Isaiah 44

Isaiah 44 on page 604 and 5.

We shop in Liddle.

I popped in there yesterday afternoon.

I was trying to get some raspberries.

!

You can go down the aisle.

You can pick what you want.

Liddle of an imitation for everything, don't they?

Whether it's granola or Weetabix or crunching that cornflakes.

There's all sorts of varieties.

Something for everyone.

And the Assyrians and the Babylonians in Isaiah's day,

they didn't have supermarkets.

But if they did have the equivalent of Liddle,

they would be jam-packed, not with breakfast seagulls,

but with gods.

And with deities.

That would be available for your worship.

You get a different god depending on your circumstance,

depending on your need,

depending on your mood.

You could choose from all sorts of numerous gods.

And that would bring you what you're looking for.

And that aisle in the Babylonian and Assyrian supermarket

would have been crammed full of people all the time.

It would have been on the left as you went in,

the kind of prime spot.

Because everyone in Isaiah's day was looking for a god.

Or gods.

And here was the big challenge for the prophet of the Lord Isaiah.

Because as he is right,

whom God had redeemed,

whom God had taken as his whole people,

from all the peoples of the earth,

as God's people looked at the Assyrians and the Babylonians,

as they looked at those people who come in and conquered them,

they looked at those people and they got the impression

that maybe there was something about this idolatry gig after all.

Maybe it wasn't that bad.

I mean,

look at the Assyrians.

And look at the Babylonians.

They're rich.

They're sophisticated.

They live in nice houses.

That's got to have something to do with the power of their god, hasn't it?

So it just seemed absurd to the conquered Israelites.

Those who'd been defeated by these people,

who'd been dragged off into exile,

to maintain that their god was supreme over all the other gods.

And these gods of the conquerors,

your gods are nothing.

When they compared their lifestyle

to the lifestyle of those other people,

it seems point away from the supremacy of the Lord God of Israel.

Well, if you were with us last term,

you will know that Isaiah has got something that's near

for being his body on the theme of idolatry.

It keeps coming back again and again.

And in chapter 40 to 48,

that is his main concern.

And what he keeps reminding the Israelites

is not very complicated at all.

The message is pretty straightforward.

It's a bit like when President Calvin Coolidge

came home from church one day.

And the story goes that his wife asked him,

what was the sin about?

And Coolidge grumpily said he spoke about sin.

His wife asked him,

what did he say about sin?

And Coolidge replied,

he said he was against it.

And that is pretty much the message of Isaiah here.

That God and idolatry,

God is against it.

Now we can all go home at this point and finish,

but there's lots more to dig into.

You and I need to understand

why God is so opposed to idolatry.

And the reason why that is so important for you today

in the 21st century

is you and I find ourselves

constantly facing the same kind of temptation

as the Israelites.

And that temptation goes far beyond

the wooden statues that we read about

in today's passage.

Here's how Tim Callow to find an idol.

He's got an excellent little book

called Counterfeit Gods.

And in that book he says,

An idol is anything more important to you than God.

Anything that absorbs your heart and imagination

more than God.

Anything you seek to give you

what only God can give you.

And so when we understand that,

you and I face exactly the same temptations

as the Israelites said.

As we look around ourselves,

we see people with money

and with success.

And we see people who are living

in the lack of luxury.

And we see people who have got what we want.

They're successful.

Or they're popular.

They get great job satisfaction.

And as far as we can tell,

they've got that

because they've devoted themselves

to the acquisition of money,

the pursuit of success,

the pursuit of power,

the pursuit of great reputation.

And it tempts us to say,

maybe there is something

in this ideology gig after all.

Maybe it isn't all that bad

to go after those gods.

And here am I trying to tell people

how great God is

and that money set on power

are not what they're cracked up to be,

but the people,

they go after those things.

And the people who go after those things

don't seem to be doing too badly at all,

do they?

So children,

your mates in school,

your friends in school,

who actually,

they don't care about God,

they don't love the Lord Jesus,

and they seem to be,

well, pretty happy.

They seem to be doing okay.

They don't follow God's law.

Why not just be like them?

And Isaiah wants to expose to you

the absolute absurdity,

the craziness of thinking that way.

And he wants us to see how mad,

how mad it is to mess with lifeless idols

when you can know the living God.

So we're going to look at that.

