The Foolishness Of Idolatry

Isaiah 44:6-28

“Thus saith the LORD the King of Israel, and his redeemer the LORD of hosts; I am the first, and I am the last; and beside me there is no God.  And who, as I, shall call, and shall declare it, and set it in order for me, since I appointed the ancient people? and the things that are coming, and shall come, let them show unto them.  Fear ye not, neither be afraid: have not I told thee from that time, and have declared it? ye are even my witnesses. Is there a God beside me? yea, there is no God; I know not any.” (Isaiah 44:6-8)

Today there is a group who quote Judges 17:6 or 21:25, “In those days there was no king in Israel, but every man did that which was right in his own eyes,” to prove that a powerful leader is essential for people to follow God.  They ignore the statement in I Samuel 12:12 when he said, “...the LORD your God was your king.”  Here, God states that he is the King of Israel.  The problem wasn’t that they lacked a powerful king, but that they had rejected God’s leadership. 

Here God describes himself, and the Messiah, Christ, as being one God, supporting the statement about the Trinity in I John 5:7.  “For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one.”  Though they are three personages they are only one being.  They are not separate gods, because there are no other Gods besides God.   He is the first God there has ever been and he will be the last.  It is the same thing Jesus said in Revelation 1:8, 21:6, and 22:13, that he was the first, the beginning and the last, the end. 

There is no one who has the power to make things work a certain way or control history like God who created the first humans.  No one else can plan or tell what will come in the future.  Israel has no reason to be afraid of those around them because God has declared his intentions from the very beginning, and has demonstrated his ability to make it happen repeatedly.   

“They that make a graven image are all of them vanity; and their delectable things shall not profit; and they are their own witnesses; they see not, nor know; that they may be ashamed.  Who hath formed a god, or molten a graven image that is profitable for nothing?  Behold, all his fellows shall be ashamed: and the workmen, they are of men: let them all be gathered together, let them stand up; yet they shall fear, and they shall be ashamed together.

The smith with the tongs both worketh in the coals, and fashioneth it with hammers, and worketh it with the strength of his arms: yea, he is hungry, and his strength faileth: he drinketh no water, and is faint.  The carpenter stretcheth out his rule; he marketh it out with a line; he fitteth it with planes, and he marketh it out with the compass, and maketh it after the figure of a man, according to the beauty of a man; that it may remain in the house.

He heweth him down cedars, and taketh the cypress and the oak, which he strengtheneth for himself among the trees of the forest: he planteth an ash, and the rain doth nourish it.  Then shall it be for a man to burn: for he will take thereof, and warm himself; yea, he kindleth it, and baketh bread; yea, he maketh a god, and worshippeth it; he maketh it a graven image, and falleth down thereto.  He burneth part thereof in the fire; with part thereof he eateth flesh; he roasteth roast, and is satisfied: yea, he warmeth himself, and saith, Aha, I am warm, I have seen the fire: And the residue thereof he maketh a god, even his graven image: he falleth down unto it, and worshippeth it, and prayeth unto it, and saith, Deliver me; for thou art my god.” (Isaiah 44:9-17)

While they are beautiful, the making of statues and paintings are a waste of time and ultimately do not benefit people. Those statues carvings and pictures have no life and are incapable of doing anything in themselves.  It is foolish to begin to worship such things and all those involved will ultimately be embarrassed by their involvement. 

The Metal worker melts metal and molds it to shape then hammers and embosses it with fine detail, getting dehydrated from the heat and effort expended.  A carpenter or wood carver uses various cutting tools to shape a piece of wood, carefully measuring shaping to get the proportions and curves just right to resemble a human form.  They carefully select a particular type of wood for their projects, planting other trees to ensure an ongoing supply.  The same wood they burn to heat their houses or cook their food is used to make an idol that he worships as a god, praying for it to deliver him to solve his problems.    

“They have not known nor understood: for he hath shut their eyes, that they cannot see; and their hearts, that they cannot understand.  And none considereth in his heart, neither is there knowledge nor understanding to say, I have burned part of it in the fire; yea, also I have baked bread upon the coals thereof; I have roasted flesh, and eaten it: and shall I make the residue thereof an abomination? shall I fall down to the stock of a tree?  He feedeth on ashes: a deceived heart hath turned him aside, that he cannot deliver his soul, nor say, Is there not a lie in my right hand?” (Isaiah 44:18-20)

It is illogical to worship something a person can make and control.  In order to make it or control the object, the person mas to have more power than the thing they made.  They are simply not thinking things through when they begin to worship it.  How can what they used to cook their food be more powerful than they are.  Their mind has to be blinded to not realize that fact.  They are fooling themselves, thinking such behavior can save them, and have turned aside from the truth to follow a lie. 

 

“Remember these, O Jacob and Israel; for thou art my servant: I have formed thee; thou art my servant: O Israel, thou shalt not be forgotten of me.  I have blotted out, as a thick cloud, thy transgressions, and, as a cloud, thy sins: return unto me; for I have redeemed thee.  Sing, O ye heavens; for the LORD hath done it: shout, ye lower parts of the earth: break forth into singing, ye mountains, O forest, and every tree therein: for the LORD hath redeemed Jacob, and glorified himself in Israel.” (Isaiah 44:21-23)

Israel needs to remember it was God who made then and formed them into a nation.  It is Him who has forgiven their sins and has promised never to forget them or turn his back on them.  Instead of complaining about what they don’t have, they should be rejoicing in what they have recieived, because God has separated them out and protected them.

“Thus saith the LORD, thy redeemer, and he that formed thee from the womb, I am the LORD that maketh all things; that stretcheth forth the heavens alone; that spreadeth abroad the earth by myself; That frustrateth the tokens of the liars, and maketh diviners mad; that turneth wise men backward, and maketh their knowledge foolish; That confirmeth the word of his servant, and performeth the counsel of his messengers; that saith to Jerusalem, Thou shalt be inhabited; and to the cities of Judah, Ye shall be built, and I will raise up the decayed places thereof: That saith to the deep, Be dry, and I will dry up thy rivers: That saith of Cyrus, He is my shepherd, and shall perform all my pleasure: even saying to Jerusalem, Thou shalt be built; and to the temple, Thy foundation shall be laid.” (Isaiah 44:24-28)

The God who established the nation of Israel is also the one who created the earth and the entire universe by his own power.  He is the same God who made the threats of the various other powers to destroy Israel meaningless, and that has protected and encouraged Israel so many times.  It is Him who has caused the signs of the prophets to happen so they can know that the messages are from God.  It is His power that will enable the restoration of Jerusalem and the cities of Judah.  It is God who announced that Cyrus would command the rebuilding of Jerusalem two hundred years before Cyrus came to power, calling him by name.