Just as in the previous chapters a man makes an idol out of wood (alas, the ironworker got too hungry to continue), in 46 an idol of gold is made. The statues of the patron gods of Babylon must be carried away on the backs of beasts and cattle when the city is threatened, but to this God says:
“Listen to me, O house of Jacob,
all the remnant of the house of Israel,
who have been borne by me from your birth,
carried from the womb;
even to your old age I am he,
even when you turn grey I will carry you.
I have made, and I will bear;
I will carry and will save.” [46:3-4]
I am completely taken by this contrast; God turns the hurried and stumbling, leaderless cowards whose escape is thwarted and puts it across from a personal, intimate relationship that is timeless and faithful.
Chapter 47 (and this continues into 48, as well) is against Babylon, predicting her downfall and her pride. Babylon is personified as a young woman, a prisoner of war whose friends have left her and whose constructed protection of magic and science has crumbled.
In all this, God’s message to the reader is that he is one, that there is no other god beside him. This has been a struggle for man as long as we have existed--Adam and Eve were tempted by the idea that they could be like God; this should be nothing new to us.
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As I was reading this, I wasn't paying any close attention, but was instead wondering what becomes of those "tools" of God. For example, Israel was handed over to Babylon for captivity as punishment for their sins, but now Babylon is being punished? For what, playing her part in God's will? That didn't seem like God was playing fair to me. Lo and behold, the answer was written there on the page:
I was angry with My people,
I have profaned My inheritance,
And given them into your hand.
You showed them no mercy;
On the elderly you laid your yoke very heavily. [47:6]
Yes, God has His tools, but tools still have a choice as to how to conduct themselves. Babylon's role was to serve as place of exile for the Israelites. I suppose loosing their homeland was punishment enough. Babylon still had the option of showing mercy on her captives.
Also, a question:
I have never read Psalms in depth, and was wondering if y'all would be interested in starting a blog on the Psalms after we are done with Isaiah? I thought one Psalm at a time would be a good pace. It would probably be a slower pace than what we are doing now because I get really busy with school, and I'm sure y'all get busy too, but I thought it might be nice to do. Let me know :)
I'd be happy to study Psalms with you! I must warn you, though, that I've tried to do a "deep" study of that book and I can hardly get through the first five without taking months . . . there's a lot to them! It's good poetry in the sense that the literature is very very dense:)
One a week, maybe?
that sounds great :)
also, if you know of any good Psalm study book that you would recommend, let me know.
I'm excited.
Me too:) I don't know of any Psalm-study that would be good for us, though . . . perhaps a bit of research will bring up something. I'll work on it.
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