And see in three points,

the reality of the living God,

the absurdity of idolatry,

and then thirdly,

the redemptive reasons to worship God

and not idols.

And all because it is mad

to worship

and to mess

with lifeless idols

when you can know the living God.

So first of all,

from verses 6 onwards,

the reality of the living God.

Let me go to 6 of Isaiah 44.

Thus says the Lord,

the King of Israel,

and His Redeemer,

the Lord of hosts,

I am the first

and I am the last.

And besides me,

there is no God.

Who is like me?

Let Him proclaim it.

Let Him declare

and set it before me.

Since I appointed an ancient people,

let them declare what is to come

and what will happen.

Fear not.

Nor be afraid.

Have I not told you from of old

and declared it?

And you are my witnesses.

Is there a God besides me?

There is no rock.

I know not any.

Because there's numerous places

during this book.

Isaiah helps us to see

how God lays out His CV

as a reminder

that there is absolutely

no one like Him.

That the Lord God

is in a category

all of His own.

And so He points us,

first of all,

to His very nature.

He says,

He is the King of Israel.

He is their Redeemer.

But not only that,

He is the Lord of hosts.

Literally,

He is the Lord Almighty.

All the powers

and the armies

of heaven

are at His command.

He says,

doesn't He,

He is the first

and He is the last.

He is the first.

That means He doesn't

derive His life

from elsewhere.

In contrast,

to what you're about

to see later on

in the chapter.

God is self-sufficient.

He is self-sufficient

and He is the last.

He will outlast

all things.

And He will remain

supreme forever.

And it's not just

in His nature

that He says

He is unique.

It is in the way

that He sovereignly

rules over all of history.

God is alone

is the one

who has orchestrated

everything

in history.

Up to this point,

and He will orchestrate

everything

in the future.

It's not that

just in what happens,

but in what it means.

God interprets

history for us.

And then Isaiah

comes back

to the challenge

of the idols

that we saw

in chapter 41.

It's a challenge

by which you can

show whether

your God

is the real God.

Can your God

predict the future?

Because the God

of the Bible

gets 100%

success rate

every time.

He's never

got it wrong.

And God says

to the idols,

can you do that?

Can you predict

the coming

of the Babylonian

domination,

which God

spoke to Isaiah

in chapter 39?

Can you predict

who the world

conqueror will be

and bring down

Babylon?

Can you tell

what the ruler

of that nation,

who will come

almost 200 years

from now,

what his name

will be?

Because Isaiah

gives his name

at the end

of the chapter.

Here is the reality

of the living God

when you start

to take it in.

You start to realise

what an amazing

difference this

should make

in your life,

that we follow

and we trust

this God.

Because if you

know the God

of the Bible,

you know

the God

who holds

the future

in his hands.

And the God

who tells you

what that future

will be like

in prophecy.

So don't you

think that it

makes sense

that you can

rest in him

at the start

of this year?

And you can

walk into

that future,

you don't know

what the future

is for you.

None of us do.

But God does.

So God says

to you at the start

of verse 8,

do not tremble.

Fear not.

Don't be afraid,

trust me.

And if you

walk into the future

holding my hand,

you have nothing

to worry about

because I know

what is there.

I'll be your

rock,

that's it.

Don't look for a

rock elsewhere

because there is

no other.

There is no other.

I'm the only one.

Do you see what

God is doing

before he gets

to the absurdity

of the idols?

He's saying,

if you have a

God like me,

why would you

ever consider

messing with idols?

Paul Newman

was a very

famous actor

and he was

quite well known

for his devotion

to his wife

Joanne Woodward.

And Paul Newman

was once asked

when he worked

with so many

beautiful women

in the Hollywood

industry,

why or how

he stayed faithful

to his wife.

And Newman

famously quipped,

why go out

for a hamburger

when you have

stayed at home?

Now,

I'm not sure

that his wife

appreciated

what he was

saying.

I'm sure she

appreciated the

sentiment behind it.

But that's the

kind of argument

you've got

as I've already

thought.

Why mess

with idols

when you've

got the true

and the living

God?

when you've

got the fountain

of the living

waters?

When you've

got the first

and the last

of the living

God?

Here is the

reality of the

one true

God.

Well,

at this point

Isaiah says to

us,

we've just

heard from the

sovereign living

God.

