God vs gods

Isaiah 41:21-42:17

“Produce your cause, saith the LORD; bring forth your strong reasons, saith the King of Jacob.  Let them bring them forth, and show us what shall happen: let them show the former things, what they be, that we may consider them, and know the latter end of them; or declare us things for to come.  Show the things that are to come hereafter, that we may know that ye are gods: yea, do good, or do evil, that we may be dismayed, and behold it together.” (Isaiah 41:21-23)

God challenges the rebellious people to show that they know about the future.  If they can explain what has happened in the past perhaps they can explain what will happen in the future.  Perhaps they can foretell the future without even examining the past.   If they can do that then maybe they can convince God they are gods as well.  See if they can show enough power and understanding to shake up God. 

“Behold, ye are of nothing, and your work of nought: an abomination is he that chooseth you.  I have raised up one from the north, and he shall come: from the rising of the sun shall he call upon my name: and he shall come upon princes as upon mortar, and as the potter treadeth clay.” (Isaiah 41:24-25)

None of them can produce evidence that they or their gods can do anything of value.   Anyone who chooses them over God is an abomination because they have ignored the truth to make such a choice.  God has selected on who will come from the north and the east to call on the name of the Lord.  He will stir things up and break up their power as thoroughly as a mason mixing mortar or a potter kneading his clay.

“Who hath declared from the beginning, that we may know? and beforetime, that we may say, He is righteous? yea, there is none that showeth, yea, there is none that declareth, yea, there is none that heareth your words.  The first shall say to Zion, Behold, behold them: and I will give to Jerusalem one that bringeth good tidings.  For I beheld, and there was no man; even among them, and there was no counsellor, that, when I asked of them, could answer a word.  Behold, they are all vanity; their works are nothing: their molten images are wind and confusion.” (Isaiah 41:25-29)

There is no one who has been able to tell the future, to advise people or prove he knows what is right except God.  Even among the Jewish prophets, there was no one who could tell God what was going to happen and be believed.  Their advice and recommendations were worthless and their accomplishments meaningless.  The gods they recommended were just a distraction and a lot of hot air. 

“Behold my servant, whom I uphold; mine elect, in whom my soul delighteth; I have put my spirit upon him: he shall bring forth judgment to the Gentiles.  He shall not cry, nor lift up, nor cause his voice to be heard in the street.  A bruised reed shall he not break, and the smoking flax shall he not quench: he shall bring forth judgment unto truth.  He shall not fail nor be discouraged, till he have set judgment in the earth: and the isles shall wait for his law.” (Isaiah 42:1-4)

If they would look at the one God had chosen and sent, they would find he was completely different.  He would have the spirit and attitude of God.  He will reach out to the Gentiles, bringing justices and fairness to them as well as to the Jews.  He will not be about a big public show or calling a lot of attention to himself.  He won’t take advantage of other’s weaknesses breaking a bruised reed, nor will he try to fix all the world’s problems, trying to quench the spark in the smoldering flax.   He will focus on people’s responsibility for their actions and the truth.   His success is assured, and he will not be discouraged by the slowness with which changes occur.  Ultimately, even those in isolated places will accept responsibility for following his standards.  Ultimately Christ will accomplish god’s purpose, no matter how long it takes.  In essence he will focus on the real problem of the sin attitude, rather than focusing on the various symptomatic sins.

“Thus saith God the LORD, he that created the heavens, and stretched them out; he that spread forth the earth, and that which cometh out of it; he that giveth breath unto the people upon it, and spirit to them that walk therein: I the LORD have called thee in righteousness, and will hold thine hand, and will keep thee, and give thee for a covenant of the people, for a light of the Gentiles; To open the blind eyes, to bring out the prisoners from the prison, and them that sit in darkness out of the prison house.  I am the LORD: that is my name: and my glory will I not give to another, neither my praise to graven images.” (Isaiah 42:5-8)

The creator of the world, the one who gives us all life, has called his chosen in righteousness, giving him as a contract for people, and a source of enlightenment for those who did not have the law.  He will enable those who had no knowledge of the truth to understand it and to deliver those who were bound by sin to be free.  God will not give up his place or authority to other leaders or idols. 

“Behold, the former things are come to pass, and new things do I declare: before they spring forth I tell you of them.  Sing unto the LORD a new song, and his praise from the end of the earth, ye that go down to the sea, and all that is therein; the isles, and the inhabitants thereof.  Let the wilderness and the cities thereof lift up their voice, the villages that Kedar doth inhabit: let the inhabitants of the rock sing, let them shout from the top of the mountains.  Let them give glory unto the LORD, and declare his praise in the islands.  The LORD shall go forth as a mighty man, he shall stir up jealousy like a man of war: he shall cry, yea, roar; he shall prevail against his enemies.” (Isaiah 42:9-13)

The past has passed, and we have to deal with the things of today.  God tells us of hat is coming before it happens so we can be prepared.   His people should praise him in new songs, where ever they might be.  Whether a sailor on a ship, a shepherd herding his sheep in the mountains or living in some important city, people need to give God the glory.  He will upset a lot of people but ultimately will win and defeat his enemies. 

“I have long time holden my peace; I have been still, and refrained myself: now will I cry like a travailing woman; I will destroy and devour at once.  I will make waste mountains and hills, and dry up all their herbs; and I will make the rivers islands, and I will dry up the pools.  And I will bring the blind by a way that they knew not; I will lead them in paths that they have not known: I will make darkness light before them, and crooked things straight. These things will I do unto them, and not forsake them.  They shall be turned back, they shall be greatly ashamed, that trust in graven images, that say to the molten images, Ye are our gods.” (Isaiah 42:14-17)

For centuries, God has limited his interventions, holding himself back.  II Peter 3:9 declares, “The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.”  For centuries God has held back, giving mankind the opportunity to choose what is right.  In Romans 2:3-11, Paul warned, “And thinkest thou this, O man, that judgest them which do such things, and doest the same, that thou shalt escape the judgment of God?  Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance?

But after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up unto thyself wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God; Who will render to every man according to his deeds: To them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honour and immortality, eternal life: But unto them that are contentious, and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, indignation and wrath, Tribulation and anguish, upon every soul of man that doeth evil, of the Jew first, and also of the Gentile; But glory, honour, and peace, to every man that worketh good, to the Jew first, and also to the Gentile: For there is no respect of persons with God.”

The day will come when God will no longer hold back.  He will show those who haven’t known how the proper way to live, changing everything upon earth.  They will turn back to the God they have forsaken and those who have substituted other gods for God will be embarrassed for their stupidity.  As Paul said, it will not matter whether they are Jewish or Gentile.