Here is a picture of what's left of a temple where the Babylonians went to worship Nebo. Their god of wisdom and writing. This isn't what it looked like when Isaiah was writing chapter 46 but it's the picture he saw in the future and described to his listeners. We split up chapter 45 and 46 so you need to go back in your mind and note that they really go together. In chapters 45-48 Isaiah explains that God is greater than our enemies. Specifically the Babylonians. They already know that the Babylonians are going to come and destroy Judah but now they are getting to see the happier part of that story. In the end God is going to rise up someone to overthrow Babylon and restore the Temple.
In chapter 46 there are two verse of prophecy followed by eight verses where God once again establishes his authority, reminding his people who he is and why they should listen.
46:3 I have upheld you since you were conceived, carried you since your birth
46:4 I will sustain you to the end of your days and I will rescue you
46:5You can not compair me to anyone, there is no one that is my equal
46:6-7 No one has ever been saved by something they created
46:8 You have rebelled
46:9 I am God there is no other
46:10 I can tell you how it ends before it begins because I am the author of life, therefore my plans never fail.
In the last part of the Chapter the Lord once again explains his plan that ends with the ultimate goal: "I will bring Salvation to Zion, My splendor to Israel"
Question: In verse 12 who are the "stubborn hearted, those far from righteousness"?
Chapter 47 is more of the explanation of what God is going to do to Babylon.
Chapter 48 describes the stubbornness of Israel.
Read both chapters. Note God's tone in both chapters. After reading these what would you say is the basis for the different fates of these two peoples. On the one hand you have people who will be destroyed and on the other people who will be saved. What is the difference in between them? Knowing God is the same yesterday, today and forever, how do your conclusions make you feel about your own salvation?
In chapter 46 there are two verse of prophecy followed by eight verses where God once again establishes his authority, reminding his people who he is and why they should listen.
46:3 I have upheld you since you were conceived, carried you since your birth
46:4 I will sustain you to the end of your days and I will rescue you
46:5You can not compair me to anyone, there is no one that is my equal
46:6-7 No one has ever been saved by something they created
46:8 You have rebelled
46:9 I am God there is no other
46:10 I can tell you how it ends before it begins because I am the author of life, therefore my plans never fail.
In the last part of the Chapter the Lord once again explains his plan that ends with the ultimate goal: "I will bring Salvation to Zion, My splendor to Israel"
Question: In verse 12 who are the "stubborn hearted, those far from righteousness"?
Chapter 47 is more of the explanation of what God is going to do to Babylon.
Chapter 48 describes the stubbornness of Israel.
Read both chapters. Note God's tone in both chapters. After reading these what would you say is the basis for the different fates of these two peoples. On the one hand you have people who will be destroyed and on the other people who will be saved. What is the difference in between them? Knowing God is the same yesterday, today and forever, how do your conclusions make you feel about your own salvation?
P.S. I wrote out a long thing about how Cyrus leads to Jesus but somehow it got deleated after working on it for the past two hours...so just come ready for a good dose of history Thursday night. :)
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