Chapter 46 and 47 Alright, so we're looking at Chapter 46 and 47 today. We're actually just starting to get into the good stuff. And then the next session is the heavy messianic, you know, full-on... You know, I kind of like the emphasis starting from the... for the next session.

Starting from, I think, Chapter 48, 49, okay? But I'm sure you've already noticed that that's kind of like where he's going. So let me pray for us and then we'll jump into the text. Heavenly Father, we thank you for today. We thank you for all the mercies. We thank you for all the blessings that we have to be able to be in a country where we have the freedom.

That we don't have to worry about persecution, that we may be able to live peaceful and quiet lives. But in the midst of all the blessings that you've given us, that we would not become complacent. That there would be a constant reminder, Lord God, if not physically, spiritually. Be able to understand, Lord, that we are in the midst of spiritual battle.

That you have a great work, Lord, that you are always doing and always have been doing. That we may participate in this work, that we may be able to know your heart. And as you pursue sinners, that you would make us people, Lord God, who join you in your work.

So we ask for your blessing. We ask, Lord God, that you give us deeper insight into your word. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen. All right, so we're in Isaiah. All right, so the first question that was asked was, Bel and Nebo were Babylonian names and Babylonian idols. What are the two people that you thought of, either from memory or maybe you did some research, that has the name Bello and Nebo to begin with?

I think the second one is pretty obvious. Belshizer and Nebuchadnezzar. And obviously they're kind of connected. So when the passage begins in verse 46, it says, "Bel bows down, Nebo stoops. Their idols are on beasts and livestock." So it is obviously in reference to the Babylonians and the idols that they worshipped.

Okay? All right. What are the first three verses a picture of? What historical activity is pictured in the first three verses of Isaiah 46? Anybody? What happens to Israel that's related to Babylon? Anybody? What do the Babylonians do when they take Israel and they conquer Israel? What do they do to the nation of Israel?

Yes, they sack this temple. But what particular event do you think this is in reference to, first seven verses? It's like on the tip of your tongue. I can see it. All I have to do is push you and it's going to come out. I can see it. Enslaved them.

They take them into captivity, right? They take all the leaders, all the prominent people, right? And they take them into captivity. So if you look at the language in verse 40, chapter 1, or 46.1, "They stoop down, they bow down together, they cannot save the burden, but they themselves go into captivity." So he's talking about how they're being carried out into captivity.

And these idols that they're taking into captivity can't save you. They themselves are going to go into captivity, right? So this is an illustration of Israel being taken into captivity and the idols that Israel trusted to save them. So God is rebuking them saying like, "They can't even save themselves.

Why would you rely on them?" And so their idols have become a burden. All they are is a burden that needs to be carried with you. But in the end, all they are is a burden. So continue on. The second question is, "What contrast does God make with the idols of Babylon in verse 2?" So let's look at verse 2.

They stoop, they bow down together, they cannot save the burden, but they themselves go into captivity. But in contrast, verse 4, "Even to your old age I am He, and to gray hairs I will carry you. I have made, and I will bear, and I will carry, and will save." So what contrast does He make?

How these idols are being carried into captivity, but they can't carry you. You have to carry them. But then He says, "But I, the only God, are going to end up carrying you." So again, it's meant to be a contrast with the idol between the God that they serve.

So they need to be carried, but the true God will carry them. So even though the rebuke is against the Babylonians, He is establishing again the nation of Israel, they were the ones who carried these idols. Right? They carried these, these are the idols that they trusted. Now why did the Israelites have idols, the Babylonians, the idols with them?

And why were they, when they were taken into captivity, take these idols with them? Do you understand the question? It seems like they didn't discover the idols in Babylon. Right? Look at the language. Look at verse 2. All right, in verse 1, "Bellow bows down, nevel stoops, their idols are on beasts and livestock." In other words, they're on the beasts being taken into captivity.

These things carry, these things you carry, who are the you? Israelites, right? These things you carry are born as burdens on weary beasts. So the Israelites had them. They're Babylonian idols, and they had them, and then they're going in, relying on them to deliver them. Right? And so God is saying, all these are our burdens upon the beasts that are carrying you.

They have to carry these idols too. But why did the Israelites have the Babylonians' idols with them? And why were they carrying it into Babylon? You understand the question? So obviously they're worthless. I mean, that's established. They're idols, and you have to make them. Right? And they have no way to protect you.

