Adult Class
December 2006-May 2007
Isaiah
Lesson 19: The Certainty of God’s Judgment
The previous chapters included God’s impassioned critique of idolatry. After so much said, we might think there was nothing left to say, but we would be wrong. God has a little more yet to say in an attempt to convince the Israelites that the worship of idols was stupid, futile and infuriating to God. He is the only living God, and since He has all power, His judgment is absolutely certain. Babylon will fall.
Isaiah 46—Babylon is doomed
God reminds Israel that the idols of Babylon, its chief gods, must be carried around. In the New Year’s celebration in Babylon, the idols were carried all around the city in a festive procession—a tiring process! And since they are only idols and have no power whatever, they fatigue the bearer and can do nothing to protect the city. The idols will be taken away as captives.
By contrast, God reminds Israel that they don’t have to carry Him; He carries them and has done so from their beginning! God encourages the people to think up a proper representation for Him. He shows that neither gold nor silver is proper, and that anything that has to be fixed to its position does Him no justice. Anything that is lifeless cannot save or sustain anybody at any time. God focuses their attention on one overriding principle: He is God and there is no other god at all.
His power and character are made known in the Scriptures, and here He invites the hearers to reflect upon His wisdom. He knows everything, at all times. He knows the end from the beginning. He has all power to make things happen. And He will demonstrate that in the call and commission of Cyrus to overthrow Babylon. God called him by name, as we saw in chapter 44 and 45, but here he mentions him again, representing him as a bird of prey (and Cyrus used a giant eagle on his personal banner). There is a reason for all this, and that is to free Judah from the grip of Babylonian captivity. God’s judgment in this is certain.
People often seek causes for the events they see and assign false reasons for things that happen. It was no coincidence that Cyrus rose to prominence and conquered so many nations, and it was no coincidence that he chose to set the captives free to return to their homes. Those who seek spiritual help and sustenance apart from the only living God are as foolish and shortsighted as those who would nail a statue in place, then bow down and offer sacrifices to it.
Isaiah 47—Babylon is fallen
The Babylonian nobles sought slaves to do their work, to prepare their food and generally to make their lives pleasant. God promises here to reverse their position so that they are humiliated and forced to labor for others. Those who had been exalted were about to be cast down from their position.
Babylon is addressed as if it were a proud woman, a queen among others. She was proud and haughty, presuming that she would continue for all time. God assigns to her the kind of language He has reserved for Himself—“I am and there is none besides me.” So God promises to visit all the terrors upon the city. The Babylonians believed they had supernatural help with all their magic spells and amulets, but God promises that they are perfectly worthless. Babylon was the foundation of astrology and various soothsayers tried to predict the future by gazing at the patterns of the stars. However, God clearly says that they have nothing to offer and their predictions somehow failed to include this disaster that is coming!
The astrologers and fortunetellers had a long and honored tradition in the nation, but God continues to show that it is all worthless. No matter that it is of long standing, this way of thinking and acting is futile and it has nothing to offer the city of Babylon. By the astrologers there will be no warning.
Even today, people turn to other sources in attempt to find out information about the future. They call on astrologers and mediums, they support vast and educated think-tanks, and they dig into Eastern mysticism in an attempt to avoid unpleasantness and to manipulate their world. In truth, people who trust in God through Jesus are assured of a blessed future, while others, who seek help from empty and false sources, will finally realize they have been completely betrayed by bankrupt helpers.
Isaiah 48—Israel must acknowledge God
There are always those who claim to be followers of God, but are in truth only going through the motions. Here, God addresses just those people and calls them to account. He points out that He foretold the events that happened to the people. He waited until the time was right and then acted with power. All this was done in this way because the people of Israel were notoriously stubborn and self-willed. God did this to prove beyond any doubt that He alone is God. He foretold it and He made it happen.
Now, He promises to reveal more new things and do this in a way that will make sure that Israel will never be able to claim these events came from their idols. What He is about to reveal is all new and done strictly for His glory and honor. He will not stand by while Israel claims that idols have any power.
It is true that Cyrus will conquer Babylon and free the Israelites to return to their homes, but God has an even bigger purpose in mind. He intends to provide life and health and redemption for Israel. They should have paid attention to His commands in the past, and they should pay attention to His call to leave Babylon and avoid its destruction. But they must respond when He calls them to transit the desert to return to their land. In the meantime, Babylon will be destroyed.
We are not immune to the actions of those who claim to be followers of God yet seek the approval of men and trust themselves to science, medicine and economics in order to gain “the good life.” We must commit ourselves to God and heed His ways in order to have the life that is truly good. Our lives will always be better if we obey Him. God’s will is fixed in the heavens and it will certainly be done. Our option is to obey Him and place ourselves in His service, or oppose Him and suffer the consequences in eternity. “There is no peace,” says the Lord, “for the wicked.”