We All Worship Something. None Of Us Is Free from Worshipping While We Walk Upon the Face of The Earth.

 

 God’s Power to Prove That He Is the Only Living & True God 

²¹Can your idols make such claims as these? Let them come and show what they can do, says God, the King of Israel. ²²Let them try to tell us what occurred in years gone by or what the future holds. ²³Yes, that’s it! If you are gods, tell what will happen in the days ahead! Or do some mighty miracle that makes us stare, amazed. ²⁴But no! You are less than nothing and can do nothing at all. Anyone who chooses you needs to have his head examined!

²⁵But I have stirred up Cyrus from the north and east; he will come against the nations and call on my name, and I will give him victory over kings and princes. He will tread them as a potter tramples clay.

²⁶Who but I have told you this would happen? Who else predicted this, making you admit that he was right? No one else! None other said one word! ²⁷I was the first to tell Jerusalem, “Look! Look! Help is on the way!” ²⁸Not one of your idols told you this. Not one gave any answer when I asked. ²⁹See, they are all foolish, worthless things; your idols are all as empty as the wind.^[1] (Isaiah41:21–29)

 

God Has the Power to Prove That He Is the Only Living and True God. 

Every one of the events prophesied by Isaiah would be fulfilled exactly as revealed by God:

Ø  the Persian king, Cyrus, would be raised up by God

Ø  the Jews would be taken captive by the Babylonians

Ø  the Jews would be set free by Cyrus and allowed to return to the promised land 

Along with that, God promised to protect righteous believers and to meet their needs day by day as they experienced these three significant events. God’s power to fulfill these prophecies and to perform these miraculous works proves that He is the only living and true God. When people objectively and honestly study the prophecies of God’s Word and their fulfillment, they immediately understand the most basic truth in the universe: the Lord (Jehovah, Yahweh) is the only living and true God.

In the face of this indisputable evidence, all people who choose to reject the Lord and worship false gods must appear in court to stand before the Judge of the universe to present their case. And when idolaters step forth to present the defense for their idols, their arguments for idolatry must be just as strong as the case for the Lord’s power and existence. 

a. God challenges the idolaters of Isaiah’s day and of all succeeding generations to present their case for worshipping idols, false gods (vv. 21–23). “Prove that your false gods can predict the future and make the predictions come true. Prove that they can explain past events, then show how they relate to the present and are leading to a specific outcome, to a future that has already been destined and determined by their power.” If false worshippers could foretell coming events and bring those events to pass, they could prove that their so-called gods were true. Not only that, idolaters must prove that their false gods can do mighty works, works (good or bad) so miraculous that they would fill people with amazement and fear. But no so-called god can do these things. Only the one living and true Lord can do them, and only He has proven that He can.

These are exactly the things God has done down through the generations of human history. In addition to working mightily in the lives of righteous believers, the Lord has fulfilled every prophecy of His Holy Word, explaining past events and how they relate to the present and to the predictions of what will take place in the future. Beginning with the woman’s seed, who would crush the head of the serpent, stretching through the birth of Israel as a descendant of Abraham, and reaching on down through history to the coming of Christ, the Lord has fulfilled the wonderful predictions concerning the coming seed, the Savior of the world. (Ge. 3:15; 12:2–3; 15:1–21; Is. 49:1–50:11; 52:13–53:12; Mt. 1:18–25) In addition to predicting and fulfilling past events, the Lord also gives prophecy after prophecy concerning the future of the world. As the events of past predictions have come true, so the predictions of future events will be fulfilled. Not a single word of His promises will fail (1 K. 8:56; Mt. 5:18; Lu. 21:33). 

b. Of course, idolaters can make no case for their false gods. Subsequently, God issues His verdict on all idolaters and their idols. His verdict shatters the hopes and the trust of all idolaters, for when facing the scrutiny of God’s holy judgment, idols are exposed as less than nothing, utterly worthless. The verdict God pronounces against idolaters dooms them for eternity. They are abominable, detestable, filthy in the sight of God. 

c. The proof that the Lord is the only living and true God is of critical importance (vv. 25–27). To emphasize the truth, the Lord stresses three astounding facts:

Ø  He alone had the power to control history, and He would prove His power by raising up Cyrus of Persia to conquer the earth and free Israel (vv. 2–4).

