This passage on idolatry, these eleven verses are straight fire, right? I mean, this is fantastic stuff. This is completely different. We're not completely different, but it's quite a bit different than a lot of what we have looked at in Isaiah. There has been some times where idolatry has been addressed, but most of the time we're looking at judgment and restoration. And here the foolishness of idolatry is on display. And you have to love the questions that are asked, Who fashions of God are cast an idol that is profitable for nothing. Why do you do this? Why is this what you are doing with your life? Why is this happening?

So, here we see two very good reminders, not only for the people of God who Isaiah was addressing, but very good reminders for us. We've seen this on regular occasions throughout the Book of Isaiah, but it's always something that is very good for you and I to hear, and that is that Israel is the chosen of God, that God chooses His people, and that there is no other. Now, part of that is interesting because really it shows the grace that God has, right? As we think about this, as we lean into what we're seeing, if there are not these regional deities, if there is no God but the God of Israel, then they are a particular people.

As we come to Isaiah 43 today, what we find is not only a word that is good news, it talks about God being the savior of his people. But at the end, we do come to a word of judgment because the people have not listened to God. They have not followed His ways. They have not stayed with Him and His commands. But as we start out, we get this idea that God is the only one who can save His people. There are some really famous verses in here. There are some really beautiful passages. I'm the Lord who created you, O Jacob, I formed you. Then this phrase, Fear not for I have redeemed you. I have called you by name. You are mine. God lades hold of His people. He calls to them and He makes them His people. He holds on to them.

As we come to this section of Isaiah, what we're seeing here is the failure of Israel to see and hear. We see this pointed out for us in the heading that the ESV puts above verse 18, right? But we have this driven home with really powerful imagery from Isaiah. Hear you deaf and look you blind that you may see. He's calling to people who are incapable of doing things to do things.

As we come to verse 10 of chapter 42 here, we see a familiar phrase, Sing to the Lord a new song. Now, when you and I hear the idea of a new song, we instinctively probably think about an artist releasing a new song for us, whether that is coming out on CD or on the radio, or if you're more hip with the times being released on Spotify or Apple Music or something like that. But it's time for a song because the artist wanted to be creative or they needed some more money or it was just time to write a new song.

Another fantastic passage that's a break for us from all of the judgment language. Here we have something completely different. We see this on display here for us mostly in verse three. We see that this is a servant of God who is going to come. Ultimately, this is pointing forward to Jesus. It's telling us that He is going to come. He is going to be the salvation. He is going to be the one who builds up and sustains His people. We see, as I said in verse 3, how this is good news for people who have been under judgment because what is He going to do? A bruised reed He will not break, and a faintly burning wick He will not quench.

As we have been moving through these stories in Isaiah of judgment and the story of God's salvation from that judgment, we've also seen a war between the true God and the gods of the nations. We saw this back when one of the Kings said, Hey, all the other people said their gods would protect them, but they didn't. The response was, Hey, God is sovereign. He is the one who has put you over these people for a time to judge them, but then he is going to come in judgment on you. We've had this war between God, the one true God, and the gods of the nations. This idea is continuing here in this End to Chapter 41.

As we've been reading the Book of Isaiah, the words of judgment have been going out abundantly, right? But now God is making it clear that He preserves His people, that He is there for His people, and that He is the one who rescues them. We see this very clearly in verses 8-10, But you, Israel, my servant, Jacob, whom I have chosen the offspring of Abraham, my friend. Despite all this judgment that has been happening, God is reminding them of the covenant and the fact that they are his friends, that he has been near to them, that He does this for their benefit, that He keeps them and he chastises them.

Once again, I told the truth. A lot of stuff there that you know, a lot of familiar passages and familiar language. I hope you are like me that as we have been slowly plotting our way through Isaiah, it hasn't been easy with all this language of judgment. But now we're really understanding where a lot of this is coming from, why it is being said, because we truly are understanding the context. Not only are we seeing this in the way that judgment is spoken of, but also the way in which people have set themselves up above God and set themselves in a position of authority even above Him.