Stay tuned

because after

the break

I'll be taking

us on a field

trip to God's

shop.

And you won't

want to miss

this one.

And sure enough

after the commercial

we see Isaiah

in the idol

shop.

And it's

a haven of

activity and

busyness.

So the

verses 12

and 13

the futility

of idols.

The

eidensmith

takes a

cutting tool

and he

works it

over the

coals and

he fashions

it with

hammers and

he works

it with

his strong

arm.

He becomes

hungry.

His strength

fails.

He drinks

no water

and he gets

faint.

And the

carpenter

scratches a line.

He marks

it out

with a

pencil.

He shapes

it with

planes.

He marks

it with

a compass.

He shapes

it into

the figure

of a man

with the

beauty of

a man to

dwell in

a house.

Isaiah

wants you

to see how

much work

goes into

idolatry.

You've got

an island over

there.

You've got

a carpenter

over here.

And there

are various

kinds of

wood.

And it

all involves

a lot of

skill to

make what

are obviously

works of

art.

It's saying

this isn't

haphazard.

This isn't

random.

This is

something that

people take

very, very

seriously.

And the

reason they

take it

seriously is

because they're

very religious

people.

How do I

know they

are religious

people?

Because

everyone,

everyone is a

religious person.

Everyone

worships

something.

And if you

don't worship

the one true

God,

you won't

worship nothing.

You'll worship

something else.

in search for

meaning and

significance.

About a

year ago,

a couple of

years ago,

there was a

big fuss,

wasn't there,

in the media

about the

Sunday

Assembly.

Do you

remember it?

It's the

Atheist

Church.

And in the

article,

the Atheist

Church in

London met

in a

disused

church

building.

And if you

look at the

picture,

it looks very

much like a

regular church

service.

It's got the

architecture of

the church

building.

It's got a

PowerPoint.

PowerPoint.

You've even

got the

casually dressed

preacher with

no tie.

Instead of

Charles Wesley,

the article

said they

signed

Stevie Wonder.

And instead

of Isaiah,

they read out

Alice's

Wonderland.

They lectured

instead of

sermons.

Instead of

the reading of

the law,

the Ten

Commandments,

the Sunday

gathering has

ten ethical

guidelines.

Now,

doesn't that

strike you

as terribly

ironic?

That there

is an effort

to offer

something that

rejects religion,

the Sunday

Assembly,

but all it

could do

was imitate

religion.

All it

could do

is provide

more religion.

Because every

single person

in this world

is a deeply

religious person.

And they

obviously take

a lot of

care about

this,

a lot of

thought and

preparation

has gone

into it,

just like

in Isaiah's

shop.

Because we

are all

religious people.

And Isaiah

wants us to

see in the

middle of

this God

shop the

absolute

absurdity of

what is

going on

here.

He says

these men

they come

together and

they work

together to

make this

idol.

They're

its creators.

They've

made it and

now they are

worshipping what

they've made.

And it

seems a little

strange.

What does

the idol

resemble?

What does

the idol

resemble?

Surprise,

surprise,

the end of

verse 13,

it resembles

them.

Looks like

them.

And what's it

made of?

It's made of

wood,

wood from a

tree in a

forest that's

dependent on

the rain you

know.

You do know

don't you,

you can't have

a God unless

the weather is

quite right.

And so then

Isaiah asks

one of the

carpenters to

explain,

you worship

an idol.

You worship

an idol of

wood and the

carpenter

replies,

well,

yes,

it's more

leftover wood.

And because

we've got a

fire and the

fire is there

to keep us

warm and we

need the fire

to cook our

food over the

fire,

but we had

some wood

left over

after we

built the

fire so we

made it into

a God that

we worship.

And we bow

down to it and

we pray to it

and we ask it

to save us and

they say it all

with a straight

face.

Firewood,

bakewood,

wood and

Godwood.

All from the

same log.

What a great

deal.

Buy your

wood here.

Two for the

price of one.

Got firewood,

bakewood and

Godwood,

all from the

same log.

You couldn't

make it up.

Archimuthier

spouss out the

absurdity about

this.

He says,

the idol's

ancestry is

earthly.

Its cultivation,

human.

Its life derived

from the

creation and

its deity is

the chance which

allowed it to

survive the

needs of the

kitchen fire.