Ø  He alone could predict the historical rise of Cyrus and that the Persian king would carry out God’s judgment upon the nations and free God’s people from their Babylonian captivity (13:17–18; 41:1–3; 44:28; 45:1). No one else could ever make a prediction that revealed the name of the coming ruler more than a century before his birth. No one else in heaven or earth could even hint that such an event would take place, much less cause it to occur.

Ø  He alone could predict that a messenger would proclaim the good news, the fact that His people would be set free from their captivity and return to the promised land. 

d. As God looks around the courtroom, waiting for a response from the idolaters, not even the slightest evidence can be presented to support false gods. Apparently, God issues His final verdict on all idols and idolaters (vv. 28–29). They are false—each and everyone—false gods and false worshippers. They are empty, useless, and worthless. And the worship and works of the idolaters amount to nothing in the sight of God. Their images and false gods are as empty as the wind and nothing but confusion. 

Thought 1. We all worship something. None of us is free from worshipping while we walk upon the face of the earth. We either worship the Lord Himself, or we worship ourselves, some other person, material possessions, or false gods created by the human imagination. Even an atheist who denies that God exists gives his heart to something. When we worship something, we commit our heart and life to it; and we focus our devotion, energy, and ambition on it. God demands that we focus upon Him, the only living and true God, and that we commit and devote ourselves to Him, giving Him our utmost attention and greatest energy. But many of us do the very opposite.

Only the Lord is to receive our devotion and worship, but many of us are more focused upon living in impressive houses, wearing the latest style of clothing, and securing more wealth and property than we are upon worshipping God. Many of us spend more time in front of a mirror than we do in daily prayer. Some put girlfriends, boyfriends, wives, husbands, children, and friends before the Lord. Still others put recreation, relaxation, and comfort before the Lord. Any person or thing that becomes dominant in our lives, any person or thing we put before the Lord, becomes an idol, the focus of our devotion and worship. God forbids such idolatry and false worship:

V  “For as I passed by, and beheld your devotions, I found an altar with this inscription, TO THE UNKNOWN GOD. Whom therefore ye ignorantly worship, Him declare I unto you. God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that He is Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands; Neither is worshipped with men’s hands, as though He needed anything, seeing He giveth to all life, and breath, and all things; And hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation; That they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after Him, and find Him, though He be not far from every one of us: For in Him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said, For we are also his offspring. Forasmuch then as we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Godhead is like unto gold, or silver, or stone, graven by art and man’s device. And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men everywhere to repent: Because He hath appointed a day, in the which He will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom He hath ordained; whereof He hath given assurance unto all men, in that He hath raised Him from the dead” (Ac. 17:23–31).

V  “For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness; Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath showed it unto them. For the invisible things of Him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse: Because that, when they knew God, they glorified Him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, and changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and four-footed beasts, and creeping things. Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonor their own bodies between themselves: Who changed the truth of God into a lie and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen” (Ro. 1:18–25).

V  “As concerning therefore, the eating of those things that are offered in sacrifice unto idols, we know that an idol is nothing in the world, and that there is none other God but one. For though there be that are called gods, whether in heaven or in earth, (as there be gods many, and lords many,) But to us there is but one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we in Him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by Him” (1 Co. 8:4–6).

V  “Little children, keep yourselves from idols. Amen” (1 Jn. 5:21).

V  “Thou shalt have no other gods before Me. Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth: Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the Lord thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me” (Ex. 20:3–5).

V  “Ye shall make you no idols nor graven image, neither rear you up a standing image, neither shall ye set up any image of stone in your land, to bow down unto it: for I am the Lord your God” (Le. 26:1).

V  “Take heed to yourselves, that your heart be not deceived, and ye turn aside, and serve other gods, and worship them” (De. 11:16).

V  “There shall no strange god be in thee; neither shalt thou worship any strange god” (Ps. 81:9).

V  “I am the Lord: that is My name: and My glory will I not give to another, neither My praise to graven images” (Is. 42:8).^[2]

 

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^[1] Taylor, Kenneth Nathaniel. 1997. The Living Bible, Paraphrased. Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House.

