Isaiah

Isaiah Chapter 44

• Isaiah 44:1 Yet now hear, O Jacob my servant; and Israel, whom I have chosen:

God reminds us over and over again that Jacob, which is Israel, is His chosen. No matter who tries to explain it away, He reminds us again and again.

• Isaiah 44:2 Thus saith the LORD that made thee, and formed thee from the womb, which will help thee; Fear not, O Jacob, my servant; and thou, Jesurun, whom I have chosen.

Israel was chosen before He was formed inside His mother's womb. He was chosen over Esau. In reading the story of Esau and Jacob, it would seem to us that Esau was the good one and Jacob a deceiver. In reality however, Jacob was actually concerned with the things of God. He cared more for His spiritual inheritance and the honor of being the seed chosen of God to bring salvation for the world. Whether or not he understood the significance of his inheritance we don't know but He wasn't about to let his brother have it. Rebecca also knew that God had chosen Jacob and not Esau.

As far as Jacob's deception goes, when you study the book of Genesis and see the events in Jacob's life that follows his deception and trickery, you see how the he reaps what he sowed earlier. Laban deceived him and tricked him exactly like Jacob deceived his father and Esau. So we see God did not choose Jacob because he was perfect. He was chosen before he was even born. Jacob was a man of faith though even though he made many mistakes. It could be that Esau was one who was proud of his strength and was what we call a self made man.

The name Jesurun is sort of a special name referring to the people of Israel.

• Isaiah 44:3 For I will pour water upon him that is thirsty, and floods upon the dry ground: I will pour my spirit upon thy seed, and my blessing upon thine offspring :
• 4 And they shall spring up as among the grass, as willows by the water courses.

What a promise that those that trust in God have! How some of us tend to take it lightly and do not appreciate what we have in God. That may be also what separates Jacob from Esau. Look here: Water for the thirsty, spiritual water for the dry soul. He will pour out His spirit upon thy seed and blessing on thy offspring. Wow! There is no greater inheritance than a spiritual one. "Chosen of God." Jacob knew what he wanted. To be filled with God's spirit is to be fruitful and abound. It is life from death. Israel was to be the nation chosen of God to bring the plan of salvation to the whole world. Jew or Gentile, bond or free, men or woman, adults or children. Jesus Christ came through Israel, through the tribe of Judah. The little despised nation of the Jews was the very one God picked to bring His salvation through. When we receive Jesus, we will receive the living water Jesus spoke about to the woman at the well in John chapter 4. The living water is the Holy Spirit.

• Isaiah 44:5 One shall say, I am the Lord's; and another shall call himself by the name of Jacob; and another shall subscribe with his hand unto the LORD, and surname himself by the name of Israel .

Israel may be hated and despised now but one day they will be looked upon as representatives of the Lord. They will be highly esteemed. People will want to become one of them.

I don't know if this has anything to do with this particular prophecy but there has been latter day religious groups that have already chosen themselves to be spiritual Israel and claim to the God's chosen and use the name of Israel. Some Christians even have claimed to be Israel. Some of our songs have proclaimed this: "I am dwelling now in Canaan, Jesus Blood avails for me, I am free from condemnation, for the Son hath set me free." We also have many that have started Messianic Jewish congregations. Some are Jewish that found Jesus as savior but I personally know some that are not Jewish that are part of Messianic Judism. So already people are identifying themselves with Israel.

This song, "The Son Has made me Free" compares the journey of Israel to the land of Canaan, which God gave to Israel. To dwell in Canaan was to have received the promise land. I've sang those songs myself so I'm not criticizing it but reminding all of us that there is a real Israel that is restored and as a nation and also individuals that come to Jesus also.

• Isaiah 44:6 Thus saith the LORD the King of Israel, and his redeemer the LORD of hosts; I am the first, and I am the last; and beside me there is no God.

We are again reminded that there is no other God. Before someone accuses us of having two Gods though, remember that Jesus is God. He is the Son of God and is God. "In the beginning was the Word (Jesus Christ) and the word was with God and the Word was God, the same was in the beginning with God." They are one in purpose, unity and spirit.

In the book of Genesis we see God speaking to someone and saying, "Let us make man in our own image." Who is He speaking to? The animals are not in the image of God or man. The angels are different from God and man. It had to be Jesus.

