Isa 44:13-19 | KingComments | STEP | The whole message of the previous section is: ‘Trust Me, the Rock, and not the idols.’ Again and again the people tend to trust the idols of the nations. In this light one of the most striking of all Divine protests against the idols and their creators follows in these verses in flowery language (cf. ). There are two things to note on the subject of ‘idols’. One is that behind the idols are demons ( ; ; ). This means that serving idols is actually serving demons. The images represent concrete demonic powers, angels of satan. This also applies especially to the image that the antichrist will make ( ). The other thing is that idols are ‘nothing’. They are ‘vanities’, ‘nullities’, that is to say, they represent nothing. Anyone who thinks that the image, the product of human hands, can help is a great fool. Anyone who seeks the help of the idols will also fall into chaos. Pointing out this foolishness, demonstrating its ridiculousness, will also work deliverance from the power of demons for him who realizes it. The LORD ridicules those idols. Unlike Israel as God’s witness, the idols give testimony of their own powerlessness ( ). From this self-testimony a scathing mockery is poured out over their makers . What foolishness it is to fabricate your own god and then expect something of it ( ). Surely it is clear to every sensible person that a dead piece of material can’t work anything, isn’t it ( )? God creates man, but these people put it the other way around: man creates with a waste of all his powers a god – an image of metal or of wood – for which he fashions the material himself ( ). In the same way, man today is creating himself a god according to his own ‘dimensions’. Not the Bible is the standard, but one’s own judgment. Man wants a god who fulfills his wishes, who acts as he thinks is right. We are perhaps more guilty of this idolatry than we are aware of. A god who is only full of love and does not take evil so seriously, is such a god of one’s own making. The same goes for a god who can only judge and from whom no pity can be expected. God here condemns Israel, who has turned from his Maker to the heathen use of idols. In we see how the same piece of wood serves to satisfy both the natural and religious needs of a human being. It shows that sinful man in his folly pursues the satisfaction of both needs in the same way. The whole part is full of man’s activity. They work hard, but without knowledge, for they are “darkened in their understanding” ( ; ). None of them get the idea that they are engaged in supreme foolishness. They feed on ashes, on something from which all life has disappeared, in which nothing useful is present anymore ( ). They do not notice that they are engaged in deceit. It is clear that praying to these images, which are made by human hands, is vain and useless. It’s like so many people today who willingly allow themselves to be deceived by horoscopes and occultism, rather than come into contact with the truth. They simply don’t wonder if it could also be deceit. If they do not repent, they will not save their lives and will perish forever. The danger of idolatry is also not limited to unbelievers, because believers are also warned of this danger: “Little children, guard yourselves from idols” ( ). In addition to serving images, there are many things that can take the place of the one true God, for example the Mammon, the god of money ( ). That is why the call to flee the love of money sounds ( ).

‏ Isaiah 44:13-19

The Idols Mocked

The whole message of the previous section is: ‘Trust Me, the Rock, and not the idols.’ Again and again the people tend to trust the idols of the nations. In this light one of the most striking of all Divine protests against the idols and their creators follows in these verses in flowery language (cf. Jer 10:1-16).

There are two things to note on the subject of ‘idols’. One is that behind the idols are demons (Deu 32:17a; 1Cor 10:19-20; Rev 9:20). This means that serving idols is actually serving demons. The images represent concrete demonic powers, angels of satan. This also applies especially to the image that the antichrist will make (Rev 13:14-15).

The other thing is that idols are ‘nothing’. They are ‘vanities’, ‘nullities’, that is to say, they represent nothing. Anyone who thinks that the image, the product of human hands, can help is a great fool. Anyone who seeks the help of the idols will also fall into chaos. Pointing out this foolishness, demonstrating its ridiculousness, will also work deliverance from the power of demons for him who realizes it.

The LORD ridicules those idols. Unlike Israel as God’s witness, the idols give testimony of their own powerlessness (Isa 44:9). From this self-testimony a scathing mockery is poured out over their makers. What foolishness it is to fabricate your own god and then expect something of it (Isa 44:10). Surely it is clear to every sensible person that a dead piece of material can’t work anything, isn’t it (Isa 44:11)? God creates man, but these people put it the other way around: man creates with a waste of all his powers a god – an image of metal or of wood – for which he fashions the material himself (Isa 44:12-14).

In the same way, man today is creating himself a god according to his own ‘dimensions’. Not the Bible is the standard, but one’s own judgment. Man wants a god who fulfills his wishes, who acts as he thinks is right. We are perhaps more guilty of this idolatry than we are aware of. A god who is only full of love and does not take evil so seriously, is such a god of one’s own making. The same goes for a god who can only judge and from whom no pity can be expected.

God here condemns Israel, who has turned from his Maker to the heathen use of idols. In Isa 44:15-17 we see how the same piece of wood serves to satisfy both the natural and religious needs of a human being. It shows that sinful man in his folly pursues the satisfaction of both needs in the same way. The whole part is full of man’s activity. They work hard, but without knowledge, for they are “darkened in their understanding” (Isa 44:18-19; Eph 4:17-18).

None of them get the idea that they are engaged in supreme foolishness. They feed on ashes, on something from which all life has disappeared, in which nothing useful is present anymore (Isa 44:20). They do not notice that they are engaged in deceit. It is clear that praying to these images, which are made by human hands, is vain and useless.

It’s like so many people today who willingly allow themselves to be deceived by horoscopes and occultism, rather than come into contact with the truth. They simply don’t wonder if it could also be deceit. If they do not repent, they will not save their lives and will perish forever.

The danger of idolatry is also not limited to unbelievers, because believers are also warned of this danger: “Little children, guard yourselves from idols” (1Jn 5:21). In addition to serving images, there are many things that can take the place of the one true God, for example the Mammon, the god of money (Mt 6:24). That is why the call to flee the love of money sounds (1Tim 6:10-11).