^[2] Leadership Ministries Worldwide. 2005. Isaiah: Chapters 36–66. Vol. II. The Preacher’s Outline & Sermon Bible. Chattanooga, TN: Leadership Ministries Worldwide. 

https://my.bible.com/bible/116/ISA.41.21-29.nlt

TWO OF THE GREAT PROMISES OF GOD ARE THAT OF HIS PROTECTION AND PROVISION

God’s Power to Protect & Provide for Israel (His People) 

⁸But as for you, O Israel, you are Mine, My chosen ones; for you are Abraham’s family, and he was My friend. ⁹I have called you back from the ends of the earth and said that you must serve but Me alone, for I have chosen you and will not throw you away. ¹⁰Fear not, for I am with you. Do not be dismayed. I am your God. I will strengthen you; I will help you; I will uphold you with My victorious right hand.^c

¹¹See, all your angry enemies lie confused and shattered. Anyone opposing you will die. ¹²You will look for them in vain—they will all be gone. ¹³I am holding you by your right hand—I, the Lord your God—and I say to you, Don’t be afraid; I am here to help you. ¹⁴Despised though you are, fear not, O Israel; for I will help you. I am the Lord, your Redeemer; I am the Holy One of Israel. ¹⁵You shall be a new and sharp-toothed threshing instrument to tear all enemies apart, making chaff of mountains. ¹⁶You shall toss them in the air; the wind shall blow them all away; whirlwinds shall scatter them. And the joy of the Lord shall fill you full; you shall glory in the God of Israel.

¹⁷When the poor and needy seek water and there is none, and their tongues are parched from thirst, then I will answer when they cry to Me. I, Israel’s God, will never forsake them. ¹⁸I will open up rivers for them on high plateaus! I will give them fountains of water in the valleys! In the deserts will be pools of water, and rivers fed by springs shall flow across the dry, parched ground. ¹⁹I will plant trees—cedars, myrtle, olive trees, cypress, fir, and pine—on barren land. ²⁰Everyone will see this miracle and understand that it is God who did it, Israel’s Holy One.^[1] (Isaiah41:8–20) 

God Has the Power to Protect and Provide for Israel (His People).

This is a wonderful assurance to all believers who sense that they fail the Lord often and fall so short of His glory. Israel too failed the Lord repeatedly and miserably disappointing God over and over again. Nevertheless, the Lord loved His people and never ceased to reach out to them. For generations the Israelites were oppressed, not only by the Assyrians and Babylonians but also by all the surrounding nations who preceded those two world empires. They suffered continual hardship and domination from a stream of tyrants down through history—all due to their sins. In Isaiah’s day, few of the Jews genuinely trusted the Lord or lived righteous lives. Most were living in unbelief, rejecting God, and engaging in sinful, unrighteous behavior. Still the Lord loved His people and reached out in compassion to them. In the present Scripture, God stirred Isaiah to give strong encouragement and hope to His people. If they truly believed and followed Him, He would use His power to deliver them from their captivity and would protect and provide for them. Note the assurance and promises given by the Lord: 

a. God assured His people that they were His chosen servants (vv. 8–9). Note that God Himself addressed the people as Israel, my servant and Jacob, whom I have chosen. He then called them the descendants of Abraham, my friend (v. 8). These are titles of great honor. Consider what a privilege it is to be a servant of God, chosen by Him, and to be a descendant of Abraham, the friend of God Himself. God had always pursued a close relationship with the Israelites, even those of Isaiah’s day, and offered them the privilege of knowing Him intimately. In fact, God has usually offered the privilege of knowing Him personally to both Jew and Gentile. But the human race has always chosen to reject His offer. Even though God had chosen the Israelites to be His very special servants, they had often proved unfaithful. Consequently, God was forced to continually discipline and punish them.

Here, it is God’s purpose to give His people great assurance. Though God used the Assyrians and Babylonians to punish them, the Lord would one day gather them from the ends of the earth. They were His servants, chosen by Him; therefore, He would not forget them in their hour of trial. He would not reject them (v. 9). He would set them free them from the Babylonian captivity so they could return to the promised land. 

b. God assured His people that He would protect them in the here and now, in the present distress they were experiencing (vv. 10–16). No doubt God’s promise of freeing His people from the coming captivity was very encouraging, especially to the true believers who were to endure the Babylonian captivity. But they needed far more than just a distant, future hope of deliverance. Righteous believers needed to know that God was with them day by day in their present painful circumstances. So, God met their need and gave them a most wonderful promise: whether in the present or in the future and in whatever circumstances, God’s people were not to fear. Three reasons are given why righteous believers should not be anxious, afraid. 

