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Isaiah 44:1-28 — The Lord, Not Idols

Isa.44.1-28

¹But now listen, Jacob my servant, Israel, whom I have chosen. ²Thus says the LORD, who made you and formed you from the womb, who will help you: Do not fear, my servant Jacob, Jeshurun , whom I have chosen. ³For I will pour water on the thirsty land, and streams on the dry ground. I will pour my Spirit on your offspring, and my blessing on your descendants. ⁴They will spring up among the grass like willows beside flowing streams. ⁵One will say, 'I am the LORD's'; another will call himself by the name of Jacob; and another will write on his hand, 'Belonging to the LORD,' and will take the name of Israel. ⁶Thus 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. ⁷Who is like me? Let him proclaim it. Let him declare it and set it in order before me, since I established the ancient people. Let them declare the things that are coming, and what is yet to happen. ⁸Do not tremble, and do not be afraid. Have I not long ago made you hear and declared it? You are my witnesses. Is there any God besides me? There is no Rock; I know of none. ⁹All who make idols are nothing, and the things they delight in do not profit. Their own witnesses neither see nor know, so they will be put to shame. ¹⁰Who forms a god or casts an idol that profits nothing? ¹¹Look, all his associates will be put to shame, and the craftsmen are only human. Let them all gather and stand; they will tremble, they will be put to shame together. ¹²The ironsmith takes a cutting tool and works over the coals; he shapes it with hammers and works it with his strong arm. Yet he grows hungry and his strength fails; he drinks no water and grows faint. ¹³The woodworker stretches out a line; he marks it with a stylus; he shapes it with planes and outlines it with a compass. He makes it in the form of a man, with human beauty, to dwell in a house. ¹⁴He cuts down cedars for himself, or takes a cypress or an oak and lets it grow strong among the trees of the forest. He plants a pine, and the rain makes it grow. ¹⁵Then it becomes something for a man to burn. He takes some of it and warms himself; he also lights a fire and bakes bread. He also makes a god and worships it; he makes it an idol and bows down to it. ¹⁶Half of it he burns in the fire; over that half he eats meat, he roasts it and is satisfied. He also warms himself and says, 'Aha, I am warm, I have seen the fire.' ¹⁷And from what remains he makes a god, his idol. He bows down to it and worships; he prays to it and says, 'Deliver me, for you are my god.' ¹⁸They do not know, and they do not understand, for their eyes are shut so that they cannot see, and their hearts so that they cannot understand. ¹⁹No one takes it to heart; there is no knowledge or understanding to say, 'Half of it I burned in the fire, and I also baked bread on its coals; I roasted meat and ate. Shall I make what is left into an abomination? Shall I bow down to a block of wood?' ²⁰He feeds on ashes. A deceived heart has led him astray, and he cannot rescue himself or say, 'Is there not a lie in my right hand?' ²¹Remember these things, Jacob, and Israel, for you are my servant. I formed you; you are my servant. Israel, you will not be forgotten by me . ²²I have blotted out your transgressions like a cloud and your sins like a mist. Return to me, for I have redeemed you. ²³Sing for joy, O heavens, for the LORD has done this; shout, O depths of the earth. Break forth into singing, O mountains, O forest and every tree in it, for the LORD has redeemed Jacob and displays his glory in Israel. ²⁴Thus says the LORD, your Redeemer, who formed you from the womb: I am the LORD, who makes all things, who alone stretched out the heavens, who spread out the earth by myself. ²⁵who frustrates the signs of empty boasters and makes diviners act like fools, who turns wise men back and makes their knowledge foolish, ²⁶who confirms the word of his servant and fulfills the counsel of his messengers, who says of Jerusalem, 'She will be inhabited,' and of the cities of Judah, 'They will be rebuilt,' and 'I will raise up her ruins,' ²⁷who says to the deep, 'Be dry,' and, 'I will dry up your rivers,' ²⁸who says of Cyrus, 'He is my shepherd , and he will fulfill all my purpose,' and who says of Jerusalem, 'She will be rebuilt,' and to the temple, 'Let your foundation be laid.'

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4/11/2026

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