To Carry or Be Carried
Opening Prayer
Father God, I need to hear Your word of warning. You are the One True God, the Incomparable One.
Read Isaiah 46:1-13
[1] Bel bows down, Nebo stoops low; their idols are borne by beasts of burden. The images that are carried about are burdensome, a burden for the weary. [2] They stoop and bow down together; unable to rescue the burden, they themselves go off into captivity. [3] “Listen to me, you descendants of Jacob, all the remnant of the people of Israel, you whom I have upheld since your birth, and have carried since you were born. [4] Even to your old age and gray hairs I am he, I am he who will sustain you. I have made you and I will carry you; I will sustain you and I will rescue you. [5] “With whom will you compare me or count me equal? To whom will you liken me that we may be compared? [6] Some pour out gold from their bags and weigh out silver on the scales; they hire a goldsmith to make it into a god, and they bow down and worship it. [7] They lift it to their shoulders and carry it; they set it up in its place, and there it stands. From that spot it cannot move. Even though someone cries out to it, it cannot answer; it cannot save them from their troubles. [8] “Remember this, keep it in mind, take it to heart, you rebels. [9] Remember the former things, those of long ago; I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like me. [10] I make known the end from the beginning, from ancient times, what is still to come. I say, ‘My purpose will stand, and I will do all that I please.’ [11] From the east I summon a bird of prey; from a far-off land, a man to fulfill my purpose. What I have said, that I will bring about; what I have planned, that I will do. [12] Listen to me, you stubborn-hearted, you who are now far from my righteousness. [13] I am bringing my righteousness near, it is not far away; and my salvation will not be delayed. I will grant salvation to Zion, my splendor to Israel. Scripture taken from the THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION, NIV Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Reflect
How does our God, the true God, describe himself (9)?Through Isaiah the prophet, God is calling his own people back to himself. They have been enticed away to worship the gods of the Babylonians. Instead of being distinct as God’s people, they have been assimilated into the culture around them and started to follow other gods. There is a lovely play on the idea of being carried. The gods that the Babylonians follow have to be carried either by animals (1) or by the people who made them (2). How can such a “god” possibly help them? These idols have no power to do anything. In contrast, the true God is the one who has made his people and carried them since they were born (3,4). He is the one who can rescue them and he cares for them. He is the one who is able to take action. This chapter warns against idolatry. Idolatry is anything that moves God from the center of the universe. What are the idols of our time and culture? What entices us away from putting our trust in the living God? Is it materialism, consumerism, the pension fund, family, status, career? Some expression of human ingenuity is usually near the top of the list.
Apply
Isaiah describes the false gods of his day. They have changed since then, but are they still around? How do you guard against them?
Closing prayer
Lord, thank You for carrying me. Give me the wisdom to put You back at the center of my life.
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