Bible Commentaries
Isaiah 46

Verses 1-13

1. Intro:
   1. Nate & Aide made it back home.
   2. Dominic & Carrie Lee Gomez – baby.
2. jhgjhgjj! (46)
   1. ​​​​​​​THE GREAT CONTRAST! (1-4)
   2. To carry, or be carried…that is the question!
   3. “An idol is a substitute for God, something that we value & serve other than God. We trust it & sacrifice for it; but in the end, it can do us no good.” (www)
      1. We love to make gods in our own image. They are convenient, but ultimately they become a burden.
   4. Bel – Babylonian form of the Canaanite god Baal (god of storm & agriculture)
      1. His name is found in the name Belshazzar.
   5. Nebo was Bel’s son, the god of learning, & is found in the name Nebuchadnezzar.
   6. As the Jews had God often in their name: Elkanah, Ezekiel, Daniel.
   7. Martin Luther said, “all such as rely & depend upon their art, wisdom, strength, sanctity, riches, honor, power, or anything else” are guilty of worshiping idols.
   8. (3,4) Their gods should have helped them but they were a hindrance.
      1. Here they were being hurried away to safety!
      2. In contrast the Lord carried Israel from their beginnings to their old age!
      3. This is the fundamental difference between false gods & the true.
         1. They have to be carried, He carries!
      4. This is a reoccurring theme throughout the bible(this contest of powers)
         1. Elijah & the prophets of Baal.
         2. Riot in Ephesus. Paul’s teaching clash w/worship of Diana.
         3. John’s command to “keep yourself from idols.” (1 Jn.5:21)
   9. A story is told of a child who had to walk each evening past a dark, spooky house. Some adults sought to give him courage.
      1. One handed him a good luck charm to ward off the ghosts.
      2. Another had a light put on the dreaded corner.
      3. Still another said earnestly, "It is sinful to be afraid. Trust God and be brave!" {The advice was good, but he offered nothing more}
      4. Then someone said with compassion, "I know what it is to be afraid. I will walk with you past the house."
         1. ​​​​​​​He did nothing to remove the fear -- except to lift it from the child's shoulders and place it on his own.
   10. We often make the mistake of carrying our anxieties & burdens when the Lord will carry them from our birth to old age…forever!
       1. ​​​​​​​1 Pet.5:7 “Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.”
       2. Ps.55:22 “Cast thy burden upon the LORD, and he shall sustain thee: he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved.”
       3. Is.63:9 – He bore them & carried them.
       4. Is.53:4 – “took our infirmities & carried our sorrows.”
       5. We are not called to “keep it up” but He is committed to “keep us up!”
          1. This is the assurance of the believer!
          2. Haiti, Rincon church. Medical clinic. Tubs on donkeys & had to balance 45 min. walk. [keeping it up!]
          3. Good example of people with their religion. [keeping it up!]
          4. Does the flea keep up the dog, or the dog keep up the flea?
   11. Q: Is your religion one that is a burden to you, or do you know One who will bear you even to your old age?
   12. Q: How far are you trying to “keep it up” in your progress as a Christian, rather than allowing Him to “keep you up”?
       1. One more picture! - Deut.1:30,31
   13. I have made, & I will bear!
       1. Our atmosphere presses upon us at the rate of several pounds for every square inch of bodily surface, yet we are unconscious of its weight!
          1. No problem for the Lord! [we are dead weight, but it doesn’t mater to Him!]
          2. Baby monkeys in India would attach themselves to mom.
       2. He will bear us on Eagles Wings!
       3. But let’s look at it another way. Sin – often isn’t felt by many until it is revealed then they feel the weight of it. (like someone losing 50lbs, they didn’t notice how much 50 lbs was, until they picked up that large bag of dog kibble & realized “I was carrying this around every day!”)
   14. NO COMPARISON! (5-7)
   15. Idols are all alike, but Jehovah is different.
   16. (6,7) What a waste, great extravagance here.
       1. Nothing but the best for my idol!
       2. Like Aaron & his Golden Calf! – Impressive, but absolutely ineffective.
       3. False religion will always be costly, w/o any benefit.
   17. PREDICTING & CONTROLLING THE FUTURE! (8-11)
   18. Our God is Sovereign, & Unique
       1. ​​​​​​​He decrees & declares all things! (declaring the end from the beginning)
   19. (9) Here is a Bible trivia question for you to answer yourself, then try on a friend. What do the following words have in common? Tishri, Kislev, Nisan, Sivan, and Ab? (Hint: you could also add Adar.) Answer: They are all months in the Jewish calendar. For the devout Jew, the calendar was more than a way of marking time. It provided a ready-made way to recall annually God's dealings in the life of the nation. Nisan marked Passover, the time of Israel's deliverance from Egyptian bondage. Sivan brought the Feast of Pentecost, the celebration of yet another bountiful harvest fromGod. Tishri took the people back to their wilderness wanderings through the Feast of the Tabernacles. Each holiday became a holy day -- a time of recalling, repenting, and renewing old commitments to follow the God of Israel. Why not establish your own annual "Feast of Purim," a time when you and your family rehearse God's special provisions for your family over the past year. And why not begin...tonight!
   20. Israel My Glory! (12-13)