God emphasizing that He is only one God is probably because there were so many gods in the pagan world of the past that He was trying to reveal to man through the bible that there is only one. There is only one true religion and only one true way. We may differ on a few points concerning the bible, denominations, teaching, etc. but in reality there is only one and that is God's way. To learn that way perfectly one has to study the bible and wholeheartedly give themselves to prayer and the study of His word. We then need to allow His Holy Spirit to teach us the word.

• Isaiah 44:7 And who, as I, shall call, and shall declare it, and set it in order for me, since I appointed the ancient people? and the things that are coming, and shall come, let them show unto them.
• 8 Fear ye not, neither be afraid: have not I told thee from that time, and have declared it? ye are even my witnesses. Is there a God beside me? yea, there is no God; I know not any.

The heathen gods have no power, those that make gods out of emperors and dead kings, have no power. There is only one God, one creator, and one way of salvation and that is the way He provided by sending His own Son to save the human race from sin.

• Isaiah 44:9 They that make a graven image are all of them vanity; and their delectable things shall not profit; and they are their own witnesses; they see not, nor know; that they may be ashamed.

Here is why He is emphasizing that fact that there is only one God. To trust in anyone or anything else is vanity.

• Isaiah 44:10 Who hath formed a god, or molten a graven image that is profitable for nothing?

A person had to form the god or image. Yet many were under bondage in religions that enslaved souls to believing in the power of these images.

The second commandment, "Thou shalt not make under thee any graven image," should not be taken lightly. God did not want us to worship vain things. He wants us to find the real God and worship in Spirit and in truth. Maybe that is why we don't really know what He looks like or what Jesus looks like. He knows we would make images and worship them instead of Him.

• Isaiah 44:11 Behold, all his fellows shall be ashamed: and the workmen, they are of men: let them all be gathered together, let them stand up; yet they shall fear, and they shall be ashamed together.
• 12 The smith with the tongs both worketh in the coals, and fashioneth it with hammers, and worketh it with the strength of his arms: yea, he is hungry, and his strength faileth: he drinketh no water, and is faint.

He is showing the utter foolishness of idols. The ones that make them are subject of hunger, thirst, sickness and troubles. They are just ordinary men.

• Isaiah 44:13 The carpenter stretcheth out his rule; he marketh it out with a line; he fitteth it with planes, and he marketh it out with the compass, and maketh it after the figure of a man, according to the beauty of a man; that it may remain in the house.
• 14 He heweth him down cedars, and taketh the cypress and the oak, which he strengtheneth for himself among the trees of the forest: he planteth an ash, and the rain doth nourish it.
• 15 Then shall it be for a man to burn: for he will take thereof, and warm himself; yea, he kindleth it, and baketh bread; yea, he maketh a god , and worshippeth it; he maketh it a graven image, and falleth down thereto.
• 16 He burneth part thereof in the fire; with part thereof he eateth flesh; he roasteth roast, and is satisfied: yea, he warmeth himself, and saith, Aha, I am warm, I have seen the fire:
• 17 And the residue thereof he maketh a god, even his graven image: he falleth down unto it, and worshippeth it, and prayeth unto it, and saith, Deliver me; for thou art my god .

More explanation of the foolishness of idolatry. Some idols were hewn from trees, carved by those that had artistic talents and then people were silly enough to bow down and think those images had the power to do good or evil. People actually got so deceived that they would offer their own children as sacrifices, thinking that it was a good thing. The idols had no knowledge of what was going on because they were objects and not real beings. There are demonic spirits behind idol worship but the idols themselves have no power on their own. Worship God.

• Isaiah 44:18 They have not known nor understood: for he hath shut their eyes, that they cannot see; and their hearts, that they cannot understand.

This describes a hardened heart. The danger of a hardened heart is that when one rejects truth it hardens the heart a little more. Pretty soon it gets so hard that it sometimes takes a tragedy or a disaster to soften that heart. Even then in some cases, the heart gets harder.

In reading the book of Revelation, I notice the attitude of the unrepentant people it is describing. Even though they know that they are experiencing the wrath of God because of their sin and persecution of God's people, they still refuse to repent but actually curse God.

