The Way Things Used To Be

“The way Things Used to Be” 6/8/25 a.m. Isaiah 46

We all like to reminisce a little bit don’t we? You younger folks like to talk about what things were like back in High School, Junior High or Middle School or even Elementary.

The older you get the more you like to reminisce because there’s more to reminisce about. Some of you folks have a LOT to reminisce about. Anyway, us older folks like to look back at what life was like when all the kids were still at home. Or back when Skiatook was just a small town. Our church here was one of the few buildings this far West. There was no Wal-Mart. No Tractor Supply. The train still ran everyday right down the JOGGING PATH. Of course, there were train tracks back then. There was Wells Food Market where the Dollar General is on the East side of town. Hixson’s Grocery store and meat counter was just to the West of where Kendall’s Drug Store is today. And if you needed shoes you went to Carver’s Shoe Store across the street from Hixson’s. (I’ll be honest, I had to call up my local historians, Brother Robert and Sister Donna Craig to remember the name of Hixson’s) There was Greenwood’s Drugstore where Bodley Insurance is today and then you would go through a swinging door in the back of the drugstore and that was Greenwood’s Feed Store. Those were some good times.

You know what I think? I think it’s good to REMINISCE. I think it’s GOOD to think back to the past. And I think God wants us to LOOK BACK and REMEMBER.

And that’s what I want to talk to you about this morning. So let’s turn in our Bibles to Isaiah 46 and we’ll read all 13 Verses.

“Bel boweth down, Nebo stoopeth, their idols were upon the beasts, and upon the cattle: your carriages were heavy loaden; they are a burden to the weary beast.

2 They stoop, they bow down together; they could not deliver the burden, but themselves are gone into captivity.

3 Hearken unto me, O house of Jacob, and all the remnant of the house of Israel, which are borne by me from the belly, which are carried from the womb:

4 And even to your old age I am he; and even to hoar hairs will I carry you: I have made, and I will bear; even I will carry, and will deliver you.

5 To whom will ye liken me, and make me equal, and compare me, that we may be like?

6 They lavish gold out of the bag, and weigh silver in the balance, and hire a goldsmith; and he maketh it a god: they fall down, yea, they worship.

7 They bear him upon the shoulder, they carry him, and set him in his place, and he standeth; from his place shall he not remove: yea, one shall cry unto him, yet can he not answer, nor save him out of his trouble.

8 Remember this, and shew yourselves men: bring it again to mind, O ye transgressors.

9 Remember the former things of old: for I am God, and there is none else; I am God, and there is none like me,

10 Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure:

11 Calling a ravenous bird from the east, the man that executeth my counsel from a far country: yea, I have spoken it, I will also bring it to pass; I have purposed it, I will also do it.

12 Hearken unto me, ye stouthearted, that are far from righteousness:

13 I bring near my righteousness; it shall not be far off, and my salvation shall not tarry: and I will place salvation in Zion for Israel my glory.”

It’s interesting to me that the Book of Isaiah can be divided up into THREE SECTIONS. Chapters 1-39 were written BEFORE the Nation of Judah was INVADED by the Babylonians and most of the people were taken away to be SLAVES and CAPTIVES to the Babylonians. Chapters 40-55 were written during the time of CAPTIVITY. And Chapters 56-66 were written after the people were released from captivity and came back to the Nation of Judah. And so Chapter 46, the Chapter we’re looking at today, falls into the time of their captivity.

Now there are those who say that Isaiah was NOT entirely written by Isaiah. So I did some studying on this and I see no reason to doubt that Isaiah was the author of the entire book.

And so this passage that we read is telling the people to REMEMBER. Let’s go ahead and go to the Lord in Prayer.