But why did the Israelites have Babylonians' idols with them? And why were they carrying it into Babylon? Do you hear that? It may be for business reasons why they did that, but again, the rebuke isn't about business. It's them actually worshipping these idols. Right? If you think about it, when we bring the Gospel to poorer areas of the world, a lot of times they receive the Gospel because they think that if they become Christians, they're going to have what we have.

Money. Right? So a lot of times the people are receptive, not because they believe in the Gospel itself, but they think that if I believe what you believe, am I going to have what you have? And so a lot of times the response isn't really genuine. And it kind of takes time.

And then they realize that when they don't become rich after they become Christian, a lot of people end up backsliding too. That's something that I notice as we travel around and share the Gospel. A lot of times they're hoping to get rich by becoming Christians, because America is related to Christianity.

Right? I think that's probably what was happening around there, because the Babylonians were the superpower. And so a lot of them who are worshipping idols, I mean they weren't just worshipping any idols, they're probably worshipping idols that they thought were successful. And who were the successful, you know, people who were successful at that time?

The Syrians, the Babylonians. So these idols didn't come from nowhere. So when they went into Canaan, what idols did they worship there? Asherah, Baal, because they were the ones that they worshipped. So these guys go in there and their crops are plenty and they're wealthy, and they have things that they want, so they adopt their idols, right?

That they would worship, hoping that they can have what they have. So it looks like the Israelites adopted some of the idols in Babylon, and when they were taken into captivity, remember one of the rebukes of what God said in the previous chapter? He said He brought disaster upon them, and how did they respond?

They didn't recognize, right? They didn't recognize that it was God. And they remained obstinate. So even as they're being rebuked and being taken into captivity, some of the Israelites were still holding on to these idols. And so that's what He's rebuking. But you're carrying these burdens, and all they are are extra burden, they can't carry you.

And so He's contrasting what they're putting their hopes in, but in verse 4 it says, "I am the only true God." Right? So I think that's probably why they had it with them, why they're carrying it in. Again, it's a promise God will remain with them and carry them until old age.

He says He made, He's the one who made, He's the one who will bear, He's the one who will carry, and He's the one who will save. Reminding them that all these things, like you're the one who made the idols, you're the one who will end up bearing them, you're the ones who will carry them, and then they can't save you.

Right? So all of this stuff is in contrast to what He was saying about the idols. Right? Again, this is the same tender care that we saw in Luke chapter 12, 6-7, where God describes Himself, again previously He described Himself like as a caring mother, "I know you in the mother's womb." Right?

And here again He's describing how He tenderly cares and loves them. Or in the passage, it says, "Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies, and not one of them is forgotten before God? Why, even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not, you are of more value than many sparrows." So again, that's basically, you know, it's the same God that is caring for the nation of Israel, who's promising the same care to the church.

Repeatedly, over and over again, when God calls His people to repentance, "Remember," He says, He keeps saying, "Remember, remember." Right? What is it that He's asking them to remember? And why? Why is He asking them to remember this? He says to remember to be strong. Right? To not to be shaky.

Because the moment that they forget who it is that they worship, and who it is that they love, that loves them, they begin to stray. So, I think in the ESV, it says, "Remember to," what verse are we looking at? Verse 8. "Remember this and stand firm." In the King James, literally it says, "Remember and be a man." Right?

That's probably more convicting for men. Right? Be a man. Right? If you want to be a man, remember who God is that you worship. Remember that God is the only God. He alone controls human history. So He goes, again, you know, "Remember the former things of old, for I am God and there is no other.

I am God and there is none like me. Declaring the end from the beginning and from the ancient times things not yet done. Saying, 'My counsel shall stand, and I will accomplish all my purpose.'" So when He says, "My counsel shall stand," right, what do you think that's in reference to?

The covenant that He made with Israel. Right? And how He's been faithful all throughout, even in the midst of their rebellion and sinfulness, God is faithful to who? To Himself. To Hisself and His promises. Right? His faithfulness is not based upon them. His faithfulness was based upon the unilateral covenant that He makes with the nation of Israel.

