgressors.
You sinners listen to me, remind yourselves of your sins, are you men or not. Stop doing the same old sins that are written for your admonitions.
Isa.46:9] Remember the former things of old: for I am God, and there is none else; I am God, and there is none like me,
Let’s go to Deu.32 and verse 6 reads.
Deu.32:6] Do ye thus requite the LORD, O foolish people and unwise? is not he thy father that hath bought thee? hath he not made thee, and established thee?
[7] Remember the days of old, consider the years of many generations: ask thy father, and he will shew thee; thy elders, and they will tell thee.
[8] When the most High divided to the nations their inheritance, when he separated the sons of Adam, he set the bounds of the people according to the number of the children of Israel.
Separating the sons of Adam, Eth-ha-Adam, the man Adam through which Christ would come. Talking about the 8th day creation, Adam and Eve. These are the days of old. Back to Isa.46 and verse 10 reads.
Isa.46:10] Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure:
The will of the LORD will be done exactly as he has written it for us to absorb, to eat, that though it be bitter to the stomach it be sweet in our mouths. Let’s go to Psalms 33 and verse 11 reads.
Psa.33:11] The counsel of the LORD standeth for ever, the thoughts of his heart to all generations.
[12] Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD: and the people whom he hath chosen for his own inheritance.
And never forget Rev.4:11 and it reads.
Rev.4:11] Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.
Back to Isa.46 and verse 11 reads.
Isa.46:11] Calling a ravenous bird from the east, the man that executeth my counsel from a far country: yea, I have spoken it, I will also bring it to pass; I have purposed it, I will also do it.
He is speaking of Cyrus here, and you better believe Cyrus read this also. But for you and me, think of the millennium. It is for great purpose that he will do this. Let’s go to 2Pet.3 and verse 9 reads.
2Pet.3:9] The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.
No one can compare to his compassion for his children. If just one of the wicked shall come to their senses and repent, the same shall be saved. Back to Isa.46 and verse 12 reads.
Isa.46:12] Hearken unto me, ye stouthearted, that are far from righteousness:
He says; Listen to me you hard headed people who worship a stick, you are far from me. Meaning your sins are plenty, repent and I will blot them out.
Isa.46:13] I bring near my righteousness; it shall not be far off, and my salvation shall not tarry: and I will place salvation in Zion for Israel my glory.
Let’s go to Habakkuk 2 and verse 3 reads.
Hab.2:3] For the vision is yet for an appointed time, but at the end it shall speak, and not lie: though it tarry, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not tarry.
[4] Behold, his soul which is lifted up is not upright in him: but the just shall live by his faith.
Now the prophecy is this. Jesus would come to Jerusalem as the Lamb of God. He will come again as King of kings and Lord of lords. The first for salvation and the second for judgment upon the world. Let’s go to his throne.
Father, we thank you for your word and ask that you bless all that love you in Jesus’s precious name, Amen.
KJV along with The New Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance of The Bible