Isaiah 46-47: Tentative Flow of Thought

  • 46:1-13: Yahweh warns Israel that he alone is God, there is no other, and he is coming to deliver; non-trusters are warned.
    • vv 1-2: Bel and Nebo, gods of Babylon, bow to Yahweh
    • vv 3-4: Yahweh calls Israel to listen to him who has cared for them their entire life and brought the nation into being.
    • vv 5-7: Yahweh confronts Israel with the uselessness of useless, non-gods.
    • vv 8-11: Yahweh calls Israel to remember his past acts and conclude correctly that he alone is God, he will call Cyrus, and he will punish Babylon.
    • vv 12-13: The non-trusters in Israel are warned that Yahweh's deliverance is near and he will restore Israel.
  • 47:1-15: Yahweh warns Babylon that her greatness will not stand and her gods cannot help.
    • vv 1-3: Babylon, the princess, will be a humiliated slave.
    • v 4: Israel/Isaiah interjects praise for God, Redeemer, Yahweh of armies, the Holy One of Israel.
    • vv 5-7: Yahweh commands Babylon to sit i silence, for despite her usefulness as a rod of discipline for God's people, her arrogant boasting shall bring her down.
    • vv 8-11: Yahweh warns Babylon that her arrogant boasting will result in the boasts being turned against her.
    • vv 12-13: Yahweh mocks Babylon, calling her to continue trusting her useless magic.
    • vv 14-15: Yahweh warns Babylon that her magician-priests are utterly useless, despite their best efforts.
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2 comments:

  1. Kevin V.10:42 AM

    "despite their best efforts." How many Christians follow, or think they are following, Yahweh in our present time this way? Magician-priests? Is this specifically referring to "idol-worshippers" or even those who claim to worship Yahweh? Thanks Laura!!!

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  2. Kevin,

    "How many Christians follow, or think they are following, Yahweh in our present time this way?"

    Indeed. So much of our "discipleship" is really our own effort, with trust as a nice bonus, if we get to it.

    As for the "magician-priests," in Isaiah 47, this refers to Babylonian magicians who performed complex (and rather icky)rituals, over and over, hoping for helpful prophecy. God says quite plainly that all their efforts were a waste of time. I'm quite sure the principle applies in a plethora of situations today, some of which are Christian (like, the word-faith movement, for example).

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