And so He says, "Remember." Right? You guys keep going to these idols thinking that if you worship their idols that you're going to get what they have. And then what's going to happen to these people that you envy? That you think that somehow if you worship their idols you're going to become like the Babylonians.

What does He say? Right? All these things that you envy in Babylon are going to come to nothing. They're all going to be burned up too. They're all going to come under judgment. Right? So He keeps telling them, "Even though you may not see for the moment with your eyes what God is doing, but remember who He is.

Remember that He's the God of the covenant." Right? How is He going to do this? He said He's going to raise up the bird of prey from the east. And who is that in reference to? Cyrus. Okay, and we talked about that last week. Cyrus. And how many years before Cyrus shows up and fulfills this prophecy, when this is being written?

About 200 years. 150 to 200 years. Right? So He said, "Cyrus is going to be raised up and He's going to deliver you from the Babylonians and they're going to be crushed by My servant, King Cyrus." Right? And He says, "Even this great king of Persia is ultimately under His control." Which again, 200 years prior to it happening, it would have sounded ridiculous.

Right? God's going to raise up Persia, the most powerful nation at that particular time, all for the purpose of delivering this insignificant group of people. Right? And then when it happens, is the whole nation returned? Very small percentage, maybe like 5% of the people who will go into captivity end up returning.

Right? Very small percent of them. So if you heard it at that time thinking, "Wait a minute, God's going to raise up Persia to deliver us from them?" It would have sounded ridiculous if it didn't actually happen. Right? It actually happens exactly like God says. And in retrospect, we look back at it now, right?

His whole human history was for the purpose of coming of Christ. So God was doing something much bigger than Persia. Much bigger than Assyria. But at that time, it would have sounded ridiculous. Right? What could be greater than Persia? What could be greater than Assyria? What could be greater than Egypt?

Right? Coming of the Son of God. So all of this, He's going to be faithful to these few, few people. Right? Because His plan was to bring His Son through those people to save the world. It wasn't just about Assyria. It wasn't just about that area. Right? And He promises them, verse 12 and 13, He says, "Listen to me, you stubborn heart, you who are far from righteousness." Again, He's talking to Israel.

Right? In other words, He said, "I'm being faithful to you, not because you're righteous." He said, "You're stubborn of heart, and righteousness is far from you, but I bring near My righteousness, and it is not far off. And My salvation will not delay. And I will put salvation in Zion for Israel, My glory." In other words, what is He saying?

You're not going to deserve any of this. Right? The salvation that's going to come isn't something you're going to earn. Right? Because you are—righteousness is far from you. Right? Now we obviously, in retrospect, we look back at it, and say, He's clearly talking about Christ, and what He was going to do.

Yeah. So I don't know about you, but when you take a step back, and you really let it sink in, what Isaiah is saying, and what God is doing in the midst of history, you know, like, I think we get into so much problem, and we create so many problems, because we have a natural, like, default setting, where we're the center.

You understand what I'm saying? When, like, what is God doing, like, with me? You know what I mean? Like, what is God's will for my life? Do you know what I'm saying? And we get so caught up in trying to figure that out, and trying to adjust all of these things.

Like, what is God doing with me? Not recognizing, like, this is what God's been doing in history. This is what God is doing now, and this is what God will continue to do. So the right question really should be, what am I doing, right? How does my life fit into this, right?

If this is what God's doing, if this is, He's orchestrating the raising up of nations, orchestrating kings, and rulers, and politicians, right? He's orchestrating all of this for the purpose of salvation of mankind. And this is how He's always been doing. This is why Christ came. This is why He established the church, right?

And this is what He's trying to accomplish in our lives, right? So I think a lot of the times the frustration and confusion comes because we separate God's will, and then His will for me and my life, and then somehow, like, it's not connected. You know? But I don't know about you, but, you know, this is a reminder to me, like, we're a small part of this big picture of what God is doing, right?

What will He do to the pride of Babylon? I said, you know, Israelites, He's going to be faithful to them. He raises up Babylon for the purpose of judgment. But because the Babylonians thought, you know, of course, you know, like, we did it. It's because we were smart, because we were powerful.

God's going to judge you for your pride, right? God will humble Babylon of its pride and strip away their throne. So if you look at chapter 47, verse 1, "Come down and sit in the dust, O virgin daughter of Babylon." Sit on the ground without a throne. What image do you get when He's saying, "Sit on the ground"?

