Bible Commentaries

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

Isaiah 46

Clinging to a Counterfeit Cross
Introduction

1  The idols of Babylon could not save themselves.
3  God saves his people to the end.
5  Idols are not comparable to God for power,
12  or present salvation.
Verse 1

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.
Bel
Bel, called Belus by the Greek and Roman writers, is the same as Baal; and Nebo is interpreted by Castell and Norberg of Mercury; the two principal idols of Babylon. When that city was taken by the Persians, these images were carried in triumph.
21:9, 41:6,7, Exodus 12:12, 1 Samuel 5:3, Jeremiah 48:1-25, 50:2, 51:44,47,52
a burden
2:20, Jeremiah 10:5
Verse 2

They stoop, they bow down together; they could not deliver the burden, but themselves are gone into captivity.
they could
36:18,19, 37:12,19, 44:17, 45:20
but
Judges 18:17,18,24, 2 Samuel 5:21, Jeremiah 43:12,13, 48:7
themselves are
Heb. their soul is.
Verse 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:
Hearken
44:1,21, 48:1,17,18, 51:1,7, Psalms 81:8-13
the remnant
1:9, 10:22, 11:11, 37:4
borne
44:1,2, 49:1,2, 63:9, Exodus 19:4, Deuteronomy 1:31, 32:11,12, Psalms 22:9,10, 71:6, Ezekiel 16:6-16
Verse 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.
even to your
41:4, 43:13,25, Psalms 92:14, 102:26,27, Malachi 2:16, 3:6, Romans 11:29, Hebrews 1:12, 13:8, James 1:17
even to hoar
Psalms 48:14, 71:18
Verse 5

To whom will ye liken me, and make me equal, and compare me, that we may be like?
40:18,25, Exodus 15:11, Psalms 86:8, 89:6,8, 113:5, Jeremiah 10:6,7,16, Philippians 2:6, Colossians 1:15, Hebrews 1:3
Verse 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.
lavish
40:19,20, 41:6,7, 44:12-19, 45:20, Exodus 32:2-4, Judges 17:3,4, 1 Kings 12:28, Jeremiah 10:3,4,9,14, Hosea 8:4-6, Habakkuk 2:18-20, Acts 17:29
they fall
2:8, 44:17, Daniel 3:5-15
Verse 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.
they carry him
1 Samuel 5:3, Jeremiah 10:5, Daniel 3:1
one shall cry
37:38, 45:20, Judges 10:12-14, 1 Kings 18:26,40, Jeremiah 2:28, Jonah 1:5,14-16
Verse 8

Remember this, and shew yourselves men: bring it again to mind, O ye transgressors.
Remember
44:18-21, Deuteronomy 32:29, Psalms 115:8, 135:18, Jeremiah 10:8, 1 Corinthians 14:20
bring
47:7, Ezekiel 18:28, Haggai 1:5,7, Luke 15:17, Ephesians 5:14
Verse 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,
the former
42:9, 65:17, Deuteronomy 32:7, Nehemiah 9:7-37, Psalms 78:1-72, 105:1-106, 111:4, Jeremiah 23:7,8, Daniel 9:6-15
I am God
45:5,6,14,18,21,22
and there is none like
5, Deuteronomy 33:26
Verse 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:
the end
41:22,23, 44:7, 45:21, Genesis 3:15, 12:2,3, 49:10,22-26, Numbers 24:17-24, Deuteronomy 4:24-31, 28:15-68, Acts 15:18
My counsel
11, 43:13, Psalms 33:11, 135:6, Proverbs 19:21, 21:30, Daniel 4:35, Acts 3:23, Acts 4:27,28, 5:39, Romans 11:33,34, Ephesians 1:9-11, Hebrews 6:17
Verse 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.
Calling
13:2-4, 21:7-9, 41:2,25, 45:1-6, Jeremiah 50:29, 51:20-29
a ravenous bird
Or, "an eagle," a very proper emblem for Cyrus, says Bp. Lowth, as in other respects, so particularly because the ensign of Cyrus was a golden eagle, [aetos chrusous] the very word ayit, which the prophet uses here, expressed as near as may be in Greek letters.
Ezekiel 39:4
the man
44:28, 45:13, 48:14,15, Ezra 1:2, Psalms 76:10, Acts 4:28
that executeth my counsel
Heb. of my counsel.
Psalms 119:24; *marg:
I have spoken
14:24-27, 38:15, Numbers 23:19, Job 23:13, Jeremiah 50:45, Acts 5:39, Ephesians 1:11, Ephesians 3:11
Verse 12

Hearken unto me, ye stouthearted, that are far from righteousness:
Hearken
3, 28:23, 45:20, Psalms 49:1, Proverbs 1:22,23, 8:1-5, Ephesians 5:14, Revelation 3:17,18
ye stouthearted
48:4, Psalms 76:5, Zechariah 7:11,12, Malachi 3:13-15, Acts 7:51
that
Psalms 119:150,155, Jeremiah 2:5, Ephesians 2:13
Verse 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.
bring
51:5, 61:11, Romans 1:17, 3:21-26, 10:3-15
shall not tarry
Psalms 14:7, 46:1,5, Habakkuk 2:3, Hebrews 10:37
salvation
12:2, 28:16, 61:3, 62:11, Joel 3:17, 1 Peter 2:6
Israel
43:7, 44:23, 60:21, 61:3, Jeremiah 33:9, Haggai 1:8, John 17:10, Ephesians 1:6, 2 Thessalonians 1:10,12

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