LHC Midday Word: The Book of ISAIAH

Gods of Babylon

Bel bows down, Nebo stoops low;

their idols are borne by beasts of burden.

The images that are carried about are burdensome,

a burden for the weary.

They stoop and bow down together;

unable to rescue the burden,

they themselves go off into captivity.

‘Listen to me, you descendants of Jacob,

all the remnant of the people of Israel,

you whom I have upheld since your birth,

and have carried since you were born.

Even to your old age and grey hairs

I am he, I am he who will sustain you.

I have made you and I will carry you;

I will sustain you and I will rescue you.

‘With whom will you compare me or count me equal?

To whom will you liken me that we may be compared?

Some pour out gold from their bags

and weigh out silver on the scales;

they hire a goldsmith to make it into a god,

and they bow down and worship it.

They lift it to their shoulders and carry it;

they set it up in its place, and there it stands.

From that spot it cannot move.

Even though someone cries out to it, it cannot answer;

it cannot save them from their troubles.

‘Remember this, keep it in mind,

take it to heart, you rebels.

Remember the former things, those of long ago;

I am God, and there is no other;

I am God, and there is none like me.

I make known the end from the beginning,

from ancient times, what is still to come.

I say, “My purpose will stand,

and I will do all that I please.”

From the east I summon a bird of prey;

from a far-off land, a man to fulfil my purpose.

What I have said, that I will bring about;

what I have planned, that I will do.

Listen to me, you stubborn-hearted,

you who are now far from my righteousness.

I am bringing my righteousness near,

it is not far away;

and my salvation will not be delayed.

I will grant salvation to Zion,

my splendour to Israel.

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Word by Word Meditations

by Fred Ursell

Isaiah 46: “purpose” (v.10)

What a succinct yet powerful phrase! “My purpose will stand” (v.10). Who said it? It was the LORD of course. And just to underline the point He adds “and I will do all that I please.” We all have things we intend to do, plans we try to carry out. Do they always come to fruition? Or, in the words of the poet Robbie Burns, ‘gae aft aglae [i.e. skewhiff]? God doesn’t ‘stand’ back [with fingers crossed] – He does all that He pleases. His purpose will stand [i.e. work out in practice], because He involves himself actively in the big stuff and the minutiae of your life.

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The Book of ISAIAH- Chapter 46

- Read by David Suchet -