I notice even today the attitude of the people in the United States toward God has changed. Just fifty years ago even sinners feared God and was respectful toward ministers, the bible and churches. That attitude has changed dramatically. Because there have been so many false prophets, preachers that have fallen into temptation, the teaching of evolution, and many other factors the attitude toward those that represent God and God Himself has changed. There is no fear, there is no reverence and there is a lack of respect and awe of God.

The bible itself is questioned now, when before it was honored. It is sad. The result is a lack of moral conscience. How do you think that a mother can kill her own child while still inside the womb? The modern press and the media are harsher in judging a well known preacher when he falls than a murderer on death row. It reminds me of those who cried, "Give us Barabbas," instead of Jesus. Honesty and integrity are not important to us any longer.

Little do we realize that a booming economy will not last if the moral landslide in this nation continues. I know for certain that it will not last. Why? Because no prosperous nation in history that defied God and continued downhill in immoral filth has ever lasted. We are destroying ourselves when we kick God our of our schools, kill our unborn children, teach evolution instead of the creation, and esteem education greater than the knowledge of God. We destroy ourselves when money, economy and prosperity mean more to us that doing that which is right and honest. And on the other side, there are those that care more about the environment and saving the planet than saving the eternal soul.

• Isaiah 44:19 And none considereth in his heart, neither is there knowledge nor understanding to say, I have burned part of it in the fire; yea, also I have baked bread upon the coals thereof; I have roasted flesh, and eaten it: and shall I make the residue thereof an abomination? shall I fall down to the stock of a tree?
• 20 He feedeth on ashes: a deceived heart hath turned him aside, that he cannot deliver his soul, nor say, Is there not a lie in my right hand?
• 21 Remember these, O Jacob and Israel; for thou art my servant: I have formed thee; thou art my servant: O Israel, thou shalt not be forgotten of me.
• 22 I have blotted out, as a thick cloud, thy transgressions, and, as a cloud, thy sins: return unto me; for I have redeemed thee.

This is a future prophecy concerning Israel. Their sins will be blotted out when they acknowledge their savior and Lord in repentance. Israel will one day discover and know who their true Messiah is.

The beautiful part of the gospel is that any individual that comes to Jesus Christ, the Messiah now do not have to wait for the future prophecy to come to pass. We can have our sins blotted out and be born again by the Spirit of God now. Whether Jew, Gentile, American, man, woman, child, black, white, mixed, heathen etc. Through Jesus Christ we are made one and the same. There is no difference. The blood of Jesus covers every sin and makes all things new. What is to happen literally in the future kingdom of Christ can happen now in the depths of our soul and spirit.

• Isaiah 44:23 Sing, O ye heavens; for the LORD hath done it: shout, ye lower parts of the earth: break forth into singing, ye mountains, O forest, and every tree therein: for the LORD hath redeemed Jacob, and glorified himself in Israel.
• 24 Thus saith the LORD, thy redeemer, and he that formed thee from the womb, I am the LORD that maketh all things; that stretcheth forth the heavens alone; that spreadeth abroad the earth by myself;

This is truly something to sing and shout about. Some wonder why some churches have praise and worship type of services. Why not praise and worship? When we discover the greatness of God and the price that was paid to save us from sin, how can we not praise and worship?

• Isaiah 44:25 That frustrateth the tokens of the liars, and maketh diviners mad; that turneth wise men backward, and maketh their knowledge foolish;

All things that are opposite of God shall be done away with. There will be no liars, socerery, witchcraft, evil, teaching of evolution, rebellion, and foolishness in the kingdom of Christ.

• Isaiah 44:26 That confirmeth the word of his servant, and performeth the counsel of his messengers; that saith to Jerusalem, Thou shalt be inhabited; and to the cities of Judah, Ye shall be built, and I will raise up the decayed places thereof:
• 27 That saith to the deep, Be dry, and I will dry up thy rivers:
• 28 That saith of Cyrus, He is my shepherd, and shall perform all my pleasure: even saying to Jerusalem, Thou shalt be built; and to the temple, Thy foundation shall be laid.

This part of the prophecy is the immediate fulfillment that happened already when Cyrus came to power and allowed the temple of Jerusalem to be rebuilt and the Jews to return to their homeland after being in bondage to Babylon for 70 years. Since much prophecy is a pattern that happens more than once until the final fulfillment, this is a hint that the temple will be rebuilt again in the latter days. DC

Isaiah 45

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