Isaiah 44:1-5
Israel deserved Judgment, as outlined in the previous chapter. While they deserved judgment and wrath, they were still God's chosen.
Why mention of Jacob and Israel? Jacob is often called so when he was worldly, out of faith, etc. Israel was used when he was following God's way. As a nation, they were following their own ways. They were acting as Jacob, the deceiver. God was judging them for turning from His ways, but they were still His chosen people. However, the hope of Israel is based on God's faithfulness, not their own. Jeshurun is a poetic name for Israel and means straight or upright one (name shows up also in Deut 32:15; 33:5, 26) Although they were being punished God could still call the Jeshurun.
This pouring out of water to the thirsty and the floods on the dry ground is the physical provision of the Lord for His people. And just like He will pour out that physical water, He will also pour out His Spirit and blessings. This is a similar thought of the woman at the well receiving the Living Water. When the Spirit is poured out, the descendants of Israel will be abundant. A day will come when they will proudly wear the name of the Lord.
Do we belong to the Lord? Do we identify with Him by name? We should wear the name of Jesus Christ proudly but also with a reverence toward the name we bear. Calling ourselves 'Christian' and acting otherwise damages the name of Christ.
Isaiah 44:6-8
He is the Lord, the King of Kings, He is the Redeemer, the Lord of Hosts, He is the First and Last, the alpha and omega, the self existent One - I AM. There is no God but the Lord God, Jesus Christ.
Who is like God? God invites the idol to step forward and do what He has done. He has appointed all things ancient, all things that are and all that will come. There is no other God. There is no Rock; not even one. God stands alone and above all, sovereign over all the heavens and earth.
Isaiah 44:9-11
Those who make idols are nothing; the things they treasure are worthless. They offer nothing to the man, showing themselves worthless. They are their own witness; the work of their hands reveals their heart. Their gods cannot witness for them. These mere men should be ashamed, and they should fear the Living God but they don't see or know. No man can make a god. The created can't be greater than the creator. The idea and work came from the sinful heart of sinful man, conceived and brought about to serve man's pride and purpose.
Isaiah 44:12-17
Isaiah shows us the picture of the blacksmith who is very skilled at what he does, but he is just a man. How can anything formed by his hands be great? The hands that formed the image grew weak and body was faint with thirst. These aren't the attributes of one who creates gods. The puny figure is nothing; it is formed by man according to the beauty of a man. It is a useless trinket.
It almost sounds funny and would be if it weren't so sad. Yet we do these exact same things every day. We form and create with our hands something that makes us feel more important or comfortable. We put our trust in it and thumb our nose at God. This is what the people of that time were doing. They cut a log. With part of it they made a fire and warmed themselves. With the other part they carved a god and fell down before it.
Isaiah 44:18-20
Their eyes are shut and their hearts cannot understand. They don't even consider that they cooked and warmed themselves with part of this wood and created an abomination with the rest. Who would bow down to a block of wood? Many have done just that; and many have bowed before hundreds of idols. Isaiah said they feed on ashes; they might as well have. There was no value in their idol, it would burn in the fire and the meager nutrition of eating ashes was all the value left. They were deceived, and they couldn't save themselves. They had to open their eyes to see the thing in their right hand was a lie?
Isaiah 44:21-23
Yahweh has redeemed Israel; He alone made it possible and completed it. He has swept away the offenses. (see Psalm 121 – he who keeps Israel will not sleep) These are the works of a real God. He blotted out their transgressions and their sins were hidden from Him. He was their redeemer, there was no other. Sing, O heavens for the Lord has done it! The whole earth should shout it and declare it; from the mountains to the forest. God glorifies Himself in the nation of Israel.
Isaiah 44:24-27
God formed us in the womb. Life started as God's idea; we were created first in the mind of God. He is the creator of all things. Look at the heavens how they declare His glory. He stretched them out all alone. He created the earth and all that is in it. Incredible! And He holds it all together. Imagine when God sees the silliness of the diviners and babblers. He foils the works and signs of the false prophet, fools the diviners, and overthrows the learning of the wise. See 1 Corinthians 1:26.
In this passage, we might think of creation, tower of babel (v.25), prophecy of Baalam, Elijah on Carmel and King David taking Jerusalem. These, and many more, fit into the sovereign and amazing works of God among men.
Isaiah 44:28
Cyrus is called by name 150 years before he ruled. Cyrus was impressed with this when he saw it. Isaiah also predicted the fall of Jerusalem 100 years before it fell and then said it would be rebuilt along with the temple. Cyrus gave the decree to rebuild the temple in 538 B.C.
©2018 Doug Ford
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