Isaiah 46

Isaiah 46:1-4

The destruction of Babylon and her idols is here displayed. 1. To warn God’s people not to fear them, but trust in God, their Saviour of old, vol. I—4. 2. They are cautioned not to make, or worship such false gods, ver. 5—8. 3. They are reminded of the prophecies of God, especially concerning Cyrus, which should be accomplished, ver. 9—11. 4. The place-hearted are admonished to observe God’s work and its fulfillment, ver. 12, 13.

1. BEEL boweth down, Nebo stoepeth, their idols were upon the beasts, and upon the cattle: your carriages were heavy laden, they are a burden to the weary weaft. 2. They stoep, they bow down together, they could not deliver the burden, but I themselves are gone into captivity. 3. ¶ Hearken unto me, O house of Jacob, and all the remnant of the house of Israel, ‘who are born by me, from the belly, who are carried from the womb. 4. And roam to your old age I am he, and roam to hoar hairs’ will I carry you I have made, and I will bear, even I will carry and will deliver you.

Two things are here foretold.

1. The miserable refuse to which Babylon and her idols would be reduced; Ibel and Nebo, the deities they worshipped, so far from being able to protect their returns, would not be able

Isaiah 46:5-13

Israel’s besetting sin was idolatry, and many of them, it is to be feared, in Babylon would sadly be brought to worship the gods of their conquerors: to them these words seem especially addressed.

1. God shows them the folly of the most expensive idols: Though they lavished gold and silver out of the bag, it were vain to attempt representing the eternal Spirit, or repulsing him who is above all, v. 5, 6. Their richest gods were mounted and tenetales, must be carried to their plains, and neither could hear or grant the prayers of their petitioners, v. 7. Nee, To serve their idol lulls men grudge no expense; to serve the glorious God shall we count any thing too much to believe on his service! These idolaters shall rise up in judgment against magically professors.

2. He calls upon them to remember and repent of these sinful works. Show yourselves men, for such service is brutish; or, be ye froug to oppose the torment of idolatry; or, be fond and used against the dishonour hereby shown to God: bring it again to mind, O ye transgressors; remember your evil ways, and, as sinners, with shame return to God, who is the only true God; the evidence of which he hath given in all the prophecies, that from the beginning have been exactly accomplished according to his word, and which continue daily fulfilling, and shall all come to pass in their appointed time; for his counsel must stand, and he will do all his pleasure, v. 10. particularly his design of delivering his people shall be accomplished by Cyrus, called a ravenous, or fourth-winged bird, with impetuosity advancing against the Babylonians, to execute God’s counsel in their destruction, which, as he hath purposed and foresold, he will perform, and prove therein his Divine power and precience. Nee, (1.) It is good for us often to remember and relish upon our ways, and we shall find much in them to bewail, repent of, and amend. (2.) As God in all his providences fulfils his own pleasure, it becomes us ever to tell finished in his dispensations, and to acknowledge he doth all things well. (3.) God’s people may comfort themselves in the confidence of the accomplishment of those prophecies which are yet unfulfilled, as surely as they have seen the former ones verified: Rome, with her idols, as Babylon, must fall, and God’s kingdom be more eminently than ever yet exalted in the earth.

3. God addresses the stout-hearted Jews, that were far from

righteousness, who continued unhumbled, under all their inflections, disturbed God’s faithfulness; or though they kept up an exterior of religion, and trudied that they were righteous, yet being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and proud of their own, were so much the farther removed from the way of salvation, v. 12. God saith, I bring near my righteousness; either his faithfulness in the fulfilment of his promises, or that glorious display of his righteousness, manifested in the Redeemer, his work and sufferings: it shall not be far off, but in the word of the gospel brought near to every awakened sinner, to believe us and trust upon; and my salvation shall not tarry, it shall quickly be accomplished; the deliverance of the Jews from their captivity, and the greater deliverance which Jesus should work for all his redeemed ones; and I will place salvation in Zion for Israel my glory; when they were restored to their own land; or more eminently when the Lord Jesus came to Zion, publishing the gospel of the kingdom, and his Israel received him, glorifying God for the gift of his Son, and eminently shewing forth his pride, both in their lips and in their lives. Nee, (1.) Nothing is so fatal to the soul as pride and conceit of our own righteousness. (2.) A free and full salvation is now offered to the perishing sinner. (3.) The stout-hearted, who repuls Jesus as a Saviour, will find their stout hearts fall them, when they shall meet him as their judge. (4.) His Israel is the Redeemer’s glory; for this he hath formed us; let it be our constant care to approve ourselves to him, that he may be glorified in us and by us.

Isaiah 46:10

able to save themselves, but, among other spoil, be plucked from their pedestals, and laid as heavy burdens on the worry beads who carried them: Israel therefore must not fear, or worship such wretched and impotent idols.

2. When Babylon’s gods would fail her, the Lord will eminently appear the protector of his people: great had been the care he had shown them from their infant days, when first they began to grow into a nation, and never would be leave or forsake them in their old age, but bear them above their difficulties; carry them back to their own land, and deliver them from all their oppressors; and such is still his tender regard towards his people. From the womb he took us, and preserved our natural life amidst the perils of helpless infancy; but more, he took us from the womb of nature, that we might become children of grace, bore with our weakness and infirmities, and watched over us with more than maternal tenderness: nor will he ever fall us, when the infirmities of old age crept upon us, and infantile weakness returns: his hoary-headed saints are precious in his light, and he will bear them through all the shorns of life, and land them safe on the blissful shores of immorality, where their youth will be renewed as the eagle.

3. ¶ 4 To whom will ye liken me, and make me equal, and compare me, that we may be like? 6. 7 They lavish gold out of the bag, and weigh silver to the balance, and hire a goldsmith, and he maketh it a god: they fall down, yea, they worship. 7. 8 They bear him upon the shoulder, they carry him, and set him in his place, and he standeth; from his place shall he not remove: yea, 8 are shall cry unto him, yet can he not answer, nor save him out of his trouble. 8. Remember this, and 9 shew yourselves men: bring it again to mind, O ye transgressors. 9. Remember the former things of old, for 1 I am God, and 2 there is none else, I am God, and there is none like me. 10. 10 Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, 11 My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure: 11. Calling a 2 ravenous bird 2 from the ealt, the man 3 that execute 3 my counsel from a far country: yea, I have spoken it, I will also bring it to pals; I have purposed it, I will also do it. 12. ¶ Hearken unto me, ye stout-hearted, that are far from righteousness. 13. I bring near 4 my righteousness: it shall not be far off, and my salvation shall not tarry; and I will place salvation in Zion for Israel my glory.