He's being humbled. Like somebody sitting on the throne, instead of sitting on the throne, He said, "You're going to sit in the dust." "For you shall no more be called tender and delicate." Why does He use that imagery of tender and delicate? Young and naive, possibly. If you notice, as you're reading 47, does He use a feminine description or a masculine description?

It's very feminine. Like "mistress," right? There's other stuff. Hmm? Yeah, daughter. Anyway, I'm not going to go through all this. Like, "Strip off your robe, uncover your legs, pass through the rivers, and then your nakedness shall be uncovered." So all of this stuff that He talks about, it's a female imagery.

Why does God use a female imagery to describe the shame that's going to come upon Babylon? Why do you think? Because you would think a mighty nation like Babylon, you would say, you know, you think you're a mighty warrior, you know what I mean? The lion is going to be turned into a little pipsqueak or whatever.

But He describes it as a delicate mistress or female. Right? I don't know if I should kind of demystify the Babylonian mighty country. Like, it's really this delicate, you know, like you're saying, it's delicate, but it's something that's more... It's not this, like, giant brick, it's something very soft and delicate and more vulnerable than what, like, nobody can stop.

Babylonians are like, no, it's this vulnerable thing that's going to be ashamed of. And become as... Curious. In the other Pineso, Cyrus later, both had multiple places where it was described, because they had a knowledge of God. They had some sort of unique, very interesting relationship with God. And like you were saying earlier, that God was up to a plan much bigger than the nations themselves.

He wasn't just using them, He was actively imparting them with blessing, knowledge, wisdom, discernment. So, not just so they can become powerful, but also because of God's care for them. God seems to show affectionate care for the Babylonians and the... I think the Persians will come later. Much more so that I think you can see with anything like Canaan or the other nations that just got wiped out.

He was very interested in them becoming... Following in His will. So He had not just a plan for them, but a plan for blessing and good for them as well. Maybe not like covenantally with Israel, but there's definitely a lot of care and investment through the kings of these nations, the northern nations.

Okay. Yeah, I mean, they're definitely unlike the Assyrians where God actually is actively raising them and using them. Think about the historical context of the Babylonians. Who came before the Babylonians? Remember when it's the judgment against Assyria? Remember how that's described? How is Assyria described? Your captains, your swords, your brutality.

And what you would expect because what the Assyrians were known for. What were the Babylonians known for? Art, culture. So it was almost like they were afraid of the Assyrians because of their brutality. Where Babylonians... What was the stumbling block with the Babylonians? Hmm? Intelligence, education, wealth. They were attracted.

Why do you think they had their idols? Right? The Assyrians wanted to inflict fear where the Babylonians were kind of like attracting the world to them. So in the New Testament and in the Book of Revelation, whenever it talks about the world as Babylon, what is it in reference to?

Like the world's attraction, the temptation of the world. Right? Where people are like, "I want to be like the Babylonians." So I think, again, I think the reason why the feminine description is given is because the Babylonians were not known for brutality. In fact, they were tempted. They want to be like the Babylonians.

Right? So when God gives opportunity for them to return, right? The majority of the people in Babylon assimilated into the Babylonian culture. They didn't want to return. Even when the Persians came, they got pretty comfortable where they were. Right? When the Assyrians took over, I mean, if they got free from the Assyrians, it meant freedom from oppression.

Right? From fear. But when they got freed from the Babylonians and the Persians, a lot of them didn't want to be free. They got very comfortable. In fact, going back to Jerusalem would have been risking their life. They would have been—a lot of them got pretty comfortable there. And there's a reason why the Bible describes the world as Babylon.

Because of the lure, the temptation. So again, again, you notice the subtle difference between how Assyria is described and Babylon is described. And out of the two, which had a greater impact on Israel? Which had a greater corrupting influence on Israel? It was Babylon. Right? The Babylonians, their culture and their temptation had a much greater impact.

Right? So if you look at Satan's work, is persecution what kills the Church? No. If you go to anywhere where you hear persecution, you almost always—they tell you it purifies the Church. The Church actually becomes stronger as a result of persecution. What kills the Church is wealth. Right? And comfort and ease.