The idol's

logic suggests

that what has

been given to

him, the

physical benefit

of cooked

food and the

comfort of

bodily warmth

can also

nourish his

soul.

But it's how

Isaiah brings

an end to

this section of

this little

field trip

that I think

is so instructive.

Can you look

at verse 9?

And then

verse 18.

Old-fashioned

idols are

nothing, and

the things they

delight in do

not profit.

Their witnesses

neither see nor

know that they

may be put to

shame.

And then

verse 18.

They know

not, nor do

they discern, for

he has shut

their eyes so

that they cannot

see, and their

hearts so that

they cannot

understand.

There's some

debate about

verse 9, whether

the witnesses are

the idols

themselves or

the idol makers.

I think it is

the idol makers.

But Isaiah is

making a

connection, which

I really want

you to make

this morning,

between the

idols and

the idol makers.

And he

says, just as

the idols are

blind and

ignorant, so

are the

idolaters who

have made

their idols.

The

idolaters, can

you get it, have

become like the

idols.

And we've

already seen that

in the prophet

Isaiah.

But let me

take you to

another passage

in Psalms, which

says the same

thing.

Psalm 115

says, why do

the Neesians

say, where is

their God?

Our God is in

heaven.

He does whatever

it pleases him,

but their idols

are silver and

gold made by

the hands of

men.

They have

mouths, but

they cannot

speak.

They have

eyes, but

they cannot

see.

They have

ears, but

they cannot

hear.

They have

noses, but

they cannot

smell.

They have

hands, but

they cannot

feel.

They have

feet, but

they cannot

walk.

Nor can

they suffer

after a

sound of

their

throats.

Then what

does he

say?

He says,

those who

make them

will be

like them.

And so

will all

who trust

in him.

And that

is what

Isaiah is

really wanting

to say to

you and I

this morning.

Those who

make idols

will be

like the

idols.

And so

will all

them put

their trust

in idols.

You get

like the

people you

live with.

You get

like the

people you

worship.

Greg

Beal says,

we resemble

what we

revere,

either for

ruin or

restoration.

I try to

think about

this.

The last

few months

as we've

been going

through these

passages,

how do

we become

like the

idols that

we worship?

what does

it mean?

It can't

mean, can

it, that

if you

make money,

you're

idols, that

somehow you

become like

money.

That isn't

it.

That you

take on

some

characteristics,

or if you

make your

career the

central thing,

which you

derive all

your significance

that you

become like

your career.

I don't

think that's

the right

train of

thought.

And it

makes me

think that

Isaiah has

got something

that is more

general in

mind.

At its

most basic

level, he's

telling you

and I that

if we choose

to devote

ourselves to

anything other

than God,

something that

is lifeless,

it will render

us spiritually

dense.

Spiritually

blind and

just like the

idol, which

in the end

will bring us

to ruin.

I've been

milling back

and forth

with a

friend on

this.

And I do

think that

Jesus gives

us a

wonderful

illustration of

this.

He gives

us an

illustration of

what Isaiah

44 is

talking about.

About how

we can

resemble what

we revere

and worship,

either for

ruin or for

restoration.

And the

illustration comes

in the

parable of

the rich man

and Lazarus

in Luke 16.

So can you

put a paw in

Isaiah 44,

a finger in

Isaiah 44,

and turn

over to

Luke 16,

which is on

page 875.

And in

the most

famous,

this famous

parable,

Luke tells

us, in

Luke 16,

Luke 16:14–15

verses 14

to 15,

which is on

page 875,

the Pharisees

were lovers

of money.

And they

heard all

these things

and they

ridiculed him.

They were

lovers of

money,

money is

an idol

for them.

And they

ridiculed

him.

And he

said to

them,

you are

those who

justify

yourselves

before men,

but God

knows your

heart,

for what

is exalted

amongst men

is an

abomination.

And it's

God,

in God's

sight.

So here

are religious

church-grown

people,

and they

are steeped

in idols.

They are

steeped in idols

to which they're

oblivious.

Here are

people who are

consumed by

money,

with wealth,

and with

accumulation.

They found

their identity

in their bank

balances,

houses,

and the

size of

their homes,

and what

job they

had,

and what

phone they

had.

And so

Jesus tells

them a

parable,

and the

parable

involves

two

people,

a rich

man and

Lazarus.

