Isaiah 48
Today's Passage: Isaiah 48
How did we get here? For the Jewish people exiled in Babylon, this question must have been at the forefront of their minds. Their Land was invaded by pagans—God seemingly defeated. As the exiles entered Babylon, it must have seemed vast, mighty, and unconquerable. After living through the siege of Jerusalem, seeing their home in tatters, it’s hard to imagine anything defeating Babylon. And yet…
Isaiah 48, verses 1 and 2 should chill the reader: “House of Jacob,” good. “Called by the name of Israel,” good. “Swear by the name of the Lord,” good. “Confess of the God of Israel,” good. “But not in truth or right,” wait, what? Then notice verse 2, Israel “calls” and “stays” themselves—their placing their hope in their city and in God, but again, not in truth or right.
Israel was practicing cultural Judaism. They found identity purely by practice and society, rather than devotion, submission, or faith. If the Jewish people wondered why the Babylonian Exile happened, that’s why. God went on to say they shouldn’t have been surprised by any of it—“I declared them to you from of old, before they came to pass I announced them to you.”
Pay special attention to verse 14, “Assemble, all of you, and listen!” Like troops mustering at attention, the Lord will be heard. “Who among them [idols] has declared these things?” In verses 12–13, the Lord declared who he is and there is no other.
“The Lord loves him; he shall perform his purpose on Babylon and his arm shall be against the Chaldeans.” Who is the “him”? And, if the “him” is who we think it is, is the word “love” a bit strong? Back in Isaiah 44:28, God specifically named the Persian ruler Cyrus as the one who would bring Babylon to heel. Cyrus is the “him.” The word “love” refers to God’s choosing favor (see Deut 4:37 & Malachi 1:2–3), rather than an emotional affection.
As unconquerable as Babylon may have seemed, verses 20–21 show the Lord’s power to redeem Israel—just like he set the captives of Egypt free. God used the global empire of Babylon as a puppet on a string to punish the disobedient Israel. He also used Cyrus and Persia to punish destroy Babylon and return God’s people to the Land. We may question the Lord’s goodness when evil seems triumphant, at yet, “There is no peace, says the Lord, for the wicked.”
Two points really stand out for me in this passage; first, God is in control—even when it seems like he’s not. I don’t know about you, but I turn on the news and think, “How did we get here?” Yet, God is still in control. I can trust his character and goodness to work things out for his glory.
Second, I need to prioritize worship. Culturally, Israel had a God-centered life. They acknowledged God in their lives every single day. However, what God seems to want as much as our obedience is our worship and our devotion. I completely believe that we must obey even if we’re not feeling it. However, obedience should cultivate a love for obeying the heart of a Heavenly Father that loves us. If our affections never change, if our heart is never softened or challenged, are we really obeying?
This passage should provide a gut check for all of us to surrender what we can’t control and turn our hearts to the One who can.
Written By: Tyler Short
How did we get here? For the Jewish people exiled in Babylon, this question must have been at the forefront of their minds. Their Land was invaded by pagans—God seemingly defeated. As the exiles entered Babylon, it must have seemed vast, mighty, and unconquerable. After living through the siege of Jerusalem, seeing their home in tatters, it’s hard to imagine anything defeating Babylon. And yet…
Isaiah 48, verses 1 and 2 should chill the reader: “House of Jacob,” good. “Called by the name of Israel,” good. “Swear by the name of the Lord,” good. “Confess of the God of Israel,” good. “But not in truth or right,” wait, what? Then notice verse 2, Israel “calls” and “stays” themselves—their placing their hope in their city and in God, but again, not in truth or right.
Israel was practicing cultural Judaism. They found identity purely by practice and society, rather than devotion, submission, or faith. If the Jewish people wondered why the Babylonian Exile happened, that’s why. God went on to say they shouldn’t have been surprised by any of it—“I declared them to you from of old, before they came to pass I announced them to you.”
Pay special attention to verse 14, “Assemble, all of you, and listen!” Like troops mustering at attention, the Lord will be heard. “Who among them [idols] has declared these things?” In verses 12–13, the Lord declared who he is and there is no other.
“The Lord loves him; he shall perform his purpose on Babylon and his arm shall be against the Chaldeans.” Who is the “him”? And, if the “him” is who we think it is, is the word “love” a bit strong? Back in Isaiah 44:28, God specifically named the Persian ruler Cyrus as the one who would bring Babylon to heel. Cyrus is the “him.” The word “love” refers to God’s choosing favor (see Deut 4:37 & Malachi 1:2–3), rather than an emotional affection.
As unconquerable as Babylon may have seemed, verses 20–21 show the Lord’s power to redeem Israel—just like he set the captives of Egypt free. God used the global empire of Babylon as a puppet on a string to punish the disobedient Israel. He also used Cyrus and Persia to punish destroy Babylon and return God’s people to the Land. We may question the Lord’s goodness when evil seems triumphant, at yet, “There is no peace, says the Lord, for the wicked.”
Two points really stand out for me in this passage; first, God is in control—even when it seems like he’s not. I don’t know about you, but I turn on the news and think, “How did we get here?” Yet, God is still in control. I can trust his character and goodness to work things out for his glory.
Second, I need to prioritize worship. Culturally, Israel had a God-centered life. They acknowledged God in their lives every single day. However, what God seems to want as much as our obedience is our worship and our devotion. I completely believe that we must obey even if we’re not feeling it. However, obedience should cultivate a love for obeying the heart of a Heavenly Father that loves us. If our affections never change, if our heart is never softened or challenged, are we really obeying?
This passage should provide a gut check for all of us to surrender what we can’t control and turn our hearts to the One who can.
Written By: Tyler Short
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