Carry, Or Be Carried? (Isaiah 46:1-13) Series

By the time they've reached high school, every straight A student knows that there's one type of assignment, above all others, that's difficult and annoying: the group project. When you get put in a group of three or four students, inevitably, one of two things happens. You either carry the weak links in the group, doing far more than your fare share, or you accept your fate and get a B. Maybe the A student can look back fondly on those times when they got carried once or twice, but as a rule, group projects were the pits.

And then you become an adult, and for most people, their life becomes one giant group project. Most of life is too hard, and too big, to be handled by yourself. You need to work with other people to get everything done. And so you're forced to work in collaboration with other people. Some people are a blessing, and a huge help. They help you carry the load, and you're thankful for them. Other people, honestly, are a burden. They are dead weight. You can't trust them to do a good job, or to get the job done on time. They do their part, and you hold your breath that it'll all work out.

All of this is true not only in ordinary day-to-day relationships, but it's also true in the spiritual realm. Throughout history, most people, in most parts of the world, understand that life is hard, and that you need help not only from humans, but also from divine beings. You need sunshine, and rain. You need protection, and guidance. You need spiritual help to win your human battles. To be successful in life, you need to be carried by a god. And the question, is which god you choose to give your allegiance to. Who will you put your trust in? Who is most powerful? Who will listen to you, and pay attention to you, when you cry out? Who will make a great partner (2 Corinthians 13:14), as you go through life?

Basically, who will carry you?

In our passage today, the main theme revolves around the idea of being carried. The assumption our verses make is that everyone needs to be carried through life by something. Being carried isn't something you outgrow when you become toddler. Toddlers get it wrong, actually: You can't do everything all by yourself. Life is hard. You need help. And the question, is who, or what, will you turn to, and open up your arms to, and have carry you.

In our Isaiah study, we've seen that God's people in Babylonian exile have turned from Yahweh, to other gods. They've decided that the Babylonian gods carry harder, carry better, carry more reliably. And so they're doing the exact sins-- idolatry-- that led to God's judgment, and to their exile from the promised land. Their rebellion in this comes out of a place of fear, and doubt. And it also comes out of a place of ignorance-- at least up to this point, they still don't understand what God is doing, and they keep refusing to believe what the prophet tells them. The prophet tells them over and over, God is rescuing you through Cyrus. And the people just don't budge. They cling to their idols (contrast Deuteronomy 4:4).

And what we see in this passage is God, through his prophet, responding to all of this. God mocks their choice of gods, and He invites them to Someone better.

I want to read the first two verses, Isaiah 46:1-2, really slowly. There's a lot here to mock, and think about, and I want to give it justice. Verse 1, first two lines:

(1) He knelt down (2 Kings 1:13)-- Bel;

Cowering [*Shalom Paul]/Stooping down/over, Nebo [is]. [Isaiah 21:9; Jeremiah 50:2]

The prophet begins his oracle by painting a mocking picture of the two highest deities in the Babylonian pantheon-- Bel, and Nebo. [Technically, "Bel" is a title meaning something like "Lord," and the god's actual name is Merodach (Jeremiah 50:2), but I'm just going to pass over the details. The exiles know who "Bel" is.].

Our prophet sees these two gods, first of all, kneeling down, and crouching.

There are moments in life that are scary, and overwhelming. These moments, and how you respond to them, define you forever. You can stand tall, and be courageous, and fight to the end. Or you can duck, and cover, and adopt a posture of fearful surrender, and submission.

https://knowyourmeme.com/photos/2861814-female-secret-service-agents-at-donald-trump-shooting

The prophet sees the Babylonian empire falling apart. And the gods who were worshipped, who were supposed to protect the people, knelt down, and ducked. They are in a battle with Yahweh, and they are overmatched, and overpowered.

Still verse 1:

Their images/idols [are] consigned to [* Shalom Paul] living animals and consigned to domestic animals.