The Idols of Babylon and the One True God
Isa 46:1 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.
Isa 46:2 They stoop and bow down together; unable to rescue the burden, they themselves go off into captivity.
Isa 46:3 “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.
Isa 46:4 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.
Isa 46:5 “With whom will you compare me or count me equal? To whom will you liken me that we may be compared?
Isa 46:6 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.
Isa 46:7 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.
Isa 46:8 “Remember this, keep it in mind, take it to heart, you rebels.
Isa 46:9 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.
Isa 46:10 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.’
Isa 46:11 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.
Isa 46:12 Listen to me, you stubborn-hearted, you who are now far from my righteousness.
Isa 46:13 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 splendour to Israel.
1 The idols of Babylon could not save themselves.
3 God save his people to the end.
5 Idols are not comparable to God for power,
12 or present salvation.
The Idols of Babylon and the One True God
Isa 46:1 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.
In chs. 40:19, 20; 41:23, 24; 44:9–20; 45:16 Isaiah has pointed out the folly of worshiping idols; here he speaks specifically of the gods of Babylon. Bel, meaning “lord,” was the title applied to Marduk, the patron god of Babylon (Jer. 50:2; 51:44). During the annual New Year festivities Babylonian kings “took the hands of Marduk” and received confirmation of the kingship for the ensuing year. The same practice was followed by the kings of Assyria when they became rulers of Babylon (see Vol. II, p. 61). The name Bel appears in the names Belteshazzar (Dan. 1:7) and Belshazzar (Dan. 5:1).
Nebo. Or, Nabu, the Babylonian god of knowledge and literature. His seat of worship was at Borsippa, near Babylon. He attained a position second only to Marduk, and was regarded as his son. Nabu did homage to his father by making an annual visit to Babylon, during the New Year celebration (see below). In return, Marduk accompanied Nabu part of the way back to Borsippa. The name of Nabu appears in the names Nebuchadnezzar (see on Dan. 1:1) and Nabopolassar
Beasts of burden. On the journeys Bel and Nebo were carried by men or on the backs of animals. In contrast, Israel’s God has carried and delivered His people (v. 3). Whereas Bel and Nebo required the help of their devotees, the true God was the helper of those who worshipped Him.
Isa 46:2 They stoop and bow down together; unable to rescue the burden, they themselves go off into captivity.
Gone off into captivity. When Sennacherib destroyed the city of Babylon in 689 b.c. he carried away the statute of Marduk to Ashur as one of the spoils of war. There this idol remained till the reign of Ashurbanipal, when it was restored to Babylon. Isaiah graphically portrays the utter helplessness of the greatest of the Babylonian gods.
Isa 46:3 “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.
Isa 46:4 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.
The Lord would never cease to care for His own. So long as life endures, He will watch over them as loving parents watch over their children.
Isa 46:5 “With whom will you compare me or count me equal? To whom will you liken me that we may be compared?
Isa 46:6 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.
When men know God and yet refuse to honor Him their foolish hearts grow dark, and “professing themselves to be wise” they become fools.
Isa 46:7 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.
Idols leave only an aching void in the souls of the men who worship them.
Isa 46:8 “Remember this, keep it in mind, take it to heart, you rebels.
From the earliest times God had warned Israel of the evils of transgression (Deut. 28:14–68; 32:37–41), yet they failed to take heed (Isa. 6:9, 10). Now, Isaiah reiterated the same message (chs. 1:2, 4, 5, 21–23; 43:27; 58:1; 59:13) in the hope of saving the nation from disaster.
On the danger of forgetting God, see Deut. 6:12; 8:11; Rom. 1:21–23; see on Ex. 20:8. “We have nothing to fear for the future, except as we shall forget the way the Lord has led us, and His teaching in our past history” (LS 196).
Isa 46:9 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.
Isa 46:10 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.’
My purpose will stand. Isaiah repeatedly set forth this argument of God’s supreme authority and power (see on ch. 14:24; cf. chs. 14:26, 27; 43:13). History is not a mere matter of chance (see on Dan. 4:17). God has a purpose for the world, and that purpose will prevail (see on Isa. 45:18, 19).
Isa 46:11 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.
This expression is figurative of Cyrus (see on chs. 41:2; 44:28; 45:1). Cyrus was a “shepherd” to the scattered flock of Israel, but a ravenous bird of prey to Babylon, the enemy of God’s people.
Isa 46:12 Listen to me, you stubborn-hearted, you who are now far from my righteousness.
Literally, “strong of heart” (see on Ex. 4:21). The professed people of God had shown themselves to be self-willed. They would listen neither to God nor to reason. Stubbornness is the archenemy of righteousness, whereas meekness is like godliness (see on Matt. 5:5).
Isa 46:13 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 splendour to Israel.
That is, God would one day deliver His people from Babylon, through Cyrus (ch. 45:13). The deliverance from Babylon is a type of the greater deliverance from sin accomplished through Christ.
Not be delayed.The Babylonian captivity was to be for a period of 70 years (Jer. 25:11, 12; 29:10), at the close of which the Jews were to return to their homeland under Cyrus’ decree (2 Chron. 36:21–23; Ezra 1:1–4).
Toward the close of the 70 years the Lord revealed to Daniel the prophecy of restoration and the coming of Messiah (Dan. 9:2, 24, 25).
The prophets often refer to the coming of Messiah as the climax of the work of restoration that began with the return from captivity (see Zech. 6:11–13; etc.). Had Israel proved faithful, the history of the plan of salvation would have soon reached its grand climax.