As I said, very familiar texts here. As this starts out, you have a well known Advent text and also you maybe know it from Handel's Messiah. That's also a very well known part of that musical work. Also we have the verses from three and four, or that we designate three and four and verse five as well that are very, very common to be read around the time of Advent. And then we have the grass withers and the flower fades.

So, chapter 39 has us seeing some interesting times in the life of Hezekiah. We just saw in the previous chapter that he was healed from these maladies, that he didn't have any children, but he was promised that he would because his life was going to be extended. But here we see that some envoys come from Babylon, and King Hezekiah is pretty excited about this. And the idea here is that they have a common enemy.

As we progress through the Book of Isaiah, we come across an interesting story about Hezekiah. We find out that he is sick, very sick to the point of death. And the prophet comes to him and tells him that, Hey, get your house in order. You're going to die. You're not going to recover. Now, I've never had somebody tell me anything like this, but I think the last person I would want to inform me of that things would be a prophet, particularly one of the stature of Isaiah, right?

So, we get the conclusion here of this story of the forces of Sennacherib threatening Jerusalem. We saw that they were coming in and making these claims against God saying, Hey, all the gods of the other people, they were prayed to, and those cities fell. The same thing is going to happen to yours, so just give in. Well, we saw that Hezekiah went to Isaiah, and he asked him for help. They went with sackcloth and ashes. They were truly wanting the help of God. The reply of the prophet, Isaiah here is very stern. In verse 23 here we say, Whom have you mocked and reviled?

So, this story continues, and it's an interesting one, isn't it? We had this Rabshakeh come and deliver this message. And basically, it was making a mockery of God. It was equating him to all the false idols of the other nations because this king of Assyria is saying, Hey, they thought their gods were going to save them. You're going to end up the same. Your God is not going to be able to save you. And so we hear, as we come to chapter 37, that King Hezakiah heard all this. And what did he do? He goes into a mourning mode. He tears his clothes. He covers himself with sack cloth, and he went to the house of the Lord. This is a sign of submission.

And so, as we come to Chapter 36, we see this narrative telling us basically what Isaiah has been prophesying has come to pass. Remember, they were going to trust in the forces, the horses, the armies of Egypt, but it hasn't now done them any good because here is the King of Assyria. There was no protection. Even the forces of Egypt couldn't hold back this Sennacherib, King of Assyria. We see that this is understood here as this messenger comes. We see in verse 6, Behold, you are trusting in Egypt that broken reed of a staff, which will pierce the hand of any man who leans on it, such as Pharaoh, King of Egypt, to all who trust in him. In other words, has been able to help you, and he's going to turn us back on you, is basically what he's saying.

As we come to chapter 35, we get some imagery of joy and of happiness. It's really a contrast to what we saw in the last chapter and what we have seen leading up to this, all this language of judgment. Now we see the people of God rejoicing in the salvation of the Lord. There is so much in here that we are familiar with, and we'll see that as we go along. But we have to remember the last chapter. As always, context is important. Remember in the last chapter, we read about this land that was going to be made a desolation. Remember, there would be nothing but birds there, and really there wasn't going to be anything growing.

This word of judgment we have read today acknowledges deeply who is really in control. There are those who set themselves up against God. We see this in the first verse, Are you destroyed or who yourself have not been destroyed? You traitor whom none has betrayed. These are the ones who are in opposition to God. These are the ones who have come in and done these terrible things to the people of Israel and of Judah, but they now understand who they need to call out to.

This word of judgment we have read today acknowledges deeply who is really in control. There are those who set themselves up against God. We see this in the first verse, Are you destroyed or who yourself have not been destroyed? You traitor whom none has betrayed. These are the ones who are in opposition to God. These are the ones who have come in and done these terrible things to the people of Israel and of Judah, but they now understand who they need to call out to.

As we continue through the prophetic words of Isaiah and the story that is being told here, we come to a passage that I think is maybe one of the most convicting ones that we have come to. I think the greatest temptation for us, while we are guilty of idolatry, don't get me wrong, as I've mentioned many times, just because we don't craft a wood, images, and bow down before them, doesn't mean we're not idolatrous. We struggle with this. This is a real thing for us. But I think what we see here is truly a message that resonates with us, isn't it? This idea of complacency.