#1008 Isaiah 46 Bel and Nebo

 

Bel bows down; Nebo stoops;

their idols are on beasts and livestock;

these things you carry are borne

as burdens on weary beasts.

2 They stoop; they bow down together;

they cannot save the burden,

but themselves go into captivity.

3 “Listen to me, O house of Jacob,

all the remnant of the house of Israel,

who have been borne by me from before your birth,

carried from the womb;

4 even to your old age I am he,

and to gray hairs I will carry you.

I have made, and I will bear;

I will carry and will save.

5 “To whom will you liken me and make me equal,

and compare me, that we may be alike?

6 Those who lavish gold from the purse,

and weigh out silver in the scales,

hire a goldsmith, and he makes it into a god;

then they fall down and worship!

7 They lift it to their shoulders, they carry it,

they set it in its place, and it stands there;

it cannot move from its place.

If one cries to it, it does not answer

or save him from his trouble.

8 “Remember this and stand firm,

recall it to mind, you transgressors,

9 remember the former things of old;

for I am God, and there is no other;

I am God, and there is none like me,

10 declaring the end from the beginning

and from ancient times things not yet done,

saying, ‘My counsel shall stand,

and I will accomplish all my purpose,’

11 calling a bird of prey from the east,

the man of my counsel from a far country.

I have spoken, and I will bring it to pass;

I have purposed, and I will do it.

12 “Listen to me, you stubborn of heart,

you who are far from righteousness:

13 I bring near my righteousness; it is not far off,

and my salvation will not delay;

I will put salvation in Zion,

for Israel my glory.” Isaiah 46 ESV

Isaiah 46 Idols of Babylon

…3You shall have no other gods before Me. 4You shall not make for yourself an idol in the form of anything in the heavens above, on the earth below, or in the waters beneath. 5You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on their children to the third and fourth generations of those who hate Me,… Exodus 20: 3-5

1-2. Bel bows down - Bel is another name for Baal, the chief god of the region of Babylon. Israel had absorbed Baal worship into their culture at different times, and Elijah has the most famous confrontation with this cult on Mt. Carmel, where the 400 prophets of Baal danced and cut themselves, babbled and prayed to Baal that he would send down fire upon their offering. Read here in 1 Kings 18

Nebo stoops - God is calling out the false gods by name, which in turn calls out their followers. God's prophets also called out false prophets and teachers, and Paul will continue this tradition in the New Testament. You can see the name of both gods incorporated into people's names ie Nebuchadnezzar and Belshazzar. 

A Chaldean god whose worship was introduced into Assyria by Pul ( Isaiah 46:1 ; Jeremiah 48:1 ). To this idol was dedicated the great temple whose ruins are still seen at Birs Nimrud. A statue of Nebo found at Calah, where it was set up by Pul, king of Assyria, is now in the British Museum. - Bible Study Tools

…5Therefore, keep in mind how far you have fallen. Repent and perform the deeds you did at first. But if you do not repent, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place. 6But you have this to your credit: You hate the works of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate. 7He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who overcomes, I will grant the right to eat from the tree of life in the Paradise of God.… Revelation 2: 5-7

…19holding on to faith and a good conscience, which some have rejected and thereby shipwrecked their faith. 20Among them are Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I have handed over to Satan to be taught not to blaspheme. 1 Timothy 1: 19-20

These things you carry are borne - Made by you, held up by you, and now they are taken into captivity with you, upon the backs of beasts. 

3-4. All the remnant of the house of  Israel - The remnant is held up, borne by God from before their birth. No matter what happens, or time of life, He has called a remnant from before time and his word stands. He will carry them, see them through, He will save.

5-7. And make Me equal - The rich can afford to hire a goldsmith to make a more shiny and majestic looking god, but it cannot move and it was made. It does not even represent anything godlike; it is of the imagination. It can't even hear you, so how will it save you?

8-11. Recall it to mind - Go back and read again, look at your history, who delivered you from Egypt, who parted the waters, who sent the Assyrians away? What has the One Who has done these things said about Himself and about proper worship? 

Calling a bird of prey from the east - He is calling Cyrus before he is born.

12-13. You stubborn of heart - Israel had heard and seen much, had been given much knowledge about God, but yet didn't know Him, and continued in apostasy and the cares of the world.

36Truly I tell you, all these things will come upon this generation. 37O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, who kills the prophets and stones those sent to her, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were unwilling! 38Look, your house is left to you desolate.… Matthew 23: 36-38

I will put salvation in Zion - He is not late in this, it is all according to His plan and time.

17Then you will know that I am the LORD your God, who dwells in Zion, My holy mountain. Jerusalem will be holy, never again to be overrun by foreigners. 18And in that day the mountains will drip with sweet wine, and the hills will flow with milk. All the streams of Judah will run with water, and a spring will flow from the house of the LORD to water the Valley of Acacias.… Joel 3: 17-18

25I do not want you to be ignorant of this mystery, brothers, so that you will not be conceited: A hardening in part has come to Israel, until the full number of the Gentiles has come in. 26And so all Israel will be saved, as it is written: “The Deliverer will come from Zion; He will remove godlessness from Jacob. 27And this is My covenant with them when I take away their sins.”… Romans 11: 25-27