Temptation. That's what kills the Church. Right? So the lure of the Babylonians, the temptation of what the Babylonians were offering, was much more devastating to Israel than the Assyrians. Right? He says, "He will take vengeance on them because of their pride, thinking that somehow by their own effort, it's like, 'You were only strong because I allowed you to be.'" Like it says in Romans 13.1.

Again, Babylon is described as a woman who falls from a lofty position and will no longer be considered tender and delicate. And she is called a mistress. Why do you think Babylon is described as a mistress? Right, you have a relationship, but it's not legal. Right? It's not sanctioned by God.

She's acting like your wife, but she's not. Right? So Israel is tied to her. You know, it's almost like acting like they're married, and she's a mistress. Right? So it's a mistress, not with God, but it's a mistress with Israel. Why did God allow Babylon to become mighty and oppress Israel?

According to verse 6. God gave his people over to Babylonians because of the sins of Israel. Not because Babylon was great, but because the sin of Israel was great. He was trying to discipline them. So even though God handed them over, but because they treated the Israelites mercilessly, meaning they took them into captivity, right?

God will treat them mercilessly. Again, the only reason why God's people are conquered is because God allows it. Again, in James 4, 7, remember this passage. "Submit yourself therefore to God, resist the devil, and he will flee from you." And it's always in that order. The only reason why the world has any foothold is because we allow it because of sin.

Right? It's because anytime Israel strayed from God, they became weak. It wasn't because of the great power of the Babylonians. It was because God withdrew. Right? God withdrew from the nation, or Israel withdrew from God. And that's exactly what it says in Revelations, right? Revelation chapter 2. "If you do not restore your first love, I will take away my lampstand." And lampstand is his church and his presence.

In other words, he's saying that if you remain lukewarm, right? And your worship is all it is, is physical activity, and you're doing the right things, and you have forsaken your first love, he said, "I will take away your lampstand." In other words, the presence of God is withdrawn.

Right? And then the church becomes worthless, like salt without flavor. Right? A lot of man's work, but no fruit. How is Babylon's sins, like how is it described? Again, they're described as mistress. And then their pride. And so, there are about five or six things that are described, like how pride was manifested in Babylon.

Okay, so I'm going to put it up here. And I want you to think for a minute, in what way does pride manifest itself in loving pleasure, and feeling secure, and control of destiny, right? Feeling secure in wickedness, and relying on their wisdom and knowledge. Right? These are all fruits that God describes of pride.

Right? What does pride and loving pleasure have to do with it? How are these connected? How does loving pleasure… Why is that a manifestation of pride of Babylon? Self-seeking? Mm-hmm. Okay, self-seeking. I mean, self-seeking, self-worship, self-centered, maybe? Right? Instead of serving God, you serve yourself. Mm-hmm. Sitting securely. You know, they have all that power, they've conquered everybody, so they feel secure, right?

I can do it. Right? Like you just… You know, that pride manifests when you think, like, "Oh, whatever problems, I can handle it." You know what I mean? Sometimes God will allow you to experience things where you become so desperate, you feel lost, and maybe even shaken in your faith, right?

So that you would recognize… So you and I would recognize how helpless we are without His grace, right? Because I think the most dangerous place for any Christian to be is self-confidence and self-reliance, right? Because of our experience, maybe because of the past fruit, maybe because we're so smart.

You know, I remember doing quiet time years ago, when after the resurrection, Jesus meets the disciples, and He tells the disciples to put the net into the water. And remember what they say? And they say, "We've been fishing all night, we didn't catch anything." In other words, we're professional fishermen, and we've been fishing all night when you're supposed to fish, right?

Where the water is cool and there's fish come up. You're telling us to put a net in, you a carpenter, right? Telling us professional fishermen who couldn't catch anything all night, and you just want us to throw a net out there, and then all of a sudden… But He said, "Because you said it, I'll do it." And they put a net in, and then obviously they catch so much fish, they actually counted, right?

Probably Matthew, the tax collector, probably sat there and counted all this fish, right? And then, they say, "Wow!" and they overflow, and they recognize, "Wow, Jesus, they come and they have breakfast with Him." And I remember thinking that when I was doing quiet time through that, thinking, "It's usually the areas that we're successful in, where we are the weakest in, because we're good at it." Right?