First, God’s people were not to fear because He Himself would be with them. He would strengthen and help them and uphold them with His right hand—His righteous, victorious hand. God’s promise to be with His people applies to all righteous believers of all generations. Even in the very worst times believers are not to be dismayed or frightened by the oppression of any enemy. Even if the enemy seems much stronger and the believers feel extremely weak, the Lord promises to strengthen His people. Even when believers fall and collapse before the enemy, the Lord will uphold them with His right hand, a hand of righteousness and justice (2 Ti. 4:18).

Ø  The Lord will shame and confuse all who oppose His people; their enemies will perish by the Lord’s victorious, righteous hand (v. 11).

Ø  The Lord will totally eliminate all the enemies who contend with or wage war against His people (v. 12). 

Second, God’s people were not to fear because He would hold their right hands and help them as they faced their enemies (v. 13). Note the close relationship being stressed here: the Lord tells righteous believers that He is “your God” and that He will “hold your right hand.” He will “help you.” Meditating upon this promise should give enormous encouragement to believers who are facing oppression and hardships. 

Third, God’s people were not to fear because He was their Redeemer (v. 14). Redeemer here refers to the kinsman redeemer (goel), who in ancient history was the family protector. The redeemer was a person who saved or rescued a family member who was suffering or distressed due to financial trouble, the death of a spouse, loss of property, or some other heavy burden (Ru. 2:20). In the present Scripture, the Lord calls Himself the Redeemer, the family protector of His people. As their Redeemer, He promises to help them. The implication for the Israelites was that He would deliver them from their captivity. Note also the other title the Lord claims for Himself: The Holy One of Israel (His people). As The Holy One, He is distinct, completely set apart from all other creatures by His power, knowledge, and understanding. Thus, He is able to completely fulfill His purpose in the lives of His people despite their hardships or difficult circumstances. Note that He refers to His people as worms, which simply means that they are weak and helpless. Though they are too weak to help themselves, they are not to fear the enemies who oppress them, for God is their Redeemer. And as their Redeemer, God will do two things for His people:

Ø  The Lord will empower them to defeat their enemies (v. 15). He will make them like a threshing sledge with sharp teeth. They will thresh their enemies and reduce them to chaff, and the enemies will be blown away as if by a strong wind (vv. 15–16).

Ø  The Lord will give them hearts that rejoice and glory in Him (v. 16). 

c. God assured His people that He would provide for them (vv. 17–20). This specific promise of God refers to God’s provision for His people during the Babylonian exile and their return from captivity. However, the promise is applicable to every generation of believers. Whenever God’s people are poor and needy or parched with thirst, the Lord will hear their cry for help (vv. 17–19). He will provide water and a fruitful land for them. He will even turn the desert into fertile soil so that it will be productive and fruitful. Note the Lord’s purpose in providing for the needs of His people: it is to demonstrate His power and to show that He alone can free them and meet their needs (v. 20). The world needs to witness God’s miraculous provision for His people when they are suffering and facing difficult circumstances. When unbelievers see the miraculous power of God in action, some will turn to the Lord and become genuine followers of Him. 

Thought 1. Two of the great promises of God are that of His protection and provision. If we are believers who truly follow the Lord, He promises to protect and deliver us when any enemy attacks or oppresses us. Although God does not always deliver us from difficult circumstances, He will always deliver us through them. No matter what trial, hardship, temptation, or adversary confronts us, the Lord will protect us and give us whatever provision we need to overcome the difficult circumstance. 

If we genuinely trust the Lord, obey His commandments, and live righteously, the Lord promises to deliver us through …

Ø  financial difficulties

Ø  unemployment

Ø  broken relationships

Ø  family divisions

Ø  business problems

Ø  emotional difficulties

Ø  sorrow

Ø  disease

Ø  hunger

Ø  thirst

The Lord will even deliver us from ever having to taste or experience death. When the moment of our departure comes, quicker than the eye can blink, the Lord will transfer us from this world into heaven. One moment we will be in this world, and the next we will be in the very presence of God. 

(1)   The Lord promises to protect us through all the trials of life and from all the enemies who oppress us.