And Jesus

introduces his

characters to

the listeners

like this,

look at

verse 19.

There's a

rich man

who's clothed

in purple and

fine linen,

and who

feasted

sumptuously

every day.

And on his

gate was

laid out a

poor man

named Lazarus

covered with

swords.

Jesus sets

up a

really simple

story of

compare and

contrast

between the

rich man

and Lazarus.

And the

contrast is

between what

they wear.

The rich

man is

clothed in

purple,

and Lazarus,

well, he

is barely

covered,

really.

There's a

contrast in

their diet.

The rich

man had

really great

food.

The

Lazarus long

scraps

are falling

on the

table.

But they're

not the

big differences.

What is the

big difference

in the story

of the rich

man and

Lazarus?

What is the

main contrast?

It's very,

very easy to

miss it.

The big

contrast is

one of the

men has

got a name

and one

of them

hasn't.

This is the

only parable

in the

Gospels

where Jesus

gives someone

a name.

But here's

the thing.

You would

think if Jesus

was going to

give one

character a name,

he would

give both

characters a name,

wouldn't you?

wouldn't he?

But he

doesn't do

that, and

he doesn't

do that

deliberately.

And he

gives Lazarus

a name, but

the rich

man has

none.

And I

think in

that, we

have the

greatest

illustration of

Isaiah 44.

The consequence

of running

after idols.

Why does

Jesus not

give the

rich man a

name?

The rich

man, I

think, does

not get a

name because

a rich man

is all that

he is.

He's just

a rich man.

And he's

nothing.

Or he's

nothing.

Him being

a rich man

with all

his identity.

And he

has become

what he

worships.

And in

contrast,

Lazarus, who

is the one

who trusts

God in

this picture,

he has

nothing, but

he still

has a

name, he

has an

identity.

And

Lazarus

knows who

he is,

and who

he is, and

he knows

what his

purpose is.

And despite

all the

terrible

circumstances

in his

life, there's

still an

identity, there's

still a

self through

it all.

But when

it comes to

the rich man,

his whole

life was

built around

riches.

His status,

his wealth,

his sins, and

if those things

were to go, there

would be no one

and nothing

left.

And so when

the rich man

died as he

did, his

identity died

with him, and

he's simply the

man with no

name.

And I think

that is Jesus'

way of pointing

to us the

result of

rejecting God

and following

idols.

the rich man,

his idol was

his wealth, his

identity was

that he was a

rich man.

But if that

is your idol,

isn't it,

something happens,

you lose your

money, the

bottom drops

out of the

market, and

you melt down,

you become what

you worshipped.

And it could

well be,

couldn't it,

that this

morning your

idol actually

is not money,

it is your

reputation.

or it is

sport, or

it is your

popularity, or

it is your

looks, or

it is your

career.

And whatever

it is, that

idol has become

your whole

self, so if

it was taken

away, life

wouldn't be

worth living

anymore.

And you've

lost yourself.

And that

wasn't what you

built your

life on, but

now you've

lost it, and

you've become

a shell of

who you

were.

And you

resemble what

you revere

in the worst

case for

ruin.

And so

in hell

this morning

there are

people who

are fathers

because they

made their

children an

idol.

And they

are architects

because they

made their

architecture an

idol.

And they

are rich

men.

And there

are people

that bound

their identity

in anything

but God, and

they've lost

their identity.

You become a

shell of who

you were, you

resemble what

you revere, and

in the worst

case for

ruin.

And the

irony of all

this is while

these idols

that Isaiah

is speaking

about are

nothing, he

wants us to

understand,

therefore, that

they do have a

power in our

lives.

So go back

with me to

Isaiah 44,

Isaiah 44:20

verse 20.

Isaiah 44,

Isaiah 44:20

verse 20.

He feeds

on ashes, a

deluded heart

has led him

astray, and

he cannot

deliver himself.

Is there

not a lie in

my right hand?

Why can't he

save himself?

He can't

save himself

because he's

enslaved.

Sin

enslaved.

And the

idolater is

hooked on the

idol, and

he's lost all

capacity to

free himself

or herself.

And so we

see, don't

we, the

wonderful irony

at the end

of verse 20.

Is there

not a lie

that I am

holding in

my right hand?