We're good at it. So if you're an accountant, you tend to be less reliant upon God with money, because you're good with money. If you're good with people, you tend to be more self-reliant when it comes to people, because you're good with people. Right? So it's in the areas that you may be gifted in, where you probably are the weakest, and you don't know it.

That's our greatest blind spot. Our greatest blind spot in our faith is the areas where you may be… you may be the best at doing, humanly speaking. But in reality, spiritually, that's where you're the weakest. Right? That's how pride manifests. Whatever we think we're good at is usually probably where you're the weakest.

Right? I think about Apostle Paul. He probably lived all his life, never made a single tent in his life, until he became a Christian. His dad was a Roman citizen. I mean, this guy was wealthy. Imagine how much money he needed to have to be able to hire Gamaliel as your teacher.

Greatest scholar. That's just like saying, "Oh, I need to be tutored." And you find the chancellor for Harvard to come to your house and tutor you. That was Paul. Paul had Gamaliel as his discipler. But you had to be filthy, wealthy. Right? Filthy wealthy. Wealthy 50. Right? I'll bet you he had one of those soft, lotioned hands all his life, until he became a Christian, and then he started making tents.

That's my guess. Right? He didn't really experience hardship until he met Christ. And why did he do that? Jesus could get gold coins out of fish's mouths. Why does he make his personally picked apostle make tents for a living? Right? Probably to humble him. Right? Because once pride gets in, you're ruined.

You're ruined. So you look at all these descriptions, like, "These are all manifestations." Right? "You feel powerful. You have control over your destiny." Like, "If I apply myself, I've been successful here." You know? And so God will humble you. "You're feeling secure in your wickedness." Why not? Because you've sinned and you've been successful.

Right? You haven't been praying, but everything in your life is going okay. Right? And that's when danger comes. Right? Because that's what happened in Babylon. I mean, they weren't worshiping God. They were arrogant. And these people that supposedly worshiped the right God, and we conquered them. Right? So they think they can get away with it.

And God said, "God's going to humble all of them." They're relying on their wisdom, their knowledge. Right? Because it was because of their wisdom and their knowledge why the Babylonians became what they were. So that's what they were relying on until God humbles them. And then they're going to come back and re-question, "Maybe it wasn't our knowledge.

Maybe it wasn't our wisdom." Right? So again, if God is concerned about us and he counts every hair on our head, what is it that he is the most concerned about in our life? Not your hair. He's expressing that he cares to that extent. But what is it that he cares the most?

Right? It's you. Because the moment you are filled with pride, you are the furthest from him. Right? So anything that causes you to think that you can do it, that's probably what he's the most concerned about. Because that's what's going to keep you away from God. So don't you think when the Bible says that God opposes the proud and gives grace to the humble, that God is actively pursuing to humble you and humble me?

Because that's the thing that he's most concerned about. That you strain away thinking that you're not going to need him. Right? That's why if we don't buffet our bodies and make it our slave to humble, like deliberately, actively, proactively humble ourselves, we're almost asking for it. Right? Because that's what God cares about us so much, he's not going to let us stray.

If we're his children, he's going to discipline us to humble us. Right? What judgment is going to come upon them? Now why does he say they're going to experience losing a child and becoming a widower? Why does he say that? It's so specific. What do you think this is in relation to?

They did this to Israel. Remember? When they took them into captivity, they took their children, they took their husbands, whatever was the choices of the land, they took them into Babylon. Right? So again, the judgment against them is you did this to my people and this is going to happen to you.

Right? You think that you are safe when you did this to my people? Right? This is what's going to happen to you. You're going to experience the pain that you've inflicted on my people. Right? Again, I forgot to blot this out. Did I blot it out in your... I didn't, right?

I forgot to erase it. So again, the principle over and over again, God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble. That's the whole theme, right, of his judgment. What is God mocking in 12 and 13? Again, the mocking of false idols that people relied on. And that this was so...

when it says that these are the idols that you relied upon your youth, meaning it was deeply embedded in Israel. Right? These were not some superficial stuff. These were things that they worshipped and relied on since they were young. Right? Again, what will happen to these false idols? It says they will be burned like stubble and will become completely useless.

Okay. Alright, so if you go back to... and I'm trying to give you some application questions or discussion questions at the end of each day. So you guys can go back and look at the discussion questions and maybe take some time to discuss that or some of the things that we went over today.