V  “Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you” (Lu. 10:19).

V  “But there shall not a hair of your head perish” (Lu. 21:18).

V  “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? … Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him that loved us. For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Ro. 8:35, 37–39).

V  “There hath no temptation taken you, but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it” (1 Co. 10:13).

V  “And the Lord shall deliver me from every evil work and will preserve me unto His heavenly kingdom: to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen” (2 Ti. 4:18).

V  “For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith. Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?” (1 Jn. 5:4–5).

V  “The Lord shall fight for you, and ye shall hold your peace” (Ex. 14:14).

V  “The eternal God is thy refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms: and He shall thrust out the enemy from before thee; and shall say, Destroy them” (De. 33:27).

V  “For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show Himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward Him. Herein thou hast done foolishly: therefore, from henceforth thou shalt have wars” (2 Chr. 16:9).

V  “The Angel of the Lord encampeth round about them that fear him, and delivereth them” (Ps. 34:7).

V  “Through Thee will we push down our enemies: through thy name will we tread them under that rise up against us” (Ps. 44:5).

V  “He shall cover thee with His feathers, and under His wings shalt thou trust: His truth shall be thy shield and buckler” (Ps. 91:4). 

(2)   The Lord will provide for us and meet every need we have.

V  “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness; and all these things [housing, food, clothing] shall be added unto you” (Mt. 6:33).

V  “But my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus” (Ph. 4:19).

V  “Let your conversation [conduct, behavior] be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for He hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me” (He. 13:5–6).

V  “But if from thence thou shalt seek the Lord thy God, thou shalt find Him, if thou seek Him with all thy heart and with all thy soul” (De. 4:29).

V  “And thou shalt return and obey the voice of the Lord and do all His commandments which I command thee this day. And the Lord thy God will make thee plenteous in every work of thine hand, in the fruit of thy body, and in the fruit of thy cattle, and in the fruit of thy land, for good: for the Lord will again rejoice over thee for good, as He rejoiced over thy fathers” (De. 30:8–9).

V  “For the oppression of the poor, for the sighing of the needy, now will I arise, saith the Lord; I will set him in safety from him that puffeth at him” (Ps. 12:5).

V  “Thou hast also given me the shield of thy salvation: and thy right hand hath holden me up, and thy gentleness hath made me great” (Ps. 18:35).

V  “The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusted in Him, and I am helped: therefore my heart greatly rejoiceth; and with my song will I praise Him” (Ps. 28:7).

V  “Oh, how great is thy goodness, which thou hast laid up for them that fear thee; which thou hast wrought for them that trust in thee before the sons of men!” (Ps. 31:19).

V  “But I am poor and needy; yet the Lord thinketh upon me: thou art my help and my deliverer; make no tarrying, O my God” (Ps. 40:17).

V  “Thou visitest the earth, and waterest it: thou greatly enrichest it with the river of God, which is full of water: thou preparest them corn, when thou hast so provided for it” (Ps. 65:9).

V  “Blessed be the Lord, who daily loadeth us with benefits, even the God of our salvation. Selah” (Ps. 68:19).

V  “I will abundantly bless her provision: I will satisfy her poor with bread” (Ps. 132:15).

V  “For thou hast been a strength to the poor, a strength to the needy in his distress, a refuge from the storm, a shadow from the heat, when the blast of the terrible ones is as a storm against the wall” (Is. 25:4).

V  “Fear thou not; for I am with thee; be not dismayed; for I am thy God; I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of My righteousness” (Is. 41:10).

V  “Fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou art Mine. When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee” (Is. 43:1–2).

V  “And even to your old age I am He; and even to hoar [gray] hairs will I carry you: I have made, and I will bear; even I will carry, and will deliver you” (Is. 46:4).^[2]

 

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^c 41:10  with my victorious right hand, or “with the right hand of my righteousness.” 

^[1] Taylor, Kenneth Nathaniel. 1997. The Living Bible, Paraphrased. Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House. 

^[2] Leadership Ministries Worldwide. 2005. Isaiah: Chapters 36–66. Vol. II. The Preacher’s Outline & Sermon Bible. Chattanooga, TN: Leadership Ministries Worldwide. 

https://my.bible.com/bible/116/ISA.41.8-20.nlt