And the

idolater thinks

that he is

holding on to

the idol, but

the truth of

Isaiah 44 is

that the idol

is holding on

to him.

And he

cannot break

away from

the bondage

or of what

he calls a

lie that is

false in God.

He's still

holding on to

it.

Is this

no lie?

He won't

give it

up.

He's lost

his freedom,

the absurdity

of idolatry,

and Isaiah

shows you how

futile it is,

and how

enslaving it

is, and

how you

should run

away from

it.

Isaiah's

commentary

drips with

sarcasm, but

you and I

need to feel

the weight.

That the

one true

God has

revealed himself,

and there

is no one

like him.

But if you

and I decide

to run after

other things

for your

significance,

for your

meaning,

for your

glory,

for your

identity,

you will

become

spiritually

lifeless,

and dense,

like those

lifeless idols

that you

pursue,

in the end.

In the end,

you lose

your very

self,

and you

become

nameless.

Well,

Isaiah

isn't quite

done yet,

and he

wants to

come back

to give you

and I

the good

news,

and that

is the

redemptive

reasons why

you and I

should worship

God.

Thirdly,

the redemptive

reasons why

you and I

should worship

God,

and the

reason comes

in verses

21-23,

can you see

that?

Remember these

things,

O Jacob

and Israel,

for you are

my servant,

I formed

you,

you are

my servant,

O Israel,

you will

not be

forgotten

by me,

I blotted

out your

transgressions

like a

cloud,

and your

sins

like mist,

return to

me,

for I

have

redeemed

you.

Sing,

O heavens,

for the

Lord is

dead,

shout,

depths of

the

earth,

break

forth into

singing

of

mountains,

of forest

and every

tree in

it,

for the

Lord has

redeemed

God says

to his

people,

his church,

do you see

how the

idolaters

fashioned you?

They're

gods of

wood,

I fashion

you,

I fashion

you,

you're my

people to

whom I

committed.

And he

calls on

the people

and he

calls on

us to

remember

two things

which we

need to

remember

as we

come to

the

table,

two things

which set

God apart

from an

idol,

every other

God in

this world,

first of all

he says I

always keep

my promises,

it's what

he's saying

when he

says I

will not

forget you,

remembering

and forgetfulness

in the

Old Testament,

it's

covenantal

language,

it's not

that God

suddenly,

oh I

have

forgotten

and now

I

remember,

no of

course not,

God has

said I

made promises

to you and

I will act

on those

promises,

and you

can be sure

about that,

I will never

break my

promises to

you in

2017,

I don't

care what

your idol of

choice is

today,

and there's

probably as

many as

there are

people today,

I guarantee

you whatever

idol you're

tempted to

pursue,

it never

keeps its

promises,

that's it,

the relationship

that you

thought would

bring you all

the satisfaction

in the world,

has it done

that?

Of course it

hasn't,

you've got the

money,

you've got the

job,

has it brought

the satisfaction?

Of course it

doesn't,

whatever

cares,

my idol

dangles in

front of you,

whether it's

success,

prosperity,

or happy

family life,

or perfect

children,

or a fat

bank balance,

the promise

will be

broken,

and yet

God says

to you,

I have

never,

I have

never,

and I

will never

ever break

my promises

to you,

and secondly

God says

I want you

to remember

also that

I've forgiven

you when

you failed

me,

I love

the picture

of verse

22,

I've blotted

out your

transgressions,

swiped

them away,

I've

swiped

them away,

I've blotted

mouths like

a cloud,

and your

sins like

the morning

mist,

an idol

will never

forgive you

when you

fail it,

let's say

your idol

is your

career,

and that's

where you

gain this

great reputation,

and it's

where you

derive your

ultimate sense

of significance,

and importance

in life,

and you've

been so

diligent in

making offerings,

you've worked

long hours,

when other

people have

gone home,

you've been

there,

you've missed

really important

times with your

friends and your

families,

because you

had to work,

and then you

back off maybe

a little bit,

you realise

it's beginning to

affect your

health,

or your

family tells

you,

you've got to

back off,

or because of

your conscience,

and does your

idol say,

no that's

okay,

I'll be

there for

you,

no chance

does it,

it says no

more offerings

to deal it

off,

an idol never

forgives you

when you

fail it,

but the

Bible,

he'll forgive