- 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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"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!!!
ReplyDeleteKevin,
ReplyDelete"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).